Iceland’s Westfjords in Summer: The Iceland Most Tourists Miss
Most visitors to Iceland follow the same loop: Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, the South Coast, maybe a glacier lagoon. It’s a great trip — we’ve done it ourselves. But the Iceland that stopped us in our tracks was somewhere else entirely. The Westfjords is a peninsula hanging off Iceland’s northwest corner that most rental cars never reach — and that’s exactly why it’s worth the effort.
We made it out there in early summer, and the Iceland Westfjords rewarded us with jaw-dropping fjords, a puffin-covered cliffside, and more genuine solitude than we’d felt anywhere in the country. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Iceland’s Westfjords is a remote, dramatically beautiful region of deep fjords and sheer cliffs in Iceland’s northwest. It’s best visited in June or July when roads are open and daylight is near-constant. The region takes 4–5 hours to reach from Reykjavík by car, rewards slow travelers willing to leave the Ring Road, and is home to Hornstrandir — one of Europe’s last true wilderness reserves.
Why the Iceland Westfjords Feel Like a Different Country
The Westfjords make up roughly 22% of Iceland’s coastline but receive only about 2% of its tourists. That mismatch is immediately obvious when you cross the bridge at Brú and the road narrows, the Wi-Fi vanishes, and the only other vehicles you see are the occasional sheep farmer. This is not a carefully managed tourist experience — it’s raw Iceland.
What makes the Westfjords distinct
- Age: The Westfjords peninsula is the oldest part of Iceland geologically, formed some 16 million years ago — meaning it lacks the volcanic drama of the south but has an almost Norwegian fjord character instead.
- Hornstrandir Nature Reserve: The northernmost section is fully car-free and uninhabited. You reach it only by boat from Ísafjörður. Hiking here feels closer to Svalbard than to tourist Iceland.
- Latrabjarg Cliffs: Europe’s largest puffin colony, perched on a 14-kilometre-long sea cliff at Iceland’s westernmost point. In June and July, the birds nest so close to the path you could nearly touch them.
- Dynjandi Waterfall: A cascading, fan-shaped waterfall that drops 100 metres — one of Iceland’s finest natural sights, yet rarely crowded because of the distance required to reach it.
We arrived having read all this online and still weren’t prepared for the scale. Driving the fjord roads — where one side drops straight into cold, flat water and the other side rises to treeless plateaus — felt like driving through a natural cathedral.
How to Get to the Westfjords — and the Best Time to Go
Getting there is the first commitment, and it’s a real one. The Westfjords are not on the way to anywhere. You have to choose them deliberately, and that’s why many Ring Road itineraries skip them entirely.
Getting there: your options
- By car from Reykjavík: The most common approach. Route 1 to Borgarnes, then Route 60 north. Total: around 4.5–5 hours to Ísafjörður (the main town) in summer. Roads inside the Westfjords are mostly paved but narrow — many inner fjord roads are still gravel F-roads.
- By domestic flight: Eagle Air flies from Reykjavík domestic airport (RKV) to Ísafjörður (IFJ) in about 45 minutes. A genuinely useful option if your time is short — but you’ll still want a rental car waiting at the other end.
- By ferry from the Westfjords to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula: The Baldur ferry connects Stykkishólmur on Snæfellsnes with Brjánslækur in the south of the Westfjords, via Flatey island. A beautiful crossing that combines two regions in one drive.
Best time to visit the Iceland Westfjords
- June & July (peak season): All roads accessible, puffins nesting at Latrabjarg (June–mid-August), wildflowers across the hillsides, near-24-hour daylight. This is the right time for first-timers.
- August: Puffins start leaving from mid-August. Cooler, fewer crowds. Still a good window.
- May & September: Off-season shoulder — some inner roads may still have snow or be freshly reopened. Dramatic light but genuine risk of road closures.
- Winter: The Westfjords are a different proposition in winter — many roads close, the population in outer fjords is near zero, and northern lights can be stunning. Only for experienced cold-weather drivers.
