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Discover the wild heart of the Westfjords, where steep mountains, quiet valleys, and long coastlines create one of Iceland’s most distinctive regions. Travel along remote fjord roads, visit red- and golden-sand beaches, stand at dramatic cliff edges where seabirds gather in summer, and explore local museums that reveal the area’s Viking and fishing heritage.
In the Westfjords, every turn reveals something unexpected—and every day feels like a story worth telling.
Availability
1 June - 15 Sept
Duration
3 days
Departs From
Reykjavik
Level
Easy
Suitable for most people in fair condition.
From
For three days, you’ll wind your way through the twisting roads of the Westfjords—a rugged, remote corner of Iceland famed for its raw natural beauty. Each day brings hours of exploration, from museums and waterfalls to sweeping viewpoints, before you settle into cozy, comfortable hotels for a well-earned night’s rest.
The adventure begins in Reykjavík, where your group is picked up and driven north along Route 1. First stop is Eiríksstaðir, a reconstructed Viking longhouse. Inside, the dim timber interior offers a direct look into the world of Leifur Eiríksson—explorer and settler of Iceland.
Entering the Westfjords, the road slips into the Vatnsfjörður Nature Reserve, following a rugged coastline where deep-blue waves break against quiet coves and sharp rock formations.
Not far ahead lies the Garðar shipwreck. Its rusted hull rests on the black-sand shore, the metal worn thin by decades of wind and salt—a striking landmark set against the green hills around it.
The route then leads to Látrabjarg, the largest seabird cliffs in Europe. Here, walls of rock rise above the meeting point of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. In summer, puffins often stand watch along the grassy ledges.
A final stop brings you to Breiðavík, a wide sweep of golden sand framed by blue water and green hills—a rare, bright-colored beach in Iceland’s wild west.
We end the day at Hótel Flokalundur, where you can rest and prepare for the next stage of your journey.
After breakfast, we head to Rauðisandur beach, a 10 km (6.2 mi) expanse of red- and gold-tinted sand unique to this corner of Iceland. The color comes from crushed scallop shells, giving the beach a warm hue rarely seen in the country’s typically black-sand coastlines.
From there, the road threads into the Fossfjörður valley, a place where the world grows quiet and the hills rise like old guardians along the track. We stop at the Önundarfjörður pier, a simple wooden path reaching into the fjord. With the turquoise water, white sand, and the mountainous sights, it’s easy to confuse this Icelandic spectacle for the tropical views of the Pacific or Indian Oceans.
Our route bends toward the Arctic Ocean-facing fjords, climbing to the Bolafjall viewing platform. Perched 636 m (2086 ft) above ground, the platform looks like it hangs at the edge of the world. Below, the mountain slopes fall away in long, rugged lines, and the ocean stretches outward in cold, unbroken blue.
The day ends in Ísafjörður, the largest town in the Westfjords, where mountains and the ocean dominate the scenery around. The settlement is home to only around 1,600 people, and the streets are small, perfect for a short walk.
After breakfast, we begin our final day at Ósvör, a restored 19th-century fishing station. Its turf huts and preserved rowboats show exactly how Icelandic fishermen lived and worked along these harsh northern shores. Just nearby stands the Óshólar lighthouse, its red-orange tower marking the edge of land before the sea takes over.
From here, we start the return journey along the Seven Fjords Route. The drive twists through one fjord after another, each turn opening to a new stretch of coastline or a fresh line of mountain ridges. It’s one of the most scenic routes in Iceland.
The next stop is the Arctic Fox Center, dedicated to Iceland’s only native mammal. This research site lets you learn about the species’ biology and history. Soon after, we visit the Hvítanessealcolony, where seals gather on the coastal rocks between Hestfjörður and Skötufjörður fjords, resting and watching the tides.
We continue to the Gervidalsá valley stream, where a gentle flow of water cuts through the rocks and marks our last stop within the Westfjords. The final highlight of the tour awaits in West Iceland: Grábrók crater. A walk along its rim reveals wide views of surrounding lava fields and volcanic formations—a grand final scene before we return to Reykjavík.
Our group plans to return to Reykjavík between 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM, depending on the road and weather conditions.
Pick-up is at 9:00 AM from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes, therefore, your patience is much appreciated. Available pick-up points: Arctic Adventures’s pick-up list.
