The Arctic North

Dates 2025

This part of Iceland is inhabited by only a few people, most of them living in little fishing villages along the coast. There is a lot of diversity on this tour starting with beautiful mountain views from the wide Öxarfjörður Fjord. The Peninsula of Melrakkaslétta, which stretches almost to the Arctic Circle, is a paradise for birdwatchers and people with geological interest. Here we are right on top of the Mid Atlantic Ridge where the North-American and Eurasian plates drift apart. From mid-June to mid-July this area is “home” to the Midnight Sun which sends its golden light over the deep fjords of North Iceland.

Hosts for this tour are Halldór and Elín with their family from Bjarnastaðir Farm, known to many Icelanders for their excellent breeding of horses. Halldór is a respected member of his community and among other things, he is a “mountain king” when the time calls for gathering up the sheep in autumn.

Tour Highlights

Bjarnastaðir Farm

is situated in north-east Iceland in the low bushy area of Kerlingaskógur, close to the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum and Dettifoss waterfall. It is the farm of Elín and Halldór, breeders of both horses and sheep, who will welcome you with their open arms

Fjord Öxarfjörður

is a broad fjörd in north east Iceland located right on top of the Mid -Atlantic ridge

Lake Skjálftavatn

After earthquakes 1975-1976 the land suddenly sank and the shallow but generous fishing lake Skjálftavatn emerged. It is among the larger lakes of Iceland and a source of generous fishing rivers

Tungurétt

round-up place

Melrakkaslétta

plains could translate Arctic Fox Field. It is inhabited by few with most of them living in little fishing villages along the coast. It has a highly versatile geography ranging from mountains up to 400 m high above sea level to cliffs, valleys, tundra and lakes full of trout. It is a real bird heaven with the largest migrations in spring and autumn and home to both Syberian driftwood and seals

Blikalónsdalur

A grassy grown valley with cliffs on its many edges that reaches all the way to the moors in the south

Hraunhafnarviti

is a lighthouse only 3 km away from the Arctic Circle. There we have good hiking roads and its harbor Hraunhöfn is often mentioned in many of the Icelandic Sagas

Arctic Circle

is the northern polar circle positioned 66, 33 degrees north of Equator but changes slightly. Iceland is just south of it but Grímsey, a small island, reaches north above it. For 24 hours each year during June and December solstices the sun remains solely above or below the horizon

Raufarhöfn

Most of the 250 inhabitants of this small village live of traditional fishing. It is the most northern village of Iceland’s mainland and where the Arctic Henge is located

Flautafell

 is an old abandoned farm-house where nobody lives anymore. It’s about 65 meters above sea level with beautiful nature all around

Langanes

The peninsula is known for its rich bird life and stunning nature with rock stacks in the sea full of birds and wildlife

Öxarfjarðarheiði

The heath is about 500m above sea level and around 60km long. Around 1850 there were lots of farms but all were abandoned after the volcanic eruption in 1875. Now this heath is very rural and you hardly ever see people there

Jökulsárgljúfur National Park

was situated north around the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum and the waterfall Dettifoss. Since 2008 it has been a part of Vatnajökull National Park, the largest national park in Europe

Vatnajökull National Park

is a world Heritage Site since 2019 that combines the former parks Skaftafell in the south and Jökulsárgljúfur in the north. The area is large with varied geography of glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and a glacier lagoon. It has high geothermal and volcanic activity that also marks the landscape and its history

Ásbyrgi

one of the wonders of nature, a horseshoe-shaped canyon. The old saga says that the god Odin from northern mythology rode his giant horse Sleipnir who stepped down on the ground and formed this shoe print