Discover the hidden wonders of west Iceland and immerse yourself in its untamed beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture while upping your chances of seeing the mesmerising Northern Lights.
Northern Lights Secrets - West Fjords
Our Secret Northern Lights of the Westfjords tour will take you on an extraordinary adventure, exploring the remote and lesser-known parts of Iceland. Discover remote villages, beautiful waterfalls, dancing lights, and colourful lava fields.
Get ready to be captivated by the magical sky and landscapes of the Westfjords, where each day promises exciting experiences and unforgettable moments.
Overview
Highlights
- Get the best chance of seeing the captivating northern l ights
- Experience authentic culture in small villages and local museums
- Discover some of Iceland’s most iconic natural reserves and enchanting waterfalls
- Embark on gastronomic journeys to discover hidden culinary gems
- Hike up a volcanic crater in a picturesque lava field
- Behold the magnificent Dynjandi waterfall, the true crown jewel of the Westfjords.
- Visit one of the last standing traditional turf houses
- Visit Flateyri’s avalanche protection fences – learn about history and the might of nature
- Small groups, maximum 22 people
What’s included
- 6 nights accommodation, in rooms with shower/WC
- 5 days escorted tour with English-speaking guide/driver-guide
- Arrival and departure airport transfer by Flybus shuttle (no guide)
- 6 x breakfasts & 5 x lunches
- Hike Grábrók crater
- Dynjandi waterfall
- Tjöruhúsið
- Ósvör Maritime Museum
- Gamla bókabúðin or “The Old Bookstore”
- Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft
- Settlement Center
A note on flights
While flights are not included in the holiday price, our team will happily provide a quote and arrange them for you. Simply ask one of our Travel Experts for details of the available options.
Day by Day Itinerary
Arrive in Iceland
Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You may explore Iceland’s capital city on your own if time allows.
Volcanic craters, fjords and museums!
Meet our tour guide early morning and travel west. The first stop of the day will be at Grábrók, a 3.400-year old volcanic crater, where a 360-degree view of the entire valley can be enjoyed. We then stop for lunch at the charming coastal town of Búðardalur before travelling along the fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp, where more incredible views can be enjoyed. If you are lucky, you might even spot a whale!
After a scenic drive we visit Litlibær, one of the very few turf houses still standing in Iceland, which has been turned into a charming café and museum. Enjoy delicious home-made waffles and coffee in this historical landmark overlooking the fjord and sea. In the afternoon, arrive to the largest town in the Westfjords, Ísafjörður, which will be our resting spot for the next three nights. Once darkness falls, get ready to hunt for the Northern Lights across the night sky! We will immerse ourselves in this magical phenomenon while listening to interesting facts from our guide and learning how to photograph them.
Waterfalls, Beaches and Northern Lights Tours
Begin the day at Dynjandi waterfall, widely regarded as one of Iceland’s most impressive and beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. Dynjandi features a tiered structure which creates an ethereal stream of small cascades that is truly breathtaking to behold. We will continue to travel by the coastline and fjords to the captivating pier of Önundarfjörður. Jutting out from a stunning golden beach well into the water, the pier is a perfect place for panoramic views of the imposing mountains.
After an energizing stroll in nature, we head to Tjöruhúsið, a quaint family-owned restaurant for a delicious fish buffet offering fresh and varied treats straight from the sea! Afterward, we take a stroll around the beautiful town of ísafjörður, filled with colorful houses and cobblestone streets. This town is not only full of history, but it is also a cultural hub with many festivals and celebrations taking place throughout the year. As the day comes to an end, we dress up and head outside for another chance at seeing the magical Northern Lights.
Fishing villages and Northern Lights
Start the day at the restored fishing hut at Ósvör Maritime Museum, to learn about the old days of rowboat fishing and the challenging life in isolated fishing villages in the 19th century. Afterwards we drive to the village of Suðureyri, where we will enjoy an informative walk around town and have the opportunity to savour delicious seafood sourced from a local producer, which promises to acquaint you with Iceland’s rich heritage and fishing traditions.
Next, we visit the village of Flateyri where we will stop at a hidden gem, Gamla bókabúðin or “The Old Bookstore”. In operation since 1914, this charming little store is a great place to browse for unique souvenirs and appreciate traditional Icelandic design at its finest. We will learn more about the history of Flateyri and the devastating avalanche in 1995, venturing out to the avalanche protection fences built to protect the locals from future tragedies. In the evening, we go for a stroll in search of the celestial wonders of the Arctic sky, the Northern Lights.
