Things to do & places to visit in West Region, Iceland

West Region #6 destination in Iceland 2023. The average rating score is 4.44 based on 9.591 traveler reviews, of 141 attractions. Timezone: Atlantic/Reykjavik, current date and time: Sunday, May 12, 2024, 7:02.

Top things to do (34)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Go West Tours (152 reviews)
- Amazing Glacier experience
Walking Tours • Eco Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Hiking & Camping Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours

We booked the tour spontaneously because of the sunny weather and were absolutely thrilled. The half day tour is totally suitable for beginners. Our guide explained a lot about the nature and we took enough breaks to enjoy the stunning view and get some photos. It was an adventure we totally recommend, it's an experience you shouldn't miss on your iceland trip. See more..
5.0 Laki Tours Whale Watching - Olafsvik (149 reviews)
- Awesome Morning
Dolphin & Whale Watching

The boat is plenty big. They provide an over suit which helps with the wet and cold. Recommend you bring a backpack with layers, a hat, and gloves. The boat has restrooms, but there is no food or drink provided on board. You can bring it if you want. We saw minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and puffins during our late August trip. The crew went great lengths to make sure we saw whales. We even stayed out a little longer when they got a good sighting late in the cruise. See more..
5.0 Stori Kambur Horse Rental (91 reviews)
- Beautiful ride, friendly guides, amazing horses
Horseback Riding Tours

We had a wonderful time at Stori Kambur… the horses were amazing, the guides were friendly, and the scenery was beautiful. The 1 hour ride was perfect for our group. To be clear, we are not expert horseback riders. We got some time before the ride to get to know our horse, and they are so mellow and easy going. The guides were happy to talk about the Icelandic horse and the business… it was clear these horses are well taken care of and loved. I would recommend them to anyone interested in seeing some Icelandic countryside and meeting these beautiful horses. You do not need to be an experienced rider to enjoy this activity. See more..
5.0 Dalahestar (78 reviews)
- The highlight of my stay
Spent 1-2 hours Horseback Riding Tours

Dalahestar Horse Rental offers riding tours in small groups in the pristine nature of West Iceland. The tours are personalised and suitable for both beginners and advanced riders. The most popular and appreciated route on our repertoire is a two hours beach tour. See more..
5.0 Vestur Adventures (76 reviews)
- Highly recommended!
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Bike Tours • Boat Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing

My boyfriend and I did the Classic kayaking tour and we were the only people booked on for our time slot, which meant we had a private tour! We were extremely lucky and picked the perfect day to go - it was sunny and the water was calm. We saw some jellyfish and a couple of seals. Our guide was friendly, patient and knowledgeable which made the tour so much more enjoyable! I was a bit nervous about the bit where you walk into the water and float.... but the dry suit keeps you dry and warm. Although you do need to use your handles to paddle back and the water is COLD!!! When we got back to base we were given a cup of hot chocolate to warm up which was a nice touch! Overall a very enjoyable tour and I would highly recommend this :) See more..
5.0 Ocean Adventures (60 reviews)
- Outstanding - absolutely worth doing
Boat Tours • Fishing Charters & Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips

We (my 9 year old, 17 year old and I) went on the angling tour this afternoon. We caught so many fish we lost count. Mostly cod, up to about 5kg, but several pollock as well. Hreydar was a great guide - he is a professional fisherman in the winter and runs this business in the summer. He is very knowledgeable and has good quality equipment. After the kids were tired of reeling in fish, we visited an island that was packed with puffins, kittiwakes and other birds. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys fishing and birdwatching. See more..
5.0 Húsafell Canyon Baths (36 reviews)
- A hidden-gem in West-Iceland
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Hiking & Camping Tours • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Day Trips

