Location: Central Iceland

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights / 5 riding days

Accommodation: Shared rooms in a community center

Dates: Set dates

Riding Level: Intermediate-Advanced

Group Size: 12 riders

In September and October, Iceland changes costume from the green summer dress over to the multi-color outfit of autumn! It’s an amazing season to travel around on horseback watching nature slow down for the upcoming arctic winter. This is also the time when farmers gather their sheep and horses down from the wilderness where they have spent the summer running around free in the mountains.

This 5 or 6-day tour is a combination of days spent riding with a loose herd, enjoying the autumn colors and ever-changing landscape of the north, and a visit to the horse roundups  where riders get to join the farmers when they drive a herd of 500 young Icelandic horses from the mountains and separate them in the roundups.

The Icelandic horse is a symbol of national pride and cultural heritage. They are known for their surefootedness and gentle nature, and they are famous for the Tölt, a gait unique to the breed, which makes them incredibly comfortable over great distances and rugged terrain. 

Riders will be accompanied by a loose herd, which adds a unique and exciting dynamic to the ride! Riders will change horses 1-2 times per day, giving them the opportunity to get to know a variety of horses over the course of the week. 

Riding Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Riders should be capable of spending long hours in the saddle, tacking and untacking their own horse, and controlling the horse at all paces, even though rides will mainly consist of the walk and tölt.

Speed: walk and tölt, occasional canter

Distance: 10-25 miles/15-35 km per day

Ride Time: 3-5 hours/day

Tack: Horses will be in saddles developed specifically for the Icelandic horse, closely resembling Dressage saddles. Saddle bags will be provided.

Terrain:  This tour encompasses remote areas only accessible on foot or by horseback, riding on mainly soft riding tracks, ideal for riding the tölt. The ride will travel through farmland, across rivers, winding through hills and mountains to alpine lakes, and across black sand deserts.  

Riders will be housed at guesthouses and/or a community center (depending on tour dates) with a common area and a hot tub. Riders will be accommodated in twin or triple rooms (2-3 people per room) with shared bathroom facilities.

Breakfasts and dinners are served family-style at the guesthouse. Home-cooked meals consist heavily of lamb and fish. Traditional Icelandic breakfasts include porridge, toast, cold cuts, and cheese. Riders make their own sandwiches in the morning to pack on the trail each day. 

Bus transfer to/from Reykjavik.

4 nice riding days in the northwest part of Iceland of which one of the days will be a fantastic ride over lake Hóp, and visit the roundup/sorting on Sunday morning before we’re ending the tour with the drive back to Reykjavík.

This is the only autumn tour with 5 ridingdays, but no visit of a roundup tour. We are mainly aiming for 5 beautiful ridingdays with the crossing of lake Hóp as an absolute highlight. 

4 nice riding days in the northwest part of Iceland of which one of the days will be a fantastic ride over lake Hóp, and visit one of the roundups on Saturday; watching the sorting of the horses and joining the farmers on this annual party.

The last of the roundup tours for the year. Excellent riding trails in the northwest part of Iceland including valleys, lake and riversides combined with the thrilling adventure of joining local horsefarmers bringing their horses home from the summerfields in the mountains.