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23°07'W

Glacier Fjords Kayaking

Multi day kayaking with comfort

We realise that we’re not all made for camping in the wilderness. Therefore, we decided to offer a more luxurious alternative where guests can enjoy the best sea kayaking that Iceland has to offer while staying in comfortable accommodation. We travel light since we don’t have to carry camping and cooking gear, and everything is a bit simpler in operation. This experience provides you with more time and energy to enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

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Contents of this tour

Group of old high school buddies went kayaking around the remote and majestic Jokulfirdir in the Western Fjords. We paddled among curious seals, saw a whale, puffins and endless other types of birds. The small and friendly arctic fox even ventured close to the group to see if we might have misplaced a slice of pepperoni. Stayed in a renovated and rustic house far-far from civilization with a sauna and cosy beds. Our guide and chef, Runar, was absolutely fantastic. Knowledgable about the area, friendly and witty, environmentalist to the bone, safe kayak guide but most importantly a darn good cook. The firm and guide was professional, friendly and flexible. Recomend.

LTT-Traveler, Tripadvisor 2017

Tour overview

  • 4 days
  • Min age: 16 years
  • Accommodation
  • Group Size: 2-6

Description

We realise that we’re not all made for camping in the wilderness. Therefore, we decided to offer a more luxurious alternative where guests can enjoy the best sea kayaking that Iceland has to offer while staying in comfortable accommodation. We travel light since we don’t have to carry camping and cooking gear, and everything is a bit simpler in operation. This experience provides you with more time and energy to enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

We stay in Hesteyri for one night, the small abandoned village, where the old doctor’s residence will be our home. The next two nights we stay in a old farmhouse in Kvíar that stood empty for over 60 years until we rebuilt it. These houses have everything you need for a perfect stay off the grid. The sauna is available in the evenings to soothe sore muscles and if we’re lucky, the nearby Arctic Fox may come to say hello.

The kayaking itself provides amazing opportunities to see wildlife in its natural habitat. Sea birds, marine mammals and Arctic Foxes are plentiful, and we blend right in when we’re in our sea kayaks.

This trip is our ‘medium’ difficulty trip, more demanding than the Wild Camp Discovery but easier than the Coastal Kayaking Adventure. This trip is suited to those with some experience. The longer distances require good strength and technique which takes some practice.

Difficulty: Challenging.

Included:

  • All food
  • Three nights’ accommodation in comfortable houses
  • Ferry transfer to Hornstrandir and back
  • Kayaking gear (kayak, paddle, neoprene pants, dry top, spray skirt, life vest, paddling boots, paddling gloves and additional dry bags)
  • Professional guide

Not included:

  • Travel to and from Ísafjörður prior to and after the trip
  • Food on the first day until the trip departs
  • Personal medical insurance
  • Personal equipment and clothing

Itinerary

Pre-Departure

We meet at 5pm on the evening before departure at our base in Mávagarður C (grey building) for a briefing where we meet each other, answer any questions and make final preparations. This shouldn’t take longer than an hour. If you’re unable to be here the day before departure, then just let us know via email and we’ll make sure that you have all the information you’ll need.

Day 1

We meet again at our base in Mávagarður C at 8am for last minute checks before departing from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry at 9 am. Our destination is Hesteyri, which was the biggest settlement in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. We drop off our gear at the old doctor’s house before getting straight to the paddling. We paddle out of the fjord along the coast to the lighthouse at Slétta. This is a short paddle aimed at getting to know your kayak and blow away any paddling cobwebs you may have before the longer days to come! We enjoy a nice dinner at the old doctor’s house before getting some good sleep ready for the day ahead.

Distance: 14 km

Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, we pack our kayaks and start the voyage over to Kvíar farmhouse in Kvíadalur valley. The route will take us along spectacular coastline and across the fjords of Hesteyrarfjörður and Veiðileysufjörður. There is a good chance to see both whales and white-tailed eagles along the coast. We land on the beach beneath the farmhouse in Kvíar and make ourselves at home. The farmhouse is the only house in the valley and was built in 1921 and was occupied by the same family until they moved away in 1948 seeking an easier life in Ísafjörður. We have a nice dinner and head for the warm and cozy sauna that’s situated next to the house.

