Packages and Options

Saturday: Arrival in Iceland - Keflavík Airport - Reykjavík

Transfer from Keflavík Airport to a guesthouse in Reykjavík. At 17:30 we invite you to a Welcome Meeting including traditional Icelandic soup. Receive details of your tour and meet your fellow riders. 

Sunday: Reykjavík – Stóri-Kálfalækur – Grímsstaðir

Morning transfer to Stóri-Kálfalækur Farm, where horses and staff are waiting for us. After an introduction to the Icelandic horse and its special gaits we start our ride into the mountains through fertile farmlands and along good riding tracks to Grímsstaðir Farm with its proud history dating back to medieval times. Overnight at Stóri-Kálfalækur in made up beds, Showers and a hot tub on site. (5 - 6 hours)

Monday: Grímsstaðir – Hítarhólmur

The ride today leads through multi-coloured mountains and along low bushy hillsides. Hítardalur is a geological paradise. Vast lava fields, soft tracks through ashes and the high palagonite (tuff) mountains give you the impression of taking a ride on the moon! We leave the horses at the Hítarhólmur mountain and drive back to Stóri-Kálfalækur, where the hot tub is waiting. (5 - 6 hours)

Tuesday: Hítarhólmur – Kolviðarnes – Laugagerði Schoolhouse

We continue our ride through this mystical volcanic valley. We stop at the sheep gathering place Hítardalsrétt and if you take a good look you can see the troll woman Hít who was turned into stone returning late from a date. We proceed west across Hítará River and travel trough an area well known as the hideout of Iceland’s most famous outlaw, Grettir. At Kolviðarnes Farm we leave the horses and spend the night at Laugagerði Schoolhouse where a swimming pool heated with geothermal water awaits us. (7 - 8 hours)

Wednesday: Laugagerði Schoolhouse – Traðir – Hof Farm

After rejoining the horses we start our beach ride on Löngufjörur, the famous horse trail on the seashores of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. View majestic Snæfellsjökull Glacier ahead of you and feel the horses’ excitement and take part in their joy on this extraordinary trail released by the tide. Our horses spend the night at Traðir Farm while we stay at Hof Farm with a geothermal hot tub on site. (6 - 7 hours)

Optional (available at an extra charge):

Drive along the coast towards the romantic fishing villages of Arnastapi and Hellnar. Here we are right underneath magical Mt. Snæfellsjökull. Visit the Information center of the Snæfellsnes National Park and learn about its mysterious powers. View beautiful bird cliffs along the shore, shaped by powerful waves. Meet giant Bárður Snæfellsás and hear about historic celebrities like the far travelled Guðríður Þorbjarnadóttir and mass murderer Axlar Björn! (Price per person:  ISK 2.500)

Thursday: Hof – Traðir – Kolviðarnes – Stóri-Kálfalækur

Another day´s ride on the yellow coloured, sandy beach. Direction changes and we head back towards mighty Eldborgarhraun lava field. An unique experience for everyone with lava-fields and mountains on one side of the trail and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. We leave the horses at Kolviðarnes Farm and drive to Stóri-Kálfalækur, where we spend the last two nights. (6 – 7 hours)

Friday: Kolviðarnes – Stóri-Kálfalækur Farm

Last day on the beach and yet a new experience. The sand turns black as we follow the outline of Eldborgarhraun lava field. Imagine the black lava still on the move on your way back to dry land. The ride ends at Stóri-Kálfalækur Farm, where we enjoy Ólöf’s farewell dinner. (5 – 6 hours)

Saturday: Stóri-Kálfalækur – Reykjavík

Transfer back to Reykjavík for an overnight stay in a guesthouse. Approx. arrival in Reykjavík at 11:00.

Sunday: Dep. from Iceland – Reykjavík – Keflavík Airport

Transfer by bus to Keflavík Airport in time for the flight back home.
Subject to change

Please note that the beach ride is determined by the tide. Therefore the riding can start at any hour of the day and even last into the night. Don't worry though, the nights are bright at this time of the year.

