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Ísafjörður

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Hornbjargsviti

Midnight Sun and Arctic Foxes

The perfect getaway! Midnight Sun and Arctic Foxes allows you to explore at your own pace

The bright Icelandic summer nights are the perfect times to venture into the remote peninsula, read a book while listening to a river gurgle, and spot biodiverse wildlife.

Surrounding the house is a gorgeous valley, an expansive coastline and mountain tops for you to explore in an open ended tour which gives you the most precious commodity in the reserve, time! Ground nesting birds, coastal wildlife and fox dens in the adjacent valley to our lodge offer the opportunity to to take your time in composing your perfect getaway. We can pretty much guarantee that you see foxes but cubs are not there every year. Utilise the midnight sun and capture the perfect photos during the golden hours of light. Slow down and unwind by enjoying this tour with us.

Contents of this tour

Tour overview

  • 3 days
  • Min age: 12 years
  • Accommodation
  • Total Distance: 10-30km
  • Group Size: 2-8

Description

Kvíar Lodge is an old farmhouse in the Hornstrandir nature reserve. When people abandoned the area in 1948 with their livestock, arctic foxes became the only remaining land mammals. For 65 years they have roamed the fjords and bays, free from human disturbance, making them rather tame and playful. Kvíar is the only house for many kilometers, reachable only by boat. During the summer, we welcome guests to spend a night in the historical house and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, where nature has ruled for 65 years.

It’s a unique opportunity to visit Hornstrandir in a relatively short time frame, experience the midnight sun, learn about and feel the history of the area and see wildlife in their natural environment.

We respect the Arctic Foxes and realize that summer is their breeding time. Therefore, we walk carefully, keep our distance, and follow guidelines and rules given by wildlife specialists. It is a requirement for all guests to follow these guidelines and rules.

This trip is very flexible and we have various activities available. The hiking in the mountains surrounding the farmhouse is spectacular, with panoramic views guaranteed. We also have kayaks available, and a guided kayak tour is a great way to explore the untouched coastline of this remote area. However, if you prefer to curl up in the long grass with a blanket, and a great book, then that is fine too!

Please drop us an email if you’re interested!

Included:

  • Boat ride to and from Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
  • All food
  • Accommodation at Kvíar Farmhouse
  • 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

 

Difficulty:  Moderate.

Photos

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Itinerary

We meet at our office in Aðalstræti 17 (downtown main street) at 8am for a briefing, where we will answer any questions and make final preparations. We depart from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry at 9am and sail towards Hornstrandir where we´ll be dropped off in Kviar. En route there is a very good chance that we’ll see humpback whales, puffins and other sea birds. Depending on the boat schedule, we may travel to one or two drop off locations before arriving at our lodge. Sit back and enjoy the opportunity to see more of the area while getting to ask your guide any and every question!

The house in Kvíar will appear in its beautiful setting just above the beach. After bringing our luggage up to the house, and the ship pulls anchor and departs, the intense feeling of tranquillity and peace will sink in. It’s a wondrous feeling to arrive have any modern problems be towed away from the area by our boat! After settling into the lodge and making our beds, a short briefing about the history of Hornstrandir, we can start our beautiful hike up Kvíadalur to gain a sense of our surroundings. The hike gives us a great chance to experience the lush landscape of the lowlands and the barren terrain and lakes higher up, once carved out by glaciers. Stories, and natural history will be brought to life by our wonderful guides.

The views get better and better as we make our way up to the mountain ridges above the fjords. When we reach our high point, we can slowly start our descent down the valley floor, mainly following the river and enjoy the lakes and waterfalls along the way.

We enjoy a relaxing evening with a nice home cooked meal and the wood heated sauna!

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

After a hearty breakfast, we will head out for an adventure in the surrounding mountains and fjords. We normally split the day into a good hike in the morning and a sea kayaking tour into Lónafjörður fjord in the afternoon.

We will take a short walk up the valley to the mountains edge where we get a panoramic view over the magnificent Lónafjörður fjord. While keeping a close lookout for Arctic Foxes, guests can enjoy the rich birdlife around the area; from common species such as eider ducks, swans, oystercatchers and snipes to more rare birds, such as the white-tailed eagle.

After lunch, we head to the shore where we can try our skills on the water, if conditions are good. Sea kayaking is very easy and we use stable and seaworthy kayaks for a comfortable paddle. Back to Kvíar for a nice dinner and another session in the sauna.

The plan is very flexible. We can do a full day of hiking or a full day of kayaking if you would prefer. Please tell us what you’d like to do!

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

Our last day, gives us the freedom to enjoy the area at our own leisure and with greater flexibility if sea conditions have not been appropriate for kayaking. Your desire to venture for another hike, another kayaking adventure or relaxing in the fields listening to your surroundings can be the special day for you. We can always fire up the sauna and coax you in for yet another polar plunge! It’s really nice to pack a picnic and head to a beautiful spot and keep an eye out for the curious seals or foxes which populate our shores and fields.

We then head back to Kvíar and await the passenger ferry which will transport us back to Ísafjörður. The boat arrives around 5-6pm. We arrive back in town at approximately 6-7pm.

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

What to bring

To ensure the quality and state of our experience remains high, please expect to give your guide a helping hand during your stay. Drying a couple dishes, and sprucing up you tent upon departure builds rapport and keeps vibes high! Leave no trace.

  • 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.
  • Hat and gloves.
  • Small backpack.
  • Slippers for the inside the house.
  • 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.
  • Towel and bathing suit for the sauna.
  • Personal items e.g. toiletries, spare clothing etc
  • Don’t forget your camera!

FAQ

This tour is highly flexible in terms of its difficulty. We make a plan based on the ability and desires of the guests. The main aim is to learn about and enjoy the nature, culture and history of this unique area. The activities are all optional but are highly recommended. Please be in touch beforehand if you have any concerns about the difficulty of our tours.
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.
For years, an Arctic Fox family has had their den in the farmhouse’s backyard and the cubs usually get curious when guests appear. However, the foxes are still very much a wild animal so we make no guarantees that we will see them. We expect all guests to abide by best practices and guidelines of the nature reserve.
The main problem that we’ve had to deal with is guests not having appropriate boots. High top ankle boots give much better support and keep you dryer than hiking ‘shoes’. We hike through a mixture of rough terrain including wet grass, loose rock, snow, streams and sand. Therefore, we need supportive boots to help prevent ankle injuries and waterproof boots to keep you warm and dry. We recommend Scarpa leather boots or nylon versions with Gore Tex. There are many other good manufacturers such as La Sportiva, Mammut, Merrell, and Meindl.
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.

Map

Beautiful three days experience in Westfjords, thanks also to a really competent guide. In this wilderness you can do hiking, kayaking and, if you're silent, patient and lucky, waching arctic foxes going around

Brenno Maria Savini via Google Reviews 2023

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