HORSE RIDING IN ICELAND
Horseback riding in Iceland is a unique experience. Riding an Icelandic horse is a great way to experience Iceland's natural beauty. What makes this horse special is its fourth gait, the tölt. It is fast, comfortable and can cover great distances. You change horses once or twice a day among the herd. Accommodation in typical Icelandic mountain huts.
Iceland, halfway between North America and mainland Europe, borders the Arctic Circle. The landscapes are magnificent and varied for horseback riding: glaciers, waterfalls, active volcanoes and lava deserts, mountains, fjords and valleys.
THE NORTHERN ICELAND HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDE
This horseback riding tour in Iceland starts near Húsavík in the Lake Mývatn region, famous for its volcanoes and rich birdlife. The Ásbyrgi canyon, and Dettifoss the largest waterfall in Europe, the strange rock formations of Hljóðaklettar are just some of the natural gems you discover during this superb horseback riding tour in Iceland. You ride at the "tölt", the unique gait of the Icelandic horse. On day one, you pass through Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, through lush green pastures, head to the Gæsafjöll mountains, and spend a night in a mountain hut. Through an area marked by fissures from earthquakes linked to volcanic activity, the trek takes you to Lake Mývatn, where bubbling mud pools and lava formations are reminders of the powerful energy present right under your horse's feet . You can bathe in the geothermal hot water of the natural baths. You end your hike through the Reykjaheiði moor towards the coast and return to the farm.
THE SOUTHERN ICELAND HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDE
The popular Golden Circle Tour than by riding the Icelandic horse through the lovely countryside of South Iceland. The key attractions on this classic tour are the hot spring area of Geysir and Gullfoss or the Golden Waterfall. On the first riding day you get acquainted with the unique Icelandic Horse and its special extra gait as we take an easy trek along the banks of the majestic Thjórsá River. You continue towards Gullfoss Waterfall with its thundering waters and the hot spring area of Geysir. After a relaxed day´s riding in that locality, you next explore some of more remote places, well off the beaten track.
THE ICELAND HORSEBACK CROSSING
Horseback riding in Iceland for 200 km, going back in time on the historic trail of Kjölur, like Icelanders over the centuries who traveled to the summer parliament of Thingvellir. Famous for the natural beauty and varied landscapes of the highlands, this horseback riding trip takes you across Iceland from south to north or vice versa depending on the dates of your ride, through the heart of Iceland. You cross isolated desert areas and cross glacial rivers. Passing at the foot of extinct volcanoes and glacial lakes, you ride on expanses of meadows that surprise in this landscape shaped by glaciers, ice and snow. Bathing in natural hot springs
WHEN TO GO HORSEBACK RIDING IN ICELAND
In Iceland, the average temperature in summer is 12.5°C, sometimes with peaks of 20°C! At night, it is cooler and it can even snow sometimes in August, at altitude or in the interior of the island. In winter, the mercury can drop to -15°C, but the average temperature in Reykjavík in January is 0.5°C, and the thermometer most often fluctuates between -5 and 5°C. "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes"... the saying illustrates the instability of the Icelandic climate! Weather forecasts in Iceland are, in general, quite unreliable. On horseback in Iceland, it is best to keep raincoats and warm clothing close at hand.
Go horseback riding in Iceland on Icelandic horses. The Icelandic horse is known for its particular gait, the tölt, an intermediate gait between the trot and the gallop. This particularly comfortable pace allows you to travel long distances on horseback, through the exceptional landscapes of Iceland.