Reykjavik Itineraries: 10-Day and 14-Day Sample Routes
Reykjavik’s position on Iceland’s south-western coast places it at the hub of the island’s most rewarding cruising routes. The itineraries below are designed as flexible starting points – your captain and Boatcrowd charter specialist will tailor every stop, activity and pace to your group’s interests and the conditions on the water.
10-Day Reykjavik Yacht Charter: West Coast and Westfjords
Day 1: Reykjavik
Board your yacht at the Old Harbour. Explore Harpa Concert Hall, the waterfront and Laugavegur shopping street. Welcome dinner on deck with views across Faxaflói Bay.
Day 2: Faxaflói Bay Whale Watching
A morning whale-watching cruise in Faxaflói Bay. Humpbacks, minke whales and white-beaked dolphins are regular visitors. In the afternoon, cruise north toward the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
Day 3: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Arrive at Snæfellsnes and anchor near Kirkjufell, Iceland’s most photographed mountain. Explore the Snæfellsjökull glacier-capped volcano (1,446 metres), black-sand beaches and the fishing village of Arnarstapi.
Day 4: Brðeiðafjörður Bay
Cruise through the island-dotted Brðeiðafjörður Bay, watching for white-tailed eagles and seals. Visit Stykkishólmur for provisions and a walk through the charming harbour town.
Day 5: Westfjords – Ísafjörður
Enter the Westfjords and anchor at Ísafjörður. Steep mountain walls surround the town on three sides. Explore the Maritime Museum, sample local seafood, and hike the trails above the fjord.
Day 6: Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
Cruise to Hornstrandir for a day of hiking among Arctic foxes, seabird colonies and abandoned farmsteads. The reserve is accessible only by boat, and the solitude is absolute.
Day 7: Westfjords Exploration
Explore the outer Westfjords by zodiac and tender. Towering sea cliffs, hidden coves and pristine fjord anchorages. Your crew prepares a shore-side barbecue on a deserted beach.
Day 8: Westfjords to Snæfellsnes Return
Begin the return south along the western coast. Pause at Reykhjarfjörður for a natural hot spring soak accessible by tender, then anchor off Snæfellsnes for the night.
Day 9: Snæfellsnes to Reykjavik
Cruise south along the Snæfellsnes coast, pausing for a final swim or zodiac excursion. Continue to Reykjavik (roughly 85 nautical miles), arriving by late afternoon.
Day 10: Reykjavik and Departure
Final morning in Reykjavik. Visit the Hallgrímskirkja observation tower, shop for Icelandic wool and design, or enjoy a farewell lunch at Dill. Disembark by early afternoon.
14-Day Reykjavik Yacht Charter: Full Circumnavigation
Day 1: Reykjavik
Board your yacht at the Old Harbour. Explore the city, visit Harpa Concert Hall, and settle in with a welcome dinner on the aft deck.
Day 2: Reykjavik to Vestmannaeyjar
Cruise south-east to the Vestmannaeyjar (roughly 75 nautical miles). Enter Heimaey’s volcanic harbour and explore the 1973 Eldfell lava fields and the Eldheimar Volcano Museum.
Day 3: Vestmannaeyjar – Puffins
A full day among the Westman Islands. Visit Stórhöfði’s puffin observation point (1.1 million breeding pairs), explore by zodiac around the outer islands, and hike the volcanic ridges.
Day 4: South Coast and Jökulsárlón
Cruise east along the south coast past glacier tongues and black-sand beaches. Zodiac excursions among the icebergs calved from Vatnajökull. Harbour seals haul out on the ice.
Day 5: East Fjords
Round Iceland’s south-eastern corner into the seldom-visited East Fjords. Deep inlets, fishing villages and dramatic headlands. Anchor in a quiet fjord for the night.
Day 6: Seyðisfjörður
Cruise to Seyðisfjörður, one of Iceland’s most picturesque villages. Rainbow-painted street, waterfalls cascading from the surrounding mountains, art galleries and a creative community.
Day 7: North-East Coast
Round the north-eastern headlands, passing remote bays and sea stacks. Watch for seabirds along the cliffs and navigate toward the northern coast.
Day 8: Húsavík – Whale Watching
A dedicated day in Skjálfandi Bay. Humpback whales surface with 95–99% sighting rates in summer. Visit the Whale Museum and dine on fresh Arctic char ashore.
Day 9: Grímsey – Arctic Circle
Sail to Grímsey and cross the Arctic Circle. Puffins, Arctic terns and the island’s community of 60. Champagne on deck to mark the crossing.
Day 10: Akureyri
Cruise Eyðafjörður (60 km) to Akureyri. Explore the botanical gardens, bookshops and the restaurant scene of Iceland’s northern capital.
Day 11: Siglufjörður and North Coast
Visit Siglufjörður’s Herring Era Museum, then cruise west along the dramatic northern coastline toward the Westfjords.
Day 12: Westfjords – Hornstrandir
Hike Hornstrandir Nature Reserve among Arctic foxes and seabird colonies. Return to the yacht in a silent, uninhabited fjord.
Day 13: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Cruise south past Ísafjörður and along the western coast to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Anchor near Kirkjufell as the evening light paints the glacier-capped volcano gold.
Day 14: Return to Reykjavik
Morning cruise south to Reykjavik (roughly 85 nautical miles). Arrive by early afternoon. Farewell lunch on deck or dinner at Dill. Disembark.
