Westfjords Road Trip: Itinerary, Cost & How Many Days
Route at a glance
- Route length
- 950 kmThe signed Westfjords Way loop, before detours
- Time needed
- 4–7 daysideal: 5
- Best time
- June–September
- Vehicle
- 4x4 recommended
- Start
- Reykjavík via Route 60, or the Baldur ferry from Stykkishólmur
- Typical camper rate
- €250–€476/day · live, a summer pickup
About the route
The Westfjords are the big peninsula hanging off Iceland's northwest corner, joined to the rest of the country by a single narrow neck of land. Most Ring Road itineraries skip them entirely, which is exactly why they reward the detour: fewer coaches, empty campsites, and a coastline that folds in and out of fjord after fjord for far longer than the map suggests. The signed loop, the Westfjords Way (Vestfjarðaleiðin), threads the whole region together and gives a campervan trip a clear spine to follow.
This is a slow-driving region, and pacing is the single most important thing to plan around before you book. The roads hug the water around every fjord and climb over the heaths between them, so you gain ground gradually and the stops come thick and fast — a waterfall, a hot pool or a viewpoint every few kilometres. Plan for short driving days and long stops rather than big daily mileages, and read the itinerary below as a string of unhurried hops rather than a dash to Ísafjörður.
Two things anchor a Westfjords camper trip: Ísafjörður, the regional capital where nearly all the services cluster, and Dynjandi, the tiered waterfall that most travellers rate as the finest in the country. Around them sit the Látrabjarg bird cliffs at Iceland's westernmost point, the red-gold sands of Rauðisandur, and a scattering of natural hot pools you can soak in for free. You can drive in overland on Route 60 or cut the journey with the Baldur car ferry across Breiðafjörður — most people do one of each.
Season matters more here than almost anywhere else in Iceland. The high passes and the rough side roads to the best sights are effectively summer-only, and outside June to September much of what makes the region worth the drive is either closed, snowed over, or simply miserable to reach in a campervan.
Watch out: Do not read the 950-kilometre figure as a drive-time estimate. The roads wrap around every fjord and turn to gravel in places, so your average speed is far lower than on the Ring Road, and a leg that looks like a short hop on the map can swallow two or three hours. Travellers routinely under-plan the Westfjords by treating distance as time — build your days around hours behind the wheel and short daily mileages, not the kilometre count.
How many days do you need?
4 days
The minimum loop
Travellers short on time who want the headline sights — Dynjandi, Ísafjörður, one bird-cliff day — and accept two fairly long driving days at either end.
5 days
The sweet spot
Most campervan travellers. Enough time for Látrabjarg and Rauðisandur, the Dynjandi crossing, Ísafjörður and the fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp without rushing.
7 days
The full loop plus Strandir
Unhurried travellers who want to add the wild Strandir coast on the east side, more hot pools, and a genuine sense of the region's emptiness.
What a Westfjords trip costs
What actually moves your budget is the van and the calendar. The camper-only totals shown on this page come from our daily price checks across every major Icelandic rental company, priced for the trip lengths above, so they already reflect the real spread between vendors on any given date. The biggest levers are trip length (a 5-day Westfjords loop simply rents the van for more days than a 4-day dash), season (July and August are the peak, shoulder-season June and September are softer), vehicle class (the 4x4 that makes Rauðisandur and Látrabjarg comfortable costs more than a 2WD), and how far ahead you book — Westfjords-suitable vans are a smaller pool, so lead time bites harder here than on the south coast.
On top of the van, budget the running costs the totals do not include. Expect campsites at roughly €12–20 per person per night, and fuel at about €40–90 per driving day — see the driving section below for where to fill up, because stations are genuinely sparse out here. Groceries land around €15–25 per person per day, and you will pay more at the small village shops than in a Reykjavík supermarket, so stock the big shop in Ísafjörður. Add the Baldur ferry fare if you take it, and factor any insurance add-ons — gravel protection is worth a hard look given the roads on this route. Compare the live figures on this page against your dates before you commit.
Camper rental for this triplive
| Trip length | 2-person camper | 4x4 camper | Family camper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 days | €846 | €1,559 | €1,810 |
| 5 days | €1,057 | €1,949 | €2,263 |
| 7 days | €1,480 | €2,728 | €3,168 |
Camper only, at the live median daily rate for a summer pickup — campsites, fuel and food are extra. Longer rentals often lower the daily rate, so treat these as an upper guide.
