Travel by panoramic coach on a tour that offers fascinating insights on the lives of those who make the sometimes-harsh landscape of Iceland’s Westfjords their home. Beginning from the pier, you’ll drive through the streets of Isafjordur and out along the coastal road for a tour of wondrously remote Bolungarvik, a fishing village towered over by its surrounding mountains. Nearby, you’ll stop at the outdoor Ósvör Museum, where a century-old fisherman’s hut has been restored, complete with the tools of the trade – and the fisherman.

On another leg of the journey, you’ll find yourself up amidst breathtaking views of the magnificent mountains of the Djup, largest of the West Fjords and the Buna River. Not far from that spot, you’ll stop to admire a beautiful stepped waterfall in Tunguskogur and take an opportunity to taste the freshest, clearest mountain water you may ever have encountered. Back in Isafjordur, you’ll stop in at the Maritime and Folk Museum, which calls one of the town’s oldest and best-preserved houses its home. The museum presents an excellent collection of artifacts related to the region’s maritime history – as well as a sizable accordion collection. Gotta have something to do during those long winters.

See the nature, meet some locals and catch a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in small Icelandic fishing towns during this enlightening tour. Included is a breathtaking drive through the West Fjord mountain landscape, where farms and villages huddle on narrow strips of land isolated between rocky ridges and deep fjords. Appearing as if an apparition at one point will be tiny Skrudur, Iceland’s oldest botanical garden. You’ll go in and have a look around. Over 100 years old, this dot-sized green oasis in the midst of the badlands proves what can be grown this far north.

Another curio you’ll encounter is the old shark-fishing town of Flateyri, perched on a spit of land projecting out into Onundarfjordur fjord and boasting a current population of about 200. You’ll take a guided stroll along main street and into the life of this mountain-surrounded outpost, entering an intimate little church where you’ll be treated to an Icelandic music program, and visiting the old bookstore that doubles as the village museum and archive. You’ll also have a chance to observe some town women at work in their handcraft workshop and to share a coffee break and chat with the Flateyrites.

Travel by boat to the island of Vigur, famous for its huge colonies of sea birds and tiny colony of friendly locals. The journey is both scenic and swift; just about half an hour to traverse the Djupfjord to Vigur, where a cluster of red-roofed buildings sits tranquilly against a dramatic snow-capped backdrop. This sparsely populated islet is home to thousands of feathered citizens – comical puffins, eider ducks, guillemots and sometimes-overprotective arctic terns who love to swoop.

Upon arrival, you’ll have a chance to observe local life on the island, where the farmers make a living by harvesting the down of eider ducks – and provide essential protection for their nests and chicks. It’s hard not to feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you meet with the tiny band of welcoming inhabitants. Their relaxed, easy manner and unique lifestyle will certainly make an impression. Once you’ve seen how the humans live here, you’ll take a leisurely guided island walk to see how Vigur’s resident birds thrive in their own natural habitats. As your visit draws to a close, refreshments will be served by the farmer’s family before the boat ride back to Isafjordur.

Mix with the locals on a walking overview tour of the largest and liveliest town in the West Fjords. Surrounded by dramatic mountains and arcing into its namesake fjord on a curving spit of land, it’s tempting to envision Isafjordur as a remote and unworldly outpost. But on this survey of town, you’ll soon discover that there’s a surprisingly cosmopolitan vibe afoot here, blending seamlessly with an undeniable frontier character. The old town still has blocks lined with some of Iceland’s oldest wood-and-tin houses, built by the early fishing merchants who found prosperity here in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it’s also home to a thriving arts and emerging culture scene.

Though isolated, Isafjordur is the kind of place that independent and eccentric thinkers have always been drawn to. Your knowledgeable guide will relate some of that history and lead the way as you soak up the town’s relaxed ambiance and most interesting sights. One of those will surely be the Maritime Museum out at the tip of the spit. Set up inside one of the town’s oldest and best-preserved houses, the exhibits include an excellent collection of maritime artifacts – as well as a sizable accordion collection.

