Difficult: Demanding
Total distance: 82 kms

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

Pre-departure meeting
We meet at our base at Mávagarður C (grey building) close to the Eastern Harbour the day before departure at 5pm, where we will answer any questions and make final preparations.

Day 1
We depart from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger ferry at 9am. We make our way to the abandoned village of Hesteyri. We have now left the modern world behind and are entering a wonderland of sounds, from soothing streams to the whisper of the waves by the beach. We start our hike in Hesteyri and head for Hesteyrarskarð mountain pass. From there we start to make our way down the other side to sea level.
Overnight at Látrar.

Distance: 12.5 km.

Day 2

From Aðalvík we have the option of a big detour to the top of Straumnesfjall mountain to explore an abandoned radar station built in 1953 by the American army. They quickly figured out this was a pretty harsh place to live, so they abandoned the station in 1960. They might also have gotten tired of not seeing any enemies, ever. We will then head over to Fljótavík Cove that is characterised by a large lake that covers most of the valley floor and offers one of the best arctic char fishing in Iceland. We aim at camping near the long abandoned farm of Glúmsstaðir.

Distance: 15 km but the detour adds another 10 km.

Day 3

We will start the day hiking along the green banks of Fljótsvatn lake. The lake is beautiful and the mountain range on our left-hand side is impressive. We need to cross a few mountain passes to get across the mountain range separating us from our next destination, Hlöðuvík.
Overnight at the beautiful campsite on the beach.

Distance: 13 km.

Day 4

Today we head up a steep slope to the mountain ridge Skálakambur and follow a route marked with cairns towards the steep Atlaskarð (327 m) mountain pass. We will go around Mt. Kollur and from there start making our way towards Höfn in Hornvík, the heart of Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. This is a place of dramatic natural beauty and should not be missed out by anyone travelling in this area. It is necessary to spend more than one day at this awe-inspiring place so we will put up camp there for two nights. We have the luxury of having arrive to the very cozy camp that’s right on the beach. There we can enjoy the warm mess tent, make meals in the full blown kitchen and enjoy each other company.

Distance: 12 km.

Day 5

Nothing compares to the beauty of Hornvík, surrounding are two of Iceland’s largest bird cliffs. Like the entire Hornstrandir area, Hornvík is very remote and is only accessible by boat or by foot. We leave most of our gear in camp and hike with light packs to Hornbjarg cliff where thousands of birds can be seen and the massive sculptures of mother nature make human beings feel very small and vulnerable. Many visitors state that the hike to Hornbjarg was the highlight of their Iceland trip. The trail is spectacular as it winds along the edge of the cliffs. Not too close though! At the end of the day we head back to the camp and enjoy a great dinner in our comfortable camp.

Distance: 16 km.

Day 6

Today we will pack our tents and gear, hit the trail and cross yet another mountain pass to get to Veiðileysufjörður fjord. After crossing the mountain range, we descend down to the coast again, following the beach for a while until we get to Meleyri. From there we will get picked up by a boat that will take us to Ísafjörður, back to civilization after almost a week in the wild. For those eager to wash off their hiking dust, a visit to Ísafjörður swimming pool is ideal. Others can relax, go out, eat and just enjoy the town.

Distance 12 km.