Have you always wanted to visit Iceland but don't want to sacrifice your usual comforts? This exclusive riding programme in the south offers hotel comfort instead of hiking huts. Furthermore, we guarantee small groups with a maximum of 8 participants on this ride, ensuring individual attention. The ride takes you to some of the major highlights in the south of Iceland, across lava fields, through green river valleys, past hot springs, waterfalls, glaciers and volcanoes. You will therefore gain a deep impression of the island's diversity. You will ride in the area of the Hekla volcano, in the Heiðmörk nature reserve and on the beach, discovering the amazing contrasts of Icelandic nature on four exciting day rides. Horses and riders are taken to a new starting point each morning for 3 days, so that none of the routes overlap and you ride four completely different routes. When you return to the riding hotel in the late afternoon after a day spent in breathtaking natural surroundings, you can enjoy a dip in the hot tub. Then round off the day with a delicious buffet in the hotel restaurant and at the bar before retiring to your cosy double or single room. If the weather is nice, you can also enjoy the terrace with a view of the oval track, green horse pastures and mountains.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival. Our partner will meet you between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the bus terminal or at your hotel in Reykjavik, from where you will be taken to the hotel on the farm. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: You’ll start with a ride across meadows and follow the mighty Ölfusá glacial river, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the river delta with its black, sandy banks, the volcanic mountains, and all the way to the sea. The ride continues along the wide Ölfusá delta until you reach the black lava sand on the south coast. One of the highlights of the tour is a ride along the beach at a tölt and a gallop. Depending on the tides, the tour may also begin on the beach. Riding time: approx. 5–6 hours / 24 km.

Day 3: The day begins with a drive to the riding grounds in Reykjavik. After a lap around the famous oval track, where the best horses competed against each other at the “Landsmót,” you’ll spend the day riding along picturesque trails on the outskirts of the city. You’ll ride through a surprisingly diverse landscape of lakes, forests, and lava formations. You’ll also see the impressive pseudocraters of Rauðhólar, the “red hills,” which were formed during a volcanic eruption 4,700 years ago. You’ll ride through the forest and visit another typical Icelandic “horse village.” Afterward, you’ll return to the riding stable with the horses in a trailer. Riding time: approx. 5 hours / 20 km.

Day 4: Today you’ll travel to the picturesque Thjórsárdalur Valley and ride through the breathtaking landscape surrounding the nearby Hekla volcano. The lush valley on the edge of the barren highlands, with its forests, streams, soft sandy soil, bizarre volcanic formations, and green hills, offers an unforgettable riding experience. You’ll also visit an excavated farmhouse that was buried 800 years ago under a layer of ash from the Hekla volcano. Riding time: approx. 6 hours / 23 km.

Day 5: You’ll take the horses to the nearby village of Selfoss. You’ll ride toward the mighty Hvitá glacial river. The grassy riverbanks and the vast, green plains are ideal for long stretches at a brisk tölt, while you enjoy the view of the majestic volcanic mountains in the distance. After the final day of riding, the bus will take you back to Reykjavík, where you’ll arrive around 5:00–5:30 p.m.

Subject to change! The order of the individual riding days may vary.

Accomodation
You can stay overnight in the Reiterhotel in spacious double rooms (approx. 23 sqm) with private bathroom. Single use for a surcharge. Family rooms and 3-bed rooms are also available at to stand . The hotel offers TV and Internet in all rooms, a restaurant with excellent international cuisine, a bar, fireplace and hot tub. Towels are provided and you can borrow a hairdryer from reception.

A delicious buffet awaits you in the morning. Drinks are included water, tea and coffee. In the evening there is a 3-course menu for guests, of course always with a vegetarian option. Other meal requests can also be accommodated by prior arrangement. Beer, wine and soft drinks are available for an extra charge. On the way, you can fortify yourself with a picnic of sandwiches in the great outdoors.
Payment by credit card is possible at the hotel.

Saddle & Tack: Snaffle and Icelandic trekking saddles.

Experience: You should have at least 3-5 years of riding experience and be confident in all gaits, including riding outside of the arena. Experience in tölt is not required.

Horses: Icelandic horses, well trained and experienced in tölt.