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8 Day The Arctic North Horse Riding Holiday in Kerlingaskógur, Iceland
Bjarnastaðir Farm, Kerlingaskógur, Northwestern Region, Iceland
Breathtaking Horse Riding Holiday Iceland
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in in Iceland
Riding the Icelandic horse is the most authentic travel experience you can get, and Íslandshestar looks forward to allowing you to enjoy these horses in their natural surroundings. Their experienced multilingual team members are happy to assist you in making your horse riding dream tour come true. So, do not wait before embarking on this amazing adventure through the picturesque landscapes of Iceland!
Key information
- Rider weight limit: 242 pounds / 110 kilograms
- Tack type: Icelandic tack
- Horse breed: Icelandic
Highlights
- 7 riding days
- Ride through Ásbyrgi and Melrakkaslétta plains with fascinating birds
- Visit to Hraunhafnarviti Lighthouse
- Fun bus tour to Langanes Peninsula
- 3 to 4 horses per person
- Local guidance
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals
Skill level
- Advanced
Styles
7 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 20 participants
Accommodation
Facilities
- Hot tub / Jacuzzi
Bjarnastaðir Farm, home of Halldór Olgeirsson and Elín Maríusdóttir is situated in the low bushy area of Kerlingaskógur, close to the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum and Dettifoss Waterfall. You will enjoy a great view over the Fjord Öxarfjörður and the famous Lake Skjálftavatn which suddenly appeared overnight after a strong earthquake 28 years ago. Halldór and Elín, breeders of both horses and sheep will welcome you with open arms and their warmth and hospitality are indeed second to none.
- Number of beds: 23
- Outdoor jacuzzi: Yes
- Number of showers: Four
- GSM connection: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
Program
Hosts for this program are Halldór and Elín with their family from Bjarnastaðir Farm, known to many Icelanders for their excellent breeding of horses. Halldór is a respected member of his community and among other things, he is a “mountain king” when the time calls for gathering up the sheep in autumn.
Daily itinerary
Day 1: Reykjavík - Akureyri - Bjarnastaðir - Presthólar
The meeting place is at Reykjavík Domestic Airport at 6:20 a.m. You fly to Akureyri and drive to Bjarnastaðir farm. Please bring your passport or other identification for your domestic flight. Bus transfer to Bjarnastaðir Farm, where you meet up with the guides and horses and have lunch.
After a short introduction to the horses, you set out through Kerlingaskógur's low bushy and enjoy great views over the Fjord Öxarfjörður and the famous Lake Skjálftavatn which suddenly appeared overnight after a strong earthquake 28 years ago when the land had been lowered by four meters overnight. During your ride to Presthólar, you stop at Tungurétt round-up place and Kvíar (Fjárborgir) Canyon. Overnight at Bjarnastaðir and on your way there, you stop at Lundur swimming pool.
- Distance: Approximately 34 kilometers
Day 2: Presthólar - Blikalón
You head north and enjoy the soft tracks of the Melrakkaslétta plains. The name Melrakki derives from an almost forgotten word for the fox. This area is a paradise for birds and is well known for its fantastic nature, beautiful lakes filled with trout, and rich vegetation. You finish the day by riding down the Blikalónsdalur valley, leaving the horses at Blikalón, and driving to Bjarnastaðir farm for an overnight stay.
- Distance: Approximately 40 kilometers
Day 3: Blikalón - Raufarhöfn
During this riding day along the coast, you stop at Hraunhafnarviti Lighthouse, only three kilometers away from the Arctic Circle, and finish off at Raufarhöfn village. Most of the 250 inhabitants of this small village live on traditional fishing. You will take a good look at their way of life here in the far north of Iceland.
- Distance: Approximately 30 kilometers
Day 4: Raufarhöfn - Flautafell
Today, you continue to ride towards Flautafell farm which draws its name from the mountain Flautafell hovering over the area. Flautafell Farm is an old abandoned farmhouse where nobody lives anymore. It’s about 65 meters above sea level with beautiful nature all around.
- Distance: Approximately 30 kilometers
Day 5: Sightseeing around Langanes
On this exciting day, you rest the horses and head out on a fun bus tour to the Langanes peninsula. The peninsula is known for its rich bird life and stunning nature with rock stacks in the sea full of birds and wildlife.
Day 6: Flautafell - Bjarnastaðir
You meet the horses where you left them at Flautafell and head towards Bjarnastaðir over Öxarfjarðar heath. The heat is about 500 meters above sea level and around 60 kilometers long. Around 1850, there were lots of farms there, but all were abandoned after the volcanic eruption in 1875 so now this heath is very rural and you hardly ever see people there.
- Distance: Approximately 30 kilometers
Day 7: Bjarnastaðir - Jökulsárgljúfur
On this adventurous day, you ride beside the majestic Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. The canyon is part of the Vatnajökull Glacier National Park. Through the canyon, you can see the longest glacier river in Iceland Jökulsá flowing from the Vatnajökull glacier. On the way is a perfect photo stop where you can see the whole canyon behind you.
