Arctic Coast Way – Iceland's most beautiful detour

Enter the gateway to Iceland's past

The panoramic way encompasses 900 kilometers of the North-Icelandic coastline, six peninsulas, and six islands.

The Arctic Coast Way (Norðurstrandarleið) can either be traveled as a detour from the Ring Road, in selected segments, or by itself as an extensive 9–12-day journey.

Arctic Henge in Raufarhöfn

More than 25 cultural sights and museums await the ones who want to learn about the exciting, and sometimes very dark, Icelandic past. You can listen to sagas and myths and visit the places where Iceland's bloodiest battle took place, outlaws spend their banishment and the last woman in Iceland was executed by law.

Experience the presence of untouched nature

Take the time to enjoy the scenery to the fullest

The Arctic Coast Way offers the possibility to explore Iceland’s extraordinary nature in its full range: humpback whales and Icelandic horses, puffins in summer, and northern lights in winter - the North has it all!

Spending less time in the car and more in this rugged and mountainous nature will enable you to enjoy Iceland to the fullest. Hiking, diving, horseback riding, jet skiing, and many more outdoor adventures await you.

Make unique memories for the future

Sail boat from North Sailing in Húsavík

Exclusive workshops and tours along the Arctic Coast Way, so-called Hero Experiences, bring travelers and locals together: cooking with Scandinavian Cuisine chefs on the beach, going on town tours with local storytellers and traditional Icelandic pastry, or bottle-feeding newborn lambs on one of the remotest sheep farms in Iceland, are only three of many options.

Hero experiences enable travelers to take part in daily life, make connections to locals and hear first-hand about the challenges small villages so close to the Arctic Circle must face.

Find out more about possible routes, combinations, Hero Experiences, and adventures on the Arctic Coast Way.

Arctic Coast Way