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Iceland: Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

Kayaking in Iceland with Explorer's Corner LLC

Highlights

  • Explore Iceland's remote wilderness by kayak (medium kayak travel)
  • Climb mountain passes for sweeping views of the tundra and sea
  • 8 Nights Tented Camp, 1 Night Guesthouse in Isafjordur

Full Description

Experience some of the most remote sea kayaking, camping and hiking in Europe on this adventure to the wild northwest corner of Iceland. Here on the very edge of the Arctic Circle, wonderful paddles through uninhabited fjords immerse you in an otherworldly landscape, where day and night merge into one. This extended meld of dusk and dawn turns the sky golden-rose, its glow mirrored in the glassy water broken only by your paddle stroke or a seal gliding past. Bird songs and water dripping are the sole sounds to disturb the still, cool air. The magic of a northern summer night stays with you, when you’re under the spell of the Midnight Sun.

Kayaking is the ideal way to explore the high-latitude wilderness of Iceland’s Westfjords and Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. This remote mountain peninsula is defined by deep fjords and snowy mountains, towering sea cliffs and Viking farms abandoned centuries ago, watched over now only by trolls, elves and hildufolk, the ‘hidden people’ that still capture many Icelanders’ imaginations.

Myriad sea birds nest on the cliffs above the fjords and bays; some of Europe’s largest colonies of eiders and puffins are found here. Ptarmigan live inland, and giant whooper swans claim the lowlands. Hornstrandir is also home to Iceland’s most dense Arctic fox population.

Our days are spent exploring at a relaxing pace, paddling the network of fjords, choosing our campsites as we go. There’s time to climb mountain passes for sweeping views of the tundra and sea, to hike atop glaciers on the Drangajokull Ice Cap, or simply to explore the long-overgrown farm fields of ancient Viking warlords, now blooming with the more than 200 species of wildflowers found within the reserve.

Note: The fjords we paddle are mostly sheltered. However, this is a remote mountainous area just south of the Arctic Circle that is subject to abrupt weather shifts, and any weather is to be expected, including heavy fog or snow, even in summer.

Includes:

  • Expert leadership and support personnel
  • All accommodations as noted
  • All meals as noted (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
  • All kayaking gear, safety equipment, tents and common camping equipment

Excludes:

  • International air fares (US/ Reykjavic r/t)
  • Internal flights (approximately $350)
  • Insurance of any kind (please note evacuation insurance is mandatory)
  • Excess baggage charges
  • Items of a personal nature (sleeping bags and pads, clothing, sodas, liquor, laundry, souvenirs, etc.)

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Iceland, continue to Isafjordur

Fly first to Keflavik, Iceland, arriving early in the morning. On your own, take a 50-minute bus from the international airport to Reykjavik and meet your leader over an early lunch. As a group, we then catch our 12:30 domestic flight (it takes about 40 minutes) to Isafjordur, the main town in the remote Westfjords. There’s time for a walk in the historic Old Town before our chartered boat departure at 4 p.m. The boat journey to Ædey (Eider Island) takes approximately 1 hour. Our first camp is near an eider cultivating farm, where the famous soft down is harvested from the namesake duck. After establishing camp, we have time to adjust the fit of our kayaks and a take a short warm-up paddle along the island’s shore. L,D...Wilderness Camping

Day 2: Paddling Ædey - Sandeyri

This morning we begin our paddling adventure, headed toward the Ice Cap Fjords in the heart of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. Along our route we have fantastic views of the southern fjords, offering a riveting introduction to this little-traveled area. The Snæfjallaströnd – “Snowy Mountains Coast” – marks the end of human habitation, where but a handful of remaining farmers hang on after more than 1,100 years of settlement in this outermost corner of Iceland. Above us looms the white mass of the Drangajokull Ice Cap as we make our way out of the Isafjordur fjord system, passing several waterfalls en route to Sandeyri – “The Sand Spit” – and our next campsite. B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Days 3-4: Paddling and Hiking at Hofdastrond

