Hornstrandir, Kraig Adams's way

The numbers come from my own GPS recordings, smoothed the same way for every day. The route I planned said about 50 miles, and apps count climbing differently: AllTrails shows about 12,500 ft for my four days. My title says 60 miles; my GPS says 58.1.

What I did. I flew into Reykjavík and then took the quick flight on a very small plane from the city's domestic airport to Ísafjörður, a lovely little town between the fjords. The opening shot of my film is me landing there. You hop on a little shuttle that takes you around the water into town. You could also take a bus or rent a car, but I don't recommend it.

Flights (2026). Icelandair flies from Reykjavík's domestic airport, close to downtown, to Ísafjörður in under an hour. Icelandair had planned to drop the route after summer 2026, but in April 2026 it signed a state contract that keeps the flights going until at least August 31, 2030. International flights land at Keflavík, not at the domestic airport, so allow time to get across. Leave slack before your boat.

Ísafjörður

It's a very small, quaint town, and it's worth a day either side of the hike. I've been back since with my wife, and it was nice to reminisce about the hike.

• Sleep. I stayed at a guesthouse in town; when I looked it up in 2023 it was about $93 a night. After the hike I paid ISK 21,400 on my card at Mánagisting (Mánagata 4) on July 14, 2019.
• Eat. Tjöruhúsið is the one place you have to go: the best fish soup and fish buffet. It serves only the catch of the day (no menu); in 2026 it's open April 1 to October 31, and you should book at least three days ahead in summer (456-4419). There's also a pretty cool brewery, Dokkan Brugghús, and a café in the centre where I always got breakfast and good coffee.
• Supplies. I got a gas canister for my stove at the Nettó supermarket, and my groceries.
• Boats. The boat offices are in the centre, and the boats leave from the harbour. See The boats.

The boats

The trail starts across the water, so you need a boat in and a boat out. You book both, you figure out the times from the schedules, and you plan your walking days around the pickup. Booking the boat is the hardest part, because once you're in the reserve you can't call to change it.

What I did. When I arrived in Ísafjörður I went straight to a boat office to book my ferry to the trailhead. I believe it was West Tours. I got very lucky: I showed up, booked, and left about 30 minutes later. It's probably more popular now, and the boats can sell out, so book as early as you can. I took the boat to Hesteyri, walked to Hornvík and the Horn, and got picked up in Veiðileysufjörður. My memory was almost ISK 20,000 each way, over $100, so up to about $300 for the round trip. It's the most expensive thing about this hike.

The companies (2026). Three companies run scheduled boats. You can go out with one and come back with another, but changing a booking between companies later may cost you.

Sjóferðir's 2026 departures from Ísafjörður, as West Tours listed them: Hesteyri, Veiðileysufjörður and Grunnavík Monday 14:00, Tuesday 17:00, Wednesday 14:00, Friday and Saturday 9:00; Aðalvík Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00, Friday 17:30, Saturday 15:30; Hornvík Thursday 9:00, Sunday 13:00. As of October 11, 2026, none of the three companies had published 2027 timetables or prices, so check before you book.

Pickups. The companies can't tell you the exact pickup time on the return; it depends on the day's route, the weather and the luggage. Be at the landing early with your gear packed, and carry food for an extra day in case the boat can't come. Borea's fare includes one backpack of about 20 kg (44 lb); an extra bag is ISK 5,000. Be at the dock 20 minutes before departure.

Landings. At some landings, like Veiðileysufjörður when I left, you ride a small inflatable from the shore out to the bigger boat.

Getting home

What I did. I set my tent up in Veiðileysufjörður and napped for a few hours to get out of the rain, and then the boat picked us up. We rode a small inflatable from the shore to the bigger boat. Back in Ísafjörður I had a big meal (it was nice to not eat ramen), found a puppy, and checked into a guesthouse. I stayed a few more days in town before flying out.

Boats from Veiðileysufjörður (2026). Borea and Sjóferðir both serve it, and Hornstrandaferðir sails there on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Book the return before you leave Ísafjörður, and ask where and roughly when to wait. See The boats.

Leave slack. Boats depend on the weather, and so do small planes. Don't book your flight home for the day you come out of the reserve.

What I paid

My records for this trip are thin: no booking emails survive from 2019. This is what's on record.

For your budget (2026 prices). The boats are the big cost: Hesteyri out and Veiðileysufjörður back is ISK 29,800 with Borea, or ISK 28,800 with Hornstrandaferðir (Hesteyri ISK 13,900, Veiðileysufjörður ISK 14,900). Starting or ending at Hornvík is ISK 19,300 each way with Borea.

