Horse riding in Iceland is very special because the horses are pure Icelandic horses -small and sturdy but more than capable of safely carrying their riders, even heavier riders, over the most hostile, rough terrain. They are known for their “tölt”, the unique gait of the Icelandic horse. Unicorn has several excellent horse riding holidays in Iceland to choose from. These are trail rides where groups, couples, families and single riders are welcome. You will ride in the traditional way on trails to suit every level of adventurous rider -herding along the other free running horses through the highlands, riding across lava fields and rivers. Thrilling! You change to a fresh horse at least once a day. Different routes explore the coast, the lands of the legendary trolls and elves, and historic upland trade routes through glacial terrain and extinct volcanoes. The better tracks allow memorable, fast rides in the soft tölt for which the Icelandic horses are renowned.
Iceland, known as the 'Land of Ice and Fire' is a large island in the North Atlantic Ocean, close to the Arctic Circle, and is part of Europe. It has close ties with Scandinavia. Way back in time Iceland was home to Viking settlers and eventually fell under Danish rule. Iceland is home to the world's first parliament, set up in Norse times. It was an act passed by this parliament centuries ago that banned the import of horses which resulted in the pure breed of today. It was only as recent as 1944 that Iceland became a fully independent country.
Iceland has many awsome natural phenomena. This is a land of wild, rugged natural beauty and in the summer months the sun barely sets. It is very barren which immediately becomes obviously as you enter an almost lunar landscape as soon as you travel away from the airport. Only approximately 15% of Iceland is populated and most people choose to live around the coast. The capital city, Reykjavik, is the most northerly capital city in the world. It is stunningly picturesque, nestling into a beautiful bay with a backdrop of snowy mountains. You will of course find modern architecture and commerce in the city but you don't have to travel far out to discover quaint traditional wooden houses with corrugated roofs brightly painted in primary colours. The nearby geothermal hot springs have been harnessed to provide a cheap natural heating system. This leaves the air pristine and pollution free. Your photographs will benefit from the fabulous clear sharp light.
So why 'The Land of Ice and Fire'? Well Iceland is packed full of snowy mountains, huge icy glaciers and frozen rivers but also volcanoes, mighty boiling geysers, sulphur vents, bubbing hot pools and natural hot springs. As you travel around you'll see greenhouses and poly tunnels plonked over steaming fissures enabling even exotic fruit and vegetables to be home grown. Vast numbers of fish can be seen left hanging outside to dry. A must-do attraction in Iceland is to soak in the Blue Lagoon which is a large ever-constant 35 degree C pool, situated in the middle of a lava field and created by a natural hot spring. Allegedly the mineral rich water is theraputic and does wonders for the skin. There are also spectacular waterfalls in Iceland - perhaps the best is Gullfloss. With care you can climb down very close to the ferocious water.
The sea is never far away and is key to the lifestyle and economy of Icelanders. Many are employed in the fishing industry off its coast - no doubt European debates over fishing quotas and whale culling spring to mind. The coast and fjords are home to many species of birds, particularly sea fowl.
The people in this unique country are friendly and fun-loving - the latter can be confirmed by one member of the Unicorn team who went to the Hard Rock Cafe in Rejkjavik for a meal and was immediately invited to join in the hen party which was in full swing. Something non-Icelanders find hard to comprehend is the importance of folk-lore and legend to the people of Iceland. Spirit-folk such as elves, trolls, lovelings (who live in hedgrows), gnomes and huldufolk (hidden people) are often taken pretty seriously and there are plenty of stories to tell you!
Unicorn offers several exciting horse riding holidays in Iceland. Accommodation is from rustic huts to guesthouses and farms.
Canyon Trail
You ride in the traditional way, herding free horses and changing to a fresh horse on some days. Visit the best known sights in Iceland, the Geysir Hot Spring area and the Golden Waterfall Gullfoss by riding along bridleways and deep canyons, across wide salmon rivers, through a lovely birch forests with wild mountain flowers to a panoramic highland plateau. There are made up beds throughout the tour, and a hot outdoor tub is available every night. This ride is suitable for fit riders with a basic knowledge of riding.
Glacier Trail
You ride in the traditional way, changing to a fresh horse once or twice a day. This ride takes you along the historic Kjölur trail, which Icelanders used for centuries in the past while travelling to their big summer parliament at Thingvellir, first held in 930 AD. This historic place has since become a National Park, famed for its beauty. You stop at the Geysir hot spring area and Gullfoss Waterfall before leaving civilisation for the rugged wilderness of the interior. Travelling from South to North, or vice versa, right across the heart of Iceland, you find yourself in between huge glaciers, remote desert like areas, and yet again in vast green meadows where only young horses and mountain geese roam free. If you want to see as much as possible of the Icelandic highland, this tour will be the perfect choice for you.
