Glacier Fjords Kayaking

by Borea Adventures · Boat tours · Multi-day packages · Reykjavík

5.0(1) · tour · Bókun4.60(175) · operator on Google
Glacier Fjords Kayaking — Borea Adventures

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Borea Adventures's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

  • Duration

    3 days

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Isafjørdur - høfn

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, IS

  • Departs

    09:00

  • Minimum age

    18

About this experience

We realise that we're not all made for camping in the wilderness. Therefore, we decided to offer a more luxurious alternative where guests can enjoy the best sea kayaking that Iceland has to offer while staying in comfortable accommodation. We travel light since we don't have to carry camping and cooking gear and everything is a bit simpler in operation. That provides more time and energy for you to enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife of the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. We stay in Hesteyri for one night, the small abandoned village, where the old doctor's residence will be our home. The next two nights we stay in the old farmhouse in Kvíar that stood empty for over 60 years until we rebuilt it. These houses have everything you need for a perfect stay off the grid. The sauna is available in the evenings to soothe sore muscles and if we’re lucky, the nearby Arctic Fox may come to say hello. The kayaking itself provides amazing opportunities to see wildlife in its natural habitat. Sea birds, marine mammals and Arctic Foxes are plentiful, and we blend right in when we’re in our sea kayaks. This trip is our medium difficulty trip, not quite as easy going as Wild Camp Discovery but not as difficult as Coastal Kayaking Adventure. This trip is suited to those with some experience. The longer distances require good strength and technique which takes some practice.

Description from the operator, Borea Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Included: All food Three nights' accommodation in comfortable houses Ferry transfer to Hornstrandir and back Kayaking gear (kayak, paddle, neoprene pants, dry top, spray skirt, life vest, paddling boots, paddling gloves and additional dry bags) Professional guide Not included: Travel to and from Ísafjörður prior to and after the trip Food on the first day until the trip departs Personal medical insurance Personal equipment and clothing

Good to know

Remember the less you bring, the easier it is. There’s plenty of space in the kayaks if you pack wisely. Thermal base layers, at least two sets of tops. Wool or fleece thermal mid layer. Hiking pants. We don’t recommend cotton as it is cold and takes a long time to dry. Waterproof and breathable pants and jacket for hiking onshore. The lighter - the better. Wool/fleece hat. One pair of warm gloves. 2 to 3 pairs thick wool/synthetic socks. Swim suit and towel for the sauna at Kvíar. Light hiking shoes for strolls around the houses. Sun glasses. Sunscreen and after sun cream. 1 litre water bottle. Personal medical kit i.e. band aids, throat lozenges, lip salves, sea-sickness tablets etc. Don't forget your personal medication which you may need (e.g. Asthma inhaler, even if you don’t always need it). 2 x Dry bags* Binoculars are nice to have for watching wildlife. (optional) Don't forget your camera. *We use dry bags to keep our personal gear dry, especially sleeping bags. We have a small selection of dry bags which you may use but you should bring at least two of your own. Test it to make sure that all of your gear all fits inside. We supply all paddling gear and clothing. However, feel free to bring your own if you have it available. Your personal gear is guaranteed to fit perfectly and it is comfortable. We recommend good dry pants and top with rubber cuffs or at least a 3mm neoprene wetsuit with a windproof top. A full dry suit is definitely best but can be pretty warm and cumbersome on sunny days but great to have if things get rough. Footwear should preferably be neoprene boots with ankle support and thick soles to safely negotiate the rocky shoreline. Neoprene gloves, mittens or pogies are great at keeping your hands warm. We use neoprene wetsuits on our trips. However, you can upgrade to a dry suit if you would prefer. Please select this option and select your size during the booking process. You can see the size chart here.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 25% of the price within 500 days of departure, rising to 50% within 28 days. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Borea Adventures decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Not for families with children under 18 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Borea Adventures is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Borea Adventures

Read all 175 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Valerie Kramer

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We went on the Highlights of Hornvik trip in June 2026. We loved it! Hiking was challenging - don't expect level trails - rocks, mud, etc. Really felt like got to see a remote area. Guides were excellent. Very knowledgeable and shared all kinds of interesting information about plants, animals, the environment. Did a good job of managing the group. Since the company has their own boat they have some flexibility in terms of getting back in time - we were a little later but it was okay. Excellent day! Very impressed with the company. It was helpful that they provided walking poles if needed.

