Picking an outfitter for a riding vacation in a faraway land isn't easy. A little advice from people who travel and ride in Iceland and their help in making arrangements can go a long way to to keeping the adventure where you want it. The adventure will come when you're on an Icelandic horse riding across the magnificent countryside that Iceland has preserved. Getting to and around Iceland should be a very smooth experience.
Horses North offers a wide variety of horse riding tours, and we are happy to help you pick the level of adventure travel that suits your style. Rides range from day rides for a few hours, near Rekjavik, where you'll be picked up. You'll be delivered back to your hotel after a short ride on some very gentle and smooth gaited horses. At the other end of the scale there are tours where you'll cover up to 30 miles on some days, and you'll really appreciate the gaited qualities of the Icelandic horse. On some of the crosscountry tours you may not have hot water all the time, but you will get into some amazingly rugged and beautiful, areas that would be hard to reach any way but on a horse. And the Icelandic horse makes it all easy!
Short rides:
Short rides are listed on this page.
From an hour to a day, there are several nice opportunities for those with just a bit of time for horses. Whether just beyond Reykjavik proper, or out in the country, a short ride offers a nice taste of the tolt.
Cross country rides:
Our most popular touring option! Iceland's wild back country is not far off Highway 1, and these rides will get you there quickly. Running from 4 to 8 days, these tours are like those taken by Icelandic farmers, conditioning their horses for the fall round ups. A days ride starts after a good breakfast, proceeds at a pretty good clip, with stops to graze both horse and rider (lunch) and then ends with a home cooked dinner in a mountain hut, community center or farm guesthouse. Sleeping bag accommodations may be a bit primitive, but the food is hearty, the songs are plentiful, and the surroundings are lovely.
Wilderness Rides
In the old days, Icelanders would travel north to south on tracks through the highlands. Long days of riding, over vast landscapes makes these rides suitable for experienced riders in good condition, but they are a marvelous way to ride the traditional way
Farm Weeks:
A great way to sample traditional Icelandic life and enjoy Icelandic horses! You ride out from a farm house everyday, and come back to the same comfy bed each night. Pretty relaxing, and a chance for other activities-hiking, fishing, bird watching- as well. Weeks at Sydra Langholt, Leirubakki and Grytubakki are very popular, the Teen camp is perfect for the 12-16 year old crowd, the Arbakki week offers a chance to learn a lot, and we've added the have-your-own-horse-at-Husey week as well.
Custom rides:
Few things are more fun for a group of friends than riding together in Iceland. It's quite easy to custom make a ride for groups, large or small, and it's not necessarily more expensive than the using a scheduled tour. We work with outfitters and farmers who take you on a tour that you and your pals will long remember!
Accommodations on Riding Tours:
This year we have a wider choice in accommodations than ever before. A sleeping bag in a mountain hut is still the most popular overnight and is of course the oldest and most traditional way to travel across the Icelandic wilderness. However, along with our popular tours from Sydra-Langholt and Grytubakki which offer made up beds or sleeping bag accommodations in guest houses, we have added a few more tours that stay at hotels or guesthouses. A few tours are set up to put riders in very good lodgings at day's end.
For the details of exactly what is and is not included in the tour ask us to send you the printed itinerary which is the final word on prices and accommodations.
Riding with the Herd
An unusual aspect of Icelandic riding is the tradition of riding with a herd of remounts. On a long tour that covers a lot of distance each day a rider will ride up to 3 horses during that day. We think that some of the wonderful willingness most Icelandics exhibit is based on this. They sort of know that they won't be working all day long and most of the day will be spent running free with the herd.
It certainly adds something to the riding experience to see a herd of 20 to 50 horses riding along with you across the countryside. (We've ridden with herds as large as 60+ horses.) If this experience interests you here's a list of tours that include riding with a herd of loose horses. They are mostly the more vigorous rides and demand a bit of riding experience and stamina.
Click on the tour name to go to
the full itinerary for that tour
Please note: Departure taxes and fees must be collected for all air travel. They are currently about $88 and are not included in the listed prices.
Not having to pack each morning or wonder where the next night's lodgings will be makes traveling a little easier. We have bases in several areas of Iceland and have sent off a number of travelers who combined these tours with other travel modes in pre- or post-tours to explore the land on their own. We can also make suggestions and arrangements for these extras..
