The Westfjords cover about 8,842 square kilometers of Iceland’s northwest and jut into the Denmark Strait toward Greenland. They suit travelers who want bird cliffs, a red-sand beach and a tiered waterfall, and who don’t mind a long drive from Reykjavík: 4 to 6 hours on the main routes.
The region is thinly settled, with about 7,168 people in 2024, and public transport is limited compared with Reykjavík. Hornstrandir can only be reached by boat, and the last stretch down to Rauðasandur is a steep gravel road. Plan the logistics before the sightseeing.
At a glance
- Area: about 8,842 square kilometers
- From Reykjavík by road: 4 to 6 hours, 142 to 283 miles (228 to 455 km) depending on the town
- By air: domestic flights to Ísafjörður, Bíldudalur and Gjögur, generally 40 to 50 minutes
- Touring route: the Westfjords Way, 590 miles (950 km)
- Puffins at Látrabjarg: early May to mid-August
Where is the Westfjords and what is it like?
The Westfjords sit in the northwest corner of Iceland, jutting into the Denmark Strait toward Greenland. Hornstrandir, at the far northwest, is the furthest point of that corner. From Reykjavík, Hólmavík is 145 miles (233 km) by road and Patreksfjörður is 244 miles (392 km).
Ísafjörður is the regional capital, with roughly 2,679 inhabitants. It lies in Skutulsfjörður, on Ísafjarðardjúp, with the valleys Engidalur and Tungudalur running inland.
History shows in the landscape. The last residents left the old fishing village of Hesteyri in 1952, and Hornstrandir has been uninhabited since the 1950s. In Ísafjörður, a cluster of houses from the late eighteenth century still stands in Neðstikaupstaður.
Where to go in the Westfjords
Ísafjörður
It has a hotel with 36 double rooms in the center, and the Visit Westfjords office is at Árnagata 2-4.
The Westfjords Heritage Museum is in Neðstikaupstaður, among houses from the late eighteenth century. Guided walks last 2 hours in town and 5 hours on the nature walk. Hiking routes lead to the Trolls seat, Naustahvilft and the old road to Bolungarvík.
Bolungarvík
The district information office is at Aðalstræti 21.
Ósvör Maritime Museum, on the east side of town by the sea, is a replica of a 19th-century Icelandic fishing station. Start at the information office and ask about opening times before going.
Rauðasandur
Rauðasandur is a beach of roughly 6.2 miles (10 km) of red and gold sand, in the southwestern part of the Westfjords peninsula. It is on road 614. The final descent is a steep, winding gravel road with tight bends and narrow sections, so drive it slowly.
A long walk along the shoreline is the main activity. Walking the sand at high tide with the view toward Snæfellsnes is recommended. Harbour seals and seabirds such as gulls and fulmars may turn up.
Hornstrandir
Hornstrandir is a nature reserve, protected since 1975, and the only way in is by boat. It has no permanent residents, which makes it a place for hikers who want empty country.
Bicycles are prohibited inside the reserve, and camping is only permitted in defined camping sites. HornstrandirTours runs daily scheduled trips from 1 June to the end of August, so plan a summer visit.
Hesteyri
Hesteyri is an old fishing village inside the Hornstrandir reserve. Ten houses in the original style survive as summerhouses, and Doctorshouse stands here too. It is the most popular place for hikers to start trips around or through Hornstrandir.
Book the crossing ahead.
What is there to do in the Westfjords?
Látrabjarg and the puffins
Látrabjarg is a bird cliff and the westernmost point of Europe. It stretches 8.7 miles (14 km) and rises up to 1,447 feet (441 meters). Puffins can be seen from early May to mid-August.
Westfjords Adventures offers guided bus tours to Látrabjarg, Rauðasandur and Dynjandi. Wild Westfjords runs a Látrabjarg tour built around a close encounter with the puffins.
Visit between May and August if puffins are the goal. A guided tour saves the drive for anyone not keen on gravel sections, though hours and prices are best confirmed with the operator.
Dynjandi waterfall
Dynjandi is the best-known waterfall in the region. It drops about 328 feet (100 meters) in tiers. Drivers heading to Ísafjörður can pass it, since the route via Dynjandi is 255 miles (410 km) from Reykjavík, against 283 miles (455 km) via Hólmavík.
Wild Westfjords runs a small-group Dynjandi Waterfall Express, and Westfjords Adventures includes the falls on its bus tour.
Self-drivers can fold Dynjandi into the trip north on the shorter route. Those without a car can take one of the tours.
Hornstrandir by boat
Boats are how you reach the reserve, and Hesteyri is the usual starting point.
Walkers can set out from Hesteyri in several directions. Boat tours to watch whales and cliff birds are also among the region’s activities.
