Fascinating North Iceland

FROM THE LAKE OF THE MIDGES TO THE ARCTIC FOXES PLAIN

In 2020, we offer three different itineraries under the name of this tour – our classic tour, the slightly more demanding tour to the peninsula Melrakkaslétta and back again as well as our jubilee tour. In 2020, we are celebrating 35 years Pólar Hestar. With these tours we cover the area from Grýtubakki farmhouse to Goðafoss, Bárðardalur, lake Mývatn area and up to the very north, Melrakkaslétta, the arctic foxes plain.

Please note: Due to COVID-19 we are not able to offer the different itineraries of the tour Fascinating North Iceland in 2020. Therefore we updated the dates for next year and are looking forward to welcoming you back in 2021!

 

TOUR DESCRIPTION – CLASSIC (June 22^nd, July 2^nd, August 1^st and 11^th 2021):

Day 1

In the late afternoon transfer from Akureyri to our farmhaus Grýtubakki. After dinner we provide details for the following days. Overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

 

Day 2

After breakfast we visit Goðafoss, the famous waterfall of the gods. According to the sagas, Þorgeir of Ljósavatn threw his statues of the gods into the falls when Iceland converted to Christianity in the year 1000, hence the name. We drive to Fremstafell farmhouse, where we catch the horses and saddle up. We ride into the valley Bárðardalur, following the river Skjálfandafljót. This river flows through the valley over the lava field Bárðardalshraun that probably came all the way from Trölladyngja in Ódaðahraun north of Vatnajökull more than 7,000 years ago. Today we will be five to six hours in saddle. Overnight stay at hotel Kiðagil.

 

  

 

Day 3

We leave Kiðagil, ride over the bridge at Stóruvellir to the other side of the valley and reach the old farmhouse of Stóratunga. Here we are very close to the entrance of Ódaðahraun, the enourmous lava field believed to have been the home of outlaws, elves and trolls in the old days. After the four to five hours lasting ride we leave the horses at Stórutunga and walk to the waterfall Aldeyrarfoss. Here we enjoy this wonderful nature paradise. Overnight stay at Stóratunga.

 

  

 

Day 4

Today we enjoy rides in the breathtaking surroundings of Stóratunga. In the morning we ride in a north-easterly direction alongside river Skjálfandafljót over to the old lava of Tunguhraun. We continue to Tunguhamri and south alongside river Svartá back to the farmhouse Stóratunga. Here we have our lunch. In the afternoon we ride over lava and sand towards the highland and south of the river Suðurá to the area of Réttartorfur and up to the waterfalls of Hrafnabjörg. In the morning we ride about 12 km, in the afternoon about 16 km. All in all, we are about five and a half hours in the saddle that day. Overnight stay at Stórutunga.

 

  

 

Day 5

We say goodbye to Stóratunga and ride over Landsmelar at Viðiker into the area of Mývatn. We ride over sandy hills and moorland. Reaching the highest point, a tremendous view awaits us. If we are lucky, we might see Herdubreið, the queen of the Icelandic mountains, in a distance. After about four hours of riding, we leave the horses at the farmhouse Stöng and start our sightseeing tour to the area of the lake Mývatn. We visit the pseudo craters of Skutustaðir, the bizarre lava formations of Dimmuborgir and the bubbling mud pools of Námaskarð. We stay overnight at the community center Breiðamýri.

 

  

 

Day 6

From Stöng we are heading south first and pass the old farmhouse Hörgsdalur. Then we ride along Myvatnsheiði to Reykjadalur, the valley of the smoke. Smooth tracks, adventurous tracks and a diversified landscape await us. If the weather is good enough, the mountains Kinnarfjöll and Gæsafjöll are visible to the west and to the east, respectively. We ride for about six hours today and stay overnight at Breiðamyri again, close to the little village Laugar.

 

  

 

Day 7

We ride along the wooded way Vatnshlið and have a wonderful view over the valley Reykjadalur and the lake Vestmannsvatn. After the hill Fljótsheiði a terrific and diversified ride along the river Skjálfandafljót and through the forest Fellskógur awaits us. On the way, the waterfalls Ullarfoss and Barnafoss are greeting us. After about six hours in the saddle we leave the horses at the farm Fremstafell and drive home to Grýtubakki. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

 

  

 

Day 8

After breakfast we bring our guests back to Akureyri and say goodbye.

 

TOUR DESCRIPTION – MELRAKKASLÉTTA (July 12^th, July 22^nd 2021):

On July 4^th we ride from Fremstafell all the way to the north to the peninsula Melrakkaslétta. Raufarhöfn and the farm Sveinungsvík are our travel destination. On July 24^th we ride the same way back to Fremstafell.

Overnight we stay twice at Grýtubakki (sleeping bag accommodation), once in Hliðarbær (sleeping bag accommodation) and four times in Lundur in the fjord Öxarfjörður (made-up beds).

 

  

 

TOUR DESCRIPTION – MELRAKKASLÉTTA:

Starting point and final destination is the farm Sveinungsvík close to Raufarhöfn. We explore the beautiful area of the peninsula Melrakkaslétta.

Overnight we stay twice at Grýtubakki (sleeping bag accommodation) and five times in Lundur in the fjord Öxarfjörður (made-up beds).

 

  

 

TOUR DESCRIPTON – JUBILEE TOUR (August 23^rd 2020):

From Fremstafell we ride alongside lake Ljósavatn into the valley of Fnjóská and finish the day at the farm Böðvarsnes. Like the first day, we spent the night at our farmhouse Grytubakki. The next day we start our ride into the second of the three valleys of our jubilee tour, named Flateyjardalur. From Fnjóskádalur this valley extends 30 km out to the ocean. Amazing colours and a diverse landscape await us. We sleep at the hut Heiðarhús, which is located in the middle of the valley. Along an extensive river landscape and impressive mountains to both sides we ride out to the sea. After a lunchbreak at the beach we go back to Heiðarhús, where we spent the night again. The next day we ride through Fnjóskádalur back to our farm Grytubakki where we sleep. The last two days we spent with a ride up to the magic mountains of the peninsula Fjörður, where we spent one night in the mountain hut Gil. The last overnight will be at Grytubakki.