Off-the-Beaten-Path 10-Day Summer Self-Drive Tour of Iceland's Westfjords, Snaefellsnes & Flatey

Enjoy the stunning coastline at Hellnar village before continuing your journey to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and its namesake national park. Today will be filled with otherworldly attractions, plucked straight out of a fantasy novel, while the great Snaefellsjokull glacier, the source of many legends and folklore, watches over you.

Drive a little to the Londrangar basalt plugs, a pair of twin peaks rising from the Atlantic Ocean like a dark castle. The first pillar measures 246 feet (75 meters) high, while the second stands 200 feet (61 meters) tall.

Both were the remains of a crater that the sea has eroded over the ages. Avid hikers will find delight here as many trails and tracks provide different views of these majestic peaks.

Today, you can travel into Iceland's underworld on a caving expedition. About 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) from Londrangar is the Vatnshellir lava tube, where you can walk the path the flowing magma created thousands of years ago.

From there, you'll move to the beautiful Djupalonssandur black pebble beach. To get to the shore, you'll follow a path through a beautiful natural labyrinth made of jagged lava rocks. Walking along the trail makes you feel like you have stepped inside a fairytale. 

Meanwhile, the beach is stunning but has an eerie feel and a dark history. Scattered on the shore are the remains of a trawler that wrecked there in 1948, taking the lives of five men. Additionally, the beach has four lifting stones used by sailors for centuries to test if they're suitable for the seas.

You'll then continue your journey through Snaefellsnes National Park toward the peninsula's northern side, which faces the great Breidafjordur Bay. Breidafjordur is home to countless islands, islets, and a wealth of marine and birdlife. Should you want to visit some of the gentle giants of the bay, you can stop in the village of Olafsvik for a whale-watching tour.

Next, you'll head towards Grundarfjordur, surrounded by spectacular mountains, one of which is the arrowhead-shaped Kirkjufell. Kirkjufell has recently been one of the peninsula's most popular features because a famous fantasy television series has used it as a backdrop, earning Kirkjufell the nickname "The Game of Thrones Mountain."

After enjoying the majestic mountain, you'll drive 24 miles (38 kilometers) to the charming coastal town of Stykkisholmur. The place is famous for its colorful houses and great seafood.

You'll spend the night in West Iceland.

On your fourth day, you'll head to the high seas, sailing across the beautiful Breidafjordur bay. It's ringed with mountains and dotted with countless islands only inhabited during summer. Your destination is one of those islands, the secluded Flatey.

You can choose to head straight to Flatey in the morning, or you can leave in the afternoon and spend the day exploring the flora and fauna of the islands in Breidafjordur bay on a Viking Sushi Adventure that ends with a feast of fresh scallops and roe.

When leaving Stykkisholmur for Flatey Island, you will board the ferry Baldur and hand your car keys to the staff. They will then transport your vehicle to Brjanslaekur on the other side of the bay, as there is no need or room for your car on this remote, little island.

After sailing for a while, seeing the great Snaefellsjokull glacier fade away in the distance, you'll dock at Flatey. A gravel road from the pier takes you to the island's village, which seems frozen in time. You'll see colorful houses lining the street, mostly built over a century ago.

The name Flatey means "flat island" in English, regarding the island's flat appearance. You'll barely notice any hills when exploring the two-kilometer-long and one-kilometer-wide island. You'll be greeted by the island's only all-year residents: sheep, chickens, and a single dog, as you walk the short distance to your accommodation for the night, the island's only hotel on the Gryluvogur cove.

Interestingly, Flatey's scarce population is one of the main reasons behind its peaceful environment, with only six people living in the village. When the tide is low, children play on the beach at Gryluvogur, searching for seashells and crabs. In the evening, you can also visit Flatey's restaurant in a converted warehouse on the old market square.

After dinner, you can make your way to the nearby bar found in the abandoned salt cellar of the warehouse. Use the rays of the midnight sun to walk around the island, savoring the unique ambiance of this enchanting place.

You'll spend the night in Flatey.

On your fifth day in Iceland, use the morning and explore this beautiful island. Flatey is teeming with birds, and you will likely come across a few Arctic terns, but if you look out on the cliffs on the island's north side, you might spot an Atlantic puffin or two.

You can spend the morning hiking around the unspoiled nature, checking out the unique murals inside the Flatey church, and visiting Iceland's smallest library before boarding the ferry again, this time heading to the little-visited Westfjords.

Inside the church, you'll see beautiful paintings on the wall. Baltasar Samper, the father of respected Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur, created these artworks.

You can also check out the town's schoolhouse, which dates back to 1929. Moreover, there's a lighthouse built in 1963. It stands 72 feet (22 meters) above sea level, Flatey's highest point.

