Good to know

BOOKING INFORMATION

Prices are per person and include the outlined program. Discounts are given for children up to 12 years of age.

Individual travel insurance is not included in the tour prices. We encourage clients to obtain relevant travel insurance before visiting Iceland. All tours are undertaken at the participants own risk.

At Grýtubakki we insist that all our guests use riding helmets. We provide helmets, riding gloves, rain clothes as well as buffs. Prepare for all kind of weather when traveling to Iceland. Bring warm and weatherproof clothes, good shoes, gloves and hat/headband.

Booking of Short Riding Tours

Short riding tours (1, 2 and 3 hours) can be booked by contacting us directly via email (polarhestar@polarhestar.is) or phone (+354 896 1879 or +354  893 1879). Please book the tours in advance. If you have booked the riding tour a long time ago please confirm the ride one day prior to the arranged date. This may be done via email, SMS or phone.

Since we are often busy outside, taking care of our horses and guests, we are very thankful if you could let us know about last-minute bookings or changes via phone and not via email.

Booking of Multi-day tours

You can book the longer riding tours through our travel agencies partners or by contacting Pólar Hestar directly. Please ask for our booking form.

As soon as we get your booking form back, we ask you to pay a 20% booking fee. The rest of the money should be paid 2 weeks before the riding tour.

It is also possible to book the whole adventure at one of our booking partners:

Our booking partners are:

Contrastravel: www.contrastravel.com
Islanderlebnisreisen: www.islanderlebnis.de
Pferdesafari: www.pferdesafari.de
Kontiki: www.kontiki.ch
Far and Ride: www.FarAndRide.com
Natur Pur Reisen: www.natur-pur-reisen.de

Please bring your own sleeping bag and towels for the following tours: Fascinating North Iceland, Summer Farewell and Autumn Colours and Northern Lights. Accommodation on our long riding tours will be in our small summer houses around our farm (rooms with two to four beds) and in different accommodations during our tours (dormitory, rooms with several beds). Common showers and toilettes per house. For the tour Ring around the Midnightsun we offer made-up beds.

On our riding tours you will get full board. Normally we start with a dinner on the day of your arrival and end with breakfast on your day of departure. Full board includes breakfast, lunch (sandwiches, cookies etc.) and a big warm meal for dinner. Home made cakes are often served for coffee. We cook Icelandic, German and Swiss with fresh meat, fish and vegetables as well as varied milk products. We provide coffee, tea and water at any time. Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks are not included!

We apologise for any inconvenience but we cannot accomodate vegan guests or people with food allergies.

For the longer tours we pick up and drop off our guests at the airport or the bus station in Akureyri. To protect the environment we try to limit the number of transfers. Please understand when you are not directly picked up after your arrival. During your waiting time it might be a good idea to visit the capital of the north. You can leave your baggage at the airport or the bus station.

The pickup usually takes place in the late afternoon, often between 5 and 6 pm. Dinner is normally at 7 pm. Guests arriving after 8 pm will get a little snack.

Departure takes place between breakfast and noon on the last day.


CANCELLATION INFORMATION

Cancellation terms for our short tours:

  • Cancellations have to be made by email.
  • Is a cancellation made with short notice ( less than 4 hours before the ride) 100% of the tour price has to be paid.

Our cancellation terms for our long tours are as follows:

  • Cancellations have to be made by email.
  • A cancellation made with less than six weeks but more than three weeks notice is subject to 20% of the tour price.
  • A cancellation made with less than three weeks and more than one week notice is subject to 50% of the tour price.

  • Is a cancellation made with less than one weeks notice 100% of the tour price must be paid.

If a tour is cancelled by Pólar Hestar due to insufficient participation, such cancellation must be made with at least 4 weeks notice and Pólar Hestar shall make every effort to provide similar alternative arrangements without additional cost to the buyer. Should the alternative not be to the buyer’s satisfaction a full refund will be made.


LIABILITY

Iceland is an unpredictable country. Pólar Hestar reserves the right to alter routes, itineraries or timetables without prior notice, should it be necessary. This does not affect the quality of the riding tours.

No liability is accepted for loss or expenses due to delays or changes of arrival or departures of flights or other services, injury, sickness, accident, strikes, damage, weather, or other causes outside the control of Pólar Hestar. The traveller himself has to take care of all such losses and expenses.

 

EQUIPMENT

At Grýtubakki we insist that all our guests use riding helmets. We provide helmets, riding gloves, rain clothes as well as buffs. Prepare for all kind of weather when traveling to Iceland. Bring warm and weatherproof clothes, good shoes, gloves and hat/headband. 

Necessary equipment for our short riding tours:

  • sturdy shoes, good sneakers or hiking boots that are not very broad
  • comfortable pants (riding pants are not necessary)
  • weatherproof clothing
  • possibly gloves and a thin hat under the helmet, but we also provide gloves and buffs

  • possibly a small waist bag for personal items like cameras (we do not recommend to take backpacks on with you on the horse)

Necessary equipment for our long riding tours:

  • riding or hiking boots that are not too broad for the stirrups
  • riding pants
  • warm clothes in layers, but also t-shirts (the weather in Iceland is unpredictable!)
  • gloves, hat, headband
  • sunglasses, suncream
  • swimwear, towel
  • comfortable clothes and slippers for the evenings
  • possibly a small waist bag for personal items like cameras (we do not recommend to take backpacks on with you on the horse)
  • a small water bottle for on the way
  • sleeping bag (tours: Facinating North Iceland, Summer Farewell, Autumn Colours and Northern Lights)
  • first-aid-kit with band-aids and second skin plasters for chaffing etc.
  • travel insurance card/information

 

Please note: To protect the Icelandic horse from infectious diseases, visitors are asked to adopt strict biosecurity measures. Please check out our page: Protect the Icelandic Horse. www.mast.is