Two Fjords Kayaking

A full day of kayaking off the beaten track

The bay of Ísafjarðardjúp offers excellent kayaking. The serene beauty of the fjord system is well known by locals but unfamiliar to the outside world. The coast of Snæfjallaströnd really gives you the feeling that you are close to the Arctic Circle with its snow covered hills with the fifth largest glacier in Iceland just around the corner.

Contents of this tour

Borea Adventures set me up with "Two Fjords" kayak trip with an enthusiastic and energetic guide that pointed out not only the local recent history of the area, but also the tectonic and geological highlights, along with the local flora and fauna. On my want list was puffins and we saw several by the kayak! We saw seals, eagles, horses, and lots of birds. The water was so clear in places you could see the bottom - beautiful emerald green, blues, with seaweed and urchins. Very nice. We stopped for the lunch on shore with delicious sandwiches and sweet bar from the cafe topped off with tea. There was no hurry and no problem for repeated breaks to just enjoy the day.

Tour overview

Description

This is our longest day trip, an adventure into a truly special region of Iceland. We launch at Hestfjörður fjord, kayak around the Folafótur (e. Horse Leg) peninsula and then paddle the whole length of Seyðisfjörður. Along the way we often spot whales, seals, dolphins and a huge variety of seabirds. Paddle under the steep cliffs which guard the mountain of Hestur, while listening carefully for distant barks of the Arctic Fox.
Enjoy your lunch on Folafótur peninsula which holds a rich history. Over a 100 people lived here and the ruins of their settlement are still visible today.

 

Meeting point: Our our base at Mávagarður C (grey building) close to the Eastern Harbour. 

Departure: 9:00 AM. Be there half an hour before departure time.

Minimum age: 16 years.

Group size: We need a minimum number of 2 participants to operate the tour. Maximum group size is 8, but most of our tours are between 2–6 people.

Trip Difficulty: Moderate.

Duration of trip: 8 hours.

Included: Transportation, kayaking gear and professional guide.

Itinerary

The journey begins at our base in Mávagarður C (grey building), where you meet your guide half an hour before departure and gear up.
We then drive for around 45 minutes from Ísafjörður to reach Hestfjörður, where we have a short safety briefing and paddle lesson.

We begin kayaking under the imposing mountain Hestur, with its steep cliffs and unique shape. After a couple of hours, we land at the very point of Folafótur peninsula, where we land on a beautiful sandy beach to see the unusual rock formations caused by erosion while enjoying our lunch. We will keep a good look out for seals, whales and white-tailed eagles as this is a place where they are often seen.

Our next mission is to paddle along the coast of Seyðisfjörður to the head of the fjord. We land close to the main road, where our car will be waiting to take us back to Ísafjörður.

What to bring

  • Warm woollen or fleece clothing including top, bottoms and socks. Please avoid cotton as it keeps you cold when wet and takes a very long time to dry.
  • Spare clothing in case you get wet!
  • Sunhat, sunglasses and sunscreen, it can get sunny up here!
  • Lunch for the day. One or two sandwiches and your favourite snacks.
  • Water bottle.
  • Don’t forget your camera!

FAQ

However, as we all know, water and electronics don’t mix very well. We at Borea hold no responsibility over your personal electronics. That being said, we have very few accidents and you’re unlikely to drop or damage your items if you’re careful. We recommend using a waterproof case.
Our kayaks are very stable and capsizes are rare, therefore, you’re unlikely to get soaked. But it’s important to remember that we are kayaking and it’s normal to get caught by a few splashes. Our kayak gear will keep you somewhat protected but getting a little damp is normal.
We use plastic sea kayaks. We have both single and tandem kayaks available. We highly recommend using tandem kayaks for our trips as they are faster, more stable and a lot more social than the singles! Tandem kayaks are not only for beginners, in fact, experienced kayakers will know the benefit of tandem kayaks. However, if you are an experienced paddler, then of course the single kayaks are available.
This trip is suited to those with some experience. The longer distance requires good strength and technique which takes some practice. If you are a beginner we recommend Calm Water Kayaking.
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.

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