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497 km
About 7 h 45 min
Car 1–4 · Van 5–7
Free cancellation 24 h
Westfjords · from KEF
About Ísafjörður and the drive
Ísafjörður is the largest town in the Westfjords, built on a curved gravel spit in Skutulsfjörður, a side fjord of the great Ísafjarðardjúp. Mountains rise steeply on every side, and the old centre has some of the oldest timber houses in Iceland, including the merchant buildings of Neðstikaupstaður, home to the Westfjords Heritage Museum. The town has shops, restaurants, a domestic airport and a busy harbour, and in summer boats leave from here for the island of Vigur and the Hornstrandir nature reserve.
From Keflavík Airport it is a very long drive. The usual route goes through Reykjavík, north on Route 1 under Hvalfjörður and past Borgarnes, over Holtavörðuheiði, then through Strandir to Hólmavík, over Steingrímsfjarðarheiði and along the many fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp. Depending on the season and road conditions there is also a route through the southern Westfjords. It is a long day, and a break for food on the way is normal.
Because Ísafjörður has a domestic airport, some travellers compare the drive with a flight from Reykjavík; others want one vehicle door to door with all their luggage, or are travelling with a group. Your driver takes you to the door of your hotel, guesthouse or apartment. Read our domestic airport transfers guide to weigh up both options.
Seasons and roads
The roads to Ísafjörður cross high mountain passes that can be snowy, icy and windy in winter and may close for a while in storms. Daylight is very short in December and January. We watch the forecast and road conditions and will contact you if the time or date needs to change.
