In a nutshellBreath-taking views that tell us about the tough history of the island's inhabitants. A relaxing excursion by sea to discover the Hornstrandir peninsula, one of the most unspoilt and remote places in Iceland where the lives of men have always intertwined with nature.

Main stops

Hornstrandir, one of the most unspoilt and remote places in Iceland
Birdwatching
Hesteyri, among the fjords

The programme

We will leave for a relaxing excursion by sea to discover the Hornstrandir peninsula, one of the most unspoilt and remote places in Iceland where the lives of men have always intertwined with nature. In addition to admiring the beauty of the fjord, we will also see some local birds, like Puffins, the symbol of Iceland, Arctic terns and many more. With a bit of luck, we might also see a group of seals along the coast or even whales swimming in the fjord.
Hesteyri, our destination, is the westernmost point of the Jökulfirðir, the so-called glacier fjords. This isolated territory is almost deprived of flat areas and is surrounded by steep cliffs and two beautiful mountains in the background. It is part of a natural reserve and is the ideal habitat for Arctic foxes, which can be spotted quite easily.
Until the 1950s, Heysteyri was a small community that survived thanks to a whale station and herring processing activities. During the visit, we will realise how difficult life was for the locals, who abandoned the area when the herring processing facilities closed in 1940.
A dozen houses are still used as summer houses. We will discover more about the history of the place during a 30-minute walk before a break in what used to be the house of the local doctor for some Icelandic pancakes, typical rye bread with smoked lamb and a hot drink.
We will then catch our boat back to Ísafjörður.

Good to know

Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
This excursion includes an English speaking guide.
We recommend comfortable clothing suitable for this type of excursion.
This excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems, as it includes a walk on uneven grounds, gravel, mud and grass. In addition, the disembarkation at the dock in Hesteyri may be difficult because of numerous steps.
In case of low tide, we will disembark via a Zodiac whereas, in case of high tide, we will moor at the dock.