Trekking in the Westfjords

Hornstrandir, at the northern tip of the Westfjords, is the wildest place in Iceland: a nature reserve with no roads, no permanent residents and no facilities, reachable only by boat and left almost entirely to nature.

Abandoned by its farming families in the mid-twentieth century, it has reverted to wilderness, and its tame, curious Arctic foxes — protected here and unafraid of people — are a highlight.

Trekking across it means crossing high passes between empty fjords, camping on beaches where whales pass offshore, and going days without seeing another soul, all under towering sea cliffs alive with seabirds. It is demanding, committing and utterly self-reliant travel through some of Europe's last true wilderness.

For experienced backpackers it's a pilgrimage — a place that feels genuinely at the edge of the map.

A multi-day, fully self-sufficient backpacking trip across a roadless nature reserve, carrying everything — tent, food, stove, all your kit — since there is nothing to resupply from and no shelter.

Routes cross rugged, often unmarked terrain and high passes between fjords, with cold unbridged river crossings, snow patches lingering into summer, and fickle Arctic weather that can pin you down. Access is by scheduled or chartered boat, so your itinerary must fit the pickups, and there's no easy bail-out.

Navigation, self-rescue and weather judgement are all on you — this is for experienced, fit trekkers, not beginners. The rewards are immense: empty fjords, huge bird cliffs, curious Arctic foxes, whales offshore and a solitude almost impossible to find elsewhere in Europe.

The season is short — essentially July and August, when the boats run and the snow has mostly gone. Book your boat transfer to and from Hornstrandir (from Ísafjörður or Bolungarvík) around your planned route, and build in flexibility for weather delays.

You must be an experienced, self-reliant backpacker: carry a sturdy tent, warm and waterproof gear, a stove, all your food, and a paper map and compass, plus ideally a satellite messenger, as there's no phone coverage or rescue nearby. Practise river crossings and leave a detailed plan with someone.

Respect the reserve — camp only where allowed, leave no trace, and don't feed the foxes. There are no marked trails or huts to rely on. Treated with the seriousness it deserves, it's the trek of a lifetime.