Estimate your own trip
Pick your travel month, trip length and group size — the camper line prices straight from our live database (rates swing with the season), and you get a budget and a comfort scenario side by side.
marks the best months for this route
A 4x4 is recommended on this route's rougher gravel — the comfort estimate prices one; the budget estimate sticks to a 2WD camper.
Budget
€1,209–€1,957
€604–€979 per person · 2-person camper
Camper sized to your group, every meal self-cooked, base CDW insurance only.
For 2 travellers · flights and activities not included
Comfort
€2,607–€3,531
€1,303–€1,765 per person · 4x4 camper
One berth size up, full insurance package, eating out roughly one meal in five.
For 2 travellers · flights and activities not included
Camper rates are live medians and quartiles from our daily price checks for a June pickup; campsites, fuel, food, insurance and fees are typical 2026 estimates. Run a live search for exact quotes on your dates.
Based on 55,304 price checks across 14 rental companies over the last 21 days (through July 21, 2026). Prices are in EUR and update as vendor availability changes.
Westfjords itinerary, day by day
Day 1
Into the fjords
Reykjavík → Patreksfjörður · ~415 km
Two ways in. Drive Route 60 the whole way — around six hours with stops — or shorten it by taking the Baldur car ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur, which trims a big chunk of driving and is a fine trip in its own right. Either way you arrive along the Barðaströnd coast in the region's southwest. Stop at Hellulaug, a small stone-lined hot pool right by the shore near Flókalundur, before pushing on to Patreksfjörður. Book the ferry ahead in summer if you want a vehicle space; camper slots sell out on popular dates.
Route 60Barðaströnd coastHellulaug hot poolOvernight: Patreksfjörður campsite, in the fishing town of the same name
Day 2
The westernmost cliffs and the red sands
Patreksfjörður → Látrabjarg → Rauðisandur → Patreksfjörður · ~160 km
A loop out to Iceland's westernmost point. Látrabjarg is one of Europe's great seabird cliffs, and in early summer puffins nest close enough to the clifftop path to photograph without a long lens — stay back from the crumbling edge. Afterwards, drop down Route 614 to Rauðisandur, a vast sweep of pink-to-gold sand that changes colour with the light. Both roads are narrow gravel with steep, switchbacking descents and no guardrails, which is exactly why a higher-clearance 4x4 earns its keep here. Fill your tank in Patreksfjörður before you set out.
Látrabjarg bird cliffsPuffinsRauðisandur beachOvernight: Breiðavík campsite near Látrabjarg, or back at Patreksfjörður campsite
Day 3
Over the heath to the capital of the Westfjords
Patreksfjörður → Dynjandi → Þingeyri → Ísafjörður · ~185 km
The signature driving day. Climb over Dynjandisheiði — parts newly paved, parts still gravel while the final works finish — to Dynjandi, a 100-metre bridal-veil cascade that fans down the mountainside in tiers above Arnarfjörður; walk up past the smaller falls to the base. Soak at Reykjafjarðarlaug, a hot pool and warm natural bathing spot along the way. Continue through Þingeyri on Dýrafjörður, then over to Ísafjörður, where nearly every service in the region is concentrated. Restock groceries and fuel here — it is the last big shop for a while.
Dynjandi waterfallReykjafjarðarlaug hot poolÞingeyriDýrafjörðurOvernight: Tjaldsvæðið í Tungudal, the wooded campsite just outside Ísafjörður
Day 4
Ísafjörður and the great fjord
Ísafjörður → Bolungarvík → Flateyri → Ísafjörður · ~95 km
A slower day close to base. Wander Ísafjörður's cluster of 18th- and 19th-century timber houses — the town is also the launch point for boat trips to Hornstrandir, the uninhabited nature reserve to the north, with some sailings running from Bolungarvík too, if you want to swap the van for a day on foot. Drive the short tunnel out to Bolungarvík at the mouth of Ísafjarðardjúp, the huge fjord that splits the northern peninsula, then detour to tiny Flateyri, hit by a 1995 avalanche and now guarded by an enormous earth barrier that steers slides away from the village. Keep the driving light and the stops long.