This suits hikers who are comfortable with remote terrain and camping only at defined sites. It suits others less, since the reserve is reachable only by sea and the schedule runs just through the summer.
Walks, kayaks and skiing around Ísafjörður
Kayaking is offered in Ögur and Ísafjörður. Hiking routes include the hike up to the Trolls seat, Naustahvilft, a prominent hollow in Kirkjubólshlíð, and the old road to Bolungarvík.
Ísafjörður Guide offers city walks, shore excursions, nature walks and private tours in German or English. The Vestfjarðaleiðin route also lists hot pools, beaches and whale watching.
If you want birds and big scenery, choose Látrabjarg and Dynjandi. For remote hiking, choose Hornstrandir. For a town base with walks and paddling, choose Ísafjörður. Winter skiing is offered too, for those visiting in the cold months.
Where to stay in the Westfjords
Ísafjörður suits first-timers, with Hotel Ísafjörður in the center and Holt Inn, a family-run hotel with 11 rooms, 15 minutes’ drive away. On the Strandir coast, Hotel Laugarholl is a family-run country hotel in the valley Bjarnarfjordur, Malarhorn Guesthouse is in the fishing village of Drangsnes, and Hotel Djúpavík was built in the 1930s for women who worked in the herring factory.
Hotel Bjarkalundur has operated since 1947 as a summer hotel. Hotel Heydalur offers 59 beds in 19 rooms plus three summer cottages. Hotel WEST is a small hotel with 18 rooms, all private facilities. Dalahyttur, a family-run guesthouse near Búðardalur, has three 15 m2 (161 square foot) tiny houses and six 20 m2 (215 square foot) double rooms.
How do you get to the Westfjords and get around?
Domestic flights serve Ísafjörður, Bíldudalur and Gjögur, generally taking 40 to 50 minutes. Icelandair operates the Ísafjörður flights, and Norlandair operates Bíldudalur and Gjögur. Norlandair flies to Gjögur two times a week, and car rentals are not available in Gjögur.
By road, the trip from Reykjavík takes 4 to 6 hours. Reykhólar is 142 miles (228 km) away, Hólmavík 145 miles (233 km) and Patreksfjörður 244 miles (392 km). Ísafjörður is 283 miles (455 km) via Hólmavík or 255 miles (410 km) via Dynjandi.
The main routes into the region are paved, though some roads may include gravel sections. A 4×4 is not normally required on the main roads.
Public transport within the region is limited. Buses link Ísafjörður with Súðavík, Hólmavík and Patreksfjörður, but a rental car gives the most freedom, and boats cover Hornstrandir.
When should you go to the Westfjords?
June to August is the window. Ísafjörður’s highs reach 51°F (11°C) in June and 55°F (13°C) in July, with lows of 44°F (7°C) in July.
From January to March, highs sit near 34°F (1°C) and lows near 23°F (-5°C). October and November bring rain, with 5 inches (120 mm) falling in November. The month-by-month detail is on the best-time page.
What to know before visiting the Westfjords
According to the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov), no visa is needed for up to 90 days for tourism or business.
- Passports must have 3 months’ validity beyond your date of departure from the Iceland/Schengen Area. It is recommended to have 6 months’ validity.
- Iceland does not accept the 12-page U.S. emergency passport for visa-free entry unless it has 3 months beyond your planned date of departure.
- No vaccinations are required to enter Iceland.
Booking the Westfjords for November: what to know
November is cold and wet in Ísafjörður, with highs near 37°F (3°C). Hotel Laugarholl is available outside its opening period exclusively for pre-booked groups, so contact lodgings before you go.
Dalahyttur gives booking contacts: mobile +354 869 8778 and email [email protected]. Fisherman Hotel asks guests to contact them for tours, prices and booking information, and to call ahead to confirm the timing of the Seafood Trail.
Sources
- westfjords.is (https://www.westfjords.is/en/food-accommodation/accomodation/hotels), checked 2026-10-30
- westfjords.is (https://www.westfjords.is/en/travel-info/westfjords/how-to-get-here), checked 2026-10-30
- keflavikairport.com (https://keflavikairport.com/westfjords.html), checked 2026-10-30
- westfjords.is (https://www.westfjords.is/en/moya/extras/9/), checked 2026-10-30
- westfjords.is (https://www.westfjords.is/en/experiences/culture-heritage/saga-heritage), checked 2026-10-30
- visiticeland.com (https://www.visiticeland.com/things-to-do/doctorshouse-in-hesteyri/), checked 2026-10-30
- straeto.is (https://www.straeto.is/media/2024/06/vestfirdir-leid-62-enska.pdf), checked 2026-10-30
- perlan.is (https://perlan.is/articles/raudasandur), checked 2026-10-30