From the end of May to the end of August it's the time of the midnight sun, of the never-dark nights. Iceland is famous for its thermal pools, and you can count on never being more than a few nights away from their warmth and relaxation.

 You should be ready for all kinds of weather as it can change very quickly. We provide you with good rain-clothes, a riding helmet and a sleeping bag. Also a saddle bag (where you can keep the picnic lunch, a small camera, extra pair of gloves etc.).

Normal street-clothes are not necessary except for your stay in Reykjavík before or after the tour.

You will be staying in small guest houses or mountain huts, or in school dormitories in sleeping bags.

Accommodation in Reykjavík includes breakfast only, not lunch and dinner. At the welcome meeting, a traditional Icelandic stew is served on the arrival day.

Vegetarian meals are available upon request. During the ride all meals are provided. Our menu consists of a large breakfast and traditional Icelandic meals (fish or lamb). Vegetarian meals are available if requested in advance. All riders make their own packed lunch from the breakfast table.

This ride is operated with a herd of free running horses.

All Icelandic rides take twice or triple the usual number of horses along to prevent exhaustion in the rough terrain. You’ll change horses several times--with the rest of the herd freely running between front and end rider, a special treat. 

The Icelandic Horse:
The origin of the horse in Iceland is exactly the same as the arrival of the first settlers from Scandinavia in the ninth century. Clearly, the horse was the catalyst that allowed the settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper. Since no other breed of horse has ever been imported to Iceland, this special animal is a pure-bred "Viking Horse".

The horse was used for everything. They worked tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and provided transportation between the farms as they were settled. They went on scouting expeditions into this new territory in search of everything from water to grazing areas. Strong and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted and adapted to this new land certainly as fast and most likely faster than the new settlers.

Viking battles were fought on horseback and the animal quickly adjusted to any situation that was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many of the slain Vikings warriors of the many battles in earlier times were often buried with their horses as a sign of honor and respect.

The Icelandic horse has many characteristics unique unto itself. Perhaps the most noticeable would be its intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair. The five gaits of the horse are also one of the special features that sets it apart form all other horses. These gaits are the fetgangur, the walk or step, the brokk or trot, the tölt, which is a faster type of walk, the skeið or the pace and the stökk, or gallop.

Tack:		Icelandic
Horses:		Icelandic Horses
Pace:		Daily rides are 4-6 hours (30-50 km). | Walk | Trot | Canter | Gallop |
Level:		(3.5 out of 5)    Strong Intermediate
Riders:		Min 8	Max 20

This ride is operated with a herd of free running horses.

All Icelandic rides take twice or triple the usual number of horses along to prevent exhaustion in the rough terrain. You’ll change horses several times--with the rest of the herd freely running between front and end rider, a special treat. 

The Icelandic Horse:
The origin of the horse in Iceland is exactly the same as the arrival of the first settlers from Scandinavia in the ninth century. Clearly, the horse was the catalyst that allowed the settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper. Since no other breed of horse has ever been imported to Iceland, this special animal is a pure-bred "Viking Horse".

The horse was used for everything. They worked tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and provided transportation between the farms as they were settled. They went on scouting expeditions into this new territory in search of everything from water to grazing areas. Strong and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted and adapted to this new land certainly as fast and most likely faster than the new settlers.

Viking battles were fought on horseback and the animal quickly adjusted to any situation that was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many of the slain Vikings warriors of the many battles in earlier times were often buried with their horses as a sign of honor and respect.

The Icelandic horse has many characteristics unique unto itself. Perhaps the most noticeable would be its intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair. The five gaits of the horse are also one of the special features that sets it apart form all other horses. These gaits are the fetgangur, the walk or step, the brokk or trot, the tölt, which is a faster type of walk, the skeið or the pace and the stökk, or gallop.

Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:
(a) 1. nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden who are only required to produce national identity cards issued by the competent authorities in their countries of origin.
Passport Note
Iceland is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.

Visas
Not required by all nationals of referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days.
2. EU nationals staying longer than 90 days will need to apply for a residence permit from the directorate of immigration in Iceland.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
A stay in another Schengen-Zone country counts as the same as a stay in Iceland.