Travel from Isafjordur to the Jökulfirdir Fjord by boat to visit a remote village deserted by all its residents over 60 years ago. The only way to get to Hesteyri is from the water; it’s about a 70-minute ride. The tiny settlement never did have any roads leading to it, and no electricity or telephone links. What it did have – and still does – is an outstandingly picturesque setting amidst steep snow-dusted mountains and quiet, secluded coves. Notwithstanding the natural beauty, in the 1940s the 80 inhabitants decided they’d had enough, and by 1952 the last of them had moved away. Many of their structures still stand, little changed from how they were then. And since the village has been an ecologically protected area for decades, the native flora and fauna have had a field day.

Hikers here often encounter Arctic foxes, seals, and birds of many types. You’ll stroll around the eerily empty village with your guide, enjoying traditional Icelandic refreshments at a house where the doctor used to live. Don’t miss this chance for what will certainly be an excursion unlike any other you take this voyage.

Take in the natural beauty of the Westfjords peninsula, a rugged mountainous terrain prone to avalanches and teeming with wildlife such as the cherished arctic fox.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy an immensely scenic drive with a backdrop of mountains on one side and the fjord on the other. In time, you will arrive in Súðavík, a small community founded in the late 19th century around whaling. You may notice that Súðavík has been divided into two distinct areas. The newer section was built following an avalanche in 1995 that destroyed much of the original town.

Nearby, you will find the Arctic Fox Center, a research facility and museum dedicated to the only indigenous land mammal in Iceland. While browsing the exhibits, you will discover that arctic foxes remained on the island after the last ice age and how they have become a protected species, no longer hunted for their fur. You may even see injured fox pups being rehabilitated in hopes of releasing them back into the wild.

You will next visit a small wooden church that was built in Norway in the late 19th century as a gift for the Icelandic village of Hesteyri. When the village was abandoned in 1952, the church was moved to its present location. After listening to a stirring performance of traditional Icelandic music at the church, you will continue to drive along the fjord, pausing at a memorial to the victims of the avalanche that struck Súðavík.

Kayak the serene waters of the fjord that fronts Ísafjörður, a natural setting enhanced by the many seabirds that flock here to raise their young during the summer.

After walking from the pier, you will soon arrive at the kayak station, where you will enjoy a briefing on how to get the most out of your experience. Then, you will ease into a sleek kayak and paddle off into the clear, calm waters of the fjord.

Ísafjörður sits in a spectacularly scenic setting, so there will be plenty to see as you paddle between the majestic mountains that rise abruptly from both sides of the fjord. Because of the steep terrain, almost all of the buildings are at the water’s edge. Although Ísafjörður is the largest town on the Westfjords peninsula, its population is only a few thousand, and the town has remained remarkably quaint and well worth a photo.

You can also expect to see quite a bit of wildlife while kayaking, especially seals and seabirds. Oystercatchers are one of the most common and easily recognized birds because of their coloring. They are black and white with an orange bill and rose-colored legs.

You might also spot arctic terns, a bird that makes the world’s longest migration. They raise their young while summering in the arctic and then fly south all the way to Antarctica for the winter. They too are easily to identify because of their pointy wings and tails.

Discover the scenic wonders of the Westfjords peninsula, including thundering Dynjandi waterfall, and then sample fresh seafood in a small fishing village.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a leisurely and wonderfully scenic drive across Westfjords peninsula, one of the wildest most uninhabited areas of Iceland. Ancient glaciers carved out the peninsula’s dramatic landscape, leaving behind deep fjords, steep mountains and craggy inlets.

Because the terrain is so harsh, life here has always revolved around the sea, as you will discover while pausing for photos at the waterfront village of Þingeyri. The draw of water is even more powerful farther inland at Dynjandi, the largest waterfall in Westfjords.

This natural wonder consists of seven cascades, each with its own name and identity. According to legend, supernatural beings once lived in Dynjandi, whose name means “The Thunderer.” It sometimes looks as if people still live inside the waterfall because adventurous hikers often walk behind the roaring cascade and then pop out the other side.

Continuing on, you will next visit Suðureyri, a fishing village that was once considerably more remote until a tunnel through the surrounding mountain made traveling there easier.

While walking the town’s popular Seafood Trail, you will sample fresh fish such as cod and halibut that are caught in the icy waters of the Atlantic. You will also learn how quickly the fish can be delivered from the sea to European fish markets.

