Iceland through the ears of a horse
Min. 2 persons - riding experience requiered

If you love horses and would like to ride through the wilderness of Iceland but also visit some of the famous Icelandic spots, this riding holiday offers exactly that. Whether you have your own horse or simply regular experience with riding, it is something special to see the Icelandic nature through the ears of an Icelandic horse and travel with them to places, where no one else can come.

All riding programs can be customized upon request 

Highlights and inclusions:

• 5 nights of accommodation in our Villa or Panorama
• 1 Country Ride
• 1 Under the Volcano
• 1 Into Nature
• Inspirational maps to local as well as famous places such as both hidden and famous waterfalls, fun activities, hiking routes, good food and much more. (scroll down)

What to expect: 
During your holiday in south Iceland and on our horse breeding farm, Skeiðvellir, you have the freedom to choose your own program. The riding days can be scheduled upon arriving and during the rest of your time, you can enjoy some of the famous attractions of the south or dive deep into local sightseeing, just as you please. 

Your rides during this holiday goes through all types of the Icelandic landscape, and you get the chance to experience both soft grass, endless sheep paths, rocky lava fields, rivers, mountains, big horse herds, famous glaciers and much more. These long rides take place in 3 different places, so you will never overlap the same ground and around every corner awaits a new view. Due to the length and speed of these rides, an extended amount of riding experience is required. In our herd, we have a big variety of well-trained horses and you can either find a suitable soulmate for all your rides or try out different horses.

Skeiðvellir has the perfect location for exploring the south and in between your rides, there are lots of beautiful spots to be found. It is easy to reach The Golden Circle, Reykjavík and national parks as Landmannalaugar or to explore more local sightseeing. In the following section we have put together some of our favorite and more local activities. Take a look below to get inspired. ​

Looking for snowy rides and northern light? See our winter edition here

Price per person is 174.000 ISK, incl. 15% discount. 
Minimum 2 persons. Available from May to September.
We are happy to extend your program, and additional nights of accommodation or extra riding activities can be added to this program.

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Trips and attraction around Skeiðvellir
Here we have gathered our suggestions to local sightseeing, hidden spots, and some of our favorite attractions in the south of Iceland. They are combined as longer or shorter self-drive trips but can also be enjoyed separately on a spontaneous evening. Click on the maps to read more about the trips and the different destinations. 

Hidden favorites of the south coast

​This route takes you through small hikes, beautiful waterfalls, hidden caves and perfect picnic spots. It is one of our personal favorites!

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Þorsteinslundur is a thin waterfall in a beautiful nature space, created in the honor of the Icelandic poet, Þorsteinn Erlingsson. A table set, the small forest and the waterfall makes it a perfect place for a picnic. ​

Gluggafoss, also known as Merkjárfoss, runs on the Merkjá river and has over time formed tunnels and grooves in the soft rock. It is a beautiful waterfall with lots of variation.

Litli dímon is the small sister mountain to Great Demon, and a fun, beautiful hike as well as a historical place. The mountain is only 178 meter tall and can be done by both adults and kids. Near the mountain is a historical sign, which tells about the battles fought there during the settlement of Iceland. ​

Nauthúsagil is a ravine with roman trees growing on both sides and on top, and the place feels like a mysterious and different world than the rest of Iceland. You can walk into the ravine and follow the river, where you find several small waterfalls before reaching the biggest in the end. One of them requires a bit of climbing, which makes this place a fun and adventurous activity. *

End your day with the famous and beautiful Seljalandsfoss on your way back. Make sure to walk behind the waterfall and for the explores, continue on the path next to the hillside to also see Gljúfrabúi, a hidden waterfall. 

*a part of this route is on a road, that officially is a F-road. Therefore, we have to - officially - recommend a car that is allowed to drive F-roads, but this exact piece to Nauthúsagil is in good condition and we often go there, slowly, with our own normal car. 

Half a day of mixed sightseeing

Looking for a nice program to fill out half a day after your riding session? This little round-trip has both classic Icelandic highlights as well as more hidden spots. 