We also cover the full Iceland Ring Road in 7 days — a tested itinerary from our own trip, including what to cut when time is tight.
Read the Ring Road guide →Your Iceland Westfjords Summer Checklist
These are the eight things to sort before you go — from the practical to the easy-to-forget.
- 4WD rental: Not strictly required for the main roads in summer, but a high-clearance 4WD opens up gravel tracks and gives you confidence on river crossings to Hornstrandir trailheads.
- At least 3 nights in the Westfjords: You cannot do this region justice in a single night. We’d say 4–5 is ideal to hit the main highlights without rushing.
- Accommodation booked early: Options are sparse and fill up months in advance in June and July. Ísafjörður guesthouses and the farms scattered around Patreksfjörður are the main bases.
- Hornstrandir boat booking: If hiking Hornstrandir is on your list, book the Ísafjörður ferry or guided day-trip weeks ahead in summer.
- Offline maps (Maps.me or OsmAnd): Mobile signal is unreliable or absent across large sections. Download the Westfjords offline before you leave Reykjavík.
- Food and fuel planning: There are very few petrol stations outside Ísafjörður and Patreksfjörður. Supermarkets are limited. Carry more than you think you need.
- Weather layers: Even in July, horizontal rain and wind can appear without notice. A windproof shell and mid-layer are non-negotiable for cliff walks and Hornstrandir.
- Latrabjarg visit in early morning or late “evening”: The midnight sun means “evening” here is just a slightly different quality of light. Puffins are most active and easiest to photograph in calm wind windows — check the hourly forecast.
Tips and Warnings for First-Time Westfjords Visitors
The main roads hug the coast, but some of the most arresting views are on inner fjord roads — a narrow gravel track that cuts across the plateau between two fjords. If the road is open and your car can handle it, take it. The views are completely different and the solitude is total.
Google Maps in the Westfjords is optimistic. Fjord roads fold back on themselves constantly, so 60 km on the map can easily take 90 minutes. Factor in stops — you will stop for views, sheep, and the occasional waterfall appearing next to the road.
We’d read that the Westfjords had no decent food. That’s out of date. Ísafjörður has a handful of excellent small restaurants, a great bakery, and the kind of end-of-the-world atmosphere that makes a casual coffee feel memorable.
Road.is is your bible here. Even in summer, heavy rain can make gravel mountain passes temporarily impassable. Check it each morning. Never drive a road marked as closed — the insurance implications alone are serious.
Plan loosely. You will find a waterfall not on any map, stop at a beach that only has a name in Icelandic, or sit on a clifftop watching puffins for two hours instead of the twenty minutes you budgeted. This is not a region to rush through.
Iceland allows wild camping in many rural areas, but the Westfjords has some protected zones where only designated camping is permitted. Hornstrandir specifically has strict rules about where tents can be pitched. Check the Westfjords regional website and Nature Reserve guidelines before pitching anywhere.
Iceland Westfjords vs the Ring Road: Which Is Right for You?
We get asked this a lot, especially by people planning their first Iceland trip who’ve heard about both. Here’s our honest take after doing both separately:
- Ring Road in 7 days: Excellent introduction to Iceland. Varied scenery, manageable logistics, lots of infrastructure. You’ll see waterfalls, black sand beaches, glacier lagoons, and geysers. A great first trip.
- Westfjords-focused trip (5–7 days): Harder to plan, requires more self-sufficiency, but delivers something the Ring Road cannot: genuine remoteness. The Westfjords rewards experience over novelty.
- Ring Road + Westfjords detour (10–14 days): The best combination if you have time. Fly or drive the Ring Road, then dedicate 4–5 days to the Westfjords. We’d add the Snæfellsnes Peninsula too — the Baldur ferry connects them neatly.
- Who the Westfjords are NOT for: People on a tight schedule, those who dislike driving long hours on gravel roads, or anyone who needs reliable restaurant access and service infrastructure at the end of every day.
- Who the Westfjords ARE for: Hikers, photographers, birders, people on a second or third Iceland trip, couples or solo travelers who enjoy slow days and big empty landscapes.