After you dock at Brjanslaekur port, pick up your car and go to the little hidden gem of the Birkimelur swimming pool and hot spring. It's a beautiful place at the mouth of river Mora, surrounded by distant mountains. 

From there, explore Raudasandur, a beautiful red sand beach that stretches from the craggy mountains in the east to Latrabjarg, the westernmost part of Europe. The beach boasts a beautiful stretch of shoreline. Its sands showcase shades of pink, gold, and orange instead of black, which is more common in the country.

Latrabjarg is Europe's largest bird cliff, home to millions of puffins, gannets, guillemots, and razorbills. Due to Latrabjarg's remote location, the birds are particularly fearless, knowing no enemies save for Arctic foxes. This gives you an excellent opportunity to get close to the puffins and razorbills and capture them on film.

At the end of an eventful day, you'll retire in your comfortable Westfjords hotel.

You'll wake up on day six in the remote Westfjords, where tranquility and breathtaking landscapes dominate the region. Due to the isolation of these fjords, your travels will be mostly void of other people, allowing for true off-the-beaten-path adventures.

Today, you'll venture deep into this region, where the impressive waterfall Dynjandi lies at the bottom of Arnarfjordur fjord. The road to Dynjandi leads up rugged hills and jagged mountains, providing you with a fantastic bird's eye view of the surrounding fjords and valleys.

Along the way, you can stop at geothermal pools and hot tubs to enjoy the warm waters while breathing in the pristine mountain air. The first of these pools, Pollurinn, just outside the village of Talknafjordur, provides a clear view of the beautiful mountains of Talknafjordur fjord. 

The second one, Reykjafjardarlaug, is located further east. Hidden in the tall grass near the pool is a little turf shed inside a grassy hill.

As you approach Dynjandi from the road, you'll be greeted by the thundering noises of this mighty cascade as it falls down 328 feet (100 meters). The cascading water fans out at the bottom, creating the unique pyramid shape for which it's famous.

Close to the waterfalls is the town of Hrafnseyri, where you can find the restored turf house of Jon Sigurdsson, the leader of the 19th-century Icelandic independence movement. You can also drive north and visit the quirky Nonsense Museum in Flateyri village. The museum features a collection of strange items like pens, police hats, model ships, and sugar cubes, to name a few.

If you're looking for a more traditional type of museum, Flateyri also has one. It focuses on the town's history, especially the avalanche that affected the area in 1995. The museum also doubles as a second-hand bookshop. 

Alternatively, you can visit Holtsfjara, a white, sandy beach great for building sandcastles. The locals even hold an annual sandcastle competition for both children and adults.

Your accommodation tonight will be in the remote Westfjords.

Today, you'll drive the road that winds through the smaller inlets of the mighty Isafjordur fjord. Before you leave, make sure to explore the Isafjordur town first. It has some of the oldest houses in the country, dating back to the 18th century, and is also reported to have the best seafood restaurant in Iceland.

Isafjordur is considered Westfjords' unofficial capital. It's also the region's commerce, education, and services center. Aside from the beautiful old houses, various mountains complement the sea, resulting in a breathtaking landscape.

From its days as a fishing and trading center in the 16th century, Isafjordur retained its identity as a marine-oriented town despite the changes over the years. After enjoying its natural beauty, stop by the Tjoruhusid restaurant for some of the finest seafood you'll ever taste.

From there, you can walk toward the Westfjords Heritage Museum, inside one of the oldest buildings in the region. The museum houses exhibits telling stories of the Westfjords' cultural and historical significance.

Next, you can drive 0.80 miles (1.3 kilometers) toward the Culture House, a repository of old hospital artifacts. The building was a hospital that now houses the town's public library.

The town also offers opportunities for outdoor activities. You can go kayaking or traverse hiking trails when visiting during summer. On the other hand, you can do snowboarding or skiing during winter.

You can glimpse into the Icelandic past with a visit to the island Vigur, located a short boat ride from Isafjordur town. There, you can see how the people utilized the land and sea to survive in the harsh Icelandic climate without modern technology. The island is also teeming with birds, and you might spot a few seals lounging on the shore.

Before making your way south, you can take a quick detour to the village of Bolungarvik. You can find a Maritime Museum featuring 19th-century fishing bases and huts with turf roofs here. Moreover, the museum's curator will greet you in a traditional Icelandic fisherman outfit. 

You'll love Bolafjall Mountain, located just above the village, if you're a hiker. The view from atop is spectacular, and on a clear day, you might see Greenland.

When you're ready to hit the road, you'll drive the winding fjords to the southern Westfjords, where you'll spend the night.