West Iceland & the Westfjords

10 days
 / 9 nights
Tour code:  AI203

Explore the magical Westfjords and West Iceland for 10 days and 9 nights on a classical road trip on your own terms. This self-drive tour is a great way for independent travelers to experience the best of Iceland.

If you are interested in receiving a price calculation or additional information about a personalized travel package, please click on the “Send Request” button.

Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs and travel preferences. If a self-drive tour is not what you prefer, this travel package can also be offered as a privately guided trip.

Feel confident and safe on your trip

Book now for travel with Activity Iceland in 2022/2023 without worry. Activity Iceland has received the Clean & Safe World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travelers with the assurance that our company and our partners have adopted health and hygiene global standardized protocols.

10 days
 / 9 nights

Estimated price per person from:

450,000 ISK
Estimated price per person based on bookings for 2 people in a double room

We will tailor this vacation package to you. Change anything – from activities to accommodation to places visited.

Got question? We can help.

Call us to plan your trip! We’ll find you the best option. We’re available Mon – Fri: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (UTC)

(+354) 533 6003

You can request a call back from our travel expert team at anytime within our standard working hours.

What's Included

Included

Accommodation for 9 nights
Rental car of your choice with unlimited mileage
Daily breakfast
Detailed personal itinerary
Taxes and service fees
Expert trip manager and local guides

Not included

Flights and connections to Iceland
Personal travel insurance
Petrol/Gasoline
Tunnel and road tolls unless specified
Admissions and activities other than specified in the itinerary
Beverages, snacks, lunches, dinners unless otherwise noted in your itinerary
Any service not specifically listed under “Included”

Highlights

Reykjanes Peninsula
Grabrok Crater
Strandir
Djupavik
Krossneslaug geothermal pool
Grimsey - The Puffin Island
Litlibær í Skötufirði
Valagil ravine
Ísafjörður
Vigur Island
Flateyri
Dynjandi waterfall
Látrabjarg cliffs
Rauðisandur
Borgarfjörður
Hvalfjörður

Itinerary

Welcome to Iceland

Your Iceland self-drive vacation is about to begin. Once you arrive at Keflavik International Airport and clear customs, you’ll pick up your car at the rental service area. You only need a short ride with a shuttle bus located outside the arrival hall to get to your preferred rental vehicle. The shuttle bus departs every 10-15 minutes, so you won't be wasting your time waiting for the transfer. The first night will be spent in the heart of Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital.

We recommend you make the most of your day by visiting some of the wonderful sites nearby. Explore the Reykjanes peninsula on your way to Reykjavik where you spend your first night. The peninsula is the home of a UNESCO geopark harboring pillow lava, curious rock formations in the shape of elves and trolls. Reykjavik city center offers many great sights, and the city is unique in so many ways. You will not find the towering skyscrapers of America or the age-old narrow streets, which time has seemingly forgotten and seemingly unchanged since Roman times, as in Europe. Reykjavik is somewhere in between and yet miles away. With its small quirky houses and both tiny and open spaces, it’s colorful, modern, charming, and old all the same time. So, don’t forget to bring your camera along, and get ready for photo ops at every turn.

Day 1
Heading to the Westfjords

Today the Westfjords await you with its unspoiled nature. We recommend making a stop at Grabrok crater to stretch your legs before continuing the ring road. The magical Westfjords is where Iceland’s dramatic landscapes come to a riveting climax and where mass tourism disappears. Despite its uniqueness, most travelers miss this oldest part of the island. Continue the drive to Hólmavík where you will find the Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft Museum, the Sorcerer’s Cottage. The hot natural pools in Drangsnes are also well worth a visit.

Day 2
Strandir 

Enjoy the day exploring the Strandir area, one of the most remote areas of Iceland. The area was once very populated but is now home to only about 50 residents who enjoy living in this beautiful place despite its ruralness. The drive from the area is one of the most scenic drives you will take, besides the breathtaking nature you are bound to be captivated by the tiny settlements that greet you on the way. If you are up for a de-tour, you can take an afternoon tour to the nearby puffin island, Grimsey, where you will get the rare opportunity of walking next to the birds in their natural habitat before returning to the hotel.

