Go off the Iceland Ring Road in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

Welcome to Experiences You Should Have Podcast show notes for our latest podcast episode of going off the Iceland ring road and exploring the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve! Recently, I went to a podcast conference, and there I met Chris Tatem from the Cross Examined Life Podcast, which is a podcast elevating the art of disagreement through cross-exams of controversial topics. I told Chris about Experiences You Should Have, and asked him if he had an amazing experience that he would want to share, and he immediately said, ‘going off the ring road in Iceland’.

The ring road is the main road circling Iceland, and if you go to Iceland, you will probably be driving part of the ring road, which is magnificent. However, many people do not explore outside the ring road, yet Chris and his wife got to go off the beaten path, in wild Iceland nature, in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve and went hiking where the views are magnificent and the arctic foxes roam free.

What is the Ring Road in Iceland?

The Iceland Ring Road is an 828 Mile road that covers the perimeter of Iceland. It’s not a perfect circle is the main road circling the island of Iceland. It’s a paved 2 lane road and the road is filled with tour buses. Most travelers travel east when they get on the ring road because there are better weather and attractions on the south side of Iceland. However, if you want to go against the grain, instead go clockwise on the Ring Road and go north to the Northwest corner of Iceland. If you go off the ring road, you will find very few tourists and you find the most incredible lush green grasses and trees and waterfalls cascading all around you, as well as Arctic Foxes!

What kind of vehicle do you need to go off the Iceland Ring Road?

Rental cars in Iceland are expensive $90/day, gas is twice as expensive. Chris and his wife rented an SUV with 4WD, but realized the horsepower in Icelandic cars are a fraction of what they are in the US. They had a Jimny car that was sufficient for their purposes. Be cautious and stay away from quicksand and mud. Chris didn’t need a high clearance to go on the ring road.

How Should You Start Your Adventure to go off the Ring Road in Iceland to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve?

Everyone’s first stop in Iceland should be to the camp store in Iceland to get the things that you couldn’t fly with including propane and bulky items. The rental rates are extremely affordable. After hitting up the camp store, head northwest on Route 1 (the ring road). Spend the night at an Icelandic Farm, Seljaland, which is in West Iceland, which is open Mid-May through Mid-August. They have a few little cabins on the property and room for small groups as well.

Western Fjords Day in Iceland

After leaving the farm, go up on North 1 and turn left on Route 60 and check out Budardalur. If you’re in Iceland in July, then make sure you make time to celebrate Western Fjords Day, which is July 22nd. You are invited to watch Seaweed Ball and visit locals houses to drink soup and have hot chocolate.

Hiking in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

If you head west on Route 60, head to the Isafjordur Harbor. It’s a harbor and a boat leaves every morning at 8 am which heads to the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve. There is one ticket shop in town to go to the nature preserve. Make sure you have all of your camping gear and buy your ticket there to buy your ticket to go into the nature reserve. They offer you different options for how long you can go into the nature reserve. You can pay for a guide or not, but the boat will drop you off, and you will get picked up based on how long you picked your hike for.

Chris and his wife decided to spend 24 hours in the nature reserve. In the nature reserve, there are ports, which are little docks to start your journey. Chris and his wife started their journey at Heseyri and then headed for the Hesteyrarskaro Mountain Pass. You had to figure out how to backpack through this area and get through it. If you have mobility issues, this may not be the right trip for you.

This was July, and Chris and his wife encountered a lot of snow and ice on their hike in the Hornstrandir reserve. There was no railings, rope, stairs, or anything to keep you safe on the side of the mountain. Chris forgot his hiking poles and ended up crawling on his hands and knees to get through the pass. But as their hike neared the end, they found a beautiful waterfall in the valley, so pristine (and epic)!

Top things to add to your list to rent or pack for your trip in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve

Hiking Sticks
Gaiters
Many pairs of warm socks (you might be walking through near-freezing streams and your feet will get wet)
Waterproof Panta
Snow Jacket
Tent
Water Filtering system
Gloves
Food (there are no stores in the reserve)

Let’s talk Costs

Car rental: $90 a day
Food: It isn’t cheap, it’s $7 for a box of cereal, so budget accordingly
Camping Rental Gear: Depends on what you rent
Budget for Gas: $7.50 per gallon (on average)
Boat trip to get in and out of the Hornstrandir nature reserve: $225 a person

If you want to explore the ring road and explore the Hornstandir Nature Reserve, then you would need to budget at least 10 or 11 days, but you could possibly do it in 8 if you were in a hurry. If you skip the rest of the ring road and only go to Hornstandir, then you could do the trip in a week.

Other things to find on the Ring Road:

If you head clockwise on the Iceland Ring Road, you can find many hot springs. Specifically, on the Northeast side, you can find the Pools of Mytvan. It’s not very crowded and a fun afternoon thing to go to. The hot springs they went to were clothed hot springs, but if you’re into hearing about Nudity, check out this episode on Nude Spas in Austria.
Closer hot springs to the airport is the Blue Lagoon, which is fancy and posh. They deliver drinks to you why you soak in the springs, but it may not feel as natural and more like a country club.
Far eastern side: Neskaupstadur: Incredible rivers, lush, green valleys, incredible mountain tunnels, lots of goats
Southeast Iceland: Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon – There are icebergs and glaciers the size of small apartments that float on down the river on the ring road. This is a site to see!

iceland icebergs Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon — Icebergs in Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

Thank you for Listening to Experiences You Should Have Podcast! Please leave a review on Itunes and please subscribe to this podcast where you listen to podcasts. Also if you have an experience that you think others would like to hear about, then tag @experiencespodcast on Instagram and add the hashtag #eysh. You never know you might be on the next episode of Experiences You Should Have Podcast.

Hike in the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in Iceland