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Urriðafoss is the most voluminous waterfall in all of Iceland. It has a nice walking path next to the fall and the river, and even a small picnic table that invites for a cozy lunch or to enjoy the view. ​

Continue to Friðheimar, a farm managed by an Icelandic family, with several greenhouses with Icelandic tomatoes and a restaurant inside. We highly recommend the tomato soup with home baked bread and one of the delicious desserts. They also have a kids menu and to eat among the tomato plants is a wonderful experience for all ages. ​

The Geysir is one of the most famous spots in Iceland. The periodically sprouting hot spring is the first known geyser to modern Europeans and the name derives from the Icelandic verb geysa. It usually erupts every 10 minutes and it is a truly impressive sight!

Gullfoss is located 2 minutes from the Geysir, and is one of Iceland's most iconic and popular waterfalls. It has 2 drops and a total height of 32m. On a sunny day, you can catch a glimpse of a beautiful rainbow over the waterfall. 

Finish off the day with a hot bath in the natural hot spring, the Secret Lagoon. The sides of the pool are made of big rocks and the water is warm enough for everyone. The Lagoon has changing rooms, showers, snacks to buy in their entrance, foam rolls and stairs to enter the water. Our best tip is to buy the dinner from the fish and chips kiosk at the side - it is very delicious!

A day with waterfalls

Iceland is full of stunning waterfalls, and if you are looking for a chance to discover more unknown places, this route is perfect! Spend a day chasing different and beautiful waterfalls here in south, all closely around Skeiðvellir. 

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Start the day with
Þjófafoss, a breathtaking waterfall on the Þjórsá river in the middle of the Merkurhraun lava field. It has the mountain Búrfell as a beautiful background. ​

The Rangá river is here running down a small hill and forms a numerous of beautiful small waterfalls, Fossabrekkur. It is located on the way towards the highlands, and if you follow the path next to the waterfall, you can hike all the way to the spring of the river. 

Árbæjarfoss is named by a nearby farm and church, and this waterfall is appx 10 m tall on the Rangá river. It is easy to walk to, and on a clear day the view of Hekla is the background for this nice waterfall.

 It is possible to drive to the top of Ægissíðufoss, but we recommend to park the car by the restaurant 'Aarhus' and hike the way to the waterfall. It is about 30 mins on a pretty route along the river and you end up at the bottom of the waterfall with a perfect view of the different levels and Hekla in the background.   

Finish off with Urriðafoss, the most voluminous waterfall in all of Iceland. It has a nice walking path next to the fall and the river, and even a small picnic table that invites for a cozy lunch or to enjoy the view. ​

Highland trips for 4-wheel drivers

These highland destinations are all reachable from Skeiðvellir, if you have a 4-wheel drive. They are all 3 beautiful locations for hiking, picnic, exploring and experiencing the best of Icelandic nature!
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Þórsmörk is a hiker and nature lover's paradise! It is, among many locals, referring to a larger region which reaches from Þórsmörk proper to the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano. Þórsmörk means "the valley of Thor" and it a place to find true and majestic nature. ​

These following 3 places forms a little route that takes you through a series of nice waterfalls, hiking opportunities and a remodel of an old Icelandic turf house. We love all the sights and highly recommend this little daytrip! Drive first to Háifoss. It is a big and beautiful waterfall and we recommend to take the hike down to also take in the sight from below.  Continue to Stöng and Gjáinn. Park the car at Stöng, take a look at the archaeological site and hike (10 mins) to Gjáinn, a beautiful waterfall in green surroundings. Finish off with Þjóðveldisbærinn to see the old re-constructed viking-era farmstead here in Iceland. It is a stunning historical place with 3 buildings accurate to a farm that was buried in the ashes of an eruption from Hekla in 1104. 

Landmannalaugar is a national park in the southern part of the Icelandic highlands and a beautiful place for hiking and bathing in geothermal hot springs. The specific rock type creates dazzling colors in shades of red, pink, green, blue and golden yellow and the mountains is therefore a sight we truly love!

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Not finding what you are looking for? Please don't hesitate to contact us on [email protected], if you would like to add more dates, request changes in the details of the program or have any questions.