After three hours paddling from Sandeyri, we round the cliffs of Vebjarnarnupur to the Jokulfjords – “The Ice Cap Fjords” or “Glacier Bays.” Passing through the rock arch of Ofæra, we are awarded a good view of the sheltered fjord system and our route for the following days. On our first night along the Hofdastrond we camp near the river, but our paddling continues with a detour into Leirufjord. Our aim is to ride the high tide into the shallow fjord, where the constant accumulation of silt from the glacier-fed river bars passage when the water level is low. On our second night we camp in a nearby vik, or “small inlet” – the root of the word “Viking” – near an abandoned farm. The short paddling day gives us time to make the relatively easy 8- to 10-mile round trip hike to the glacier. B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Day 5: Paddling and Hiking at Hrafnsfjord

Today we continue along the south coast of the Jokulfjords, awed by the steep rock ramparts that rise straight out of the water, home to scores of screaming sea birds. We paddle to the end of Hrafnfjord, stopping by the lonely grave of Fjalla-Eyvind, Iceland’s best-known outlaw of the 18th century. His adventurous life, including his escape with his wife into the wilderness highlands where they lived alone for 20 years, was documented by the Swedish director Victor Sjöström in his 1918 film. If the weather is clear, we’ll aim to hike to the mountain pass that provides passage to the north coast of Hornstrandir. B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Days 6-7: Paddling and Hiking at Lonafjord

A full day’s paddle takes us into Lonafjord, regarded by many as Iceland’s most beautiful. We plan to camp by the river at the head of the fjord, in a sheltered valley bursting with mountain willow and wildflowers. We take a welcome rest day here, with plenty of free time to wander up the valley independently, or join our leader for a challenging all-day hike up the steep mountain pass overlooking the bay at Hornvik. B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Day 8: Paddling to Hesteyrarfjord

Rested from our layover day, we embark this morning on a long paddle to the bucolic fields of Sletta, an abandoned farm outside Hesteyrarfjord. We have various activities to choose from, depending on weather conditions: there are still two more large fjords to explore, as well as the remains of the village of Hesteyri and a remote church perched in a mountain valley above our camp. In the late 1940s the people of this isolated village, living without electricity or roads, made a common decision to move away, and by 1952 the area was totally abandoned. From Sletta we have excellent views of the whole of the Jokulfjords system as well as the fjords of Isafjord, to the south. B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Day 9: Boat to Isafjord

After breakfast there’s time to arrange our equipment and perhaps take a short walk before our charter boat arrives for transfer back to Isafjord. We arrive there around noon, with an opportunity to explore this pleasant frontier town, the most “Greenlandic” in Iceland. Several optional activities are available this afternoon, including horseback riding or a visit to the reconstructed fishermen’s camp at a nearby village– or even a round of some very northerly golf! We reconvene this evening at a local restaurant for our final dinner together to celebrate our adventures. B, L, D... Guesthouse at Isafjord

Day 10: Depart for home

Our late-morning flight returns us to Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, where there are a couple of free hours to visit the city center, the newly renovated national museum, do some shopping, and grab a bite of lunch (on your own) before a 2 p.m. FLY BUS transfer to Keflavik International Airport. (Most of Icelandair’s U.S. flights leave around 4:45 p.m.) In the event you have planned extra days -- which we highly recommend -- your leader will arrange transfers to guesthouses or hotels. (We suggest Hotel Odinsve in Reykjavik – let us know if we can help with arranging accommodations). B ... Return Home

About The Operator:

Explorer's Corner LLC

Headquarters:

Berkeley, CA

Established:

November 2000

About Explorers’ Corner

Explorers’ Corner is a high-end, specialty adventure company offering unique destinations and experiences, custom adventures and “old-world” one-to-one customer service. We stand firmly behind our slogan: Real Explorers Wanted - True Adventures Guaranteed!

