Since ancient times, the Kjölur highland route has been crossed on horseback, and many legends and dramatic events from Icelandic history are associated with it. In this completely uninhabited area, you will discover desert-like landscapes, mountains, glaciers, hot springs and black lava sand. Riding along this route gives you an understanding of how arduous it must have been to cross the island in centuries past. An exciting adventure still awaits riders today, even though everything is much more comfortable now. The support vehicle transports food and luggage for the travellers. Three experienced guides accompany the riding tour, as well as a cook who takes care of the guests' physical well-being at lunchtime and in the evening. Overnight stays are in simple but cosy mountain huts. You ride in two groups, driving the herd of free-running Icelandic horses between you. The horses are changed one to three times a day.
Before heading up into the lonely highlands, you will have the opportunity to explore some of Iceland's most famous sights: the Geysir and Strokkur hot springs and the Gullfoss waterfall

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival
Arrival in Reykjavik and transfer to the riding centre. After meeting your fellow riders and guides, enjoy dinner together and discuss the tour. Overnight stay in a new guest house in double rooms.

Day 2: Hveragerði – Reykholt – Myrkholt
After a hearty breakfast, you will drive to Reykholt, where you will meet the horses. You will ride on soft tölt trails through the fertile countryside of Biskupstúngur, along a large lake. In the evening, you will visit the hot springs around the geyser. Here you can admire the mighty fountain of Strokkur, which shoots up into the air about every 15 minutes. Riding time approx. 4 hours and 20 km.

Day 3: Myrkholt - Fremstaver
A short ride takes you to the next highlight: the mighty Gullfoss waterfall, which you can visit on foot. Then you leave civilisation behind. You ride on through typical fields of blooming lupins, which soon give way to a barren desert with black stones and black sand. You are now quite high up and have a beautiful view of the surrounding jagged mountains and across to the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. The desert later gives way to a fertile green river valley. You follow the river at a brisk tölt to the legendary Bláfell mountain. You will spend the night south of Bláfell in the Fremstaver mountain hut. Approx. 25 km, 6-7 hours.

Day 4: Fremstaver - Árbúðir
You continue your ride east of Bláfell. First, you pass through a moon-like stone desert, which suddenly gives way to gentle hills on the riverbank. Here you can enjoy trotting up and down the hills with the whole herd, crossing small streams and passing the Ábóta waterfall. Here, at 700 metres above sea level, begins the Kjölur, Iceland's oldest route connecting the south and north. After lunch, you will cross the wide Hvitá river via a wooden bridge. You will enjoy a beautiful view of the Kerlingarfjöll mountains, which are considered the landmark of the Kjölur. Later, you will follow the Svartá river to Árbúðir, where you will spend the night in a mountain hut in a beautiful location with views of the river and glacier. Approx. 30 km, 6-7 hours.

Day 5: Árbúðir - Hveravellir
This day begins in the direction of Hvítárnes, a very grassy area that changes dramatically in summer due to the white cotton grass. You will reach the Kjalhraun lava field, which resembles the keel of a ship in appearance and shape and is probably the origin of the name Kjölur. You will ride west of Kjalhraun through a narrow mountain gorge to the Thjófadalur valley (Valley of Thieves). The circular valley is hidden by the surrounding mountains. It is one of the few grassy places in Kjölur. You will spend the night in Hveravellir, where you can bathe in hot springs. Approx. 40 km, 8 hours.

Day 6: Hveravellir - Áfangi
Today you will have plenty of time to discover the wonderful nature around Hveravellir before saddling up the horses. Hveravellir is one of Iceland's largest hot spring areas, impressive for its incredible colours and magnificent altitude. In earlier times, this was the haunt of criminals and outlaws, such as the once feared Fjalla-Eyvindur. Around midday, you will set off again towards the north, crossing the Seydisá River and the Sandkúlufell, Hanskafell and Sauðafell mountains. The area is initially sandy with many wide paths, later you will ride along narrow, soft trails; a wonderful day of riding with ideal conditions for a brisk tölt. You will spend the night in a mountain hut. Approx. 28 km, 5-6 hours.

Day 7: Áfangi - Vatnsdalur
Far away from any civilisation in northern Iceland, you will ride across the heathland of Eyvindarstadaheidi, with the large lake Blöndulón on your right, created by the hydroelectric power station at Blandá. You will continue on soft paths until you reach a mountain ridge. From here, the descent begins, with a view of a huge black rock face, broken by a remarkable waterfall. You end the tour in the green valley of Vatnsdalur. Say goodbye to the horses and drive to Reykjavik. Approx. 20 km, 4 hours.

The first tour starts in the south. Every second tour is ridden in the opposite direction. Subject to change!

Accomodation
On the first day, you will spend the night in the cozy guest house at Riding centre in 2- to 4-bed rooms. You will have dinner and breakfast in the beautiful hotel restaurant.

In the often very remote areas through which you will pass to ride , to stand there are no hotels along the way. Some of the accommodation is in guesthouses with 4 to 6-bed rooms, but you will mostly be accommodated in dormitories or hikers' huts where all guests sleep together. Hot showers are usually available at to stand, but there may be times when accommodation only has washing facilities and toilets. Power sockets are also not available every night.

Saddle & Tack: Snaffle and Icelandic trail riding saddles

Experience: You should have been riding regularly for at least 3 years and be able to ride unfamiliar horses in all gaits without instruction (you will learn the tölt on site). As you will be riding with the herd, the pace will be adjusted accordingly (usually a brisk tölt).

Horses: All riders have 2-3 horses during the tour, and always changes between them