Required riding experience
Intermediate/experienced. This is a very fast-paced trip, ideal for thrill-seekers! You need to be comfortable to walk, trot, canter and gallop in open terrain, and be in good physical shape. Maximum of 15 riders per group.
Price
Shared double room with one other rider: 2795 EU. Private room: 3700 EU
Included: Transfer from BSÍ Reykjavík to the farm and back, 3 meals per day, 5.5 days of riding, accommodation, non-alcoholic beverages, and on the last night of the trip alcoholic beverages are included too!
Excluded: Airfare and transport to BSÍ Reykjavík, insurance, alcoholic beverages.
To book your spot, a 20% deposit is required.
Trips do not include travel insurance - we recommend getting Global Rescue insurance for your trip.
Dates
New trip dates are released regularly due to high demand - check out our booking page for all dates! For questions feel free to fill out our contact form, or email info@hoovesaroundtheworld.com!
The farm is a small, family-run business and we are proud to continue the family tradition of providing our guests with an unforgettable and personalized experience of nature and the history of Snæfellsnes, as well as introducing them to the near-mythical being that is the Icelandic horse. Our family has a deep connection with horses that has been fostered over generations. We have developed a close relationship with these magnificent animals, who, along with our dogs, are an integral part of our family. Each horse has its own unique character, and we give each one individual care and attention, reflecting our love and respect for these incredible creatures. Our horses live in large, open fields year-round, where they can graze, run, and play to their heart’s content.
Pick-up point: BSÍ Reykjavík. The international airport is Keflavík (KEF), from there you take the bus shuttle to the BSÍ Reykjavík. The bus from KEF to BSÍ takes about 45 minutes. Pick-up and drop-off will be at 2pm at BSÍ, so you can book your flights accordingly: landing in Keflavík before 1pm and flying pack no earlier than 5pm. The transfer from BSÍ to the farm takes between 2 and 2.5 hours.
The luxurious lodge has beautiful rooms with private bathrooms and a great hall with a warm, rustic feeling of home, where you’ll have a magnificent view of the glacier Snæfellsjökull and the beach. In these lodgings you will have access to both a sauna and a jacuzzi to enjoy after your long ride.
The Icelandic climate can be unforgiving and we want you to be as comfortable as possible, so prepare for the worst. On this ride, if you're unlucky you can expect to experience rain, cold weather, and lots of wind. Therefore we advise everyone to bring warm and water-resistant clothing and plenty of spares. We provide rain gear, rubber boots, and helmets. The rest is up to you, so bring your sweaters, jackets, gloves, and hats. As well as anything else you can think of. If you intend on wearing anything that has been in any prior contact with horses outside of Iceland, we ask that you follow the guidelines of The Icelandic food and veterinary authority. Helmets are compulsory. We have a large variety of helmets here, but we do encourage everyone who wants to bring their own helmet.
What's in our bags?
We as hosts have tried and tested all our trips and have it down to a science on what to pack for horse riding holidays! For Hooves Around Iceland, here's what's in my bag: 5 long sleeved-shirts (thermal), 2 wool sweaters, 2 pairs of leggings (thermal), 2 extra large hoodies to fit over the wool sweater (layers are crucial on cold trips!), water- and windproof jacket, scarf/buff, waterproof pants with fleece lining (on the rare extra cold days I wear these, and borrow a pair of waterproof pants from the farm to wear over mine), gloves, beanie (for the evenings), underwear, socks, PJs, rain/snow boots, comfortable shoes and clothes for the evenings, toiletries (sunscreen, lip balm, etc.), reusable water bottle, bikini (for the jacuzzi!), phone charger, passport, credit card (no need to bring cash).
Recommendations:
I personally borrow a helmet at the farm, but if you want to bring your own please do! Make sure to follow the guidelines mentioned above.
The riding takes place through some of the most varied terrain you’ll find anywhere in the world. The Snæfellsnes peninsula has often been called little Iceland due to its ever-changing landscape being able to offer almost everything the rest of the country has. On this tour we will ride from the southwestern corner all the way to Snæfellsnes northeastern coast. You’ll witness an awe-inspiring glacier, ride on multiple beaches and through ancient lava fields, on top of spectacularly tall and beautiful ocean cliffs, over waterfalls and rivers, across fields of green and rugged mountain passes, and through an ocean of lupine flowers and rough rocky terrain. On this tour we will ride both slow and fast as the terrain changes dramatically each day. For the first four days of the trip we travel along Snæfellsnes southern coast, where we will spend a part of each day on beaches. These beaches form some of the world's greatest riding terrain as their sand, which is high in clay content, is arguably the perfect ground for riding on. There we can ride for hours on the famous smooth gait Tölt and the horses can really show their worth running free without any obstacles to slow them down. The fifth day is spent traversing across a long mountain pass all the way to the north side of the peninsula and on the sixth and final day, we take the time to ride around the area of Helgafellssveit.
