Category: Westfjords of Iceland

The Westfjords are the part of Iceland most visitors skip, and the part travellers who do make it up there often call the best week of their trip. It’s a remote, mountainous peninsula in the northwest, cut by long fjords and edged by some of the most dramatic cliffs in the country. Fewer people, fewer tour buses, fewer paved roads, and scenery that holds its own against anywhere else in Iceland.

This section covers the region properly. Dynjandi, the tiered waterfall that fans down a mountainside and is worth the drive on its own. Látrabjarg, the bird cliffs at Europe’s westernmost point where puffins nest within arm’s reach in early summer. Rauðasandur, the red-gold beach that feels like it belongs somewhere far warmer.

Ísafjörður, the unofficial capital of the region and a good base for a few days. Hornstrandir, the uninhabited nature reserve in the far north where Arctic foxes outnumber people. And the smaller fjords and villages in between, where a hot pot above the sea or a fish soup in a harbour cafe can be the highlight of a whole trip.

I’m honest about what a Westfjords trip actually involves. Distances are long, much of the driving is on gravel, the main road through is closed by snow for a good chunk of the year, and the region really opens up between June and early September. I’ll tell you what kind of vehicle you need, which routes are realistic in your timeframe, and when flying into Ísafjörður beats driving.

Many of the guesthouses, tour operators, and restaurants in the Westfjords partner with me, and my newsletter subscribers get exclusive discount codes for a long list of them.
Browse the guides below and you’ll plan a Westfjords trip that’s worth the detour — and you’ll understand why so few travellers regret making it.