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Dates 2024
September: 5 - 8 Fully booked September: 12 - 15 Fully booked Dates 2025 August: 14 - 17 August: 21 - 24 Type: Multi - day tour with spare horses Duration: 4 days / 3 nights / 4 riding days Operated by: Exploring Iceland Level of expertise: Experienced riders in good physical shape Area: South Iceland Accommodation: 4 star hotel Grímsborgir Min: 2 guests Max: 4 guests 2025 Price per person in ISK: Price p.p.in double/twin room at Hotel Grímsborgir: ISK 380.000.- Single supplement: ISK 56.600.- Non-Riders welcome! The area offers great opportunities self-drive tours while your travelling partner is out for trail riding (min.2 riders) Please contact us for Suggestions and itinerary: [email protected] |
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This tour takes you straight into the Rift Valley at Þingvellir National Park. While riding on secluded lava and birch lined trails in between the North American and Eurasian continental plates you will get a magnificient insight into the fascinating geology and history of Iceland! Imagine tölting on our soft and gentle horses through lava fields, over highland plateaus and along lovely lake shores as you will discover the wonderful natural wonders of the South. Explore the ancient parliamentary place which is the birthplace of the Icelandic Nation. Included are visits to Geysir hot spring, the Golden Waterfall Gullfoss and to the geothermal Fontana SPA is where you can sweat in the steam of a natural hot spring and jump into Lake Laugarvatn to cool off! |
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Day by day itinerary
Day 1: Riding toward the National Park
Pick up at 10 am at your accommodation in Reykjavík by your wonderful Icelandic hosts! Today´s ride will take you through a stunning mountain landscape with basalt columns, Tröllafoss waterfall and beautiful mountain views. The ride ends at a local farm. We drive the horses to Thingvellir National Park and go by car to your hotel accommodation for next 3 nights (riding distance ca. 15 km)
Accommodation: Hotel Grímsborgir for next 3 nights
Day 2: Riding in the Rift Valley
Today we spend the whole day riding in the beautiful National Park. We begin with riding the new Bláskógaleið where we will be riding with a herd of loose running spare horses to the farm ruins of Gjábakki. Here we will enjoy a hearty lunch. After lunch we will take you on an exciting ride „in between the continents“ as you will be riding in the rift valley between the dividing plates of North America and Eurasia! We then ride into and over one of the many rift zones which will be for sure an adventure to remember! After the ride we will go visiting the famous historical sights of Þingvellir National Park. This place is really the heart of the Icelandic Nation. Here the Icelanders met for their annual Thing meetings from 930 to the end of the 18th century, it is here where they decided to take on Christianity in the year 1000 and declared independence in 1944. We end the day by driving to Fontana Spa for soaking in the geothermal pool and enjoy the oldest sauna in Iceland. (riding distance: 20 km)
Day 3: Gullfoss – Geysir – Friðheimar - Riding through Game of Thrones scenery
After breakfast we go on a fascinating sightseeing tour to the famous Golden Circle i.e. we will admire the Golden Waterfall Gullfoss and enjoy the hot spring area of Geysir with spouting Strokkur (the churn). Before heading back to Thingvellir we enjoy lunch and a stable visit at Friðheimar greenhouse restaurant which is absolutely lovely and unique in the world! We enjoy a great ride through the National Park in the afternoon with stunning trails through old farms and famous Games of Thrones scenery (riding distance: 15 km)
Day 4: Riding back towards Reykjavik
Today we will ride back towards Reykjavik. We ride along and over river Öxará (the Ax River) and over heaths and meadows towards the capital area. There are several routes to choose from as riding to/from the National Park was the most popular route during centuries. When we are getting closer to Reykjavik we take you by car to your accommodation in Reykjavík in the late afternoon. (ca. 35 km)
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.
