Fascinating North Iceland

Fascinating North Iceland

This is one of our most classic tours. The tour begins with a pickup in Akureyri and transfer to our farm guesthouse, where guests are introduced to the group and the itinerary over dinner. Riders explore Iceland’s diverse landscapes on horseback, starting near the historic Goðafoss waterfall. The journey winds through forests, alongside rivers, and past waterfalls such as Ullarfoss and Barnafoss, with scenic lunch stops along the way. Trails lead across sandy paths on lava fields covered in low birch and bushes. Riders explore black-sand beaches near historic sites like Náttfaravíkur, travel through ancient lava fields, and cross the salmon-rich river Laxá. The route continues through lush valleys, around lakes, and along forested paths with sweeping views. Highlights include old trails, panoramic views of Lake Mývatn, and visits to abandoned farms and quiet valleys steeped in history. Each night, guests stay in comfortable countryside guesthouses, enjoying warm meals and rest after immersive days of riding and exploration. This tour is with a free-running herd.

 

 

Day 1 – Arrival

In the late afternoon (mostly between 4 pm and 6 pm), we will pick you up from Akureyri and bring you to our farm Grýtubakki. There, you will be lodged at our little guesthouses with a shared bathroom. We will get to know each other during dinner and we will end the day with a detailed description of the tour.

Day 2

After breakfast, we take the bus to Goðafoss. Here you can enjoy this breathtaking waterfall, which has played a significant role during Christianization in Iceland. Our horses are waiting a little bit further on at farmhouse Fremstafell for us. We start to ride north, through the forest Fellskógur, alongside the river Skjálfandafljót and by the waterfalls Ullarfoss and Barnafoss. We will have our lunch break at the bank of the river before crossing it and following the river further north to Sandur. We will be riding on sandy paths on the edge of Aðaldalshraun, which is a lava field covered with low birch and bushes. Dinner and overnight at Sandur guesthouse in made – up beds.

 

 

Day 3

Today we will make two rides without the free-running herd. The first ride we ride alongside the sandy beach by the bay of Skjálfandafljót. We are close to Náttfaravíkur, where Náttfari settled - a slave from Garðar Svavarsson, which is said to be the second settler of Iceland. In the afternoon we ride through Aðaldalshraun, a lava field which is around 100 square kilometers in total. The lava came from at least two eruptions, one from around 3500 years ago and the newer one from about 2000 years ago. Therefore the lava field is in many parts covered with vegetation, such as birch and bushes. Dinner and overnight at Sandur guesthouse in made-up beds.

Day 4

After an extensive breakfast, we walk to pick up our horses. We start the day with riding alongside a small lake called Miklavatn, towards river Laxá. After about three hours of riding, we will cross the river, which has often been called the queen of salmon rivers in Iceland. Even though the river is not really deep you might get wet – depending on the size of your horse😊After crossing the river Laxá, we have arrived in the valley of smoke - Reykjadalur. We are still making our way further south, riding alongside Vatnshlíð on a forested riding path. The view down into the valley Reykjadalur all the way to lake Vestmannsvatn is unique. After about five to six hours of riding, we bid our horses farewell. They will stay on a big field of farm Akrar, which is in the valley Reykjadalur. We drive to Vestmannsvatn, where we will spend the next 3 nights in made – up beds.

 

 

 

Day 5

From Vestmannsvatn, we drive back to our horses and saddle them. The drive takes around 10 minutes. From Akrar, we ride further south towards the Mývatn area. At Másvatn, we will have our lunch break before heading south - west on an old “highway” called Akureyrarleiðin. Akureyrarleiðin is an old path that many Icelanders went in former times when going from the eastern part of the country to the western part or vice versa. A diverse landscape with soft riding tracks awaits us. We will have the chance to enjoy the panoramic view surrounding the lake Mývatn on our horses. Our destination is Stöng, where we will leave the horses on a big field with loads of grass for them. After the ride we head to Mývatn for a 2 – 3 hour sightseeing tour. Dinner and overnight at Vestmannsvatn in made-up beds.

Day 6

After breakfast in Vestmannsvatn, we head to our horses at Stöng in Mývatnssveit. Today, we turn back north through the valley of Laxárdalur. We ride alongside the river Laxá we crossed on our third riding day. Along the way, we pass the old farm Brettingsstaðir, long abandoned, yet still holding stories from another time. From there, the trail leads into the forest of Ljótsstaðaskógur. We continue towards the farm Þverá, once a gathering place for the area. Then, the path climbs up onto the heath, offering a wide view across the valleys. Then, we descend into Þegjandadalur, a remote valley that was once home to several families. Though empty now, traces of old fields and turf walls remain.

The ride follows soft ground along the valley, with calm surroundings and open views. Eventually, we arrive at the field, where the horses rest for the night. Dinner and overnight in Vestmannsvatn.

 

 

 

Day 7

Today marks our final day in the saddle. After breakfast, we drive to our horses, saddle them and start our ride back to farmhouse Fremstafell. Our morning route takes us across the northern stretch of Fljótsheiði—also known as Garðsnúpur—offering sweeping views before we reach Skjálfandafljót River. We will pause here for a well-earned lunch break by the riverside. In the afternoon, we ride through the woods of Fellskógur, the bay of Skjálfandafljót stretching out behind us as we make our way toward Fremstafell. Once we arrive, it is time to bid our horses farewell and drive back to Grýtubakki for dinner and overnight in made – up beds.

Day 8 - Departure

After breakfast, we will drive you back to Akureyri.