Camping

Where I slept

My two wild camps. On Day 1 I camped on the grass above the beach in Aðalvík, and on Day 2 at Fljótavík, because I'd had a rough day. Neither was a designated campsite, and camping is only allowed at those. Use the campsites below instead; the GPX waypoints mark them.

Campsites on my route

From the reserve's official map. Every campsite has a toilet (a dry latrine or a water toilet).

So the fair version of my days is: Day 1 to Sæból (9.5 mi) or on to Látrar, Day 2 to the Fljótavatn campsite, then Days 3 and 4 as I did them.

Hornvík was the main campsite, where most of the people were. When I got there, other hikers were sitting at the picnic tables. Veiðileysufjörður had other hikers too, waiting for the boat.

Emergency shelters (the orange huts, run by the rescue association Landsbjörg) are for emergencies only, not for planned nights.

Food. There are no shops in the reserve. Buy everything in Ísafjörður, including stove fuel, and carry a spare day of food in case the boat can't come. I cooked my own food on a small gas stove, mostly ramen, and the big meal back in town tasted great. In 2019 the café at Hesteyri, in the old doctor's house, sold crêpes and coffee; check it's open before you count on it. Campfires are banned, so cook on a stove, and pack out all your rubbish.

Water. There are streams almost everywhere, and small lakes on the plateaus. I used a Sawyer Squeeze filter. Treat or filter everything, and fill up before the passes. The sea is salt, of course, so on the beaches fill up where the streams come out.

In Ísafjörður: Nettó for groceries and gas canisters, Tjöruhúsið for fish (book ahead), Dokkan Brugghús for beer.

Gear for this route

What this trip needs

• Full rain gear and warm layers, even in July, and a tent that handles wind and rain
• Boots you don't mind soaking, and sandals or a spare pair for the fords
• A filter, a stove and fuel from Ísafjörður, and all your food plus a spare day
• A head net, sun hat and sunscreen. Nothing else helps with those flies except a bit of wind
• Offline maps with the GPX files, a power bank, and a satellite messenger or beacon

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I was a noob hiker in a lot of ways on this trip, with a small pack and four nights in my tent. Here's what I carried in 2019, what I'd take now (including what I wish I'd had), and what I filmed with.

What I carried in 2019

• Pack: a small backpack. Smaller than most people's out there.
• Tent: REI Passage tent. I'd had it since Peru. Similar: NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P (Amazon).
• Sleeping bag: Nemo sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad: a sleeping pad
• Clothes: pants and a shell. I wore them with the hood up against the flies.
• Hat: a beanie. I brought warm layers because I knew it was a colder hike, and wore the beanie to keep the sun off my forehead.
• Boots: my old boots. They 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 filter: Sawyer Squeeze. My first filter. Similar: Katadyn BeFree AC · 1L (Amazon).
• Stove: a small gas stove. With a canister from Nettó in Ísafjörður, and ramen.

What I'd take now

My current kit for what this route needs, starting with what I wish I'd had in 2019.

Hiking

• Cap: PATH Projects Muir Cap 2.0 (PATH Projects). It was bright for the first couple of days and I got sunburned. I wish I'd had a cap.
• Sun hoodie: PATH Projects Pyrenees T19 Hoodie (PATH Projects). The other thing I wish I'd had for those sunny days, with sunscreen.
• Socks: PATH Projects Joyner Crew Sock (PATH Projects). Bring an extra pair. If socks are the one thing you bring extra of, you can always have a dry pair.
• Rain shell: Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket (Arc’teryx). Full rain gear, even in July: fog, rain and wind come in fast from the sea.
• Puffy: Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody (Arc’teryx). It's cold even in July.
• Tent: NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P (Amazon). This route needs a tent that handles wind and rain.
• Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT (Amazon)
• Stove: Jetboil Stash (Amazon). You can't fly with a gas canister: buy one at Nettó in Ísafjörður.
• Water filter: Katadyn BeFree AC · 1L (Amazon). The filter I carry now.

Filmmaking

• Power bank: Nitecore NB20000 (Amazon)

Other

• Navigation: AllTrails+ (AllTrails, 30% off). Import my GPX files and download them offline before the boat. Offline maps need the paid plan.
• Phone data: Airalo eSIM (Airalo, $3 off). Data in Ísafjörður and around Iceland. There's almost no signal inside the reserve.

Filming kit

What I filmed this trip with in 2019. I'd set up the tripod, lock the exposure and focus, walk through the shot and come back for the camera, so every scene cost me about three times the energy. Check The reserve rules before you think of flying: since May 2026 the reserve gives no drone permits for hobby flying.

• Camera: Sony a7 III (Amazon)
• Lens: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM (Amazon)
• Drone: DJI Mavic 2 Pro. No longer made.
• Tripod: a tripod

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail, and the Mini 5 Pro in the air.

