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Ísafjörður

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Hornbjargsviti

EN / IS

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A Walk on the Wild Side

Step into the wild heart of Hornstrandir, Iceland’s most remote and breathtaking nature reserve (Eclipse Date Available)

This is a tour our guides have been wanting to offer for years. As this year will mark our 20 years operating in Hornstrandir, we invite you on a unforgettable experience.

Embark on A Walk on the Wild Side, an unforgettable journey through the untouched wilderness of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve — one of Iceland’s most secluded and awe-inspiring regions. This fully self-sustained hiking adventure invites you to step far beyond the familiar trails and immerse yourself in the raw, wild beauty of Iceland’s eastern coastline, where dramatic cliffs, glacial views, and crashing waves set the rhythm of your days.

Perfect for experienced adventurers and returning guests who have loved our Lost Fjords tour, this expedition offers a deeper, more challenging connection with the landscape. Over four days, you’ll traverse unmarked paths, cross rivers, and camp in complete solitude, surrounded by the pure essence of the backcountry. With no crowds, no noise, and no distractions — just your group, your gear, and Iceland’s breathtaking nature — this is an authentic experience unlike any other. To give you an idea of the spirit and colours of the area, check out this awesome blog post about the area!

If you’re ready to push further, explore deeper, and embrace the desolate beauty that defines Hornstrandir, this is your next great adventure.

The following departure dates are available :

19/06/2026 – 22/06/2026

15/07/2026 – 18/07/2026

12/08/2026 – 15/08/2026      Note: The Solar Eclipse is on the 12th.

Contents of this tour

Tour overview

  • 4 days
  • Min age: 16 years
  • Total Distance: 50km
  • Group Size: 4-8

Description

This tour is a more secluded and true off-the-beaten-path tour. The east coast of Hornstrandir gets only a dozen hikers per year. Once we start the tour, we don’t expect to see anyone until the end of Day 3, when we reach the lighthouse in Látravík Bay. This is the perfect place to enjoy the wild Icelandic beauty and the tranquil sound of waves on rocks.

This tour is designed to be fully self-supported and will require a bit more experience from the guests. Maybe you have been on a Traverse or a Lost Fjords tour with us in the past, and are looking for a new experience. Unlike our other tours, there are fewer possibilities to alter the route once the tour has started. This includes changes due to borderline weather conditions. Once the tour starts, it’s difficult to change routes.

The path itself is not particularly difficult. However, it is not a well-maintained trail like you may be used to. This is a wilderness area, and there are no dedicated trail teams maintaining or cutting new trails. This tour also requires good timing and the ability to cross many rivers. This level of maintenance just adds to the natural beauty and ruggedness of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

Photos

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Itinerary

Preparation and Predeparture Meeting

It is important that all guests come prepared and with the necessary gear. Please take time to read our provided example packing list for gear below. This list has been put together by one of our lead guides to minimize weight and save space in backpacks. Further recommendations can also be found in this document. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at info@borea.is, and we will be happy to assist you.

The pre-departure meeting is held at the Borea Adventures, Gear Storage and Meeting Point. We ask that all guests be timely. The meeting is at 17:00 GMT the day before departure. This is an opportunity to meet your guide and fellow hikers in person before the start of the tour, ask any last-minute questions, and go over your gear one more time.

Day of Departure – Meeting at 8:00 at Our Office.

The boat ride into Jökulfirðir is magnificent. There is abundant wildlife to see from the boat, dramatic seaside cliffs, old farmsteads that dot the coastline, and the star of the show, Drangajökull. We won’t be going onto the glacier on this tour, but we will have beautiful views of it all day long.

The hike from Kjós to Furufjörður is relatively easy. The group gets dropped off near Kjós at the opening of Hrafnfjörður and walks into the fjord following the coastline. The pass over to Furufjörður is beautiful. The group will follow a large river up a valley full of rock formations, cross over a picturesque arched bridge, pass by a gorgeous mountain lake, and take in the views of Drangajökull as we walk along the southern boundary of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. We end Day 1 at the campsite in Furufjörður. It is a nice little campground next to the sea with a view of the glacier.

Day 2 starts with a relaxed breakfast while you wait for the tide to go out. The trail begins with a rocky beach that can only be passed at low tide. After the rock beach, the group is rewarded with an iconic seastack in the middle of a small cove! This is a great spot to rest the ankles before walking around to Bolungarvík and climbing up to Göngumannaskarð. This pass (360 m) is the highest elevation on the tour. It is a mellow ascent and descent. The next leg of the day’s hike is to cross the meadow in Bardsvik, climb over Smiðjuvíkurhals, and arrive at the campsite in Smiðjuvík.

