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Horseback riding tours
Rides in
Iceland
Intro to Iceland
 East and SouthHighland Tours Iceland Shorts Northern Tours West
Also see:
Hiking Trips
Horseback in:
Norway
Finland
Europe Overview
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Krýsuvík and the Blue Lagoon
West
Iceland
Begin at home base, the charming equestrian hotel of Vellir, and follow one of Iceland's largest rivers, the Ölfusá, on a invigorating riding trek to the Blue Lagoon! We ride through the mouth of the river to the West Coast and visit the beautiful Strandarkirkja Church. Then off to Krýsuvík, a colourful area of hot-springs which contrasts sharply and mysteriously to the dominant sands and the lava fields of the region. The unique landscape of Iceland will continue to contrast distinctively and change before our eyes as we ride down towards the sea to a pretty green bay, then up towards the mountains, through the lava sands and lush green meadows, before we end the tour in the exquisite Blue Lagoon. We will have the opportunity to relax in its soothing geothermal waters after the long days of riding and what a lovely reward that will be!
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Camping Ride with vehicle support
Progressive Ride (no camping)
Short Getaway
Suitable for riders over 210 lbs
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Meeting:
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Reykjavik
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Airport:
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Keflavik Airport
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Transfer:
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Reykjavik BSI central bus station on Day1 between17:30-18:00 hrs
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Riders:
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Min
6 riders
Max
16 riders
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Trip Brochure (PDF) 
Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2013
Rates include:
Sleeping bag accommodations, all meals (except dinner last night), 4 riding days
| A | 2013 | 6 day trip, AP except dinner last night | 6d / 5n | $1370 |
Transfer and Other Options:
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2013
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Transfer from Reykjavik BSI bus station is included
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From the airport, you take the official airport shuttle bus called FlyBus to the Reykjavik BSI central bus station for meeting between 17:30-18:00 hrs. The FlyBus transfer is not included, for details please see www.flybus.is .
Rates do not include:
Airport transfer into town - take the Flybus !
Dinner last evening.
Day 1: Arrival at Keflavík Airport, Iceland.
You take the bus from Keflavík airport to the Reykjavík bus station (BSÍ).You will be greeted by our representatives at 17.30 - 18.00 (5:30 PM) who will arrange your further transportation to our farm Vellir in neighboring town of Hveragerði. There the riders will be the sleeping bag dorms at the farm hotel. If you choose, you can upgrade (extra $) to a private room in the hotel part of Vellir. The first evening we will all have dinner together and we provide details about the next few days!
Day 2: Hveragerdi - Hlidarendi
We start the day by getting to know the horses in the paddock. After lunch we ride from Vellir over green meadows in the bird sanctuary Ölfusforir. Then we ride out over sands and water of the delta of the river Ölfusá. The tour continues on the beach near the fishing village Thorlákshöfn. We leave the horses on the farm of Hlidarendi and spend the night at Vellir again.
22 km, 4-5 hrs
Day 3: Hlidarendi - Krýsuvík
From Hlidarendi we continue south and visit the church Strandarkirkja. The church is right by the shore and has it´s own special history. We continue on the beach for a seaside ride and go after that up nearer the mountains. We ride between the contrasting of mountains, lava and the ocean. We pass the green lake Grænavatn and reach Krýsuvík with it´s hot springs and mountains in rich colours. The night is spent in the cozy house Ísólfsskáli right by the shore.
40 km, 8 hrs
Day 4: Krýsuvík - Ísólfsskáli
We start by visiting the bird mountain Krýsuvíkurberg. There we can see many different birds, for example the iconic puffins. Then we ride over the mountains to Vigdisarvellir. Vigdisarvellir is a green oasis between the mountains, once the land of three farms. From there we follow the old road between lavafields down to the coast and Ísólfsskáli where we spend the night together with the horses.
25 km, 5 hrs
Day 5: Ísólfsskáli - Krókamýri - Blue Lagoon
The last day is a mixture of everything that characterizes the tour. We start by the shore and ride up the mountains again. The old path goes between lava and green areas before we climb up the mountain to get a beautiful view over the south-west part of Iceland. We ride down again and leave the horses in Krókamýri. After that we drive to the Blue Lagoon where we take a bath in the blue waters which are a mixture between hot spring water and sea water. The riders will be back in Reykjavik around 18.00 (6 PM) where they spend the night in sleeping bag accommodation.
20 km, 4 hrs.
Day 6: Departure.
You take the bus to Keflavik Airport (not included).
--Subject to Change
Meeting:
Reykjavik
Airport:
Keflavik Airport
Transfer:
Reykjavik BSI central bus station on Day1 between17:30-18:00 hrs
From the airport, you take the official airport shuttle bus called FlyBus to the Reykjavik BSI central bus station for meeting between 17:30-18:00 hrs. The FlyBus transfer is not included, for details please see www.flybus.is .
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Tack:
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Icelandic
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Horses:
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Icelandic Horses
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Pace:
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Daily rides are between 4-8 hours (20 - 40 km).