- Distance: Approximately 30 kilometers
Day 8: Bjarnastaðir - Akureyri - Reykjavík
Before you say goodbye to horses and drive to Húsavík airport to catch the flight to Reykjavik, you will ride to Ásbyrgi Canyon one of the wonders of nature, a horseshoe-shaped canyon. The old saga says that the god Odin from northern mythology rode his giant horse Sleipnir who stepped down on the ground and formed this shoe print. Arrive in Reykjavík in the afternoon.
- Distance: 30 kilometers
Íslandshestar reserves the right to alter the itinerary if necessary.
Riding skills
- Advanced riders
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 keep the saddle in place. The riding style used on Icelandic horses is close to the English riding style, but stirrups are worn long. Bits used are mostly simple snaffles. Bridles have a detachable noseband and clip-on reins.
Location
This part of Iceland is inhabited by only a few people, most of them living in little fishing villages along the coast. There is a lot of diversity on this tour starting with beautiful mountain views from the wide Öxarfjörður Fjord. The Peninsula of Melrakkaslétta, which stretches almost to the Arctic Circle, is a paradise for birdwatchers and people with geological interests. Here you are right on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian plates drift apart.
From mid-June to mid-July this area is “home” to the Midnight Sun which sends its golden light over the deep fjords of North Iceland. Hosts for this tour are Halldór and Elín with their family from Bjarnastaðir Farm, known to many Icelanders for their excellent breeding of horses. Halldór is a respected member of his community and among other things, he is a “mountain king” when the time calls for gathering up the sheep in autumn.
Húsavík
It is a town in north Iceland with around 2300 inhabitants around 10 km from the domestic airport. The town is famous for whale-watching tours.
Bjarnastaðir Farm
It is situated in north-east Iceland in the low bushy area of Kerlingaskógur, close to the glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum and Dettifoss waterfall. It is the farm of Elín and Halldór, breeders of both horses and sheep, who will welcome you with their open arms.
Fjord Öxarfjörður
It is a broad fjörd in northeast Iceland located right on top of the Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Lake Skjálftavatn
After earthquakes 1975-1976 the land suddenly sank and the shallow but generous fishing lake Skjálftavatn emerged. It is among the larger lakes of Iceland and a source of generous fishing rivers.
Tungurétt
Round-up place.
Melrakkaslétta
Plains could translate Arctic Fox Field. It is inhabited by a few with most of them living in little fishing villages along the coast. It has a highly versatile geography ranging from mountains up to 400 meters above sea level to cliffs, valleys, tundra, and lakes full of trout. It is real bird heaven with the largest migrations in spring and autumn and home to both Syberian driftwood and seals.
Blikalónsdalur
A grassy grown valley with cliffs on its many edges that reach all the way to the moors in the south.
Hraunhafnarviti
It is a lighthouse only three kilometers away from the Arctic Circle. There you have good hiking roads and its harbor Hraunhöfn is often mentioned in many of the Icelandic Sagas.
Arctic Circle
It is the northern polar circle positioned 66, 33 degrees north of the Equator but changes slightly. Iceland is just south of it but Grímsey, a small island, reaches north above it. For 24 hours each year during June and December solstices the sun remains solely above or below the horizon.
Raufarhöfn
Most of the 250 inhabitants of this small village live off traditional fishing. It is the most northern village of Iceland’s mainland and where the Arctic Henge is located.
Flautafell
It is an old abandoned farmhouse where nobody lives anymore. It is about 65 meters above sea level with beautiful nature all around.
Langanes
The peninsula is known for its rich bird life and stunning nature with rock stacks in the sea full of birds and wildlife.
Öxarfjarðarheiði
The heath is about 500 meters above sea level and around 60km long. Around 1850 there were lots of farms but all were abandoned after the volcanic eruption in 1875. Now, this heath is very rural and you hardly ever see people there.
Jökulsárgljúfur National Park
It was situated north around the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum and the waterfall Dettifoss. Since 2008 it has been a part of Vatnajökull National Park, the largest national park in Europe.
Vatnajökull National Park
It has been a World Heritage Site since 2019 that combines the former parks Skaftafell in the south and Jökulsárgljúfur in the north. The area is large with a varied geography of glaciers, waterfalls, rivers, and a glacier lagoon. It has a high geothermal and volcanic activity that also marks the landscape and its history.
Ásbyrgi
One of the wonders of nature is a horseshoe-shaped canyon. The old saga says that the god Odin from northern mythology rode his giant horse Sleipnir who stepped down on the ground and formed this shoe print.
Food
During the ride, full board is provided and included in the price. The menu consists of a large breakfast and traditional Icelandic meals (fish or lamb). Vegetarian meals are available if requested when booking. All riders make their own packed lunch from the breakfast table. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the tour price and are hard to get in the highlands. They can be bought at a reasonable price in the Duty-Free Store at Keflavik Airport upon arrival.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- Horse riding program
- 7 nights accommodation
- Full-board meals
- Flight from Reykjavík to Akureyri
- Bus tour to the Bjarnastaðir farm
- 3 - 4 horses per person and local guidance
- Rainwear, water bottle, saddle bag, and riding helmet
- 11% VAT
What's not included
- International flights
- Airport transfers
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
How to get there
Recommended Airports
KEF
Keflavík International Airport
235 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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