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Hornstrandir: a still from my film

Westfjords, Iceland · July 2019 · Solo

Hornstrandir

93.5 KM · 4 DAYS · 3,220 M

4 days alone across Iceland's Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.

Watch the film 13:25 · 5.4M views

At a glance

Where
Westfjords, Iceland
Distance
93.5 km (58.1 miles)
Days
4 walking days, 3 nights in my tent
Climbing
About 10,600 ft (3,220 m) up and the same down
Season
Summer. Scheduled boats run about June 1 to late August
Difficulty
A little harder than usual: no trees, but swampy, muddy and marshy in places, fords, snow on the passes, and a surprising amount of climbing for a coastal walk
Route
Hesteyri to Veiðileysufjörður
Highest point
1,630 ft (497 m), Hafnarskarð, Day 4
When I went
July 10 to 13, 2019, solo
Relief map of the Hornstrandir route: 4 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Hesteyri, Veiðileysufjörður, Aðalvík, Fljótavík, Hornvík and Hornbjarg.
Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Highest 1,630 ft (497 m)

Elevation, start to finish: highest 1,630 ft (497 m), lowest sea level.

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The films

The short

In the journal

Photos

  • Aðalvík on the evening of Day 1.
    Aðalvík on the evening of Day 1.
  • Coming down Tungudalur toward Fljótavík on Day 2.
    Coming down Tungudalur toward Fljótavík on Day 2.
  • The climb from Hlöðuvík toward Atlaskarð on Day 3.
    The climb from Hlöðuvík toward Atlaskarð on Day 3.
  • The Hornbjarg cliffs on Day 4.
    The Hornbjarg cliffs on Day 4.
  • The path along the Hornbjarg cliff edge.
    The path along the Hornbjarg cliff edge.
  • Veiðileysufjörður from my tent, waiting for the boat.
    Veiðileysufjörður from my tent, waiting for the boat.
Walking toward the Kálfatindar pinnacles on Hornbjarg, Day 4.
Walking toward the Kálfatindar pinnacles on Hornbjarg, Day 4.

The guide · 47-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

My GPS files, day maps and notes from four days alone across Iceland's Hornstrandir reserve, plus the boats and their 2026 prices.

  • All four days
  • My GPX files
  • The boats
  • The reserve rules and campsites
  • Getting to Ísafjörður

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Look inside the guide

Free sample

Try Day 4 free

The whole Day 4, Hornvík to Veiðileysufjörður page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

Gear on this trip

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What I carried in 2019

  • Packa small backpackSmaller than most people's out there.
  • TentREI Passage tentSimilar now: NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P
  • Sleeping bagNemo sleeping bag
  • Sleeping pada sleeping pad
  • Clothespants and a shellI wore them with the hood up against the flies.
  • Hata beanieI brought warm layers because I knew it was a colder hike, and wore the beanie to keep the sun off my forehead.
  • Bootsmy old bootsThey were terrible, and my boots and socks were soaked most days. I dried my socks on the outside of my pack while I walked.
  • Water filterSawyer SqueezeSimilar now: Katadyn BeFree AC · 1L
  • Stovea small gas stoveWith a canister from Nettó in Ísafjörður, and ramen.

Filming kit

Music in this short

All music

What I'd take now

My current kit

Everything I use, in Tools

Europe bundle

This guide is in Europe Hiking Guide Pack: 11 guides for $39. Or all 62 guides for $59.

Short answers

How many days do you need to hike Hornstrandir?
I walked from Hesteyri to Veiðileysufjörður in four days and three nights, about 58 miles, and I hike faster than most. For most people a 6 to 7 day version split at the campsites is a better trip, with time for weather and for Hornbjarg.
When is the best time to hike Hornstrandir?
Summer. The scheduled boats run from about June 1 to late August, and rangers are at Hesteyri and Hornvík. I went July 10 to 13, 2019, and still crossed snow patches on the passes.
Where do you sleep in Hornstrandir?
In your tent, and only at the designated campsites, such as Hesteyri, Sæból, Fljótavatn, Hlöðuvík, Hornvík and Veiðileysufjörður. Two of my camps were not at campsites, so don't copy them. The orange emergency shelters are for emergencies only.
How do you get to Hornstrandir?
Fly from Reykjavík's domestic airport to Ísafjörður, then take a boat into the reserve. You book both the boat in and the boat out. In 2026 a one-way boat to Hesteyri or Veiðileysufjörður was ISK 13,900 to 14,900.
Do you need a permit for Hornstrandir?
No permit is needed in summer. From 1 March to 15 June and from 1 September to 1 November you must register your trip online with the reserve before you go.

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