Northern Exposure
The North of Iceland is known for its great natural sights and varied landscape. On this trail we ride from Húsavík to the LakeMývatn area, which has volcanic features and countless numbers of breeding ducks. An optional whale watching tour concludes the circle of natural highlights on and off shore. You visit the picturesque Goðafoss Waterfall and ride along soft riding tracks ideal for “tölt”, the unique gait of the Icelandic horse. From fertile farm land we turn towards the Gæsafjöll Mountains and spend a night in a mountain cabin at Theistareykir, a place with bubbling hot water and white clouds from steam vents rising to the sky. Through an area covered with cracks and fissures from earthquakes and volcanic activity the route leads towards LakeMývatn where boiling mud pools and eerie lava formations remind you of the volcanic energy hidden beneath.Relaxing in the hot geothermal water in Jarðböð. Ride over black sand deserts and through forested hills to the shore. After this amazing tour in an ever changing landscape we can relax in outdoor hot tubs with a great view over to the ocean . Accommodation on this tour is in sleeping bags. One night in a remote mountain cabin is an adventure, while the other nights are spent at holiday farms or guesthouses with an outdoor hot tub nearby. Two nights in a guesthouse with shared facilities in Reykjavík are included, one at the beginning and one at the end of this tour. This tour was nominated by the Sunday Times as one of the 10 best trails in the world
Volcano Trail
This horseback vacation is a trail through the Snæfellsnes peninsula, named after the glacier-covered cone volcano, Snæfellsjökull, one of the most impressive sights in Iceland and recently designated a National Park. Its mystic ambience has become famous through Jules Verne´s novel “A Journey to the Centre of the Earth”! Many of the famous norse sagas involving trolls and elves originate from this spectacular region. You ride in the traditional way changing to a fresh horse at least once daily. This area is often called ‘Iceland in a nutshell’ because of the extreme diversity of its landscape, so you will ride through lava fields, craters and ashes of ancient eruptions and enjoy wide-open stretches of light-coloured sandy beaches. The better tracks allow memorable, fast rides in the soft tölt for which the Icelandic horses are renowned. Most of the nights are spent in made up beds and, at Stóri-Kálfalækur farm, you can enjoy an outside hot tub.
Horse Round Up
Join the farmers in this great autumn adventure. Ride along when they drive the herd, sort the horses and celebrate the successful return of horses and men. The varied terrain on this horse riding holiday includes the highland moors, green valleys just turning into their autumn colours of burning red and yellow, deep blue lakes and rivers and Kolugljúfur gorge where a troll woman resided in the old days.
Hot Springs and Waterfalls Short Break
If you are not ready for many days in the saddle, yet an outdoor person with a basic knowledge of riding and good stamina, this tour might be just the riding holiday you are looking for. You follow fine bridle paths to the magnificent sights of Iceland, Geysir Hot Spring area and Gullfoss Waterfall. During three riding days your guide leads you to these wonders of Iceland.
Add-ons
Unicorn is always delighted to arrange extensions to your horse riding holiday in Iceland. You may already know what you'd like but our team are also happy to offer suggestions. How about a whale watching tour or a trip out onto the ice-fields? Perhaps you're more of a bird-watcher or want to explore Reykjavik for a few days. If you haven't visited the Strokur geyser or Gullfloss waterfall on your riding holiday then they cannot be missed For th emore energetic, Iceland is a beautiful location to go white water rafting. Wow, so much not to miss out on! Give us a call to arrange any of these.
At Unicorn we group our holidays into several categories to help you find the rides that best suit your riding level and your requirements. Below we have listed the ride categories that you find on at least one horse riding holiday in Iceland:
trail riding holidays
singles horse back holidays
adventure riding holidays
health and lifestyle riding breaks
riding holiday suitable for the heavier rider
horse riding holiday suitable for families
beach riding holiday
Below is a list of European countries and regions where we have rides. Just click on a link to view the relevant web pages:
horse riding holidays Europe
horse riding holidays France
horse riding holidays Spain
horseback vacations Ireland
horse riding holidays Portugal
horse riding holidays Greece
horse riding holidays Cyprus
horse riding holidays UK
horse riding break Great Britian
horse riding breaks England
horseriding holidays Wales
horse riding holiday Iceland
horse riding holidays Turkey
horse riding holidays Sweden
horseriding holiday Italy
equestrian holidays Germany
horse riding holidays Eastern Europe
horseriding holidays Russia
horse riding holidays Bulgaria
horse riding holidays Czech Republic
horse riding holidays Hungary
horse riding holidays Romania
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