Iceland Horseback Adventure

Our Adventure Begins

Your Iceland Horseback Adventure begins! Meet at the centrally located BSÍ bus station in Reykjavik at 5:00 pm for our transfer to Kálfhóll Farm.

Here, we check into our cozy cabins and settle in for a hearty country meal around the farmhouse dining table. Our hosts, the farm owners, have been breeding Icelandic horses for generations, and welcome travelers from around the world.

Once our bellies are full, we relax over coffee or tea, get to know each other and share riding experience with our guides so they can match us up with the most suitable horses for tomorrow’s ride.

Afterward, we can bask under the midnight sun in the hot tub or enjoy the view from the deck overlooking the river Þjórsá, or tuck into cabins shared with our new (or old!) wild women friends. 

Included Meals

Dinner

Accommodations

Kálfhóll Farm

Travel

Approximately 1 hour by van

Glacier Views and Ancient History

After a leisurely breakfast, we tack up our horses in the paddock and begin our ride from Kálfhóll farm, following Iceland’s longest river, Þjórsá, flowing down from the glacier Hofsjökull. When skies are clear, this path offers spectacular views of the glacier Eyjafjallajökull (you might recall this difficult to pronounce glacier from when the volcano beneath it erupted in 2010 and stumped newcasters around the world!) and the volcano Hekla. The grassy banks are home to several species of birds and wild flowers. Watch for Arctic Tern, Northern Fulmar and Common Eider ducks, among others. You may even spot a flock of swans by the river’s shore if you’re on the lookout!

Our ride ends at Sandlækjarmýri, one of the grassy fields where the horses rest and rejuvenate on their time off. We leave the horses to graze while we make our way to the Laugarás Lagoon to soak our tired muscles. After a nourishing dinner, we tuck in for a restful night back at the farm. 

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Kálfhóll Farm

Travel

Riding 10 miles (16 km), which takes about 3 hours

Hills and Rivers

Today’s a full day of riding through the stunning countryside of Iceland’s Uppsveitir region. Breathtaking mountains and rolling hills command our attention, and we come to our first river crossing today: The Salmon River, Laxá. Á (pronounced “ow” as in “cow”) means river in Icelandic, and we’ll hear that word a lot on this trip as we follow and cross some of Iceland’s most beautiful waterways. Our guide will teach us lots of helpful Icelandic words and phrases, such as the multi-meaning Jæja (pronounced Yaiya) that we’ll often hear when it’s time to tack up our horses and go.

Tonight, the horses rest at Solheimar farm, while we make our way to Myrkholt Guest House, which will be our home base for three nights.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Myrkholt Guesthouse

Travel

Riding 12.5 miles (20 km), which takes about 4-5 hours

Mastering the Tölt

Today, we embark on the Hrunahringur trail, exploring the historic Hruni farm, which is also an old clergy estate, with a picturesque and historic church built on the property in 1865. Our guide shares stories about the deep cultural significance of the area, bringing the landscape to life.

Today’s highlights include stretches of long soft paths, perfect for mastering the tölt, the special smooth gait that Icelandic horses are famous for. We continue our ride to Brúarhlöð, a stunning canyon where the Hvítá (White River), the same glacial river that plummets over the famous Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall), has sculpted remarkable lava formations!

After marveling at nature’s art, we continue on to finish the day at Skjól farm where we leave the horses for the night, and transfer to Myrkholt Guest House for dinner and to share stories of the day. (Approx. 25 km).

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Myrkholt Guesthouse

Travel

Riding 15.5 miles (25 km), which takes about 6-7 hours

Riding with the Herd

Today is a thrilling day of riding with a small herd of loose horses.* As we climb into the highlands, we find windswept and sculpted landscapes, and breathtaking views. The terrain here is hilly and rocky, and highlights the sturdiness and surefootedness of our horses. Because of the challenging landscape, and the long distance we’re covering today, having extra horses ensures that all the horses have time to follow along and rest without a rider.

We start by riding up Kaldbaksfjall (Cold Back Mountain), where we enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding highlands. This area is lightly travelled, wild and rugged, and gives us a true taste of the vastness and isolation of the Icelandic highlands. We finish our ride in Kaldbakur, where the horses stay overnight, and we return to our cozy guesthouse for dinner. 

*Note: Riding with the herd is dependent on current weather conditions and rider skill level. If the guides decide that taking extra horses “in hand” (ponying) is safest, we will move more slowly and take more breaks according to the needs of the horses and riders. 

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Myrkholt Guesthouse

Travel

Riding 15.5 miles (25 km), which takes about 7-8 hours

Riding along the River

Today we cross the Salmon River (Laxá) on our way into Laxádalur, the Salmon River Valley. Here, our path follows the river through peaceful, scenic and unspoiled landscapes. As we ride, it’s easy to imagine the traditional Icelandic way of life when horses were the main means of transportation from farm to farm.  We get a real sense of just how isolated Icelanders were in earlier times!

We continue our ride today with the herd until we arrive at Árnes, where the horses rest for the night. While the horses graze and relax, we rejuvenate with a visit to a newly renovated local swimming pool, Skeiðalaug, where we get a glimpse into another Icelandic ritual: socializing in pools, hot tubs and saunas. Almost every town and village has a pool, and there are over 120 pools in Iceland, where locals carry on this centuries old tradition.

After a good soak, we return to the farm for a hearty dinner and spend the night back in our cabins. 

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Kálfhóll Farm

Travel

Riding 13.5 miles (22 km), which takes about 6-7 hours

Saying goodbye to our Herd

Our Final Tölt of the Trip! Our final riding day takes us through lush countryside with soft paths, where we enjoy miles of easy tölting. We will ride with the herd for the first 4 miles (7 km) until we reach Sandlækjarmýri field. There, we’ll say good-bye to our extra horses, and make our way back to the farm along the banks of the river Þjórsá.

The horses know they’re going home and we may feel them pick up the pace as they anticipate some extra green grass and time to relax! After freshening up from our ride, we’ll settle in for a farewell dinner at the farmhouse, sharing highlights from the trip and maybe dreaming of the next!

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Kálfhóll Farm

Travel

Riding 14 miles (23 km), which takes about 6-7 hours

Until Next Time

After a hearty breakfast, we say goodbye to our horses and hosts and transfer back to Reykjavík BSÍ. From here, you can make your way to your hotel or to your onward travels, carrying with you the memories of an unforgettable Iceland Horseback Adventure through Iceland’s highlands, lowlands and epic rivers. 

Included Meals

Breakfast

Travel

Approximately 1 hour by van