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Why travelling with Randocheval ?

ICELAND : CROSSING THE ISLAND ON KJÖLUR TRAIL, DRIVING A 60 HORSES HERD...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

Move back in time and ride along the historic Kjölur trail as Icelanders did throughout the centuries while travelling to their big summer parliament at Thingvellir, first held in 930 AD. Visit this historic place which has since become a National Park, famed for its beauty and its position right on top of the Mid Atlantic ridge, where the continental plates drift apart. Stop at the famous Geysir hot spring area and enjoy majestic Gullfoss Waterfall before leaving civilisation for the rugged wilderness of the interior. Travelling from South to North or vice versa right across the heart of Iceland you will find yourself in between huge glaciers, remote desert like areas, and yet again in vast green meadows where only young horses and mountain geese roam free during summer.

See our special information sheet on Icelandic Rides.

ITINERARY

Saturday
Meeting point at Keflavík Airport and transfer to a guesthouse in Reykjavik. At 17:30 we invite you to a Welcome Meeting including traditional Icelandic soup. Receive details of the following tour and meet your fellow riders. Dinner not included.

Sunday
We drive to Hvítárdalur Farm, visiting the historical site Thingvellir and the well-known Geysir Hot Spring Area on our way. The ride starts off to the great canyon Brúarhlöð. We stop at beautiful Gullfoss waterfall, before ascending onto the Kjölur trail. We leave civilisation behind us and ride across the stony desert Haukadalsheiði to our mountain hut Fremstaver, beneath the extinct volcano Bláfell. (6 - 7 hours)

Monday
Our ride continues along the slopes of Mt. Bláfell. This area was roamed by outlaws in the old days. To be on the safe side you might want to take a little stone along today as a special token for safety during the ride. You might need it later on today… We cross River Hvítá and enjoy the view to the glacier fed lake Hvítárvatn with its floating icebergs. Tonight we stay at Árbúðir, situated right at the banks of river Svartá, a beautiful location with Langjökull glacier towering over the surroundings. (6 - 7 hours)

Tuesday
We ride along the glacier fed river Fúlakvísl through huge rugged lava fields of Kjalhraun that the sure footed Icelandic horses master with such bravery. During the ride we enjoy splendid views of the glacier Langjökull. We leave the herd for a couple of hours to enter into the world of Thjófadalir, or Valley of Thieves, a grassy valley surrounded by high mountains, a true oasis in the wilderness. On to Hveravellir, a unique geothermal area between Hofsjökull and Langjökull glaciers. A natural hot pool invites us to a deserved relaxing bath. (7 – 8 hours)

Wednesday
This day will be a very special one, since we cross the large glacial rivers, Blanda, Svartakvísl and Strangakvísl on our way to the North. No need to worry, most Icelanders would rather choose a trusted Icelandic horse than a vehicle to cross a river! The location of tonight's mountain cabin offers great views of the big glaciers behind you and towards the high mountains of the North ahead of you. Up to mid July the sun hardly sets in this part of the country. (5 – 6 hours)

Thursday
Today it is easy to see that we follow a historical route since large man made stone cones accompany us through a desert of sand and stones. All the way back to the early settlement of Iceland, people travelled on horseback on exactly the same trails as we do today. Imagine beeing part of a chieftains family, all dressed up and riding the best horses on this historical route. From the mountain cabin Galtará we can overlook the big man made lake Blönduvatn. In August this is a perfect spot for berry picking! (4 – 5 hours)

Friday
We descend past beautiful Lake Aðalmannsvatn towards the fertile Mælifellsdalur valley in the Skagafjörður area. Enjoy endless herds of horses grazing on striking hills. In good weather conditions you can see all the way to the Atlantic Ocean at the North coast. Good riding tracks give you the opportunity to enjoy a fast ride in the soft tölt! We end the day at Lauftún Holiday Farm with a hot pot heated with geothermal water. (7 – 8 hours)

Saturday
Transfer back to Reykjavík and return to a guesthouse for the last overnight stay. Approx. return to Reykjavík at 2.00pm.

Sunday
Transfer by bus to Keflavík Airport in time for the return flight home.

Important : Some of our departures are operated from the North and some other are double (from the South and the North). Please refer on the departure dates below for more details.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Self-driving tour in the South of Iceland: To discover other types of Icelandic landscapes and the amazing volcanic activity of the island, we suggest a 8 days / 7 nights self-driving tour in farmstays (breakfast and unlimited mileage included).

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses

The Icelandic horse is world-famous for his gait, the tölt, fast and comfortable, that allows covering long distances without tiredness.
Moreover, during our rides, each rider has several horses that he rides in turn, the others following the ride in freedom. Limited tiredness for each horse, and pleasure to ride among a heard of fifty horses or so in freedom for the riders.

Tack

English style

Required riding level
From 5 to 7h on horseback a day (30-40 km), without great technical difficulties, but requiring an experience of long rides.

The guide is responsible for your safety, therefore he can ask you not to ride if your riding level is not sufficient for this ride.
For your safety, we recommend always to wear a riding helmet while on horseback.

See our special information sheet on Icelandic Rides.

YOUR GUIDES

The ride is supervised by a team of professionals of the trail ride in Iceland that perfectly knows the Icelandic horses and the specificity of the country.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation in guesthouses, mountains cabins and gîtes. Rustic confort, sometimes, there is only one shower for the all group. You'll sleep in made up beds.

DATES AND RATES

RATE INCLUDING

RATE NOT INCLUDING

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact us for any inquiry

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

LENGTH

9 days / 8 nights, 6 days on horseback

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

The rigour of the Icelandic climate, which has formed the immense spaces that you cover, only allows the trail rides from June to September.

However this period is really ideal seeing that the sun shines during the best part of the day.

Formalities
Check with your local Embassy according to your nationality.

Vaccines-Health
No specific vaccination, we recommend you to be up to date concerning your usual vaccinations, in particular for the tetanus vaccine.
Remember that a repatriation travel insurrance is compulsory.
Compulsory disinfection of your used riding equipment - leather forbidden (Protection of Icelandic horses from diseases absent from the island).

See our special information sheet on Icelandic Rides.

REFERENCE :CH46-iceland-kjolur