Our Canyon baths tour was superb. Our guide, Olgeir Helgi, picked us up from the Húsafell Activity Center and first drove us to a small waterfall. We were entertained with stories about the town, Húsafell and its natural wonders for the whole duration of the tour. After a very short hike we reached the canyon baths, and we were amazed how beautifully it is built out and all the same how the nature is preserved very nicely. The area is equipped with a toilet and heated changing rooms from which you walk directly out to the natural baths. Towels were provided by the guide as well. It was a relaxing two hours. Our travel companions were a lovely British couple who spent their first day in Iceland. We were a small group, only the four of us plus our guide. Before this tour we explored the Viðgelmir Cave and bathing in the Canyon Bath was a divine way to finish our day. I definitely recommend this tour to everybody who seeks to explore hidden gems. See more..
4.5 The Settlement Center (795 reviews) from $24.51
- Great museum in Bogarnes
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums • History Museums

The Settlement Center provides a wonderful insight into Iceland’s history in two exhibitions one about the settlement of Iceland and the other on Egils saga that took place in the neighbourhood. The exhibitions offer a wealth of information with an audio guide in 15 languages. It also gives you the chance to put your visit into the context of the country’s past. The exhibitions recreate the fascinating drama of the sagas and the birth of this island nation. The goal is to make the ancient sagas accessible to all ages in an entertaining way. See more..
4.5 Kirkjufell Mountain (671 reviews)
- An Obvious Must-See
Spent More than 3 hours Mountains

The mountain is near Grundarfjordur, a teensy-weensy town in west Iceland. With a summit 1,500 feet above sea level, Mount Kirkjufell the biggest landmark in the village of about 900 residents. Kirkjufell stands on snaefellsnes peninsula of its own, a stunning backdrop for the multicolored Icelandic sky. See more..
4.5 Hraunfossar (657 reviews)
- Beautiful Waterfall and Hike near Husafell
Waterfalls

We were looking for a quick but scenic hike nearby, and the Hotel Husafell staff recommended these waterfalls. It didn’t disappoint! Beautiful, classic Iceland scenery, it’s free, and you can spend as much time as you want during this quarter-to-half mile loop hike. Worth the stopover! See more..
4.5 Laki Tours (556 reviews)
- Awesome killer whale experience
Boat Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching

We chose to go whale watching with Laki Tours out of Olafsvik to get our best chance of seeing killer whales... and it paid off! We went out at 10 am on July 23, 2022, from Olafsvik and had a great time with white-beaked dolphins and Icelandic Killer Whales. We caught a couple of quick glimpses of a Minke whale dorsal fin, but that was it for larger whales. For us, that wasn't our mission as we've been whale watching many times before and have seem the larger ones. Killer whales were our mission this time. I highly recommend Laki Tours as they are ready to show you whales/dolphins and keep you warm! They provided suits for keeping warm so they had no complaints about people being cold. Killer whale season is ending now, but I feel we lucked out and the team for Laki Tours knew right where to go for our best chance of spotting the. Thanks for the great tour!! See more..
4.5 Vatnshellir Cave (464 reviews)
- All things rocks!!!
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Caverns & Caves

Follow the path of the lava flow, about 200 meters into the cave and 35 meters below the surface to see amazing colors and lava formations. The 8000 years old cave is located in Snaefellsjokull National Park, about 10 minute drive from Hellnar. See more..
4.5 Snaefellsjökull National Park & Glacier (369 reviews)
- Lots of different sights
National Parks • Geologic Formations

This national park is located around half of Snaefellsnes Volcano. It has many different sights that are worth visiting, with Londrangar, Gatkletur and Djupalonssandur Beach being just a couple of the highlights. All sites are easily reachable from the main road through the park and you can spend a full day visiting all of them. See more..
4.5 Glymur (331 reviews)
- One of the most amazing places out there
Spent 2-3 hours Waterfalls

A nice gem which is a lot less known than the usual Ring Road main attractions but for me was better than most of them. Do yourself a favor and if you have time add this to your itinerary even if it means you will have to cut out some of the typical stops. There are two ways to do the hike, on the left and on the right side of the canyon. The right side needs a river crossing. There is typically a log to help with the crossing in the summer, at the time of my hike on 17th of May, the log was not up yet. I just ended up crossing the river straight through, you will need to bring a towel an maybe spare shoes if you want to do the same. Hiking poles will help here if you are not comfortable with river crossings. Regardless, please try to do the right side, it's just not even comparable to the left one in terms of views. Easily done as a day hike from Reykjavik as well. See more..
4.5 Kirkjufellsfoss (308 reviews)
- waterfall and Kirkjufell Mountain in the background
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Waterfalls

