Tour info
- 5 riding days, 5 nights
- 2590 EUR
- Ridinglevel: intermediate & advanced
- Date: June 8
Hekla adventure
Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland, was once considered by Icelanders to be the ‘Gateway to Hell’ due to regular and powerful eruptions. Despite this fearsome reputation, the lava and ash from these eruptions enriched the soil, which with time created rich pastures around the volcano. The ash and light pumice lava stone have formed incredibly smooth paths ideal for riding adventures in the land of fire and ice. On this exciting 5 day tour, you traverse trails through lava fields and lush lands and ride together with a herd of horses – always with Hekla in sight! Riders on this tour will have the opportunity to get great insight into the history of the area through local activities in the afternoons as well as the option to try different horses each day and stay at a beautifully renovated farmhouse.
This tour is operated by Beggi, Dora and Palli.
Accommodation is 4 nights in a beautifully restored farm house owned and decorated by Magnús and Þorey. The house has 3 private rooms available upon request when booking and a cozy sleeping loft accommodating up to 14 people. The house has a spacious bathroom and a restroom as well as a cozy living room for relaxing.
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Itinerary
We will pick you up from Reykjavik and drive you to your accommodation, Minni-Vellir farmhouse, in the afternoon. After settling in, we’ll have dinner followed by an initial 1-2-hour horse ride where we will familiarize ourselves with the horses, the tack and the area. We will then head back for a restful night.
Today we get ready after breakfast for our first day of riding with the herd. Our group will go ahead of the heard leading the way into lush green farmland, riding through woodlands, crossing beautiful streams, and passing by the magnificent Thjofafoss waterfall. We’ll wrap up our day at Rjupnavellir, where the horses will rest for the night.
After the ride, we will have the opportunity to visit Iceland’s longest manmade cave. Here, a local farmer will meet us and share insights about the cave’s history and the sinister lore behind Hekla’s infamous nickname, ‘Gateway to Hell’.
As we get to know our horses, and their gaits, we’ll venture closer to Hekla. The journey starts with a river crossing into a remote area under the roots of the volcano. After lunch, we part with the herd to tour private farmland at Hekla’s base, joined by the landowner. This ride takes us to hidden spots rich with mystical local tales.
Evening options include a hike around Minni-Vellir with Dora or a calming dip in the local pool.
Today we’ll descend from Hekla, enjoying smooth paths through the impressive and ever-changing lava fields reinforcing the ‘Gateway to Hell’ epithet. Our route takes us down-stream along the river Rangá which we will cross before arriving at Hrolfstaðahellir, where the horses rest for the night. After the ride, we have the option to explore woollen goods hand-made by local women in a craft shop situated on a nearby farm.
Departing from Hrolfstaðahellir, we journey towards Rettarnes, an ancient sheep roundup site. The ride now takes us up along the Rangá river, alternating between green expanses, rugged lava terrains and ash dunes, until we circle back home to Minni-Vellir. We round our tour up with a dinner and one last night of having fun together in Iceland.
Today we pack, bid our horses farewell, and return to Reykjavik.
