Birdwatching
Hiking
Photography

Hornvík Heights and Sights

from132.200 kr.

The biggest attraction in the Westfjords of Iceland is the iconic bird cliffs of Horn. The sheer cliffs are the habitat for over six million seabirds during the summer and high number of Arctic foxes call the area their home.

Tour type: Multi Day Tour
Duration: 2 days
Difficulty: Challenging
Pickup service: No
Booking in advance: 2 days
Availability: June, July
Minimum age: 16 years

The experience

About this tour

Join us for a hike in the heart of Hornstrandir, taking in all of its beauty, including Hornbjarg bird cliffs and Hornvík bay.

When limited to only a couple days in Hornstrandir, the toughest part can be deciding where to go. Hornvík Bay is a clear favourite for many travellers and is our recommendation for the “I only have a couple days, where should I go?” traveller.
We totally recommend doing more than a day trip to the nature reserve as the nature takes on a different shape in the evenings. The Arctic Fox comes out from their dens searching for food, the midnight sun shines straight into Hornvík bay and it's very cosy to sit around the table in our basecamp enjoying a nice cup of tea talking to your fellow travellers.

The wildlife in Hornvík is amazing with over 6 million birds nesting on the cliffs, Arctic Foxes that are so relaxed that you can enjoy their company very close up and many species of waders that call the bay their home.

The nature is so pristine and breathtaking, you will return from this trip a different person.

We sleep in comfortable 2 person tents and have a big separate cooking/eating tent which is heated, where we spend time socialising and drying off our gear!

Eco Friendly
Outdoor
Adults Only

Itinerary

How it runs

2 stops

01
Hornvík
Hornvík , - Hornstrandir
We meet at our office in Aðalstræti 17 (downtown main street) at 8am for a briefing, where we will answer any questions and make final preparations. We depart from the harbour in Ísafjörður on our passenger boat at 9am.

The ride to Hornvík Bay takes between 2 and 3 hours and en-route you can see the whole coastline and bays that are carved into Hornstrandir. All these bays were once occupied by our ancestors that harvested the land and fished the waters. The ferry will drop us off on a land under the old farm of Horn and we start circumnavigating the edge of the magnificent Hornbjarg bird cliffs. During the hike you will experience looking down the 400 meter cliffs (if you dare) to see kittiwakes taking a bath in the lake under the cliffs, thousands of birds soaring the edge, Arctic Foxes searching for food on the beach and enjoy the magnificent view over this isolated and pristine place. We then start our descent to our camp where we will have a well-deserved dinner.
Distance: 12 km.
Altitude gain: 550 m.
02
Veiðileysufjörður
Veiðileysufjörður, - Hornstrandir
We take an easy morning. After a hearty breakfast we will say goodbye to Hornvík bay and start hiking towards Veiðileysufjörður on the southside of the peninsula. The hike takes us up to 500 meters and is on a path most of the way. When walking down the pass is usually covered with snow and is a little steep. Our guides will be there to help every step of the way.
Then we follow the path down to the fjord where the boat will pick us up around 5 – 6pm, we then make the journey back to Ísafjörður which takes around an hour.
Distance: 11 km.
Altitude gain: 450 m.

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

What the price covers

Included

· Boat Ride To And From Hornstrandir Nature Reserve · All Food · Accommodation At Our Comfortable Basecamp· Professional Guide

Not included

· Travel To And From Ísafjörður Prior To And After The Trip· Food On The First Day Until The Trip Departs · Personal Medical Insurance· Personal Equipment And Clothing

Bring

Remember that everything you bring you will have to carry on your back for the entire hike. Try to pack as light as possible while still bringing everything you need. Please note that we provide the tents, sleeping bag, mattress and pillow and you will not need to carry any of this with you. However, you will need to bring your own sleeping bag liner and pillow cover. Warm outdoor clothing including hiking pants and warm upper layers. Please avoid cotton as it keeps you cold when wet and takes a very long time to dry. Waterproof jacket and pants. Hiking boots. Please use waterproof high-top hiking boots, which provide ankle support. Hat and gloves. Small backpack. Personal medical kit i.e. band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, seasickness tablets etc. Don't forget your personal medication, which you may need (e.g. Asthma inhaler, even if you don’t always need it). Sun glasses. Sunscreen and after sun cream. Binoculars are nice to have for watching wildlife. (Optional). Water bottle. Sleeping bag liner and pillow cover. Don't forget your camera!

