By Monika
Vatnsnes Peninsula: Hvítserkur and the Best Seal Watching in Iceland.
If you’re looking to get off the beaten path in Iceland, Vatnsnes Peninsula is a destination worth adding to your itinerary.
Often overlooked by travelers rushing around the Ring Road, this quiet corner of North Iceland offers amazing rugged coastal scenery – including one of the most unusual rock formations: Hvítserkur – and some of the best seal-watching spots in the country.
Vatnsnes Peninsula may not be as popular as some of Iceland’s other attractions – it took me four trips to Iceland to get there – but that’s exactly what makes it so appealing.
After driving this entire route, I can assure you that if you enjoy discovering places beyond the usual tourist trail, this is one detour you won’t want to miss!
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- Vatnsnes Peninsula: Hvítserkur and the Best Seal Watching in Iceland.
Where is Vatnsnes Peninsula
Vatnsnes Peninsula (also known as the “Seal Circle”) is located in North Iceland, on the Húnaflói Bay.
Its biggest town – Hvammstangi – is only a quick detour from the Ring Road, just under 200 km (2 hours 40 minutes) from Reykjavik and just over 200 km (2.5 hours) from Akureyri.
If you’re driving the Ring Road clockwise, Hvammstangi will be your entry point to Vatnsnes. That’s what we did during our trip, and that’s what I would recommend (I’ll explain why a little further in this article).
But of course, you can drive this route in either direction.
It’s about 90 km long, counting from the entry and exit point from the Ring Road, and without any stops it’ take about 2 hours to drive it. But of course, you’ll be making stops, which I’ll describe below.
Most of the route follows road 711 around the coast, with the exception of rt. 72 to Hvammstangi and optional roads 716 and 715 at the end.
But first let’s talk about getting to the peninsula.
How to get to Vatnsnes
The only way to explore this area is by car.
There are no day tours to Vatnsnes, and while there is a Strætó bus service to Hvammstangi from Reykjavik (via line 57), it won’t allow you to travel the rest of the route.
So the best option is to rent a car and drive yourself.
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You are not required to have a 4×4 car, but it is definitely a plus on the gravel roads, and good ground clearance will make your drive smoother and easier.
READ MORE: Driving in Iceland – Essential Tips for a Great Road Trip.
Best stops on Vatnsnes Peninsula (our itinerary)
We drove this route clockwise, coming from Snæfellsnes Peninsula and started in Hvammstangi.
From the Rong Road (Rt.1) we made a left tun to route 72 and found a small gravel pull-off area with this handy map of the entire peninsula:
… and this adorable sign.
So follow the road for 6 km till you reach Hvammstangi.
Hvammstangi
I mentioned earlier that I recommed starting your Vatnsnes drive in Hvammstangi – that’s because it’s the last stop before joining route 711 where you can get gas and some groceries for the road.
When you drive into the town, you’ll see a full-service Orkan gas station on your left – I strongly recommend topping off your gas tank here. If you need snacks and restrooms, that’s a good spot for that as well. The only other gas station in town is a self-service N1 pump.
From there, you will also spot the KIDKA Wool Factory Shop – if you have some time, definitely stop by, especially if you are planning to buy an authentic Icelandic sweater (lopapeysa) or other wool items.
It’s fun to just walk around and look at the products – everything is produced right there, and you can get a glimpse into how it’s all made through the large glass panel.
When we visited, they had adorable wool square samples with puffins on them that you could take for free – they made amazing souvenirs!
As their website says: “KIDKA is more than just a store – it’s an authentic Icelandic experience”
Next, make your way to the Icelandic Seal Center.
You’ll find a museum there, dedicated to seals and Icelandic wildlife, but also a visitor center and a small gift shop. Be sure to get a handy paper map of the peninsula and ask any questions you may have – staff members are super friendly and very knowledgeable.
If you need a bite to eat, you can do that at the Sjávarborg Restaurant, located above the Seal Center.
There is also a small supermarket there if you need to stock up for the road.
When you’re ready – continue to the next destination.
Illugastaðir Seal Watching
Drive time: 30 – 45 minutes (27 km) from the Seal Center.
Your next stop will be the Illugastaðir Seal Watching spot.
Helpful hint: Make sure to put “Illugastaðir Seal Watching” in your navigation. If you just put ”Illugastaðir”, it may try to direct you to a town near Akureyri.
At first, the road is paved but about 15 minutes into the drive, it turns to gravel. It’s very scenic, running along the coast and, for the most part, wide enough for two cars to pass. In the narrower spots, you’ll find marked areas to pull over.
You may see some sheep on the way as well!
We drove this route on a cloudy day and the low clouds just added to the mystical feel of the landscape.
When you get to Illugastaðir, park in the parking lot, make your payment of 1000 ISK via the parka.is website or app (parking zone 5003) and follow the path along the water to the viewpoint.
The walk is short – about 10 to 15 minutes – and very scenic. The views are stunning!
At the end of the path you’ll reach the seal-watching spot. There is also a small hut there where you can find shelter in bad weather and even sign a guest book.