On this tour, you will be served with quality breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The traditional Icelandic meals are overwhelmingly locally sourced from our abundant community of small family-run farms and local fishermen. We serve lamb that was raised free-roaming the peninsula, fish caught fresh by our neighbours and family, dairy and beef from a nearby dairy farm, many locally grown vegetables and so much more. Each day you can expect a rich and exciting new meal. We do not offer individual meals, we all eat together and everyone gets the same food that is on the menu that particular day. We do offer a vegetarian option for those who let us know in advance.
Keep in mind that this is an example itinerary and can change depending on weather, tides, and preference. For photos and videos of each day, please have a look on our Instagram! Keep in mind that the daily hours in the saddle mentioned below include the breaks. Per day you'll have one longer break for lunch, and several shorter breaks to rest the horses.
Day 1
Pick-up at 2PM at BSÍ Reykjavík. Arrival at the accommodation in the afternoon, get settled in your room, have a quick snack, and off we go for a test-ride! The guides will assign horses based on experience level, and will take their time during this first ride of 1 to 2 hours to check your riding ability, and to see if you get along with your horse. This is also the time for you to let the guides know if you do want to switch to another horse, as afterwards we will start the point-to-point trail and switching to a different horse will be more complicated. After the ride you'll go back to the accommodation for dinner and possibly a dip in the jacuzzi or sauna!
Hours in the saddle: 1-2.
Day 2
During breakfast you will also prepare your lunch to be taken with you in the saddle bags. There are lots of different options for breakfast (and therefore lunch) every day, and you'll enjoy your packed lunch out in the wild when you take your lunch break with the horses. On this first full day of riding you'll ride along incredible cliffs, through rivers and fields, and over the tops of waterfalls! This day consists of one spectacular view after another. The pace is not as fast as the next days due to the terrain, so you have some time to get used to the powerful Icelandic horses. Even though the pace is less fast than other days, you'll still get lots of tölts and gallops in! After lunch, you'll ride back to the accommodation over dirt roads which are perfect for discovering the true speed and power of the Icelandic horse. After that it's time to enjoy another incredible dinner and relax at the accommodation.
Hours in the saddle: 4.
Day 3
On day 3 you'll start the day with a walk on foot! This does depend on the tides, so on your trip you might ride in the morning, and hike in the afternoon. The hike is optional of course, but I highly recommend it as it is absolutely stunning. After the hike you'll be driven back to the accommodation, and tack up the horses for the afternoon ride. You'll start off riding along the road for a bit, and soon you'll go up into the mountains, before crossing the road one more time to get to the beach. Here, the scenery suddenly changes from magnificent mountains and the big glacier, to endless sand. You'll have another short break to rest the horses, and then it's time to race along the wild coast of Iceland, leaving the glacier behind you. You'll ride along the beach for about 1.5 hours (it's the longest beach of Iceland!), and then you'll ride the last half hour or so through the fields to where the horses will sleep that night. After setting the horses free in their gigantic pasture, you'll be driven back to the accommodation for dinner, and possibly some Icelandic song-singing!
Hours in the saddle: 5-6.
Day 4
In the morning (tide-dependant) you'll have the option to do another excursion on foot, for example going to the nearby cliff, which again I highly recommend! The guides will also happily take you to a nearby town to check out the incredible wool sweaters they make in Iceland. Afterwards, you'll be driven to the horses, tack up, and make your way back onto the beach for lots and lots of galloping. At the end of the ride you'll tölt back inland again over a dirt road, all the way to the horses' field for the night. As we're riding further and further across the peninsula, the drive back from the horses to the accommodation also gets a bit longer. On day 4 it takes about 30 minutes, perfect for a post-ride nap!
Hours in the saddle: 3-4.
Day 5
After another fantastic breakfast, it's time to drive to the horses again! Today you'll be riding into and across the mountains, to the other coast of the peninsula. It's a technical and fast paced ride, as there is lots of rough terrain to navigate through. Wherever you can, you'll tölt, canter and gallop to cover as much ground as possible. It's an extremely fun day of riding with immensely different scenery every couple hours or even minutes! Over dirt roads, through forests, climbing up the mountain (the most difficult part even on foot), you'll gallop past volcanoes and lava fields, to eventually descend on the other side of the peninsula into magnificent lupin fields (lupin season is June and July). After a last long gallop through the lupin fields you'll cross the road to the horses' final destination, a stunning farm on the rugged coast of the peninsula. It's incredible to see how diverse the scenery is on this peninsula, and how different both sides are.
Hours in the saddle: 6-7.
Day 6
The final full day of Hooves Around Iceland! You'll get to explore the other side of the peninsula on horseback, and there are several routes to pick from, depending on the weather. After a last beautiful ride, it's time to say goodbye to the horses. They get to rest in the field for a while on this side of the peninsula, and we get to try local Icelandic beverages at the farm! This last night of the trip alcoholic beverages are included - time to celebrate an incredible week of exploring Iceland on horseback.
Hours in the saddle: 2-5.
Day 7
Departure day. Drop off at 2PM at BSÍ Reykjavík, and time to say goodbye after a memorable trip!