Day 3
Heydalur

Spend your day in Heydalur sitting in the hot natural pool feeling the fatigue in your body float away or spend the day discovering the nearest fjords, farmlands, and abandoned farms, villages, and towns Despite the remoteness of the area it has appeared in several movies, as producers fall in love with this unique place. The population in the West Fjords has declined rapidly during the past decades, and what remains is a captivating and enigmatic atmosphere, colored by the sea and mountains, where nature and history together are a beautiful setting, unmatched elsewhere in Iceland.

Day 4
Winding roads, stunning panoramas

After a good breakfast, you will travel to the town of Ísafjörður. The drive itself to Ísafjörður offers you awe-inspiring views and is much a part of the experience on its own. Do not miss Litlibær - it’s a historical turf farmstead in Northwest Iceland, most Icelanders lived in such turf buildings, and most were destroyed as soon as they were vacated. Visit Valagil which is a spectacular ravine, complete with a mighty waterfall and made from layers upon layers of ancient lava.

Day 5
Leisure day in Isafjordur

Spend a full free day in the beautiful town of Ísafjörður. For the tourist, this town has a range of restaurants and recreation possibilities for all budgets and tastes. Countless hiking- and biking trails, horse riding, bird watching, skiing, and kayaking are all within easy reach. Ísafjörður is considered the honorary capital of the Westfjords and has a real vibrancy with a thriving harbor, world-class dining, swanky cafes, and an annual music festival that draws fans from all over the world.

Day 6
Waterfalls and wildlife

The Westfjords offer you the opportunity to enjoy Iceland’s beautiful nature as it is meant to be explored, alone and completely free from the crowds of the south shore. The dramatic Dynjandi waterfall is one of the pearls you do not want to miss. Small villages will cross your path who rely on the land and sea for survival and the locals don´t get more authentic than that.

Day 7
Látrabjarg and Raudisandur

Today, you will explore Latrabjarg which is the largest known bird cliff in the world and home to millions of birds, hosting nearly half of the world's population of some species. This place is a natural spot to see puffins, so make sure to have your camera. Safe from Arctic foxes, the birds are fearless, providing many opportunities to take wonderful photographs. Afterward, continue your road trip. Raudisandur offers a spectacular view of the golden sands and countless numbers of seabirds and seals. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight and weather.

Day 8
Borgarfjordur

It’s time to close the circle and finish your Westfjords adventure. Head towards the village of Borgarnes. Hvalfjörður gives an excellent opportunity to enjoy the unique beauty of Icelandic fjords, with its sloops, shores, canyons, and waterfalls and its somewhat controversial history of whaling. The area is especially quiet and tranquil. Don’t miss Glymur, Iceland’s second-tallest waterfall, and the tallest that is easily accessible by foot. It is close to the settlements of Borgarnes, which is a commerce center of the region and a perfect place to refresh at. Not far from these sites, you find Deildartunghver, the most powerful hot spring in Iceland, which sits near the historical settlement of Reykholt. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls are also very much worth visiting.

Day 9
Departure

Your last day in Iceland has come. Return your rental car in good time to check in for your flight at the same location as you picked it up from. It is recommended that passengers check-in for their flights 2,5 hours prior to departure time.

Day 10

Rental Car Type Examples

When we design our travel packages we include the most reliable rental cars available, in order to make your trip as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Below you’ll find some examples of the type of rental cars we recommend for this trip.

Compact

KIA Ceed or similar
Passengers: 5
Luggage: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual

Standard 4x4 SUV

KIA Sportage AWD or similar
Passengers: 5
Luggage: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic

Premium 4x4 SUV

ToyotaLand Cruiser or similar
Passengers: 5
Luggage: 5
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic

Book with confidence

West Iceland & the Westfjords
10 days
 / 9 nights

Estimated price per person from:

450,000 ISK
Estimated price per person based on bookings for 2 people in a double room

Request a call-back

Whether you would like a quote or have a general question, we’re happy to call you back free of charge, at a time to suit you. Simply fill in the form below and a member of our travel specialist team will be in touch.

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Special offer

-15%

for a limited time on selected Super Jeep tours