iceland_93

Vestrahorn is a mountain in south-east Iceland, noted for its two distinctive peaks and proximity to the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and East Fjords.


Geography of Mount Vestrahorn

Vestrahorn mountain is located on the Stokknes Peninsula, close to the town of Höfn. Unlike most of the mountains in Iceland, it is made out of iron- and magnesium-rich gabbro rock, which leads to its dark and jagged appearance.

Standing separate from the mountains of the nearby Vatnajökull National Park, Vestrahorn is an impressive 454 metres (1,490 feet) tall. It faces out to the sea on its southern side and is surrounded by a sandy coastline that is often home to seals. Like most stretches of beach in Iceland, the sands here are black due to the island’s volcanism.

Vestrahorn translates to ‘West Mountain’ due to its proximity to the similar Eystrahorn, or ‘East Mountain’.


Getting to Vestrahorn

Vestrahorn is most often visited by those travelling the South Coast of Iceland. It is slightly further east than two of the greatest attractions of the area, the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the glacier caves, the latter of which draw thousands of visitors in the winter. It about six hours drive from Reykjavík, however, making it slightly too far to reach and return from in a day.

It is also visited by those touring the East Fjords, a remote region that begins to the north of the town of Höfn, and by those taking the full route around the Ring Road.

Many photography tours in Iceland spend plenty of time at Mount Vestrahorn due to its dramatic formation, the reflections it casts in the surrounding waters, and its spectacular appearance under the Northern Lights in winter and Midnight Sun in summer.

Vestrahorn’s photogenic appearance has not gone unnoticed by filmmakers. Vestrahorn was, for example, used as a backdrop for the Bollywood film Dilwale.

Unlike most attractions in Iceland, there is a small charge to drive the road to and park at Vestrahorn, as it is on private land.