Traveling Iceland’s New Westfjords Driving Route

Iceland is a country made for adventure. Few destinations can compete with its spellbinding natural wonders or edge-of-your-seat activities. If clients want to climb a glacier, explore an ice cave or snorkel between tectonic plates, then Iceland is the place to send them.

This summer, however, there is even more reason to include the Land of Fire and Ice in travel plans. Not only is Iceland open to U.S. visitors who have either been fully vaccinated or can show a certificate proving immunity from COVID-19, but the country’s latest driving route has also opened a new region for thrill-seekers.

The new road is the Vestfjarðaleiðin (Vest-fyar-tha-lay-thin), or the Westfjords Way. And it gives travelers who might have already tried the well-worn path of Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon an off-the-beaten-track option.

The Westfjords is the oldest corner of Iceland, and it is home to some of the destination’s most dramatic scenery and heart-pounding adventures. Its remote location, challenging driving conditions and heavy snowfall have, until recently, kept all but the hardiest visitors away — only 7% of travelers to Iceland traditionally choose to visit this area. It is hoped that the arrival of the new 590-mile-long driving route, which allows the region to be accessible for nine months of the year, will show the other 93% what they have been missing.

Adventures Along the Westfjords Way

On a recent trip, the drive from Reykjavik to Gilsfjordur, the narrow fjord that separates the Westfjords from the mainland, took around five hours. The first thing I noticed when our group crossed the bridge is the scenery; gone were the lava fields and active volcanoes of “younger” Iceland, replaced by green pastures and steep mountains.

We followed the road as it wound around midnight blue fjords — passing countless waterfalls and an even greater number of sheep — before arriving at Heydalur Guesthouse, our home for the night. The hotel also functions as a horse farm, and guests can gallop along a black-sand beach on guided trips. Other activities include sea kayaking alongside seals in the fjords, hiking in the Heydalur valley and fishing in Lake Ausuvatn.

The Westfjords is the oldest corner of Iceland, and it is home to some of the destination’s most dramatic scenery and heart-pounding adventures.

The next day, we continued along the Westfjords Way, stopping briefly in the small fishing village of Sudavik to visit a museum dedicated to the Arctic fox. These are the only land mammals native to Iceland, and 60% of the population live in the Westfjords.

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From here, we continued to Isafjordur, the largest town in the Westfjords and the unofficial capital of the region. The city is also the gateway to some of the region’s most exciting adventures. During winter months, the resort at Isafjordur boasts one of the longest and steepest ski runs in Iceland, as well as excellent backcountry skiing. In the warmer months, activities include diving and snorkeling in the chilly but crystal-clear fjord waters, paragliding, cycling, kayaking and hiking.

Less active but equally intrepid is a trip to Vigur, one of three islands in the Isafjardardjup, the fjord after which the town is named. This island is about a mile long and 1,300 feet wide and is home to just one family — and, during summer months, thousands of eider ducks. Worldwide, three tons of eiderdown is collected every year, and 95% of that comes from Iceland. In addition to eider ducks, some 30,000 puffins lay their eggs here every year. It’s possible to stay here overnight — two double rooms are available or clients can camp — but our bed for the night was Kirkjubol Guest House back on the mainland. This charming B&B is next to a fjord just 20 minutes from Isafjordur.

The following morning we were greeted by blue skies and a tasty breakfast before we jumped in the car and made our way to Dynjandi waterfall, one of tallest and most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland. Also called the Bridal Falls, the site is one of the star attractions of the region.

From here, the scenery along the road began to change. We drove across lunar-looking landscapes and past vast swathes of golden and red sandy beaches before arriving in Patreksfjordur, where we checked into Hotel West.

Patreksfjordur is a convenient base for visiting the Latrabjarg sea cliffs, which rise more than 1,300 feet in places and stretch for miles. The cliffs are the westernmost point in Iceland, and during summer months, they are home to millions of birds, including fulmars, puffins and guillemots that nest in the cliffs’ nooks. If clients visit during the height of summer, they will hear the birds long before they see them.

Of course, another reason to come to the Westfjords is for the northern lights. The region offers some of the best opportunities for seeing the aurora borealis and, back in Patreksfjordur that night, we were treated to streaks of dancing green, blue and purple overhead. Although a showing of the northern lights can’t be guaranteed, when it comes to adventure, the Westfjords will always deliver.

The Details
Heydalur Guesthouse
www.heydalur.is

Hotel West
www.hotelwest.is

Kirkjubol Guest House
www.kirkjubol.is

Vigur Island
www.vigurisland.com