The Westfjords, Iceland 7-Day Itinerary
A 7-Day Westfjords Iceland Itinerary for Travelers Who Want the Real Thing
The Westfjords are what Iceland looks like before the crowds arrive. Most travelers never make it this far, which is exactly the point. The peninsula juts out from the northwest corner of the island into a landscape of dramatic fjords, seabird cliffs, and geothermal springs where the only sound is wind and water. For the right traveler, a week here is one of those trips that recalibrates everything.
This itinerary is a framework, not a fixed plan. I design Westfjords routes for travelers who want genuine discovery over postcard moments, and the flexibility to follow a side road when something looks worth stopping for. Every day below has that spirit built in.
Westfjords, Iceland Information
Length: 7 Day
Country: Iceland
Travel Type: Nature Exploration, Adventure, Road Trip
Day 1 - Reykjavik & Stykkishólmur
After arriving in Reykjavik, the drive north toward Stykkishólmur is the right way to begin decompressing. On the way, Krauma at Deildartunguhver is worth a stop: it sits on the highest-flowing hot spring in Europe and the geothermal baths there do what airport travel cannot. Lunch is served on site using local ingredients, and the cold plunge pool is bracing in the best possible way.
Stykkishólmur, at the northern tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, is a handsome old fishing town and a good place to spend the first night. Sjávarpakkhúsið and Narfeyrarstofa are both reliable for dinner, with fresh seafood and a pace that tells you immediately that you are no longer in a hurry.
Day 2 - Ferry Crossing and Gateway to the Westfjords
The car ferry from Stykkishólmur across the bay to Brjánslækur is where the trip properly begins. From there, Route 62 winds west along the coastline with the kind of views that make you pull over repeatedly.
The Krosslaug hot spring sits beside the ocean in a natural stone pool. It is not signposted dramatically. You find it, you get in, and the fjord is right there. That quality of discovery without infrastructure is what defines the Westfjords.
Rauðisandur Beach is a detour worth making. The sand is genuinely red and gold, an anomaly in a country of black volcanic coastlines. The small beachside café has homemade pastries and hot cocoa. One practical note: the tide comes in fast here, so keep an eye on it.
Hotel Látrabjarg is the reliable accommodation option in this remote stretch in summer, with views that earn their keep.
Day 3 - Látrabjarg Cliffs and Patreksfjörður
Látrabjarg is Iceland’s largest seabird cliff and one of the best places in the world to be close to puffins. The birds are unbothered by visitors in a way that feels unlikely until you are standing among them. The wind here is real: hold onto anything that could become airborne.
Hotel Breiðavík nearby serves lunch after the hike. The afternoon drive to Patreksfjörður is scenic, and the town’s public pool, with warm water and fjord views, is a good way to end an active day. Stúkuhúsið is the dinner recommendation: a local favorite with simple, well-executed Icelandic cooking.
Day 4 - Dynjandi Falls, Þingeyri & Ísafjörður
The old coastal path to Bolungarvík is a good morning walk, following a route used before the modern tunnel made it redundant. Back in town, Ísafjörður rewards slow exploration.
Hornstrandir is the reason serious travelers extend their time here. Accessible only by boat, this uninhabited nature reserve is among the most remote landscapes in Iceland: dramatic cliffs, arctic foxes that have no fear of people, and a silence that is hard to find anywhere in Europe. A day trip is worthwhile. If the schedule allows, spending a night there changes the experience entirely.
Day 5-6 - Hornstrandir and Ísafjörður
Ísafjörður is the unofficial capital of the Westfjords. It may be small by most standards, but it’s packed with charm and an ideal base for exploring the remote beauty that surrounds it.
Start by walking the old coastal road to Bolungarvik, a peaceful path once used before the modern tunnel connected the two towns. Back in town, spend time wandering Ísafjörður’s downtown, dotted with inviting cafes, independent shops and charming bookstores.
Highly recommended: take a tour to Hornstrandir, one of Iceland’s most untouched and wild corners. Accessible only by sea, this remote sanctuary offers dramactic cliffs, wild arctic foxes (the photo to the right is one we took of an arctic fox pup waiting for mom to come back from a hunt!), and pristine solitude. If your schedule allows, backpacking through Hornstrandir is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Day 7 - Drangsnes and Krossneslaug
The drive east from Ísafjörður is the scenic conclusion to the week. The coastal roads offer views that have not diminished by this point in the trip.
Saltverk in Drangsnes is a small, sustainable sea salt producer that uses geothermal energy for hand-harvesting. The tour is genuinely interesting, and the salt itself makes an excellent thing to bring home. Krossneslaug, a geothermal pool overlooking the ocean, is the last soak of the trip and worth timing for late afternoon.
On the return to Reykjavik, Gervidalsárfoss is a quiet waterfall good for a short hike and a picnic. Erpsstaðir Creamery is a working dairy farm with excellent ice cream and, true to the itinerary’s spirit, a giant trampoline. Borgarnes makes a good final lunch stop: the café at Englendingavík has an outdoor deck on the water that is hard to leave.
Planning a Westfjords Trip with Tray Tables Up
The Westfjords reward travelers who arrive with flexibility and leave with more time than they think they need. Every itinerary I build for this region starts with this framework and becomes something specific to the traveler: which days to slow down, where to add a night, which detours are worth the extra hour.
Contact me today to start planning your Iceland itinerary.
Joycelyn May is a luxury travel advisor and the founder of Tray Tables Up, affiliated with Fora and Virtuoso. She specializes in immersive, access-driven journeys for travelers who are ready to go deeper: private yacht charters, polar expeditions, exclusive wine experiences, intimate safari lodges, and the kind of behind-the-scenes access that most travelers cannot arrange on their own. Through her global partner network, she secures exclusive perks and insider privileges that go well beyond standard booking. Joycelyn handles every detail so her travelers can simply show up and live the story.
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