Included:
Please note: Dinner is not included and only the riding tour is guided. Guide is not staying at the hotel
Pick up at 10 am at your accommodation in Reykjavík by your wonderful Icelandic hosts! Today´s ride will take you through a stunning mountain landscape with basalt columns, Tröllafoss waterfall and beautiful mountain views. The ride ends at a local farm. We drive the horses to Thingvellir National Park and go by car to your hotel accommodation for next 3 nights (riding distance ca. 15 km)
Accommodation: Hotel Grímsborgir for next 3 nights
Day 2: Riding in the Rift Valley
Today we spend the whole day riding in the beautiful National Park. We begin with riding the new Bláskógaleið where we will be riding with a herd of loose running spare horses to the farm ruins of Gjábakki. Here we will enjoy a hearty lunch. After lunch we will take you on an exciting ride „in between the continents“ as you will be riding in the rift valley between the dividing plates of North America and Eurasia! We then ride into and over one of the many rift zones which will be for sure an adventure to remember! After the ride we will go visiting the famous historical sights of Þingvellir National Park. This place is really the heart of the Icelandic Nation. Here the Icelanders met for their annual Thing meetings from 930 to the end of the 18th century, it is here where they decided to take on Christianity in the year 1000 and declared independence in 1944. We end the day by driving to Fontana Spa for soaking in the geothermal pool and enjoy the oldest sauna in Iceland. (riding distance: 20 km)
Day 3: Gullfoss – Geysir – Friðheimar - Riding through Game of Thrones scenery
After breakfast we go on a fascinating sightseeing tour to the famous Golden Circle i.e. we will admire the Golden Waterfall Gullfoss and enjoy the hot spring area of Geysir with spouting Strokkur (the churn). Before heading back to Thingvellir we enjoy lunch and a stable visit at Friðheimar greenhouse restaurant which is absolutely lovely and unique in the world! We enjoy a great ride through the National Park in the afternoon with stunning trails through old farms and famous Games of Thrones scenery (riding distance: 15 km)
Day 4: Riding back towards Reykjavik
Today we will ride back towards Reykjavik. We ride along and over river Öxará (the Ax River) and over heaths and meadows towards the capital area. There are several routes to choose from as riding to/from the National Park was the most popular route during centuries. When we are getting closer to Reykjavik we take you by car to your accommodation in Reykjavík in the late afternoon. (ca. 35 km)
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.
Included:
- Pick up and drop off to/from your accommodation in Reykjavík
- All transfers during the ride including visits to Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir hot spring area
- 3x nights in double/twin or single rooms with private facilities at the 4 star hotel Grímsborgir
- 3x breakfast buffet
- 4x lunch during the tour
- 4x riding days according to program
- English speaking guide. Other languages upon request.
Please note: Dinner is not included and only the riding tour is guided. Guide is not staying at the hotel
Hotel Grimsborgir
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This hotel is located in Ásborgir, within the Golden Circle Region in South Iceland. Selfoss is 15 minutes' drive away from the hotel and 13 mi away from the boundary of UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park.
You can admire the sky and surrounding mountains from the room or outdoor hot tubs. The hotel offers free northern lights wake up calls. WiFi and parking are available free of charge. All rooms at Hotel Grimsborgir by Keahotels come with a balcony or terrace, flat-screen TV, mini-bar, bathrobes and slippers and private bathroom. The guest rooms have access to 29 private or shared outdoor geothermal hot tubs. The apartments come with a fully equipped kitchen, barbecue grill and private hot tub. Buffet breakfast is served daily. And the menu features international dishes made with fresh local ingredients. In the summertime you can enjoy your meal on the patio. |
Steinunn GuðbjörnsdóttirTour Operator
Guide / Driver / photographer Steinunn or Steina bought her first horse at the age of 16 and has been smitten by the „horse bug“ ever since. By now she owns 14 horses and some of her younger horses come from her own breeding lines.. Steina decided to use the COVID time to go to the Icelandic guiding school so now she is a certificate driver/guide. She likes horses with a character, with good tölt and good temperament. Her horses are usually the easy ones. She has 3 grown up children and Lóa is her youngest and only one in the family who is riding with her. |
Margrét Lóa BjörnsdóttirHorse trainer Guide / Driver Instagram photographer
Lóa is Steinunn’s daughter. She started riding when she was 5 years old and has been riding ever since. She bought her own horse when she was only 11 years old, a 5 year old Palomino mare, Klassik, which is now her breeding mare. She is the competi- tion rider in the team but also loves to go on horseriding trips which she has been doing since the age of 10. |
Ari SigurðssonTour operator / guide / Driver
Ari started riding at a young age with his father. Horse riding is his favourite thing to do after work and he is the main guy to come to for a coffee in his riding club. He has 2 grown up children (no grand children yet) but they are not riding with him so one can say that Steina and Lóa are his “horse-family”. His favorite horses are those who are cooperative to run after the loose herd. |
