Horse Round up
Laufskálarétt - Skagafjörður
North Iceland

Date 2020
September 24-27 

​Laufskálarétt in Hjaltadalur is the most popular horse corral in the land; every year it hosts a total of three thousand guests. The Laufskálarétt weekend begins on Friday night with lots of fun in the riding hall at Svaðastöðum. On Saturday, the horses are herded out of Kolbeinsdalur valley and corralled, and then at night there is a popular dance party. 

Imagine hundreds of horses coming down the hill from their highland summer pastures in full gallop to be sorted and reclaimed by their owners. Imagine Northern Lights dancing over the night sky in the remote highland – far away from any light pollution. The ancient tradition of rounding up the livestock is kept alive in Iceland and truly an experience of a lifetime. 

We also ride to the neighboring farms for a chat over horses, some of them might even join us on our way home and we can go for some serious speed tölt competition with the locals! Enjoy the famous hospitality of the Skagafjörður people and ride, eat, sing and party with us!

During this time of the year we have very good chances  to get a superb display of the Northern Lights although of course we cannot guarantee them. 

​Type:   Multi days riding tour with daily rides from the farm including to Horse Round Up 
Duration:  4 days / 3 riding days
Level of expertise required: Intermediate and experienced riders in good physical shape.
Area:  Skagafjörður, North Iceland 
Accommodation:  3 nights in made up beds in twin rooms with shared facilities
Meals: Full board during the ride.  
Max: 12 guests.
Guide: English speaking.  
Group: International 
Price:  ISK 227.900.- per person 
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Please contact us for booking.  info@exploringiceland.is 

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​See more photos on Flickr 

Day by day itinerary 

Thursday:  Reykjavik - Skagafjörður
Meet & Greet at your accommodation at 8 am. Bus transfer along the #1 Ringroad, with a stop at a tack shop along the way, to a famous horse farm in Skagafjörður. Here we are greeted by the family and enjoy a typical Icelandic lunch while we talk about our riding experiences and the kind of horses we would like to try. After lunch we head out to the stables and take our first ride.   After an exciting ride we return to the farm for a hearty dinner and look out for the northern lights in the evening! 
Accommodation for next 3 nights at a lovely farm guesthouse : made up beds in double rooms with shared facilities. 

Friday:  Riding in Skagafjörður
After breakfast we go for our second ride around the farm. This area is famous for its horse breeding and farm names will sound familar to many! We ride with perfect views to the endless mountain range and over the Skagafjörður fjord.

In the evening we enjoy a horse show in the riding hall at Svaðastaðir, in Sauðárkrókur. The horsemen and breeders in Skagafjörður get together to entertain the guests with great horses and music. Very lively and fun evening in the great company of locals from Skagafjörður who are known for their hospitality and passion for singing.
 

Saturday:  Horse Round Up!  
Today we need to get up early. We ride into Kolbeinsdalur valley with Ingólfur and his family who keep many of their horses in this stunning valley surrounded my mountains. There will be a lot of riders and a lot of fun!  At noon the young horses, foals and mares are driven into Laufskálarétt corral for sorting.  Sorting wild young horses involves some daring moves by the local farmers. Enjoy the spectacular performance by the young Icelanders as they find and sort their horses in between the excited herd! The people of Skagafjörður love sing and there will be for sure a lot of singing in Laufskálarétt corral. 

In the evening the hot tub and a nice goodbye dinner will be served
 
Sunday  -  Short riding and back to Reykjavík 
After breakfast we say good bye to the lovely family and their great horses (and other animals).  Transfer by bus to Reykjavík. Arrival in Reykjavik around noon. We are more than happy to arrange your Reykjavík accommodation for you! 


Please make sure you also read our Useful Information about Riding Tours

Notice:
Exploring Iceland reserves the right to alter routes, itineraries or timetables should the necessity arise. The estimated duration of tours as indicated by km or timing can change according to road or weather conditions.  Please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings can not be guaranteed.  Short time Forecast
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Included: 

• Horse riding for 4 days according to programme. 
• 3 nights in double rooms with shared facilities.
• Full board during the tour starting with lunch on the first day and ending with lunch on last day. 
• ​Entrance fee to horse show in Sauðárkrókur including transfers
• English speaking guide
• ​Transfer Reykjavik - Skagafjörður - Reykjavík 

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Good to know: When you participate in the Round Ups you are experiencing the real Thing! You will be one of the group to herd and sort the animals. Of course that means long hours outside in sometimes cold weather. Iceland in autumn has many colors and types of weather. Anticipate to be in golden sunshine one moment and to ride in rain and even sleet during the next. We therefore recommend to dress well during these tours, to bring long woolen underwear and lots of woolen socks and gloves. It is also good to bring some quick energy supplies like chocolate. A warm rider is a happy rider! Individual travel insurance is not included in the tour price.
We encourage clients to obtain relevant travel insurance before visiting Iceland. 

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important information

the Icelandic horse