Iceland’s Northern Lights Ride

Day 1

Evening Arrival.

The tour begins in the evening. Guests who arrive in Iceland on the same day may take the airport shuttle “Flybus” (Reykjavik Excursions) from the airport to Reykjavík (BSÍ bus terminal). We will pick you up at BSÍ or at your hotel / guesthouse between 17.30 and 18.00 and drive to Eldhestar’s farm Vellir near the village of Hveragerði (about 40 minutes driving), where you will be staying either at Hotel Eldhestar or at Guesthouse Eldhestar (according to your booking).

An information letter with a detailed description of the following days will be offered upon arrival. The day ends with dinner at Hotel Eldhestar.

Day 2

Meadows, Mountains & Winter Warmth.

After breakfast, your guide meets you for a short introduction in the stable. The guide will provide the necessary riding equipment (riding helmet, warm overall or rain gear) and start with a short riding demonstration as you get to know the horses during a few rounds in the paddock.

Today you ride 4-4.5 hours, starting with the tour Meadows and Mountains. You ride on soft trails along the meadows surrounding the farm, a good opportunity to get familiar with the special gait of the Icelandic horse, the “tölt”. You then follow the river Gljúfurá, heading towards the volcanic mountains and ride on an old route along the slopes of the mountain Reykjafjall. Your reliable horses take you up and down the trail, while you enjoy nice views of the diverse landscape between the ocean and the volcano Hengill.

Back at the farm you warm up with a light lunch before you choose horses for the afternoon program Winter Warmth. You’ll spend another hour on horseback before driving to the thermal swimming pool in Hveragarði to soften up in soothing, warm geothermal water, relax in the steam sauna or take a swim in the comfortably warm outdoor pool. Imagine sitting in a steamy hot tub as a light snowfall turns the grass around you white.

Afterwards, coffee and home baked cake will be served in the cozy environment of the hotel. You check the Northern Lights forecast and get some useful information about this natural phenomena. If the forecast is favorable, and the sky is clear, you look out for the lights at the farm or go on a hunt!

Day 3

Horses, Hot Springs & Soft River Banks.

Today you experience a variety of amazing nature. You start the day with the tour Horses & Hot Springs, riding on excellent trails along the slopes of Reykjafjall Mountain and through a green forest. You pass by many hot springs in the colorful geothermal area Gufudalur valley. This area is situated just above the village of Hveragerði and expanded dramatically during the big South Iceland earthquake in 2008.

The path continues along the volcanic hills above the village, which is known for its beautiful location between the green mountains of volcano Hengill and wide plains. You stop close to the stable area for some refreshments and learn more about the Icelandic horse before riding back to the farm for lunch.

After lunch you saddle your horse again for the afternoon ride, Soft River Banks, following the river Gljúfurá to an old cemetery and further down to the soft river banks of the mighty glacial river Ölfusá. From there, you have a view of the river and if the weather allows the famous volcanoes Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull. Upon your return to the farm, dinner will be served.

Day 4

The Heritage Tour & The Golden Circle

On the final day you will ride The Heritage Tour in the morning. This tour takes you on nice trails through meadows, lava fields and a small river. On the way, you enjoy the nice scenery of volcanic mountains and farmland, passing several farms which give an idea of how agriculture has developed in the last decades.

After the riding and checking out of your room you warm up with a light lunch and coffee or tea. Then you will be picked up to visit the three most impressive natural sights in South Iceland along the “Golden Circle”: The famous Geysir geothermal area, the “golden waterfall” Gullfoss and Thingvellir National Park.

The Geysir geothermal area boasts spouting springs, including Strokkur, the most active geyser in Iceland. At Gullfoss you are given the opportunity to stand next to the amazing waterfall, watching enormous quantities of water tumble violently into a deep canyon. You also spend time encountering a cross-section of Iceland’s natural wonders and geological phenomena at Thingvellir National Park, an area of historical and geological significance.

In the afternoon of the 5 Night tour, you will be taken to the old harbor in Reykjavik for about 3 hours whale watching in Faxaflói bay, with a good chance to see whales and a nice view of Reykjavik and the mountains surrounding the capital.

You will be back in Reykjavík around 18:00.

For those staying for the extra days, details are listed below:

Day 5

Ingólfstrail & Hiking into Reykjadalur Valley

Today the day starts with the Long Mountain Tour, also called Ingólfstrail. You will ride in the footsteps of the first settler Ingólfur Arnarsson, who settled in Iceland in the 9th century. On our way on the ancient Viking route on the foot of the table mountain Ingólfsfjall, which is named after the first settler, you will learn more about Iceland’s history and the interesting geology of this area. After a lunch at the hotel, we then drive about 5 minutes through Hveragerði, passing the area where we went riding earlier this week and start hiking upwards into the magnificent geothermal valley of Reykjadalur. On our way on the scenic trail we will see the beautiful waterfall Djúpagilsfoss and many colorful hot springs. You also have the opportunity to take a relaxing bath in a warm river, an unforgettable experience! On our way down, we can enjoy a spectacular panorama over volcanic mountains, the village Hveragerði and all the way down to the coastline, where we might see the Westman Islands, weather permitting. The tour ends with some refreshments at our hotel. We will check the Northern Lights forecast and have a chance to watch a spectacular movie about this phenomenon.

Day 6

Soft River Banks & The Siggi Tour

After breakfast and check-out, you ride Soft River Banks, following the river Gljúfurá to an old cemetery and further down to the soft river banks of the mighty glacial river Ölfusá. From there, we have a view of the river and if the weather allows the famous volcanoes Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull. Afterwards we will have a light lunch and then go out to the stable again to prepare our horses for the Siggi tour. This tour provides the best of available riding route to us each time. Depending on the weather and wind, we will ride for 1.5-2 hours through the surroundings of our farm. Upon your return to the farm, there will be coffee and home baked cake before we drive you back to Reykjavik where we will drop you off around 18:00.

***Please note that hotel and dinner on the last evening is not included.