Witchcraft and Rhubarb cake
Today takes us to the picturesque village of Hólmavík and its Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft. Learn about the history and folklore surrounding witchcraft and sorcery in Iceland, in a vast collection of artifacts such as ancient grimoires, ritual objects, and the remarkable Icelandic magical staves which were believed to possess protective and magical powers.
Next, we stop for lunch to taste the exquisite traditional Icelandic meat soup followed by irresistible rhubarb cake. After an exciting day of discoveries, we travel to the remote Vogur Country Lodge in West Iceland. This overnight location is a truly peaceful and pristine place perfect for Northern Lights hunting, so be sure not to go to bed too early!
Visit to Reykjavík
As a week of adventures in the stunning west slowly comes to an end, we head toward the town of Borgarnes, where we stop at the Settlement Center. Featuring an exhibition encompassing a warehouse, a merchant house, and reception hall, you’ll learn about the fascinating and challenging days of early human settlement in Iceland.
We continue south to the capital city of Reykjavík, learning about its history and stopping by its many landmarks such as the popular church of Hallgrímskirkja, The University campus and Reykjavík’s charming harbour to observe the colourful fishing vessels, the beautiful mountain backdrop, and the spectacular concert hall and conference centre of Harpa. We end the day at the Icelandic Bar, where we get to taste the famous fermented shark and toast to an unforgettable journey with a drink of Brennivín.
Return Home
Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik airport.
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See what our clients say
Fantastic trip with great hosts & made even more special by seeing the Northern Lights twice!!
A well organised trip which was tailored to our specific requests. The arrangements all ran perfectly and any queries prior to the holiday were handled very quickly and professionally. The standard of accommodation and organised tours was very high. I would use this company again and recommend them.
Overall very good. Staff excellent and helpful. Accomodation basic but was what we expected. Tour guides very good (nature walks, snow mobiles, dog sleighs). Sky station disappointing as we never got to go up due to the weather and this seem to be a recurring feature.The alternative walk at night and meal was a let down as a result.Overall would recommend to others.
Fantastic service, with every detail taken care of and communicated to your agencies and hotels. Would definitely recommend and will be using again.
Superb holiday to Iceland, well organised, advice regarding trips informative and far exceeded our expectations (Glaciers and ice Cave) run by South Coast. Hotel Ranga is a lovely hotel, perfect to see Northern Lights (which we did see on our 3rd night), very comfortable, food excellent, staff helpful and informative. SouthCoast Adventure tour company were excellent, guides knowledgeable, and clearly very experienced.
An excellent holiday which was enjoyed by all. The super jeep ride on the second day to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano was memorable and thanks to our driver Margaret who proved to be a really good guide. We thoroughly enjoyed the facilities in the hotel Ranga. The staff were very helpful and we managed to see the Northern Lights. The Hotel Reykjavik Centrum was very nice with amazingly helpful staff. All in all, the whole holiday was brilliant.
1. Gourmet Cabins was excellent and Johan was a friendly and knowledgeable host. The food, cabins, hot tub and sauna were brilliant.
2. Dog sledge was a fantastic experience and we were given the opportunity to drive our own sledge
3. Snow Mobile – really got off the beaten track and into the spectacular mountains
4. Saw the Northern Lights twice in two days. There is no description that can really do them justice
Thank you for arranging a fabulous holiday, we had a really enjoyable time and would love to return in the future. Hotel Ranga is a lovely place to stay and the owner greeted guests in the restaurant, which was an unexpected welcoming touch. We didn’t see the Northern Lights due to the weather and the trip to the Eyjafjallajokull glacier and volcano was substituted by an excursion to Thorsmork, also due to the weather, which we thoroughly enjoyed; the brochure description doesn’t do it justice. We found Iceland and the people there really charismatic. Although the wind and snow cut short the amount of travelling we could do, we still covered a reasonable amount of what we wanted to see and our appetites are whetted for a return, perhaps in Spring or Summer. We found a couple of great places to eat near the Hotel in Reykjavik. Messin does tasty fish dishes and the Icelandic Street Food restaurant was excellent, offering simple but hearty soups with refills included in the price – great value.