We’ve also written a dedicated guide to seeing puffins in the Faroe Islands — another brilliant (and less crowded) destination for seabird encounters.
Faroe Islands puffin guide →What We Got Wrong in the Westfjords
- We didn’t book Hornstrandir in time. The day hike ferry fills up weeks in advance in June. We’d reserved it as “flexible” and ended up missing it. Book it the day you book your accommodation.
- We drove too fast on day one. The first day we tried to tick off too many spots and ended up with blurred memories of fjords. On day two, we stopped at fewer things and actually remembered them.
- We didn’t check the petrol station opening hours. Smaller village stations in the Westfjords sometimes close early or operate on irregular hours. We ran lower than was comfortable before finding one open. Always fill the tank when you see a station.
- We dismissed Flatey Island as “just a detour.” We took the Baldur ferry but didn’t get off on Flatey. Other travelers who did raved about it. Small island, Arctic terns nesting everywhere, no cars. Worth the extra hour if you’re on the ferry anyway.
- We didn’t carry enough layers. Even in July, the wind off the fjords can drop the feels-like temperature dramatically. We ended up wearing every layer we had on the Latrabjarg clifftop walk.
- We underestimated the emotional effect. The Westfjords is one of the few places in Europe where you genuinely feel far from everything — in the best possible way. We weren’t prepared for how much that would stay with us afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Iceland Westfjords worth visiting in summer?
Absolutely — June and July are the best months. Roads are open, puffins are nesting at Latrabjarg, Hornstrandir hiking is accessible by boat, and the near-constant daylight means you can drive and hike at any hour.
How long do I need in the Iceland Westfjords?
Minimum 3 nights, ideally 4–5. The distances look manageable on a map but fjord roads fold back on themselves — driving times are consistently longer than Google Maps predicts. Three nights gets you Dynjandi, Latrabjarg, and Ísafjörður. Five nights adds Hornstrandir.
Do I need a 4WD in the Westfjords?
A high-clearance 4WD is strongly recommended. Main roads are paved but many inner fjord tracks and Hornstrandir approach roads are gravel or F-roads requiring clearance. Some rental companies won’t cover a regular car if you drive it on F-roads.
When do the puffins arrive at Latrabjarg?
Puffins arrive at Latrabjarg from roughly late April and begin nesting by May. Peak nesting (when birds are closest to the clifftop path and easiest to photograph) is June through mid-July. They start departing in August.
Can I visit Hornstrandir without a guided tour?
Yes — experienced hikers with proper navigation skills can reach Hornstrandir independently via the ferry from Ísafjörður. There are no facilities inside the reserve: no roads, no shops, no rescue services beyond what you arrange yourself. Guided day trips are a sensible option for less experienced visitors.
Is the Westfjords safe to visit?
Yes, but it demands more self-sufficiency than other parts of Iceland. Mobile signal is often absent, weather changes rapidly, and distances between services can be large. A fully charged phone, offline maps, extra fuel, and the right clothing make it a safe and extraordinary trip.
A Final Word from Rovaniemi
We live in Rovaniemi, which means we’re used to remote — Lapland has its own particular emptiness, its own quality of silence. But the Iceland Westfjords felt different. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel genuinely grateful you made the effort, because most people who want to go never quite get around to it.
The fjords are deeper, the cliffs are higher, the birds are more fearless, and the roads are more demanding than almost anywhere we’ve driven in the Nordics. And that’s exactly the point. If Iceland’s Ring Road is the country’s greatest hits, the Westfjords is the album cut that the real fans all agree is the best song.
Go slowly. Bring warm layers. Book Hornstrandir early. And leave more time than you think you need.
Joona & Alla
A Finnish-Ukrainian couple living in Rovaniemi, Finland. Joona works in Lapland tourism and marketing; Alla is an AI Engineer. Together we’ve visited 21 countries and share honest, locally-grounded travel writing from our home in the Arctic.
Read our full story →