Walk through the eco-friendly fishing village of Suðureyri while sampling Icelandic delicacies made with fresh seafood and other ingredients that reflect the local cuisine. Although still somewhat remote, Suðureyri has become more popular since a tunnel was built through the mountain that once isolated the village. Fishing continues to drive the economy as you will discover on the village’s renowned Seafood Trail, whose businesses will offer bite-sized samples of the sustainably sourced seafood caught in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The boats that leave Suðureyri are so fast and the fishermen so efficient that the local catch is typically on sale in Europe a mere 36 hours after being pulled from the sea. As you meander about the harbor and through a seafood processing house, you will sample a variety of dishes that may include favorites such as fried cod cakes, halibut tempura and smoked salmon.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Walk about the village of Suðureyri and stop at businesses involved in the fishing industry.
• Sample a variety of foods that reflect the local seafood-based cuisine.
• Gain an understanding of the importance of fishing on the wild Westfjords peninsula.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Discover some of the eco-friendly businesses that thrive in the mountainous Westfjords peninsula, one of the wildest areas in Iceland. Salt Verk may well be the most unusual as it is the world’s only company that produces 100% sustainable salt from seawater by harnessing geothermal power through a fascinating process that is centuries old. The Saett & Salt chocolate factory sprinkles some of that salt over its sweets, which are also flavored with local berries and herbs. You will have the opportunity to sample the chocolates following lunch in a hotel in Heydalur Valley that harvests produce and fish in sustainable ways. The peninsula is so beautiful it’s easy to understand why the locals are so obsessed with keeping it pure and natural. The lookout at Kambsnes will offer one of the best views of the glacial fjords, while visiting Hvítanes will present an unobstructed look at a colony of harbor seals.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into some of Westfjord peninsula’s most sustainable businesses.
• See how geothermal energy is used to extract salt from seawater.
• Savor a lunch of sustainably harvested ingredients and a sampling of chocolates.
• Observe a large colony of harbor seals up close as they sun along the rocky shore.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Cruise into the pristine seas off the Westfjords peninsula, looking for some of the more than 20 species of whales and porpoise that feed in these nutrient-rich waters.

After departing from the pier in a whale-watching boat, you will cruise into a bay teeming with krill and small fish that whales feed on voraciously. The seemingly endless food supply attracts both humpback whales, minke whales and many others.

You will have the opportunity to watch for these fascinating creatures from inside the boat or out on the observation deck. It is a breathtaking sight to see humpback whales acrobatically breaching the water’s surface, waving their flukes up and down as they dive, and feeding to fatten up for their winter migration south.

You might even spot them bubble-net feeding, a unique technique in which several whales swim in an ever-shrinking circle while blowing bubbles below a school of fish. The bubbles force the fish upwards and cluster them into a column, presenting the perfect opportunity for the whales to gorge themselves.

Minke whales are quite a bit smaller, but no less impressive. They have sharply pointed snouts that appear first when they breach. Although minkes are typically solitary, they are inquisitive and are often spotted swimming alongside vessels or feeding beneath flocks of seabirds. If you see one, it will be a mesmerizing sight you will not soon forget.

Gain a wonderfully broad understanding of the local culture by visiting several characteristic attractions in the surrounding countryside. Ísafjörður is the largest town on the mountainous Westfjords peninsula, but its population is only a few thousand so most of the attractions are somewhat remote. After taking in the sweeping views from a ski resort, you will visit a sheep farm deep in the Stadardalur Valley, one of the first places in Iceland that the Vikings settled. While you sample a selection of delicacies, the farmers will discuss the allure of this now-isolated area and the challenges of living there. You will enjoy a glimpse into coastal life at a nearby fishing hut before pausing alongside a road to hear the legend of the mountain giant that supposedly watches over it. The viewpoint on the outskirts of Ísafjörður will offer a spectacular look at the peninsula’s largest city, after which you can savor a beer at Dokkan Brewery.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a sheep farm in an isolated valley and hear about the challenges of living there.
• Pause at a fishing hut for a different perspective of the local lifestyle.
• Hear the legend of the mountain giant that supposedly watches over the road you travel.
• Admire the sweeping views from a ski resort and a lookout above Ísafjörður.