Ticket types

Participants (12+)

Where it starts

Borea Adventures office
17 Aðalstræti, Ísafjörður, IS
Open in Google Maps

Meeting: Meet on location
Pickup: No
Location code: Isafjørdur - høfn (ISA, IS)

Please print this voucher and bring it as confirmation of your payment

Meeting point for boat trips to Hornstrandir is at our boat Bjarnarnes in Ísafjörður harbour. Floating
docks on the East side of town.
Be there at least 30 minutes before departure

Meeting point for day tours and multi-day tours is at our Base Camp Café Bræðraborg, Aðalstræti
22b Ísafjörður in the centre of town.
Be there at least 30 min before departure for day-tours. For multi day tours, please be in touch.

Please also note that when booking boat trips from Hornstrandir that they are not guaranteed to
depart on the time shown on the voucher, due to differing conditions at sea and the captain having
to decide the order of stops in the trips that have more than one stop.

For our cancellation policy and disclaimer > Visit http://www.boreaadventures.com/borea/
booking_conditions/

If any questions arise feel free to contact us:
Via e-mail: info@borea.is
Via phone: +354-456-3322

Good to know

Your ticket

THANK YOU FOR BOOKING WITH BOREA ADVENTURES!

For information on your itinerary and tour, visit our website, and Heights and Sights tour here.

MEETING POINT AND TIMES

Meet at our Main Office in Ísafjörður, Aðalstræti 17, located here.

Please be at our meeting point ONE HOUR before the start time of your tour. If your tour starts at 9.00am, this means you need to be there to meet your guide at 8am. You will then go through the plan, your gear, and sign waivers before departing on our boat promptly at 9am.

CANCELLATIONS AND CHANGES

Our cancellation policy for multi day tours is as follows:

A 25% deposit is due at the time of booking, and is always non-refundable. The remaining balance (75%) is due 28 days before departure.

When a tour is cancelled in writing:

More than 28 days before departure – only the deposit is non-refundable
Less than 28 days before departure – 50% refund
Less than 7 days before departure – No refund

For further information on our booking conditions, tour changes, and cancellation policy, click here.

WHATS INCLUDED?

Boat ride to and from Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
All food
Accommodation at our comfortable basecamp
Professional guide

NOT INCLUDED

Travel to and from Ísafjörður before and after the trip
Breakfast on the first day until the trip departs
Personal medical insurance **Please confirm you are insured for hiking and outdoor activities**
Personal equipment and clothing

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

Warm outdoor clothing, including hiking pants and warm upper layers. Avoid cotton, as it retains moisture when wet and takes a long time to dry.
Waterproof jacket and pants.
Hiking boots. Choose waterproof, high-top hiking boots with ankle support.
Thin neoprene socks (optional but great for crossing rivers—they keep your toes warm). Light water shoes are also suitable.
Light towel.
Hat and gloves.
Small backpack (35–45 liters recommended).
Hiking poles (optional). Useful if your balance isn’t perfect or you’re not accustomed to hiking on rocky terrain.
Personal medical kit, including band-aids, throat lozenges, lip balm, seasickness tablets, and any personal medications (e.g., an asthma inhaler, even if you don’t typically need it).
Sunglasses.
Sunscreen and after-sun cream.
Binoculars (optional but nice for wildlife spotting).
Water bottle.
Sleeping bag liner and pillow cover.
Don’t forget your camera!