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Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
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Level:
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(3
out of 5) Intermediate
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Riders:
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Min
6 riders
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Max
16 riders
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The Icelandic Horse:
The origin of the horse in Iceland is exactly the same as the arrival of the first settlers from Scandinavia in the ninth century. Clearly, the horse was the catalyst that allowed the settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper. Since no other breed of horse has ever been imported to Iceland, this special animal is a pure-bred "Viking Horse".
The horses were used for everything. They worked tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and provided transportation between the farms as they were settled. They went on scouting expeditions into this new territory in search of everything from water to grazing areas. Strong and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted and adapted to this new land certainly as fast and if not likely faster than the new settlers!
Viking battles were fought on horseback and the animal quickly adjusted to any situation that was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many of the slain Vikings warriors of the many battles in earlier times were often buried with their horses as a sign of honor and respect.
The Icelandic horse has many characteristics unique unto itself. Perhaps the most noticeable would be its intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair. The five gaits of the horse are also one of the special features that sets it apart form all other horses. These gaits are the fetgangur, the walk or step, the brokk or trot, the tölt, which is a faster type of walk, the skeið or the pace and the stökk, or gallop.
On large the farm areas, perimeter fences keep in most of the horses, but many are also simply allowed to run free. This most naturally accounts for the spirited nature of the animal. All of them seem to adapt to the personality of their owner. It is essential to establish a trust between the Icelandic horse and the rider. Doing so literally guarantees a friend for life. The passion and spirit of the Icelandic horse is never broken only brought under control. As a result, the Icelandic pure-bred horse remains one the world's most unique animals to this day.
Passport and Visa Requirements:
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:(a) 1. nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherland. more
As its name suggests, Iceland is cold, but not as cold as might be expected because of the passing warm waters of the Gulf Stream, which regulate the climate. Its average mid-winter temperatures are no lower than those in New York City. The city's coastal location does,
however, also mean it is prone to wind, and gales are common in winter.
Reykjavik is also a very wet city, having on average 213 rainy days out
of the year, with spring having slightly more sunny days!
The average January temperature is 31°F (-0.5°C). The south is the wettest part of
the country, but snow is rare. Coastal areas tend to experience winter
gales and are generally windy.
The summer temperatures in Reykjavík range from 41°F (5°C) at night to as high as 77°F (25°C) during the day.
During the summer months there is almost continuous daylight; early spring and late autumn feature long twilights. From mid-November until the end of January, in the darkness of winter, the opposite is true, with the country only experiencing a few hours of daylight each day. T
he Northern Lights are often visible in autumn and early winter.
We provide the following:
· Safety helmets
· Rainwear
· During the wintertime we also provide winter overalls
· Rubber boots
You should bring:
· A waist bag is useful when riding. (A backpack is not good because it bumps around when you are riding and it may hurt you if you fall off).
· Please note, sleeping bags are not provided. Please bring your own with a pillow.
· Please bring your Travel Insurance Card information.
· Normal street-clothes are not necessary except for your stay in Reykjavik the last night.
Cameras:
We recommend to bring a small camera that can be taken in a pocket, a waist/hip bag or in the saddle bag.
Large camera equipment we can not allow on the horses for security reasons. Tours are operated with a free running herd - at speed of tölt or trot for most of the day. We take breaks to relax the horses and then it is possible to take pictures. While on the horse taking pictures is rather difficult since the horses are constantly moving. Because of the herd instinct it is not possible to stop an individual horse, they all will follow each other.
You can leave larger Digital SLR with your luggage at the farm or put it in their luggage that will be transferred to the new accommodation.
It is not yet legally mandatory that riders need to wear riding helmets. Nevertheless we strongly recommend clients wear one. Clients will be experiencing a new breed of horses in new terrain, involving gravel, stones and rocks. Therefore it is in the clients best interest to take precautions. If they feel they do not want to wear a helmet after the first few days it is up to them. However, some insurance companies in Europe refuse to pay in case of an accident if the client has not been wearing a riding helmet. We provide helmets here in Iceland which clients are welcome to use but if you want to bring your own it is fine with us. If you bring your own it has to be sterilized before bringing it into Iceland.
Regarding the sterilization: What can be washed in a washing machine at medium temperature or dry cleaned is fine (even riding trousers). But what can not be washed or dry-cleaned or is a full leather garment needs to be sterilized.
You should be ready for all kinds of weather as it can change very quickly. We provide you with good rain-clothes, a riding helmet and at winter time a thermo overall, gloves and rubber boots.
Luggage that is not needed on the tour can be left at the office and recovered at the end of the tour.
