3-Day Hornstrandir and Westfjords Traverse

The pristine area is affluent in history and wildlife that is nowhere to be seen elsewhere in Iceland. Millions of seabirds soar the cliffs in the summer and curious Arctic Foxes roam the land. While hiking around the area, our guides will tell you stories of the people that lived there until it was abandoned soon after WWII.We spend the two nights in our very cosy base camp in the bay where you will have your own bed in a big two-person tent. Gourmet dinners and social gatherings take place in our big mess tent where you can share the day’s highlights with your fellow travellers.Itinerary:

Day 1 We will meet you at our office in Aðalstræti 17 (downtown main street) one hour before departure. We will respond to any questions and make final preparations. We depart from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry Bjarmi.The ride to Hornvík Bay takes between 2 and 3 hours and en route you can regard the whole coastline and bays that are carved into Hornstrandir. All these bays were formerly occupied by our ancestors that harvested the land and fished the waters.We land under the historic farm of Horn and shoulder our daypacks for a hike up to Hornbjarg bird cliffs. Our first stop is the specific tip of Horn where the view over the whole bay is breathtaking. We continue along the grassy slope next to the cliff’s edge up to Mt. Miðfell. The last part is a relatively steep slope but nothing to be worried about. You’re in reliable hands.We then drop down to Miðdalur valley where we achieve a pleasant view of the sheer face of the cliffs. This is where the men in Hornvík bay used to rappel down hemp ropes to collect eggs. Each summer they collected thousands of eggs to eat during the long winter months.We continue to the narrow lake in Miðdalur where whooper swans reside during the summer and kittiwakes come in hundreds to bathe in the lake each day, a pretty impressive sight. Next, we walk over the ridge of Múli and embark on the last leg of today’s adventure: climbing the peak of Kálfatindar (535 m).The climb is moderately steep when we get closer to the top, but the trail is relatively good. You will be rewarded with a tremendous view over the whole north coast of Iceland, including the Drangajökull glacier and a significant part of the cliffs. What a great highlight of the day.We then start our descent to our camp where our personal gear will be waiting and a well-deserved dinner.Distance: 12 km. Altitude gain: 400 m.

Day 2 After a hearty breakfast, we start on today’s hike by heading over the Kýrskard pass and down to the lighthouse in Látravík, where we'll have lunch and enjoy the rugged scenery. We continue along the cliffs and through Almenningar pass where we stand again at the edge of the cliffs. We secure another view over the whole of Hornvík bay as we head down Innstidalur valley and down to the coast.The following stop is Drífandi waterfall, where stories of polar bear encounters will be told. Polar bears sometimes swim or drift all the way from the east coast of Greenland to these bays and struggle for survival where nothing can be hunted. At this point, we have promptly completed a vast circle and will be rewarded with a delicious dinner!Distance: 13 km. Altitude gain: 500 m.

Day 3 We have a pleasant morning and then say a final goodbye to Hornvik and our friendly foxes, shoulder our bags and traverse over to the fjord of Veiðileysufjörður in the south of the peninsula. The hike takes us up to 520 meters and through Hafnarskarð Pass. From there we obtain a splendid view over to the south and see our final destination way down in the fjord. There is usually some snow on the path but we take it easy and enjoy the midsummer snow.At that point, we follow the path down to the fjord where the boat will pick us up around 6 or 7 pm. We then make the journey back to Ísafjörður which takes around an hour.Distance: 11 km. Altitude gain: 550 m.Please note everything you bring you will have to carry on your back for the final day of the hike. Try to pack as lightly as possible while still bringing everything you need. This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change depending on the weather, sea conditions and the ability of the group.Please note: we provide tents, sleeping bags, mattresses and pillows and you will not need to carry any of these with you. However, you will need to bring your own sleeping bag liner and pillow cover.

We recommend you bring: • 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 • Waterproof high-top hiking boots that provide ankle support. • Hat and gloves • Small backpack • First aid kit including personal medication • Sunglasses • 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!