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Day hike along the Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir in Iceland
Runar, a SAR-certified guide, will lead you on a fascinating full-day hike along the breathtaking Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir in Iceland, one of the most picturesque places in this charming country!
Highlights
Hike along the spectacular Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir!
Countless bird species to marvel at, including Puffins and Whooper Swans!
Explore a fascinating British World War Two naval radar station!
The potential to witness seals and whales swimming in the bay!
The sandy beach and lighthouse of idyllic Slétta!
Description
I will take you on a daylong hike of the Green Cliffs of Hornstrandir, Iceland, that will leave you spellbound by its pristine and natural beauty, its wide variety of animal species and some of the most beautiful views in the entirety of the country (no mean feat!).
Located in the far North of the country, Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is truly an immaculate slice of beauty, with its idyllic sandy beaches and awe-inspiring, vivid green cliffs belying a fascinating history, often overlooked amongst the raw splendour of the terrain.
Starting at 9am from our offices in Ísafjörður, we then head to the harbor where we set off on a delightful hour-long ferry trip across the bay, taking in the majestic glory of the surrounding fjords and mountain cliffs, before alighting at the start point of our hike, Slétta.
From here we set off on our hike, hard as it is to leave the idyllic setting of the sandy beach, a post-card perfect lighthouse and if we’re lucky, seals swimming along the shore!
The hike is approximately 15km of soft and easy-going terrain, and our first stop is a small lake full of Whooper Swans and Kittiwakes gracefully gliding along the water.
After this we head to the top of the aforementioned Green Cliffs, where a peek over the edge of the sheer 500m drop displays powerful waves smashing in to the rocks below. Multitude of bird species (including puffins) can be seen flying around here, and clear days provide jaw-dropping views over the bay and back over to the fjords.
We then reach a fascinating historical site, a British naval radar station built specifically for World War Two to monitor enemy planes or ships, and exploring this is sure to thrill your inner history buff!
Finally we head down to the shore of the formerly bustling village of Látrar, where our ferry takes us back to Ísafjörður, hopefully with whales swimming nearby!
Seeing the outstanding and pure scenery of the North of Iceland will make you feel you’re on top of the world – book now to see how it feels!
If you want more time to explore this beautiful part of the world, I also offer 3-day hikes of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve here!
For an even longer exploration, there is also a 6-day hike of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve on offer here!
Details
More info Please bring with you: - Warm outdoor clothing. Please avoid cotton as it keeps you cold when wet and takes a very long time to dry. - Waterproof jacket and pants. - Hiking boots. Please use waterproof high-top hiking boots which provide ankle support. - Hat and gloves. - Sun glasses. - Sunscreen and after sun cream. - Small backpack. - Water bottle. - Don't forget your camera! |
Meeting point Our office at Aðalstræti 17, Ísafjörður. |
Photos
Itinerary
Day 1: Day of Activity
- Meet at offices in Ísafjörður at 8:30am
- Depart offices for ferry at 9am
- Catch ferry across to Slétta
- Commence hike for 15km, with stops along the way
- Finish hike at Látrar
- Catch ferry back to Ísafjörður
About the guide
I hold a degree in geography and started my guiding career as a mountain biking and hiking guide in the summer for different adventure companies in Iceland. I also worked as a tourism consultant for few years but felt it was time to put my skills into practice and put up an adventure operation in cooperation with other good people.
I was a boy scout when I was younger and learned to love the outdoors, especially the mountains. Skiing, ice & rock climbing and kayaking are my favorite sports and a part of his job. I have for years led mountaineering and avalanche SAR courses for the Icelandic Rescue Team Association.
Among other things, I have scaled 6000 m peaks in Peru, done skiing and kayaking expeditions in Greenland, climbed in the Alps few times and done paragliding in the Pyrenees.
I have finished WFR first aid training, hold a BCU 4 star kayaking certificate, have finished my marine CTCW training to be qualified as a professional crew member and Canadian Level I and Level II avalanche training.
My great experience and expertise means that you're in safe hands.
What people are saying about Borea Adventures
Marla Wolkowicz
4.00
September 2019
Marla Wolkowicz
4.00
September 2019
Runar Karlsson was not our guide. We were surprised to discover, only on the day of our hike upon our arrival to your office, that he wasn’t. A disappointment, after we had received a detailed explanation from Runar describing his skills and CV days before. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding on our part, but we were under the impression we had booked this hike as a private venture for the four of us well in advance, since the date we requested was not part of the dates standardly offered. Therefore we thought we were going to benefit from Runar’s geologic expertise and personal attention during our hike. Instead, again we were surprised to discover another hiker was joining our group to whom our guide directed most of his attention and time. The two of them hiked well ahead of the rest of us for most of the hike. Also, we were offered little unsolicited geologic or local information from our guide, which was an important aspect of this hike and something we were all looking forward to learning. It was an exhilarating hike and the views were spectacular but it was not the experience we were led to believe it would be.
Anonymous
2.00
September 2019
Runar wasn\'t our guide. I already sent a review to Boreas Adventures. We were disappointed with the hike. It was much shorter than we expected and less challenging than we expected. The guide wasn\'t very knowledgeable and we probably could have done the trip without him. The best part of the trip was on the boat when we saw 2 humpback whales.
Prices per person
Group of 1 | USD 340 each |
Group of 2 | USD 340 each |
Group of 3 | USD 340 each |
Group of 4 | USD 340 each |
Group of 5 | USD 340 each |
Group of 6 | USD 340 each |
Group of 7 | USD 340 each |
Group of 8 | USD 340 each |
Want a different number of travellers?
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Transportation from your hotel/airport (if in area) to the start of the trip and back
- Transport during the trip
Price details
Price is for individual to join a group of 2-8 people.
Price includes: Boat ride both ways and a professional guide.
For booking assistance
Have any doubts? Talk directly with an Explore Share assistant.
The Concierge service is a great tool for when you still haven't decided what kind of Adventure you're looking for and you're open to suggestions
We did not have Runar Karlsson as our guide. Instead we enjoyed the expertise of a young Icelandic woman who also serves as an Olympic Cross-Country coach for Icelandic youth. She guided us along the Hornstrandir coast towards one of the Arctic Fox habitats. Although no foxes were seen we learned much about the area, the fjord and its history. We also enjoyed a walk with her to a lovely waterfall behind the farmhouse.