Day 1: Reykjavík - Hvammur - Vatnsdalur - Sveinsstaðir
You will be picked up between 07:30 and 08:30 in the morning from pick up points in Reykjavik. Please be ready at the earliest pickup time. Your accommodation might be the first one for pick up. Please also be ready in your riding clothes. You will be transferred by bus from Reykjavík to Hvammur Farm where you meet your horses and guides.
You start your ride through Vatnsdalur Valley. This beautiful valley is the setting of the Vatnsdæla saga. You ride along the banks of Vatnsdalsá River before crossing over to the western side of the valley. Your ride ends at Sveinsstaðir Farm and you return to Hvammur Farm for your overnight stay. This whole riding takes approximately 25 kilometers.
Day 2: Hvammur - Sveinsstaðir - Hóp - Borgarvirki - Þverá - Hvítserkur
You leave Sveinsstaðir Farm and ride alongside the Hóp lagoon. The black sand at the beach is ideal for riding tölt, the special gait of the Icelandic horse. This trail along the shore gives you an idea of the beautiful lagoon you are going to cross tomorrow. You ride along the banks of Víðidalsá River and cross over it. You take a break at Stóra-Borg where your lunch break is and drive to Borgarvirki, a fascinating fortress from the Viking ages.
Then, you continue your ride to the sheep-pen Þverárétt. It is used by local farmers to sort the sheep in the autumn. Before returning to the guesthouse, you take another excursion to the shore where you see Hvítserkur, a basalt rock formation, a nesting place for many seabirds. This area is home to large numbers of seals and hopefully, you see many of them resting and playing on the beach. You spend the night again at Hvammur Farm. The whole riding is approximately 30 kilometers.
Day 3: Hvammur - North Atlantic - Thingeyrar
Today, you explore the beauty of the Vatnsnes peninsula and follow black dunes on Sigríðarstaðasandur toward North Atlantic. You have your lunch break on top of the Nesbjörg ridge where you enjoy the great view. Today, you cross the Hóp Lake and follow a safe trail through the water on your way to Thingeyrar Farm, once the site of a monastery founded in the 12th century. For sure, this day is one of the highlights of this ride. The riding distance is approximately 40 kilometers. You can then relax in the outdoor hot tub at Hvammur Farm before a hearty dinner.
Day 4: Hvammur - Thingeyrar - Húnavatn - Hvammur
You start the day with a visit to the historic Thingeyrar Church. This is your last day of riding and you bring the horses back to Hvammur Farm. You cross Lake Húnavatn on a safe trail in the water and enjoy the excitement of the horses once they have returned to the black sand on dry land. You ride on the eastern side of Vatnsdalur Valley, past Hvammsfoss waterfall, surrounded by impressive basalt columns. The riding distance is approximately 25 kilometers. Celebrate the successful return in the evening with a great farewell dinner.
Day 5: Hvammur - Reykjavík
It is time to say goodbye to your guides and drive back to your accommodation in Reykjavík. Approximate arrival is at 12:30 in Reykjavík.
Notes: Íslandshestar reserves the right to alter the itinerary if necessary.
Precautions
- Knee-high rubber boots are recommended for this ride.
- Riding gear (riding trousers, jackets, etc.) needs to be washed (40 degrees Celsius) or dry cleaned.
- Items which can not be washed or dry cleaned (riding boots and riding hats) need to be cleaned and disinfected at least five days prior to arriving in Iceland.
- The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority recommends the broad-spectrum disinfectant Virkon S for disinfection.
- Used riding gloves, whips, saddles, bridles, chaps, and other used leather gear may not be brought into the country.
Please understand that these precautions are necessary because there are no contagious animal diseases in Iceland. Horses are not vaccinated and are therefore susceptible to infectious agents from abroad. Please help Íshestar to protect Iceland’s fragile nature!
Tack type
The tack used for Icelandic horses is slightly different than the tack ordinarily used for other breeds. The saddle is built close to a dressage saddle and has a relatively flat seat. Saddles come with plain or quilted seats. On longer rides, a crupper helps to keep the saddle in place. Riding style used on Icelandic horses is close to English riding style, but stirrups are worn long. Bits used are mostly simple snaffles. Bridles have a detachable noseband and clip on reins.
The Icelandic horse
The breed is best known for its four-beat smooth gait, the tölt, which is very comfortable for the rider, especially on a longer tour, and elegantly displayed by the horse. Riding an Icelandic horse in its native habitat land is an authentic riding experience. Herding along free-running horses is the traditional way of traveling in Iceland since horses are changed at least once a day on longer tours. You get to ride a variety of horses.
The Icelandic horse is intelligent, good-tempered, and versatile. It is the most colorful breed in the world, with over 40 different colors and over 100 variations. The Icelandic horse is also unique amongst horse breeds because it masters five gaits namely walk, trot, tölt, canter / gallop, and flying pace.