We spent some time here looking for seals and just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, then walked back to our camper.
A set of binoculars or a camera with a good zoom will definitely help spot them!
Time needed: allow at least an hour – 30 minutes for the round trip walk and time to spend at the seal viewing spot.
Hvítserkur
Drive time: 40 minutes (23 km) from Illugastaðir
Our next stop was Hvítserkur.
It’s a striking, solitary basalt rock formation, standing 15 meters tall in the ocean, famous for its shape resembling an animal drinking water. It’s often nicknamed the “Rhino Rock” or the “Troll of Iceland”.
It’s one of the most famous stops on Vatnsnes Peninsula.
There is a designated paid parking lot shortly after you turn from rt. 711 to a path leading down towards the shore. You can pay the fee via the parka.is website or app (parking zone 5302).
If you don’t mind a walk, you can do what we did – we left our car in a small parking area just off of rt. 711 and walked down towards the water.
Keep in mind that there are two different paths you can take from the official parking lot.
If you’re facing the ocean, the one on your left will take you to the Hvítserkur viewing deck and the one on your right will take you to the “seal beach”.
We went to see Hvítserkur first. It seemed smaller that I imagined but still an incredible sight!
You can get a great view of it from the platform or you can take a short but steep path all the way down to the beach to see it from the ground level.
You should only do that at low tide. Check the tides here.
During our visit, the tide started coming in, so we decided not to go down. Instead, we took the short 500 m trail to the seal beach. This path is not as steep but still a little rocky in places so if you like walking with hiking poles, they may come in handy here.
We had this path pretty much to ourselves, except for some sheep just resting in the grass. There is a viewing platform here as well – a great place to spot the seals on the black sand beach across from it.
From the beach, we made our climb all the way up the hill towards our parking area.
Time needed: 30 minutes to just see Hvítserkur plus about an hour to walk to the seal beach.
Borgarvirki
Drive time: 24 minutes (17 km) from Hvítserkur
This is the destination we ended up skipping as we had a busy day still ahead of us and we wanted to visit the next spot – Kolugljúfur Canyon – instead.
Borgarvirki is a basalt column structure believed to be an ancient Viking fortress. You can climb the stairs to the top and get some great views of the area.
To reach Borgarvirki, you have to take rt. 717 at the fork about 9 km from Hvítserkur, instead of continuing on rt. 711.
Kolugljúfur Canyon
Drive time: about 50 minutes (37 km) from Hvítserkur or 30 minutes (20 km) from Borgarvirki
While this canyon is not directly part of the Vatnsnes peninsula route, it is a really nice addition if you have the time in your itinerary. If you’re coming from the north, you can see it before you tour Vatnsnes and if you’re coming from the south, you can see it after, especially if you’re continuing to Akureyri.
To reach Kolugljúfur, you’ll drive on route 716, then 715 (both gravel) until you reach a well-marked turn to a parking area. When we visited, it was pretty bumpy but we found a spot around the potholes.
The canyon is directly next to the parking lot. There is a viewing platform and a bridge over the Víðidalsá river, where you can get a good view of the gorge and the Kolufossar waterfalls.
You can also take a path and go a bit further down towards the river to get a closer view of the canyon. It reminded me a little of Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon in South Iceland.
Time needed: You don’t need more than 30 minutes here but it’s a fun stop.
Vatnsnes Peninsula itinerary map
Best time to visit Vatnsnes Peninsula
Best time of year to visit Vatnsnes is the summer, between May and August. Driving on the gravel roads is the easiest, you have the best chance to see the seals and the longest days to fit everything in.
It is possible to visit the peninsula in other months, but you’ll get to enjoy the landscapes without the seals.
The best time of day for seal watching is within 2 hours of low tide. You can check the tides here.
Where to stay on the Seal Circle
The most convenient place to stay on Vatnsnes Peninsula is Hvammstangi – you will find the most accommodation choices here.
Svalbarð Guesthouse is a popular choice as it also offers horseback riding tours.
You can also stay at the Ósar Hostel near Hvítserkur.
Is Vatnsnes Peninsula worth it?
Yes, I think it is definitely worth adding it to your Iceland itinerary.
It is a quiet, peaceful, less-traveled corner of Iceland, where you can enjoy the beauty of Icelandic nature without the crowds of the more popular areas.
And if you’re as lucky as we were, you may get a chance to see a herd of Icelandic horses led from one area to another, crossing road 711 and stopping all traffic past Hvítserkur. It was a beautiful sight and a true highlight of our day!
Nearby attractions
What else can you do in this area?
You can continue on the Ring Road to explore other amazing areas of North Iceland, like Troll Peninsula (still on my list – I only saw a small part of it), the Diamond Circle and Lake Mývatn area (don’t miss it – it’s stunning!).
Or you can head back towards Reykjavik and visit Snæfellsnes Peninsula and another underrated area of Iceland – the Silver Circle.
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About Monika
An avid traveler and a passionate trip planner, mildly obsessed with being organized and prepared 🙂
Well aware of how precious travel time is, I’m here to share my experience and help you get the most out of your vacation time.
“Taking the hassle out of trip planning”