Ísafjörður old townBolungarvíkFlateyriÍsafjarðardjúpOvernight: Tjaldsvæðið í Tungudal, Ísafjörður
Day 5
The long road home
Ísafjörður → Route 61 → Hólmavík → Reykjavík · ~450 km
The way out is long, so start early. Route 61 runs the full length of Ísafjarðardjúp, curling around every side fjord — beautiful, but slow, so do not trust the raw distance. At Hólmavík, the small hub of the Strandir coast, refuel and break the drive; those with a spare day should peel north up Strandir to the Krossneslaug pool by the sea before turning south. From Hólmavík it is a steady run down through Búðardalur and Borgarnes back to Reykjavík. Check road.is and vedur.is before committing to the passes.
ÍsafjarðardjúpHólmavíkStrandir coastOvernight: Reykjavík area campsite, or Hólmavík campsite if you split the drive over two days
Highlights along the way
Dynjandi
A tiered 100-metre waterfall fanning down the mountain above Arnarfjörður — widely rated Iceland's most beautiful.
Látrabjarg
Iceland's westernmost point and a towering seabird cliff where puffins nest an arm's length from the path in early summer.
Rauðisandur
A huge remote beach of pink-to-gold sand reached by a steep gravel switchback; colours shift with the light and tide.
Ísafjörður
The regional capital and services hub, with a walkable old town of historic timber houses and the region's best restocking.
Hellulaug
A free stone-lined hot pool right on the shore near Flókalundur, an easy first-day soak on the way in.
Reykjafjarðarlaug
A geothermal pool and warmer natural bathing spot beside Arnarfjörður, handy on the Dynjandi crossing day.
Þingeyri and Dýrafjörður
A tiny village on one of the prettiest fjords, with the Sandafell viewpoint above it.
Baldur ferry
The car ferry across Breiðafjörður via Flatey island — a scenic way to cut a big slice of driving off one leg.
When to go
June to September is the practical window, and the shoulder months of June and September are the sweet spot for thin crowds and open roads. Puffins are on the Látrabjarg cliffs from roughly late April into August, with the reliable window through July.
July and August bring the warmest, longest days and the most settled road conditions, but also the region's busiest campsites and the tightest ferry spaces — book vehicle slots ahead. This is the only stretch when the steep gravel side roads to Rauðisandur, Látrabjarg and Strandir are dependably open.
From October to May the high passes such as Dynjandisheiði close or become genuinely hazardous, the ferry drops to a reduced winter schedule, and many campsites shut. Treat the Westfjords as a summer campervan destination and plan another region if your trip falls outside the season.
Driving & road conditions
Road surface
A steadily improving mix. The Westfjords Way spine on Route 60 has been progressively paved, but expect gravel stretches — the final Dynjandisheiði works were still finishing through 2026 — plus steep passes, blind crests, and single-lane bridges where you yield to whoever reaches the sign first. The side roads to Rauðisandur (Route 614) and Látrabjarg (Route 612) stay rough narrow gravel with switchback descents.
Fuel
Stations are sparse and far apart. Fill up in Ísafjörður (the largest), Patreksfjörður and Hólmavík whenever you pass one, and top off in Borgarnes or Búðardalur before you enter or leave the region. Never let the tank drop below half out here.
In winter
Not a realistic campervan trip. Between October and May the main passes close or turn dangerous, the ferry runs a reduced schedule, snow and short daylight make the gravel side roads impassable, and most campsites are shut. Save the Westfjords for June–September.
- A 4x4 is recommended rather than mandatory for the paved spine, but genuinely earns its keep on the steep gravel descents to Rauðisandur and Látrabjarg — a low 2WD is at real risk on those.
- Check road.is for surface and closure status and vedur.is for weather every morning; conditions change fast on the heaths.
- Lodge a plan on safetravel.is before remote legs, and do not rely on continuous mobile coverage in the fjords.
- Add slack for the single-lane bridges, blind crests and pull-in-to-pass moments on narrow gravel — they slow every leg beyond what the map implies.
- Watch for sheep on the road and slow right down on gravel to avoid stone chips and skids.
Where to camp
Tjaldsvæðið í Tungudal
Ísafjörður (Skutulsfjörður)
The main base for the northern peninsula, in a sheltered wooded valley just outside town. Open in the summer season; close to all services.
Patreksfjörður campsite
Patreksfjörður (southwest)
The natural base for the Látrabjarg and Rauðisandur day, in the fishing town with fuel and a grocery shop. Summer season.
Breiðavík campsite
Near Látrabjarg
Remote site close to the bird cliffs and a beautiful beach, handy if you want to be on the cliffs early. Seasonal, roughly June to August.