Distance: 15 km

Day 3

We leave most of the gear in the farmhouse and go for a beautiful paddle into Lónafjörður fjord which, according to many, is the most beautiful fjord in Iceland. Totally unspoiled with no sign of human presence. The fjord is a haven for birds and a huge seal colony can be found in the small bay of Sópandi. We’ll follow the whole coastline and enjoy a long day of paddling. Back to the farmhouse for sauna to soothe sore muscles and delicious dinner.

Distance: 20 km

Day 4

Our passenger ferry picks us up from Kvíar Lodge in the morning around 11 am and we head back to Ísafjörður. Please note that the guide may be staying at Kvíar to continue the kayak journey with other guests on Paddle in the Wild. The crew on the ferry will take good care of you and help carry your gear to our base in Mávagarður C.

This itinerary requires a guide and is subject to change depending on the weather, sea conditions and the ability of the group.

What to bring

Remember the less you bring, the easier it is. There’s plenty of space in the kayaks if you pack wisely.

  • Thermal base layers, at least two sets of tops.
  • Wool or fleece thermal mid layer.
  • Hiking pants. We don’t recommend cotton as it is cold and takes a long time to dry.
  • Waterproof and breathable pants and jacket for hiking onshore. The lighter – the better.
  • Wool/fleece hat.
  • One pair of warm gloves.
  • 2 to 3 pairs thick wool/synthetic socks.
  • Swim suit and towel for the sauna at Kvíar.
  • Light hiking shoes for strolls around the houses.
  • Sun glasses.
  • Sunscreen and after sun cream.
  • 1 litre water bottle.
  • Personal medical kit i.e. band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, sea-sickness tablets etc. Don’t forget your personal medication which you may need (e.g. Asthma inhaler, even if you don’t always need it).
  • 2 x Dry bags*
  • Binoculars are nice to have for watching wildlife. (optional)
  • Don’t forget your camera!

*We use dry bags to keep our personal gear dry, especially sleeping bags. We have a small selection of dry bags which you may use but you should bring at least two of your own. Test it to make sure that all of your gear all fits inside!

We supply all paddling gear and clothing. However, feel free to bring your own if you have it available. Your personal gear is guaranteed to fit perfectly and it is comfortable. We recommend good dry pants and top with rubber cuffs or at least a 3mm neoprene wetsuit with a windproof top. A full dry suit is definitely best but can be pretty warm and cumbersome on sunny days but great to have if things get rough. Footwear should preferably be neoprene boots with ankle support and thick soles to safely negotiate the rocky shoreline. Neoprene gloves, mittens or pogies are great at keeping your hands warm.

We use neoprene wetsuits on our trips. However, you can upgrade to a dry suit if you would prefer.

FAQ

No, you don’t. Both locations which we stay at overnight have beds with mattresses. We provide you with sleeping bags. Feel free to bring your own if you would prefer though.
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 options of hotels and guesthouses that we can book for groups. Please ask us for individual bookings. We strongly recommend you to spend a few extra days visiting the West Fjords and other parts of Iceland. We’re happy to help you arranging few days in the area or give you good tips about exciting things to do while in Iceland.
We use plastic sea kayaks. We have both single and tandem kayaks available. We highly recommend using tandem kayaks for our multi-day trips as they are faster, more stable, hold more gear and are a lot more social than the singles! Tandem kayaks are not only for beginners, in fact, experienced kayakers will know that tandems are a better choice for longer trips. However, if you have experience then of course the single kayaks are available.
This trip is our medium difficulty trip, not quite as easy going as Wild Camp Discovery but not as difficult as Coastal Kayaking Adventure. This trip is suited to those with some experience. The longer distances require good strength and technique which takes some practice.
You don’t need to be able to roll your kayak Greenlandic style. It’s very rare that people capsize on multi-day trips as the boats are loaded with gear and very stable. We recommend that people take a weekend course to refresh their skills and learn simple self-rescue techniques. The more prepared you are, the more you will enjoy the trip.
Of course, we realise that we’re not all made the same and have different needs and desires. We try our best to cater to your needs. Please let us know ahead of time if you have any requirements so that we can plan the food accordingly.

Map

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Photos

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