• Camera: DJI Osmo Pocket 4 (Amazon)
• Mic: DJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX (Amazon). It pairs with the Pocket 4.
• Drone: DJI Mini 5 Pro (Amazon)

The reserve rules

Hornstrandir is a nature reserve, managed since 2025 by Náttúruverndarstofnun, Iceland's Nature Conservation Agency. Its visitor centre, Hornstrandastofa, is in Ísafjörður (665-2810, hornstrandastofa@nattura.is; summer 2026 hours June 1 to August 31, Monday to Saturday 8:00 to 15:30). The main rules, from the reserve's special rules as published in 2026:

• Register your trip online from 1 March to 15 June and from 1 September to 1 November: gogn.ust.is/hornstrandir. Not needed in summer.
• Camp only at designated campsites, and no more than one week on the same pitch.
• No campfires. Cook on a stove.
• No dogs (landowners excepted, on a leash) and no bicycles.
• No drones or other aircraft without a permit from the agency. Since May 2026 it only gives drone permits for work such as research, filming projects and commercial photography, not for hobby flying.
• Groups: at most 30 people in the western part and 15 in organized groups in the eastern part.
• Arctic foxes: stay at least 40 m (130 ft) from dens, watch for no more than 20 minutes, pass quietly, never feed them.
• Carry out all your rubbish.

The reserve's official map (campsites, emergency shelters and marked routes) and the route descriptions are on nattura.is and ust.is. Download both before you go.

Summer. The scheduled boats run from about June 1 to late August (2026), and the reserve's rangers are at Hesteyri and Höfn in Hornvík in summer. Outside summer you'd need a chartered boat, and in spring and autumn you must register your trip.

What I got. I walked July 10 to 13, 2019. For most of the boat ride out it was white-out fog, and I was worried it would be like that the whole hike. As we landed it cleared up: blue skies and wildflowers everywhere. The first couple of days were bright and sunny, and the flies were bad wherever the wind dropped. On Day 4 storm clouds were coming in at Hornbjarg, it started to rain as I went back to my tent, and it poured right after I got my tent up in Veiðileysufjörður.

Snow. I crossed snow patches on the passes in July, and Hafnarskarð can hold snow long into summer. Earlier in the season there's more of it.

Light. The reserve is just south of the Arctic Circle. On the north coast the sun doesn't fully set from about June 8 to July 6, and through July and early August it never really gets dark (computed). I was able to dry my socks more than usual because of it. Bring an eye mask if you need dark to sleep.

Weather changes fast. Fog can hide the cairns, rain makes the streams too big to jump, and it's cold even in July. Check the forecast at vedur.is before the boat and every morning you have signal.

Weather and safety

Emergency: 112. If you can't connect, try 599-0112; from a satellite phone, +354 809 0112 (112 Iceland, 2026). Phone numbers don't give you signal, and there's almost none in the reserve. A satellite messenger or personal locator beacon is the real backup.

Leave a travel plan at safetravel.is and with someone at home, with your boat times, and update it when you're back. Rangers are at Hesteyri and Höfn (Hornvík) in summer.

Forecast. vedur.is (Icelandic Met Office) for the Westfjords, before the boat and whenever you have signal. Fog, rain and wind come in fast from the sea.

Where to be careful:

• The rocky point with the rope and chain on the Aðalvík shore (Day 1): check the tide
• River mouths and fords: the Stakkadalsós (Day 2), the ford by Fljótavatn (up to your groin, officially), Hlöðuvík (Day 3), Hafnarós (Day 4). Water is usually lower in the morning; loosen your pack straps, and keep your shoes on for rocky bottoms
• The tide at Fljótavík, where I couldn't cross the lake outlet
• Þorleifsskarð in fog (Day 3): rocky, part marked with sticks, easy to lose the way
• The roped gully before Hornvík (Day 3)
• The Hornbjarg cliff edge (Day 4)
• Snow on Hafnarskarð (Day 4), and streams too big to jump after rain
• Polar bears: very rare, but one came ashore in Jökulfirðir in 2024. Call 112

Emergency shelters. The orange huts at Látrar, Atlastaðir, Hlöðuvík and Höfn, run by the rescue association Landsbjörg, are for emergencies only.

Going solo. I hiked alone and saw almost no one between the campsites. If you go alone, be conservative about the weather, and don't cross a river you're not sure about.

How many days do I need? I walked it in four days and three nights, and I hiked faster than most people I saw. It's a three or four day trip at my pace, but you're the only person who can answer this, because you know how many miles you can do. This hike is a little harder than usual, so if you usually do 15 miles a day, plan on 10. That makes my line about six days. There's a plan in A slower version.