Flókalundur campsite
Vatnsfjörður / Barðaströnd
A convenient first or last night near the Brjánslækur ferry terminal and the Hellulaug hot pool. Summer only.
Þingeyri campsite
Dýrafjörður
A quiet village site on a lovely fjord, a good alternative stop between Dynjandi and Ísafjörður. Summer season.
Hólmavík campsite
Strandir (east side)
The obvious place to split the long drive home, or a base for exploring the Strandir coast. Summer season.
Overnighting in a campervan is only legal at registered campsites in Iceland — plan each night around one. Seasonal sites can close outside summer; confirm opening dates before relying on them.
Westfjords or the Ring Road?
The Ring Road is Iceland's greatest-hits circuit — Jökulsárlón, waterfalls, Mývatn — with paved roads, frequent fuel and services, and a crowd to match. It is the safer first-timer choice and the more forgiving one for a 2WD camper.
The Westfjords trade those famous set-pieces for solitude. You will see a fraction of the traffic, sleep in half-empty campsites, and drive slower gravel roads for sights that fewer travellers ever reach. It suits a second Iceland trip, or a first trip for people who would rather have the country largely to themselves than tick off the postcards.
You do not have to choose in principle, but you do in practice on a short trip: the Westfjords' slow roads mean bolting them onto a Ring Road loop needs real extra days, not a quick side-trip. Give them their own five days or leave them for next time.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the Westfjords?
Give the Westfjords five days. Four is the honest minimum to reach Ísafjörður, see Dynjandi and Látrabjarg and get back out without every day being a long drive; five lets the region breathe and adds the southwest cliffs and a hot-pool afternoon. Seven opens up the remote Strandir coast on the eastern side. Anything under four and you are spending more time driving the connecting roads than enjoying the fjords.
How much does a Westfjords campervan trip cost?
Based on our live price checks for a summer pickup, the camper alone typically runs €146–€390 per day — roughly €730–€1,949 for 5 days — before campsites (€12–20 per person/night), fuel and food. The live cost section on this page breaks totals down by camper type.
Do you need a 4x4 for the Westfjords?
Not for the paved Westfjords Way spine, where a 2WD campervan copes with the main fjord roads and remaining gravel if you drive gently. But the standout side trips — the steep switchback descents to Rauðisandur (Route 614) and out to Látrabjarg (Route 612) — are rough gravel where a low 2WD is at genuine risk. If those are on your list, a 4x4 is the comfortable, honest choice, which is why the key facts mark it recommended.
Should I take the Baldur ferry or drive in?
Most travellers do one of each. The Baldur car ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur across Breiðafjörður cuts a large slice of driving off one leg and is scenic in its own right, calling at Flatey island. Driving Route 60 the whole way is longer but needs no booking and keeps you flexible. A common plan is ferry in, drive the loop, and road it out — book a vehicle space ahead in summer, as camper slots sell out.
Are the Westfjords roads still gravel?
Less than they used to be. Route 60, the region's spine, has been progressively paved, and major bridge and tunnel projects have shortened and smoothed the loop. But expect gravel stretches to remain — the final Dynjandisheiði works were still wrapping up through 2026 — plus single-lane bridges and steep passes. The side roads to the best sights stay firmly gravel. Check road.is for the current surface and closure picture before you drive each day.
Can you see puffins at Látrabjarg?
Yes — Látrabjarg is one of the best and most accessible puffin cliffs in Iceland, and in early summer the birds nest close to the clifftop path. The reliable window runs from roughly late April through July, tailing off in August. Keep well back from the edge, which is undercut and crumbling, and never sit or lean over it for a photo.
Is the Westfjords Way loop doable in a 2WD campervan?
The main signed loop is increasingly manageable in a 2WD if you drive slowly on the gravel and check conditions daily, especially if you skip the roughest side roads. The trade-off is that you would miss or have to hike into Rauðisandur and be cautious about Látrabjarg. If those are must-sees, size up to a 4x4; if the fjords and Dynjandi are enough, a 2WD can do the core route in summer.
Is the Strandir coast worth adding?
If you have seven days, yes. Strandir is the wild, sparsely populated eastern edge of the Westfjords, with the sea-cliff hot pool at Krossneslaug, dramatic empty coastline, and almost no other travellers. It adds meaningful driving on slow roads, so it only fits once you have given the core loop its five days — treat it as the reward for an extra couple of days, not a quick detour.
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