Tour description
Day 1: Arrival: Then drive from Reykjavík to Laugarholt
We will travel together in a 4×4 bus to the northern Westfjords. The departure time from Reykjavík is 15.00 hrs, earlier if you like, but please let us know your arrival time. Then we follow the coast of the large fjord system Ísafjarðardjúp and finally turn into the remote valley, Skjaldfannadalur. Our destination is Laugarholt - the last year-round inhabited farm north of Ísafjarðardjúp. The drive is 4-5 hours. Dinner together, get to know each other, maybe an evening walk and a bath in our natural hot swimming pool or hot tub. Overnight stay at the farm.
Day 2: Laugarholt - Kaldalón - Tyrðilmýri
Departure from Laugarholt. We ride down through moor meadows and gravel areas through the Skjaldfannadalur valley towards the sea. At low tide we cross the glacier lagoon Kaldalón in front of the magnificent scenery of Drangajökull. Continue along the beach to the old farm Tyrðilmýri. While the horses can rest here on the pasture, we drive back to Laugarholt by car and spend the night again on the farm. Approx. 5 hours on the road.
Day 2: Laugarholt - Kaldalón - Tyrðilmýri
Departure from Laugarholt. We ride down through moor meadows and gravel areas through the Skjaldfannadalur valley towards the sea. At low tide we cross the glacier lagoon Kaldalón in front of the magnificent scenery of Drangajökull. Continue along the beach to the old farm Tyrðilmýri. While the horses can rest here on the pasture, we drive back to Laugarholt by car and spend the night again on the farm. Approx. 5 hours on the road.
Day 3: Tyrðilmýri - Snæfjallaströnd - Grunnavík
In the morning we drive again to Tyrðilmýri. This is where the road ends and we finally leave for the wilderness. Along the coast Snæfjallaströnd ("Snow Mountain Beach") we ride partly above the cliffs on narrow paths, partly below the beach on wonderfully wide sandy areas. Over scree and snow fields we climb steeply up to the pass Snæfjallaheiði, from where we enjoy a magnificent view of the fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp. Crossing the plateau, descent to Grunnavík bay. Overnight stay in the old farmhouse Sútarabúðir (sleeping bag accommodation). About 8-10 hours on the way.
Day 5: Furufjörður - Svartaskarð - Reykjarfjörður
The day starts with the very steep climb up Svartaskarð pass ("Black Cleft"). If we are not completely shrouded in mist up there, we are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the great bird cliffs to the north and the pristine glacial wilderness of Drangajökull. We descend into the fjord Tharalátursfjörður, cross some raging rivers, ride over the ridge Reykjarfjarðarháls and enter the fjord Reykjarfjörður. We spend the night in the old farmhouse of Reykjarfjörður (sleeping bag accommodation). Approx. 5 hours on the road
Day 6: Reykjarfjörður (rest day)
At this wonderful place, which many of our participants have called "Paradise on Earth", we spend the day. In the natural hot swimming pool you can relax your tired limbs, the wonderful surroundings with a view of the glacier invites you to hikes or a small ride. We spend another night in Reykjarfjörður (sleeping bag accommodation).
Day 7: Reykjarfjörður - Bjarnarfjörður - Drangar
Beside big stacks of logs we ride along the sea, cross the mountain ridge Geirólsgnúpur and ride down to the bay Skjaldabjarnarvík, where we have to pass countless streams again. We climb the next ridge and then descend very steeply into the fjord Bjarnarfjörður, which we cross at low tide. We reach the bay of Drangar with its impressive rocky peaks in the sea. Also here we can enjoy a bath in a hot spring in the evening. Overnight stay in a tent. Approx. 7 hours on the road.
Day 8: Reykjarfjörður - Drangajökull - Laugarholt
We ride up the Meyjardalur valley along the old path that the inhabitants of Ísafjarðardjúp used to take home from the northeast coast for many centuries. The snowfields are getting wider and wider, after all there is nothing but a wide white area in front of us. On the glacier we are often completely enveloped in fog, sometimes it is sleety or even snowing. You feel like you're crossing the Arctic. All the greater is the rejoicing when suddenly the cloud cover rips open and opens the view to the destination of our journey, the Skjaldfannadalur valley. Descent from the glacier, crossing the river Selá, return to Laugarholt. Dinner on the farm and a swim in the hot swimming pool will end the week of adventures together. About 10-11 hours on the way.
Day 9: Laugarholt - Ísafjörður - Dynjandi - Patreksfjörður by bus
After breakfast we say goodbye to Laugarholt and continue along the Westfjords towards the west. Our first stop is Litli-Bær, a very small former farm which is lovingly shown by the former farmer. Then we drive on to Ísafjörður, the "capital" of the Westfjords. We drive over high mountains and down into deep fjords on the way towards Sudfjorde. A highligt is the waterfall Dynjandi.
Day 10: Patreksfjörður - Rauðisandur - Kollsvík - Látrabjarg - Patreksfjörður, by bus
This day is dedicated to the southern Westfjords, one of our favourite areas. We visit Rauðisandur, where we can enjoy the endless yellow (red) beaches (here one thinks one is in the Caribbean...) and take a walk to the ruins of the farm Sjöundá. Sjöundá is known from the novel Black Birds by Gunnar Gunarsson. We continue to Kollsvík, a lonely bay with a few abandoned farms. The history and the traces of the former farmers and fishermen here are just as impressive as the bright beaches, surrounded by the mountains and the sea. After dinner we drive to Látrabjarg, the western point in Iceland and Europe. We visit the big bird cliff, and hope to meet puffins there, which are mainly late in the evening on the cliff, but also a lot of other seabirds nest there.
Day 11: Patreksfjörður - ferry from Brjánslækur - Stykkishólmur - Reykjavík, by bus
On the way to the drive we stop at a small natural warm pool. The trip to Stykkishólmur takes 3 hours and depending on the time we stop briefly in the beautiful little harbour town of Stykkishólmur. Then we drive the last stretch to Reykavik and say goodbye to each other there.