You can cancel your multi-day tour free of charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure. To cancel, simply use the My Adventures portal. If the portal isn’t accessible, you can also send a written cancellation through our customer contact form, signed by the lead traveler. Please note that cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are non-refundable.
We always recommend booking a multi-day tour starting at least one day after arriving in Iceland. If you’re flying in from the US or will be landing early (4-6:30 am) you should be able to join the tour, but some risks would follow (i.e if the flight gets delayed) and could, therefore, miss out on the tour.
Most of the hotels we use during our tours are remotely located and therefore ideal for spotting the northern lights. If the forecast is in your favor, then it is more than likely that you will be able to see the magical show put on by the dancing northern lights during your tour with us. Most of the hotels offer a Northern Lights wake-up call up on request if the lights are spotted.
The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon; therefore, we can unfortunately never promise they will be seen. Their appearance depends upon atmospheric and weather conditions. The best time to see them is between September and March when it’s dark and clear. The sky needs to be as dark as possible, so the best places to see them are well away from city lights (that’s where we are going!).
For more information on the Northern Lights, please look at our blog about Northern Lights.
If you are not sure that you have suitable gear for your tour, we offer some necessary items for rent. For most of our multi-day tours, we rent out waterproof jackets and pants as well as hiking boots. You can book these items and more under the selection “Extras” in the booking widget when booking your tour on our website.
If you have already booked the tour and wish to add some rental gear to your booking, you can do so at least 24 hours prior to your tour starting by using our customer portal - My Adventures, or contacting our customer care.
If you're visiting during winter, typically from mid-October to mid-April, we highly recommend using lightweight crampons (also called ice spikes) for added safety on icy paths while sightseeing. You can purchase them during the booking process to ensure a more secure and comfortable experience.
Find more details about crampons and ice spikes in this guide.
We drive on average around 300 km (186 miles) per day on our multi-day tours. You will be spending approximately 4-5 hours in the car each day. We do of course stop on multiple locations throughout the tour for sightseeing, activities, bathroom breaks and lunch stops.
We do welcome participants of all ages older than the listed minimum age for each tour. We have people of ages ranging from 8-99 years joining our multi-day tours. Our average group usually consists of participants between the age 20-55 years. We do get a lot of solo travellers joining our tours, as well as families and friends.
If you have difficulties participating in any of the activities included in the tour, for example, a glacier activity, you are more than welcome to skip it. You can explore your surroundings in the meantime or wait elsewhere. Our guide should be able to drop you off at a nearby place where there are some services available.
For multi-day tours, each participant is allowed to bring a small backpack and 1 piece of luggage weighing a maximum of 20 kg (44 lbs). If you have more or heavier luggage with you, you will need to book storage for the surplus luggage before you arrive, there is a small fee for using this facility. Luggage storage in Reykjavík can be added during the booking process of your order in the extras section.
* The combined dimensions of each bag must not exceed 158 cm (62 in).
Breakfast is included at all the hotels we stay in during the tour. The breakfast will be a typical breakfast buffet, offering bread, toppings, cereal, yogurt, fruits, coffee, and tea etc.
Your guide will also find a good place for the group to eat lunch. We always try to choose places that have a wide selection of dishes on the menu, so there will be options available for everyone. The dinner is usually at the hotels we stay at for the night.
If your tour includes accommodation, breakfast is always included during the tour at the hotel/guesthouse restaurant.
Meals and beverages are otherwise not included on your tour. (Unless it’s specifically stated in the description of the tour)
On our multiday tours, we will be making stops at restaurants and convenience stores where you will be able to purchase all necessities. Cash is not necessary, as credit cards are almost always accepted. Having a small amount of cash doesn’t hurt though.
A single supplement is available if you want to have your own room, but you are not required to pay a single supplement. If you are a single traveler and do not wish to book a single room, you’ll be roomed with another traveler of the same gender.
When booking with Arctic Adventures, you are guaranteed an accommodation at a nice country hotel and/or a guesthouse. The hotels we have partnered up with are all of the same standard and offer nice rooms with made-up beds and private bathrooms. The standard room is a twin room but it’s possible to request a double room or a triple room, with no extra charge.
If you are traveling solo, you will have to add the single room fee if you wish to have a single room.
All hotels have free Wi-Fi. Towels, a hairdryer and a kettle are accessible at all of the hotels. Hotel breakfast is included!
No, our guides are not able to provide information on these matters, but our team will be happy to assist you. We kindly ask that you reach out to our customer care team regarding any questions or concerns.