Explorers’ Corner was founded in November of 2000 by Olaf Malver. After working in the travel industry for over 15 years, Olaf felt strongly that there was a market of travelers whose “true adventure and exploration” needs were not being met. At a time when the meaning of adventure is being watered down in travel, Explorers’ Corner is dedicated to fostering a community of curious and driven travelers that dare to make their travel dreams come true - only limited by their imaginations. We will provide the leaders and the safety and your participation will enhance the experience.

Explorers' Corner's passion has been to pioneer real adventures that provide an authentic experience rather than buffer you from what these places are all about. If, for example, you join us in an expedition to the Antarctic or to Greenland you’ll be expected to pitch in and do your part to make for a safe and successful journey for all. The reward is that you will have a true and direct experience, which you play an integral role in creating.

Real explorers are flexible and team players: for instance, if the weather changes to the worse then you might have to pitch your own tent, help the team haul your kayak out of the water, and lend a hand with the other camp chores. In a place like the Douro River of Portugal you might have to jump in and get your feet wet, not in the river, but stomping grapes to help the locals with the crush! An authentic experience means making the efforts to get up before the crack of dawn to be the only ones at a Galapagos landing site to watch a Pacific Green Sea Turtle returning to the ocean after a night of laying eggs.

True adventure is seeking out and safely experiencing the fullness of what the world has to offer on its own terms, not terms dictated to it. We say “real explorers wanted, true adventure guaranteed” because we mean it.

Custom Adventures

Making travel dreams a reality is a closely held philosophy at Explorers’ Corner. Therefore, creating and making custom adventures come true for our clients is a large part of Explorers’ Corner’s business. Explorers’ Corner will customize any one of our listed adventures to create a special event for families, groups of friends, or business associates. Guests can request special departure dates, custom activities, or extra accommodations as part of their group adventure. We will work with you to make your ideas come to fruition -- as long as they are seasonally appropriate and your group meets the minimum person requirement.

Explorers’ Corner can also custom design an adventure for our clients to any new place (on Earth, at least!) that only they have imagined exploring — again, providing the trip is seasonable and the minimum persons requirement is met. Bring us your dreams and our travel specialists will work to make your trip a reality. We love to travel, and we love to send travelers to any of the world’s most wonderful destinations.

Explorers’ Corner Founder

Dr. Olaf Malver—CEO, Chief Exploratory Officer. Olaf founded Explorers’ Corner, a boutique adventure travel company, 7 years ago. He, his guides, and his staff have since taken like-minded adventurous folks to far-flung corners of the world. In addition to running Explorers’ Corner, Olaf is a passionate eco-tourist activist working for the United Nations to help promote sustainable tourism in developing countries in the quest to save the world’s natural habitats.

Olaf is a true explorer who has sea kayaked, climbed mountains, dog sledded, and hiked in more than 100 countries spanning 35 years. He's led trailblazing expeditions to diverse locations such as South Georgia, Kamchatka, Antarctica, Pakistan, Nepal, Greenland, Indonesia, Vietnam, Panama, the Nicobar Islands, Zanzibar - and many other "frontier destinations”. Olaf claims many "firsts" in the world of high adventure, such as sea kayaking in Irian Jaya, Burma, North Vietnam, Panama, French Polynesia and British Guyana. He also led the first dog sled crossing across the Northern Brooks Range in Alaska and soloed around Zanzibar in a Hobie Cat. He is a lifetime fellow of the world famous Explorer’s Club, in recognition of his “true” explorations. Olaf is a living proof that the world of modern day exploration is still infinite and only limited by our lack of imagination and dreams! And Olaf is not alone. We have attracted some of the best adventure guides in the world.

Explorers’ Corner Guides

Our guides have more than 80 years of collective guiding experience and have been to over 150 countries, safely leading hundreds of travelers to unique destinations via kayaking, hiking, boating, and biking. They naturally carry with them the mission of Explorers’ Corner—to experience unique destinations and make travel dreams come true. Explorers’ Corner’s seasoned guides include Olaf Malver, Dave Mention, Mick O’Shea, Nancy Moore, Baldvin Kristjansson and many more.