Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Talk to a local
Stokksnes is a peninsula on the Southeast coast, about 17 km from Höfn and 465 km (around 6 hours) from Reykjavík, known for views of the jagged Vestrahorn mountain across black sand dunes. The land is privately owned, so there is an entry fee, paid at a café near the gate, and the site is open all year.
Stokksnes is best known for one view: the sharp, 454-metre ridgeline of Vestrahorn rising straight out of black sand dunes and shallow tidal pools. It is one of the most photographed mountain views in Iceland, especially at sunrise when the east-facing slopes catch the first light.
Stokksnes itself is a headland. At its outer edge the open sea breaks hard against low cliffs and skerries, while the inner side is a wide, flat black sand beach and a shallow lagoon. It is a quieter stop than the big names further west on the South Coast, so photographers usually have the time and space to set up a shot.
The peninsula is private land, farmed by the same family for generations, and access is managed through a small entry fee collected at a café by the gate. Near the entrance stands a cluster of turf and timber buildings built in 2009 as a film set for a Viking-themed production that was never made. It has stayed as part of the visit, and it finally appeared on screen in the Netflix series The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Vestrahorn means "west horn". It is one of a group of horn-named peaks on this coast, together with Brunnhorn right next to it and Eystrahorn, the "east horn", further along the Ring Road. Brunnhorn's three-pointed outline has earned it the nickname Batman Mountain.
Most Icelandic mountains are dark basalt. Vestrahorn is different. It is made mainly of gabbro, with some granophyre, a pale rock related to granite that is rich in quartz and feldspar. These rocks cooled slowly deep underground and were later laid bare by erosion, which is why the mountain is so steep and jagged, with long grey scree slopes.
The mountain reached a new audience in 2015, when a song sequence for the Bollywood film Dilwale was filmed on the beach with Vestrahorn as the backdrop. Visitor numbers rose in the years that followed, and the landowner now charges a fee for the use of the road and the site. Stokksnes is one of a small number of natural sites in Iceland with an entry fee. Kerið crater on the Golden Circle is another.
Any car can manage the gravel road in normal conditions. In heavy winter snow a 4x4 may be needed, so check road.is before you go.
The peninsula combines a mountain view, a black sand beach with dunes, and a small film set.
Drive only on the road and park only in the marked areas. The dunes and their grass are fragile, so walk between them rather than over the tops.
Sunrise is generally considered the best time for photography here, with the morning light hitting the east-facing slopes of Vestrahorn directly.
The Viking Café at the entrance serves coffee, waffles and light snacks, has toilets, and is where the entry fee is paid. The same family runs a guesthouse and a campsite next to it. There are no other facilities on the peninsula itself.
Höfn, about 20 minutes away, has the widest range of hotels and guesthouses in the area, and is a common overnight stop on a Ring Road trip.
Yes, the peninsula is privately owned and there is a paid entry fee, collected at the café near the gate. In 2026 it is ISK 1,200 per person, and children under 16 are free.
A small set of turf and timber buildings built in 2009 as a film set, left near the entrance to the peninsula. It was later used in The Witcher: Blood Origin.
About 17 km, or around 20 minutes by car.
Take the signposted gravel road off Route 1 just west of the Almannaskarð tunnel, east of Höfn, and follow it for about 4–5 km to the Viking Café.
454 metres. It is made mostly of gabbro, which is unusual in Iceland.
Yes, it is open all year, though weather and road conditions should be checked before visiting in winter.
Tours and trips that include Stokksnes, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