The waterfall and the Kirkjufell mountain in the background offer a beautiful view. The parking lot is paid and the path next to the waterfall is a bit narrow for so many people. But despite of these, it's definitely worth a look. See more..
4.5 Budakirkja (286 reviews)
- An Incredible Place To Take Photographs
Spent 1-2 hours Religious Sites

We stopped at Budakirkja mostly for the opportunity to take photographs. The church is painted with pitch giving it a black color. The black pitch helps to protect the church from the harsh weathering it receives along the rugged coast of Iceland. It was worth stopping here at this peaceful setting for 30 minutes. The area is very scenic and the backdrop of the church, graveyard, and mountains makes for dramatic photographs. If you are traveling the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, this is well worth a stop. See more..
4.5 Londrangar Basalt Cliffs (242 reviews)
- Such a beautiful spot
Spent < 1 hour Geologic Formations

The Londrangar Basalt Cliffs are the remains of a crater which has been eroded to its present form by the sea. Nice walk along the cliffs with several viewpoints from which you can see the famous Londrangar rock formation. The two large pillars towering over their surroundings at the shore near Hellnar in Snæfellsnes are Lóndrangar. The higher one is 75 meters high, and the shorter is 61 meters high. Seen from a long distance, it looks like an enormous castle has emerged from the sea. Nice place at the coast with some greatly formed rocks. Beautiful views of the coast. This place is said to belong to the elves living in the area. On these cliffs, puffins and fulmars have their nests. Beautiful rock formation of the southern coast of the peninsula. Great place for a visit. These rocks are awesome. Pictures won't unfortunately show this , you have to see it on your own. Must visit while in West Iceland. It is a hidden gem. See more..
4.5 Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss) Waterfall (219 reviews)
- Well worth the stop
Spent < 1 hour Waterfalls

This was easy to find as it was well signed on road 35. We had to pass through a barrier, being charged 700 ISK to park and view the nearby falls. It was very easy to get wonderful views of the falls from the boardwalk which started about 20 metres from the car park. There were viewing platforms further down the trail and there was easy access to the bottom of the falls. After 30 minutes we had seen the falls from a variety of positions. There was a cafe and picnic tables at the falls but we were keen to press on so we did not dwell here. See more..
4.5 Dritvik and Djupalonssandur (174 reviews)
- The rocks are awesome.
Beaches • Nature & Wildlife Areas

Most people stay on the trail. Don't. Walk down to the beach that is near the parking lot and play in the rocks. We sat and watched the huge waves crash for 15/20 minutes (until they picked up in intensity lol!). It feels like you're on another planet down there. Dritvik is nothing special. We walked the 1 mile hike and it just takes you to a beach. See more..
4.5 Djupalonssandur Beach (161 reviews)
- Gorgeous black sand beach
Beaches

This was one of our stops on the snæfellsnes peninsula day tour. We spent about 40 mins here which was plenty of time to walk down to the beach and explore a bit. The black sand is super cool, especially against the snow when we visited. It was lovely just to watch and listen to the waves. Please be careful though as the waves are quite big and I saw someone get caught out by a big wave when trying to take a picture. He got pulled down and drenched, but was lucky as he managed to get back on his feet before another wave dragged him into the water. See more..
4.5 Akranes Lighthouse (140 reviews)
- Charming viewpoint
Sunday: Points of Interest & Landmarks • Lighthouses • Observation Decks & Towers

