How to Get to Hornstrandir

Hornstrandir is about as remote as Iceland gets. It's the northernmost tip of the Westfjords, about 590 square km of fjords, tundra and sea cliffs that farmers left in the 1950s. It has been a nature reserve since 1975, now looked after by Iceland's Nature Conservation Agency (Náttúruverndarstofnun), under some of the strictest protection rules in the country. There are no roads, no shops, and in most places no phone signal. The only practical way in is by boat, and only in summer.

The short version

Get to Ísafjörður (or Norðurfjörður on the east side), then take a scheduled boat to one of the landing points. Boats run roughly from June to the end of August. Book ahead, check the timetable carefully, and plan your hike around the days the boat comes back for you.

Step one: get to Ísafjörður

Almost every boat to Hornstrandir leaves from Ísafjörður. Icelandair flies there from Reykjavik in under an hour, or you can drive, which Visit Westfjords puts at around five to six hours in good conditions. You don't need a car once you're there: the boats leave from the harbour in town. See getting from Reykjavik to Isafjordur for the details.

Scheduled boats from Ísafjörður

Three companies run scheduled boats from Ísafjörður. West Tours sells tickets for Sjóferðir and Borea and shows their timetables side by side, which is the easiest way to compare those two. Hornstrandir Tours sells its own.

Sjóferðir

Sjóferðir is a family business with a small fleet of passenger boats. Its 2026 timetable had sailings to Hesteyri, Veiðileysufjörður and Grunnavík several days a week, Aðalvík on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and Hornvík on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sjóferðir also runs a 4.5-hour guided day trip to Hesteyri, the abandoned village with an old whaling station nearby and arctic foxes around.

Borea Adventures

Borea Adventures runs a daily summer service. Its 2026 one-way fares from Ísafjörður were 14,900 ISK to Veiðileysufjörður, Hesteyri or Grunnavík (on request) and 19,300 ISK to Hornvík. Borea also runs guided hikes and kayak trips.

Hornstrandir Tours

Hornstrandir Tours sails from the passenger pier in Ísafjörður from June 1 to the end of August, to a long list of landing points, from Hesteyri and Aðalvík to Fljótavík, Hlöðuvík and Hornvík. Its posted one-way fares run from 11,900 ISK to Aðalvík, 13,900 ISK to Hesteyri, and up to 17,900 ISK for the farthest points in Jökulfirðir.

From the east: Norðurfjörður

On the Strandir coast, Strandferðir sails from Norðurfjörður to the eastern side of the reserve, including Reykjarfjörður, Látravík and Hlöðuvík, with fares posted between 15,500 and 18,450 ISK. Norðurfjörður is a long drive from anywhere, but Norlandair flies from Reykjavik to Gjögur, which is nearby.

All of these are the 2026 timetables and fares. As of September 2026, none of the boat companies had posted a 2027 schedule, so check their sites again in spring before you plan dates.

How the boats work

Timetables show when the boat leaves Ísafjörður, not when it picks up at each landing, and the real time depends on the weather and the sea. Most people get dropped at one bay, hike across the peninsula for a few days, and get picked up at another. Many landings are only served a couple of times a week, so match your route to the pickup days before you book anything, and leave a spare day in case the weather keeps the boat in port.

If the timetable doesn't fit, you can charter a boat. It's easy to arrange and costs much more, so it makes the most sense for a group.

Organized tours

If you'd rather not plan it yourself, go with a guide. The day trip to Hesteyri is the most common way to see Hornstrandir, and some companies also run guided trips of several days. A good guide will point out the plants, birds and foxes you'd walk straight past on your own. Look at West Tours, Borea and Sjóferðir for current trips.

Before you go

• Carry everything. There are no shops or services. You'll need a tent, stove, food and warm, waterproof gear.
• Register your trip in spring or autumn. From 1 March to 15 June and from 1 September to 1 November, the reserve's special rules require you to report your trip online before you go, using the agency's travel plan form.
• Know the reserve rules. Camping is only allowed at designated campsites, and a tent can stay on one site for a week at most. Dogs and bicycles aren't allowed, drones need a permit, and groups are capped at 30 in the western part and 15 on organised tours in the east. Visit Westfjords has an English summary, and the visitor centre, Hornstrandastofa, is on Silfurgata in Ísafjörður (open Monday to Saturday from 1 June to 31 August).
• Leave a travel plan. File it with Safetravel, and remember you probably won't have signal to call for help.
• Watch the weather. Check vedur.is before you land. Storms can blow through even in July.
• Leave the foxes alone. Arctic foxes are protected from hunting here. Keep your distance and don't feed them.

For more ideas in the area, see four things to do in the Westfjords and where to stay in the Westfjords.

FAQ

Can I visit Hornstrandir as a day trip?

Yes. The boat trip to Hesteyri from Ísafjörður is the usual one, and Sjóferðir runs a 4.5-hour guided version.

Can I go outside summer?

Scheduled boats run only in summer, roughly June through August. Outside that window you'd need a charter and serious winter experience.

Can I drive to Hornstrandir?

No. There are no roads into the reserve. Drive or fly to Ísafjörður and take the boat.

Photo by bjarnit