Nature's Treasures Horses and health Spas - An exciting New hotel tour that combines riding and a very comfortable base at the new Eldhestar Hotel. With access to a little pampering and therapy at the nearby Health Spa. This tour is either 4 or 5 days of riding and relaxing. Available to start on any day of the week from June through October With airfare included this is priced from $1870 pp/do, see the itinerary for details.
This short tour is a fine introduction to southern Iceland.Dominated by centuries old lava-flows, this conservation area offers a great variety of scenery. Riding along green hillsides, over mountains and through lava fields, you can feel the power of creation along the way.Every Monday from May 9 to Nov 1 Prices for the Power of Creation start at $1570 per person, early and late season. During summer it costs $1805 Prices are Fully Inclusive from NYC, Boston and Baltimore.
A great 2 day introduction to Iceland and the Icelandic horse. Ride across the moor at Hellisheidi, to the volcano Hekla, and down for a dip in the hot spring at Reykjadalur. Another day goes along the river Olfusa to a noted bird sanctuary, for 55 total kilometers. Accommodations this year are at the new hotel at Vellir. This riding tour provides a great start to a longer visit to Iceland! Available every day by reservation..Price varies by season. 2004 price per person varies from $1261 to $1833. These prices include round-trip airfare on Icelandair from New York, Boston or Baltimore
Snaefellsness Beach Ride: A four day version of one of Iceland's most popular rides. The mystical Snaefellsness peninsula - with mountains and beaches, cliffs and glaciers, is a perfect place for a short fun ride with a herd of horses. 4 Days; June 4, $2250; June 11, Aug 20, and 27 $2440; Sept. 3 $2250
Countryside Riding Adventure A ride that saves a little travel money and shows a lot of Iceland. You'll get a good ride on Icelandic horses, as well as a chance to see some of the great sights - the Geysir, original boiling water spout, majestic Gullfoss waterfall and Iceland's first National Park at Thingvellir.Tour starts in Iceland Wednesdays ends on Saturday (or Sunday for the Adventure Plus) Starting on March17, and each Wednesday thereafter, until November 26 Farm Accommodations. From $1825 depending on season. During High Season From June 15 to September 1 - $2165 p/p Fully Inclusive from NYC, Boston and Baltimore
These three tours are part of our "Hors'e D'oeuvres Series." These short trips are a great start to a longer trip in the Horse's homeland. It's priced with airfare, accomodations the night before and after the ride, to which can be added all sorts of things - rental cars, hotels, other tours and activities. The starting and ending dates of any tour built around the hors'e doeuvres are of course flexible and your trip can stretch for as long or as short as you wish.
For the details of exactly what is and is not included in the tour price please see the complete itinerary for the particular tour in question.
Please note that dates listed are the days those tours depart in ICELAND. Travelers from the US will have to leave no later than the evening before, while Europeans may be able to leave home the same day.Please check the itinerary or ontact Horses North fordetails.email or Phone Toll Free 888 686-6784
Car Touring
So many of the people we help get to Iceland extend their stays so that they can explore the country on their own that we have researched (and developed a few car tours with rental cars and hotels. Our other website lists a few self-guided, self-drive packages in different parts of the country, and with a lot of choices in accommodations and length of tours
Is horse touring dangerous? Well, riding a horse, anywhere on earth, means that you're dealing with a very large animal that might react in a manner that you are not ready for. It may react to something it thinks is a threat, even something that you couldn't begin to perceive had happened. Anyone getting on a horse is accepting this risk, and then some. We feel that anyone going on a multi-day tour in Iceland should know before they go off that they are, and will, be comfortable on and around horses. Talk to us about the pace, distance and energy required for the various tours if you want some input so that you can make a decision. A lot of our clients have riding experience that hasn't been exercised for a decade or two. We suggest that they go to a local riding school for a few lessons to remind their bodies what they have to do and maybe plan a loose schedule of taking some walks in the weeks before their trip, to build up a little extra stamina.
You should consider trip insurance to protect you from unforeseen emergency cancellations. And you should make sure that you have medical coverage that applies out of the country. We mail out an application for one of the oldest travel insurance companies to our clients.
For confirmation of prices and conditions please call or email.
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