Before entering the lighthouse, we had a long chat with the very nice person at the ticket office. By the way, admission is free for 65+. After ticketing you walk out to the lighthouse and enter it on your own. Ascent to the top is via steep staircases between each level. In fact, they are more like ladders. The final ascent is via a short ladder where you must lift a hatch aside to get to the outside (and remember to put it back in place again, when leaving!) Out on the platform you have a magnificent view of the surrounding area. We were lucky on our visit with only a light breeze and almost unlimited visibility, so we stayed on top for quite a while. Down at ground level, a pleasant combination of text and pictures gives a good understanding of the history of the lighthouse. Parking is plentiful and next to the ticket office are a couple of very well-kept public restrooms. If you are OK with steep stairs, the lighthouse is certainly well worth a visit. See more..
4.5 Gatklettur (133 reviews)
- Wonderful place
Spent 2-3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Geologic Formations

Lovely place. A small port, rock formations and birds. The place where you can walk for a long time is beautiful. Really great place to see the cliffs and get some great pictures. Gatklettur is particularly spectacular for photographers, amateurs and professionals alike. Serene and beautiful place. Totally worth a visit. See more..
4.5 Eiriksstadir (110 reviews)
- Home of the Vikings
Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks

In Eiríksstadir you can travel a thousand years back in history, hear a story by the long fire and see how people lived in the times of Eric the Red. See more..
4.5 Lighthouse Súgandisey (74 reviews)
- Beautiful
Lighthouses

Amazing views to both sea and shore. Easy hike with stairs from the harbour. A must visit if you are in the area. See more..
4.5 Barnafoss (72 reviews)
- Unique Waterfall, even by Icelandic Standards
Waterfalls

You'll see tons of waterfalls in Iceland, but this one is a bit different than the rest, as it's really made up of hundreds of little waterfalls, and covers what seems like a mile of a river's bank. Definitely worth stopping by if you're nearby for the Víðgelmir cave or Krauma Baths. There's also a short hiking trail to see different parts of the falls, and a restaurant in the parking lot.. See more..
4.5 Húsafell Swimming Pool (72 reviews)
- Relaxing & rewarding
Water Parks

The swimming pool in Húsafell is one of the most popular recreations in the area. It was originally built in 1965 but since the pool and its surroundings have been renovated greatly. There are two swimming pools, as well as two hut tubs, along with a water slide. See more..
4.5 Rauofeldsgja (70 reviews)
- Stand in A Huge Crack in the Earth!
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Canyons

I wasn't sure about stopping there but I'm so glad we did. It was a very captivating, cool (temperature) walk into a crack in the earth. There is a legend that goes with it, like most things in Iceland. The legend is given on a sign in the parking lot. It wasn't overrun with tourists but there were quite a few who braved the hike up into the crack. We politely let each other take pictures up inside. It's worth a visit before heading further west on the peninsula. See more..
4.5 Haafell Goats and Roses (70 reviews)
- Great family outing
Farms

Our grandchildren, 2 and 4 years had a wonderful time watching and stroking these pure Icelandic bred goats, as did we grandparents and parents. They wander freely in a large grass field. Very friendly and informative staff made the visit even better. We had tasty goats milk ice cream and coffee at the little café. See more..
4.5 Surtshellir Lava Cave (70 reviews)
- Great experience - almost unique
Caverns & Caves

Fabulous experience taking a short scramble into this impressive lava cave on a guided tour. Helmets and lights provided. There aren't many areas in the world where you can do this - book via Flotstunga Travel Farm. Good for reasonably mobile families but a bit of a scramble in places. Wrap up warm at all times of the year. See more..
4.5 Borgarnes Swimming Pool (61 reviews)
- Great Stop for Campers!
Spent 1-2 hours Sports Complexes

Our day started with picking up our campervan in Keflavik, driving through Reykjavik, and embarking on a 4.5 hour hike up/down Glymur waterfall. We wanted to get some driving started into the West Fjords and prior to that late night drive we stopped by this pool. The pool is great and the views are spectacular. There are several hot tubs with varying temperatures and this was a great way to relax the muscles and shower up before heading out (not knowing if we'd camp somewhere with amenities, which we didn't). It was a very local experience as we were the only tourists in the place. People are very friendly and it seems this is the 'thing to do' for friends/families on any given night. Highly recommended if you're passing through! See more..