Caution: Used boots, riding wear, saddlebags etc. must be disinfected before arrival to Iceland!! That is because infectious diseases can easily be brought into the country, which pose a great danger for the horses. Riding wear is normally washed and shoes and cleaned with iodine or some other fluid disinfectant. All used leather articles are prohibited.
| This list is only a guideline for you |
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| Hidden Trails Travel Documents and TripVoucher (contains important local tour contact info.) |
| Flight tickets |
| Passport |
| Visa (check with your consulate) |
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| RIDING GEAR |
| Riding pants or Jodhpurs |
| Riding boots (rubber is best) |
| Riding helmet (provided, but bring your own if you like) |
| Riding gloves |
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| PERSONAL CLOTHING |
| Jacket or sweater for cool evenings, long underwear, scarf |
| Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts |
| Jeans |
| Underwear and warm socks |
| Pyjamas and slippers (Icelanders take off their shoes when entering a house) |
| Bag for dirty clothes |
| Comfortable shoes |
| Swimsuit and towel |
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| For Camping trips: |
| Sleeping Bag and Pillow!! (not provided) |
| Towel and small bar of soap |
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| ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING |
| Personal Toiletries |
| Insect protection |
| Personal medications |
| Sore cream and bandaids/ second skin plasters for chaffing |
| Sewing kit |
| Handkerchiefs |
| Adapter for electric appliances |
| Camera and extra film or batteries |
| Waist pack |
| Address book and pen (for postcards!) |
| Sun glasses with strap |
| Sun tan lotion and lip balm |
Sorry, no video is currently available for this tour.
*Important Notice: The following ratings have been submitted by guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Hidden Trails, its partners or employees.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy but Hidden Trails is not liable for any errors or omissions.
..view other reports for different trips
On this trip you will use sleeping bag accommodation (please bring your own sleeping bag or pillow) with full board (apart from dinner on the last evening).
Lodging on the trail is in various mountain huts, community centers and guesthouses en route.
On the last night it is Bed &
Breakfast dormitory accommodation in Reykjavík after the riding portion
of the tour concludes (dinner on your own).
For higher comfort or privacy, you can choose to upgrade and stay the first two nights in the Vellir hotel (instead of the Vellir sleeping bag dorms) in private rooms (with additional charge).
|
Tack:
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|
Icelandic
|
|
Horses:
|
|
Icelandic Horses
|
|
Pace:
|
|
Daily rides are between 4-8 hours (20 - 40 km).
|
Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
|
|
Level:
|
|
(3
out of 5) Intermediate
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Riders:
|
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Min
6 riders
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Max
16 riders
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The Icelandic Horse:
The origin of the horse in Iceland is exactly the same as the arrival of the first settlers from Scandinavia in the ninth century. Clearly, the horse was the catalyst that allowed the settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper. Since no other breed of horse has ever been imported to Iceland, this special animal is a pure-bred "Viking Horse".
The horses were used for everything. They worked tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and provided transportation between the farms as they were settled. They went on scouting expeditions into this new territory in search of everything from water to grazing areas. Strong and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted and adapted to this new land certainly as fast and if not likely faster than the new settlers!
Viking battles were fought on horseback and the animal quickly adjusted to any situation that was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many of the slain Vikings warriors of the many battles in earlier times were often buried with their horses as a sign of honor and respect.
The Icelandic horse has many characteristics unique unto itself. Perhaps the most noticeable would be its intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair. The five gaits of the horse are also one of the special features that sets it apart form all other horses. These gaits are the fetgangur, the walk or step, the brokk or trot, the tölt, which is a faster type of walk, the skeið or the pace and the stökk, or gallop.
On large the farm areas, perimeter fences keep in most of the horses, but many are also simply allowed to run free. This most naturally accounts for the spirited nature of the animal. All of them seem to adapt to the personality of their owner. It is essential to establish a trust between the Icelandic horse and the rider. Doing so literally guarantees a friend for life. The passion and spirit of the Icelandic horse is never broken only brought under control. As a result, the Icelandic pure-bred horse remains one the world's most unique animals to this day.
Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:
(a) 1. nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden who are only required to produce national identity cards issued by the competent authorities in their countries of origin.
Passport Note
Iceland is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.
Visas
Not required by all nationals of referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days.
2. EU nationals staying longer than 90 days will need to apply for a residence permit from the directorate of immigration in Iceland.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
A stay in another Schengen-Zone country counts as the same as a stay in Iceland.
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
Yes/1 |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
No |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
No |
| Other EU |
No |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
No |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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Krýsuvík and the Blue Lagoon
Tour Code:
IT-ICRT-E11
6 days /
5 nights
~$1,370.00
Dates :
June to Aug
Trip Rating :
Difficulty :
Riding Level Explained | A | Beginner
 | Beginner A rider who has limited experience, is unable to post the trot and does not canter. | | B | Novice
 | Novice A rider who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, capable of
applying basic aids, comfortable and in control at the walk, moderate length posting
trots, and short canters. | | C | Intermediate
 | Intermediate A rider who has a firm seat, is confident and in control at all paces
(including posting trots, two point canters and gallops), but does not ride regularly. |
| D | Strong Intermediate
 | Strong Intermediate An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least 6 hours per day. | | E | Advanced
 | All of the above, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and capable of handlinga spirited horse in open country. |
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