Day Trips from Ísafjörður: Dynjandi, Hornstrandir, Vigur Island & Beyond

Ísafjörður’s greatest asset as a base is access to landscapes that most Ring Road travellers never see. The Westfjords are the most sparsely visited part of Iceland — the roads are longer, the terrain more extreme, and the distances deceptive. But for travellers willing to invest the extra day or two, the day trips available from Ísafjörður include some of the most dramatic scenery in the country.

Dynjandi Waterfall

Distance from Ísafjörður: ~100 km south on Route 60. Drive time: 1.5–2 hours each way.

Dynjandi is the signature waterfall of the Westfjords — and one of the most striking waterfalls in Iceland, though fewer tourists reach it than Gullfoss or Skógafoss. The main cascade drops 100 metres in a broad fan formation, widening from 7 metres at the top to 30 metres at the base. The total drop from the top of the surrounding falls system is around 200 metres.

The walk from the car park to the base of Dynjandi takes approximately 20–30 minutes and passes six smaller named waterfalls on the way up. The trail is rocky but not technically demanding. At the top, you’re directly beneath the main fall’s spray. Entry to the walking area is free; a small car park fee of approximately ISK 500 may apply.

Allow 3–4 hours total for the round trip from Ísafjörður, plus time at the falls. The road (Route 60) is winding and mostly single-lane in sections — drive cautiously and be alert for farm vehicles.

Vigur Island

Access: Day boat tour from Ísafjörður harbour. Trip duration: 2–3 hours on the water plus time on the island.

Vigur is a small island (2.5 km long, 400 metres wide) in the middle of Ísafjarðardjúp fjord, about 45 minutes by boat from Ísafjörður. The main draw is its wildlife. The island supports one of Iceland’s largest Atlantic puffin colonies — the birds nest in burrows all across the island’s grassy slopes, and in summer (June–August) they’re in residence and approachable. Eider ducks nest freely among the rocks, and Arctic terns dive-bomb anything that passes too close to their nesting ground.

The island also has Iceland’s only windmill (built 1840, still standing) and an inhabited farmhouse whose owners have been welcoming visitors for generations. Tours typically include a walk around the island with a local guide and a coffee stop at the farmhouse. Cost is approximately ISK 8,000–10,000 per adult as of 2026. Tours run from approximately June to August.

Hornstrandir Day Visit

Access: Boat from Ísafjörður harbour to the Hornstrandir coast. Trip duration: Full day.

Hornstrandir is the most remote accessible wilderness in Iceland. The peninsula juts into the Denmark Strait at the northwestern extreme of the Westfjords, with no roads and no permanent population since the last families left in the 1950s. It’s now a nature reserve accessible only by boat.

For a day visit, operators run boats from Ísafjörður to either Hesteyri (a former village with a restored doctor’s house) or Látravík. From Hesteyri, you can hike to nearby viewpoints overlooking the fjord and watch for Arctic foxes — Hornstrandir is one of the few places in Iceland where the Arctic fox lives without human interference. Day boat tours cost approximately ISK 12,000–16,000 per person as of 2026.

If you want to do Hornstrandir properly — the multi-day hiking circuit is one of Iceland’s finest wilderness routes — allow 3–5 days, arrange hut or camping accommodation in advance, and bring everything you need. There are no shops, no phone signal, and no rescue services nearby.

The Ísafjarðardjúp Fjord Drive

Distance: Variable depending on your endpoint. Drive time: Open-ended.

The Ísafjarðardjúp is the large fjord that Ísafjörður sits within, and the drive around its arms — Route 61, Route 643 — takes you through empty farmland, turf-roofed ruins, and views of the flat-topped mountains that define the Westfjords terrain. The landscape here looks unlike any other part of Iceland: the mountains have been levelled by glacial erosion into enormous flat plateaux that drop vertically to the sea.

A good half-day circuit goes east from Ísafjörður along Route 61 toward Bolungarvík — the next largest town, 8 km away — and then back via the older cliff road (Oshlíð), one of Iceland’s most dramatic drives, hugging a cliff face above the fjord with no barriers and frequent waterfalls.

Suðureyri (Salmon Village)

Distance from Ísafjörður: 25 km southwest. Drive time: 30–40 minutes.

Suðureyri is a small fishing village at the end of Súgandafjörður fjord, reachable through the Vestfjarðagöng tunnel from Ísafjörður. The village brands itself the “Slow Fish” capital of Iceland — catch-to-table fishing tourism where local fishers take visitors out on small boats and cook the catch on the quayside. Fishing tours cost approximately ISK 8,000–12,000 per person as of 2026 depending on the operator and duration. It’s one of the more genuine food-travel experiences available in the Westfjords.

For where to sleep before and after your excursions, see where to stay in Ísafjörður. For the full picture of what’s worth doing in the area, see our Ísafjörður things to do guide.

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See Also

• Ísafjörður city guide — Full overview of the Westfjords capital
• Westfjords guide — Dynjandi waterfall, Látrabjarg bird cliffs, and the full regional context
• Birdwatching in Iceland — Látrabjarg and Vigur Island for puffins and Atlantic seabirds
• Westfjords road trip — Driving the Westfjords circuit with Dynjandi as the centrepiece