After packing down the camp, you make your way toward Hornbjargsviti, a charming lighthouse on the edge of a cliff. On the walk, you will pass Drifandi, a huge waterfall that cascades over the cliffside and into the sea. With any luck, there will be someone at the lighthouse when you arrive, and you can get some dinner there. This is, of course, not guaranteed, and we will plan accordingly. The lighthouse is operated by Ferðafélags Íslands, and has a short operation season in the area. For the first time on the tour, there is also a little bit of luxury, flushing toilets instead of dry toilets, and a place to cook meals inside. There is an old barn available for campers to use. The group will stay near the lighthouse for the night and listen to the waves crash on the cliffs below.

We wake up to a bit more luxury (if we are lucky), Fresh coffee and pancakes at the lighthouse, before we hit the trail. If not, that’s ok too. We always make the best of the situation and plan ahead. After breakfast, we start hiking up to Kyrskarð and to the top of Innstidalur. Again, this is a mellow ascent, and once the group gets to the pass, they are rewarded with a spectacular view looking along the Hornbjarg cliffs and to the south side of the mountain Kalfatindur. There are a few options once the group gets here, but the plan is to stay up high and walk along the cliffs instead of dropping down into Innstidalur. On this route, the group will walk under the south side of Kalfatindur and onto the small plateau above the lake in Miðdalur. This is an excellent spot to take a break before walking down to the lake and back up to the cliffs on the north side of Kalfatindur. From there, the hike continues over Miðfell and to the Horn before getting picked up at 16:00 by the boat. The sail back to Isafjörður takes about three hours.

What to bring

Example Clothing Packing List

  • 1x Hiking pants
  • 1-2x Wool bottoms
  • 1-2x wool tops
  • 2x synthetic t-shirt
  • 3x Wool socks
  • 2x Wool/synthetic Underwear
  • 1-2x Midlayer (Fleece, Wool, Synthetic)
  • Rain jacket
  • Rain pants
  • Hiking boots, make sure there is plenty of ankle support
  • Water shoes
  • Hats and gloves

Recommendations

  • Warm outdoor clothing including hiking pants and warm upper layers. 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.
  • Water shoes, as we cross many streams and walk through some wetlands. Make sure they are sturdy and well secured.
  • Dry bags. These will not only keep your clothes dry in your backpack but they are also a good way to pack your clothes down a bit smaller.
  • Hat and gloves.
  • It needs to be around 60L. Big enough to carry all of your belongings, including your sleeping bag and your share of the food.
  • Sleeping bag rated to at least 0°C. Down is best since it packs smaller than synthetic.
  • Sleeping mattress. A thin inflatable one is best as it easily fits inside the backpack.
  • Personal medical kit i.e. band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, seasickness tablets etc. Don’t forget your personal medication, which you may need (e.g., Asthma inhaler, even if you don’t always need it).
  • Sun glasses.
  • Sunscreen and after sun cream.
  • Binoculars are nice to have for watching wildlife. (Optional).
  • Water bottle.
  • Don’t forget your camera!

FAQ

The distances are between 12-16 km a day. We carry all our gear most of the days, and have to go through mountain passes up to 600 meters elevation. We keep a slow pace and enjoy the scenery, we’re not in a hurry! This hike is a wilderness hike, the terrain where we hike is in some parts wet, mossy, rocky, muddy and everything in between, steep and flat. In some parts, there aren’t any trails. Just pure wilderness.
Sea conditions can be choppy up, but our boats are purpose built to cut through waves. If in doubt, travel with motion sickness medicine or ginger pastilles. To get on and off the coast, there will be a tendering service using our motorised inflatable boat
You arrive in Keflavik International Airport about 40 minutes away from the capital city of Reykjavik. From the domestic airport in Reykjavik there are 2-3 daily 40 minute flights to Isafjordur. You can take the Fly-Bus between the airports and most of the time you can continue same day. Check out Air Iceland Connect for schedules and special offers. You can also rent a car and drive to Isafjordur. The drive, over mountain passes and through fjords is an adventure itself. It’s about 440-500 km depending on which route you take. A new road via Arnkötludalur opened in 2009 which completes the asphalted pathway the whole way, and kills the old myth of bad roads in the Westfjords! The drive will normally take you 5-6 hours. A new tunnel opened in September 2020 under the infamous mountain pass between the fjords of Arnarfjörður and Dýrafjörður. That tunnel makes it much easier to travel through the Westfjords all year round and shortens the route up the West coast. For accommodation in Reykjavik there are many op
We often see Arctic Foxes on this tour. Because hunting is banned in Hornstrandir, foxes are not timid around humans and therefore we can sometimes get very close. However, the foxes are still very much a wild animal, so we make no guarantees that we will see them.

Map

Perfect Service • The team is great, the Service is impeccable: comfortable boat, excellent transport of equipment and assistance in disembarkation. Book directly, they are excellent. Thank you very much, see you soon.

Jimi V

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