  • Teresa Wong

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Fantastic experience. We saw whales on the boat trip there. The hike was easy with little elevation. We managed to see many bird species, seals and of course the highlight the Arctic fox. The fish soup and Icelandic pancakes were delicious! Our guide was also hilarious, patient and made the whole trip a joy.

  • Amazing Spider-Flint

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We did the two night Midnight Sun and Arctic Fox tour and it did not disappoint! First we were dropped off 6 km away from the house and hiked to the house. Our guide Mo, prepared our beds and cooked dinner. The next day we made short hikes up and down the coast looking for Arctic Foxes. The sky at sunset was amazing!! The third day just after breakfast a fox was spotted coming towards the house and came close. We spotted him again later from the kayak as he was laying in the grass near the shore. Everything was great and our guide had so much information on everything from the plants and fox to the history as well. Getting away from everything and unplugging was very relaxing. I can't recommend this tour enough.

  • Travis Grodkiewicz

    ★★★★★ · a year ago

    We had an amazing time with Borea Adventures on the three day Hornstrandir Traverse trip! Our guide Filip was fantastic!!! The hikes may be long and challenging for some but Filip set a nice pace where we could take in the wildlife, the scenery, and enjoy ourselves along the way. The weather can be unpredictable so always be prepared for being cold and wet (pack some extra layers) but we were lucky and had three days with little to no rain. The base camp is set in a beautiful bay and you're surrounded by all sorts of wildlife - all types of birds and even arctic foxes, too! Filip cooked great meals for us and made sure we all had plenty to eat and were comfortable. I'd highly recommend this trip if you enjoy hiking/camping and want to get off the beaten track in Iceland.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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Reviews from our travellers

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No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Boat tours — questions people ask

Where do boat tours leave from in Reykjavík?

The Old Harbour, on Ægisgarður pier, about five minutes' walk from most downtown hotels and ten from Hallgrímskirkja. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors both have ticket offices there. Whale, puffin, sea-angling and northern-lights boats all use the same area. Arrive thirty minutes before departure to check in. The Viðey ferry (/experience/1539/) leaves from the same harbour in summer and from Skarfabakki the rest of the year.

Is the Jökulsárlón boat tour worth it?

Yes, if you are already at the lagoon. A Zodiac gets you among the icebergs and close to the glacier edge in a way the shore cannot, and the combined glacier hike and Zodiac day (/experience/716547/) is the best full day in the southeast. Boats run in the warmer months only; check the tour page for dates. It is not worth a fourteen-hour day trip from Reykjavík just for the boat.

What is the difference between a Zodiac and an amphibian boat at Jökulsárlón?

A Zodiac is a fast rigid inflatable seating around ten, with a guide who can nose it near the glacier face and into iceberg fields; you wear a flotation suit and get a bit wet. The amphibian is a slow duck boat carrying larger groups on a fixed loop. The Zodiac is the better trip and the one we list. It has a minimum age and is bumpier; the tour page has details.

Will a boat tour be cancelled if it is windy?

Quite possibly. Operators cancel whale, puffin and lagoon boats when the wind or swell makes them unsafe or pointless, and Iceland is windy. The decision usually comes the evening before or early on the day, by email or text. You get a full refund or a new date. Book boat trips early in your stay rather than on your last day so a cancellation can be rebooked.

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Pairs well with

Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.

Fjord Discovery 5 hours

Borea Adventures

Fjord Discovery

5.0· 2 Bókun reviews of this tour

Leaves from Ísafjörður

  • Age 16+
  • Book the night before
  • Meet on location

from

€248 per person

78% above the €140 typical

or book on its own →

from

€1,483 per person

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