Is it hard? No trees, so the views are open, but it can be swampy, muddy and marshy, and there's a surprising amount of elevation gain for a walk that spends so much time on beaches. Day 3 crosses three passes, and Day 4 climbs onto Hornbjarg and then over Hafnarskarð. There are river crossings, snow patches on the passes, and two short spots with a fixed rope. The trail was much wetter than I showed in the video; my boots and socks were soaked most days.

Do I need a permit? 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. In summer you don't. See The reserve rules.

Can I camp anywhere? No. Camping is only allowed at the designated campsites (or on private land with the landowner's permission), and my Day 1 and Day 2 camps were not at one. Don't copy them. With small changes to Days 1 and 2 you can still do it in four days. See Camping.

How do I get there? Fly or drive to Ísafjörður, then take a boat. You have to book both the boat in and the boat out, and that's the most difficult and most expensive part of the trip. See The boats.

Can I fly with stove fuel? No. You can't take gas canisters on the plane to Ísafjörður. I bought a canister for my stove at the Nettó supermarket in town.

Is there food or water on the way? Water, yes: streams almost everywhere. Food, no. There are no shops in the reserve, so carry everything plus a spare day for weather. In 2019 there was a crêpe and coffee place at Hesteyri, where the boat dropped me.

Is there phone signal? There's really no cell service in Hornstrandir. You have to be very precise and have good planning for getting picked up. Carry offline maps, and think about a satellite messenger.

What about the bugs? The flies were terrible. They didn't bite, but they went for my eyes, nose, mouth and ears whenever there was no wind, especially at camp. I really wish I'd had a bug net.

Will I see arctic foxes? I saw one. They change color with the season. Keep at least 40 m (130 ft) from their dens and don't feed them.

Why is your film silent? My microphone broke on this trip, so I didn't bring one, and I only had the camera's own mic for natural sound. That's how the silent solo hiking style started for me.

Can I do it alone? I did. You'll see a few people at the boat landings and the main campsites, especially Hornvík, and almost no one in between. Leave your plan with SafeTravel and someone at home. See Weather and safety.

I walked the four days in this guide. These are other ways to use it, and I didn't do them.

A slower version (6 to 7 days)

My line, split where the campsites are. The distances come from my GPS.

1. Boat to Hesteyri, walk to the Sæból campsite (9.5 mi)
2. Sæból along the beach to Látrar (about 7 mi)
3. Látrar over Tunguheiði to the Fljótavatn campsite (about 8 mi)
4. Fljótavatn over the passes to the Hlöðuvík campsite (about 8 mi)
5. Hlöðuvík over Atlaskarð to Hornvík (about 8 mi)
6. Hornbjarg from Hornvík and back (about 11 mi)
7. Hornvík over Hafnarskarð to Veiðileysufjörður (about 7 mi), boat the next day

If I were to do it again, I'd probably do something very similar to my own trip. But for most people the extra days make this a much better hike: time for the weather, and time to sit at Hornbjarg.

Shorter trips

• Hornvík only (2 to 3 days). Boat to Hornvík, a day on Hornbjarg, then walk over Hafnarskarð to Veiðileysufjörður for the boat back. My Day 4 is exactly this route.
• Hesteyri to Hornvík the short way. From Hesteyri an old route crosses Kjaransvíkurskarð to Hlöðuvík (14 km, 6 to 7 hours on the official description), cutting out Aðalvík and Fljótavík.

What I'd tell you before you go

My pack was much smaller than other people's. I didn't bring as much, I didn't stay as long, and I hiked a bit faster than most. I was a noob hiker in a lot of ways on this trip. Learn from my list in Gear for this route.

Before you go, check these

These change every year. Everything else in this guide stays the same.

Boats and flights

• The 2027 timetables and prices of Borea, Sjóferðir (West Tours) and Hornstrandaferðir, and which days they serve Hesteyri, Aðalvík, Hornvík and Veiðileysufjörður
• Book the boat in and the boat out, and ask how the pickup works at your landing
• Icelandair's Reykjavík to Ísafjörður flights, with a spare day on each end

The reserve

• Whether you're inside a registration period (1 March to 15 June, 1 September to 1 November), and register at gogn.ust.is/hornstrandir if so
• The reserve's rules, official map and trail notices at nattura.is, or ask Hornstrandastofa in Ísafjörður
• Snow on the passes early in the season

Prices, conditions and your stuff

• Prices (this guide uses 2026 prices), Tjöruhúsið's season and a table booking, and whether the Hesteyri café is open
• The forecast on vedur.is, and the tides for the river mouths and the Aðalvík point
• A travel plan at safetravel.is
• Offline maps and GPX files on your phone, stove fuel from Ísafjörður, a filter, a head net, a spare day of food