Around the Volcano
4
Nights
from £1,540
Around the Volcano
4
Nights
May - Sep
4
Nights
from £1,540
May fr. £1,700
Jun - Aug fr. £1,670
Sep fr. £1,540
You will ride over the black lava fields of the Hengill Volcano and into Marardalur – an enchanting green valley known as the Valley of Horses. You will be met by steep cliff formations that lead into Reykjadalur, the Valley of Steam, with its sulphur-scented hot springs. We will ride past the foot of the legendary Jórukleif Cliff before then continuing along the shore of Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland, close to the gorge where Icelanders held parliament for hundreds of years. We will ride in small groups and stay in comfortable rooms at the eco-certified Hotel Eldhestar (***) or at the Eldhestar Guest House. You can find more detailed information about this trip in the itinerary further down this page.
Departures 2025: May - September (selected departures, see booking)
We offer numerous direct and connecting flights. Please contact our sales team for inquiries.
General information about horseback riding tours
Information about the difficulty of the different horseback riding tours, what you need to pack and much other important information can be found here: More information
Package includes
package includes:
Flights to/from Iceland including tax and luggage.
3 nights at Hotell Eldhestar***+ or their guesthouse.
1 night in hotel in Reykjavik.
Horseback Riding 3 Days – Daily Stages of 20–30 km (4–7 hours).
Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) apart from the dinner the last night
Transfers to and from Vellir to Reykjavík.
Guiding in English.
Personal service from our knowledgably consultants.
Travel protection equivalent to ATOL, through Kammarkollegiet, the Swedish statutory travel protection.
add ons:
Transfers to/from the airport to Reykjavik.
Cancellation insurance upon illness.
Price information:
Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double room. We always give you the best available price for flights, hotels and excursions.
Prices vary according to date and season, so it might be a good idea to search several different dates to get the best price.
package highlights:
Hengill Volcano
Marardalur, Valley of Horses
Reykjardalur
Day description
Day
Day 1
Arrival at Keflavík – Eldhestar’s farmstead Vellir
You will land at Keflavík Airport and take the airport bus to the BSI Bus Terminal in Reykjavík. There you will be met by representatives from Eldhestar at 17:30–18:00 who will organise your onward travel to their farmstead, Vellir, which is located close to the town of Hveragerði. On the first evening we will all enjoy dinner together and Eldhestar will tell you all about the itinerary for the next few days.
Day
Day 2
Horseback Tour Hveragerdi – Kolvidarhóll
Heading off from Hveragerði, we will follow the old path down to Hellisheiði. When we reach the moor we will then continue onwards to Hengill Volcano over the lava field of Kristnitökuhraun. This lava field was formed in an eruption in the year 1000 – the same year that Iceland officially adopted Christianity. The old legend says that this eruption was an act of vengeance from the old gods Thor, Oden and Freyr. We will then continue along the path between lava and the hills of milli hrauns and hlíðar heading down towards Kolvidarhóll. For centuries this has been a site where people stop to rest. We will spend the night back at the Vellir farmstead.
Day
Day 3
Horseback Tour: Kolvidarhóll – Nesjavellir
We will continue northward riding below the mountains Húsmúli and Hengill. We will then dismount and lead the horses through a narrow canyon into Marardalur, the Valley of Horses. After that we will then pass over Dyrfjöll (the Door Mountains) where we will have fantastic views of Lake Thingvallavatn. The lake is located next to the gorge where Icelanders held parliamentary sessions for many centuries. The route then continues on to Nesjavellir where we will leave the horses before heading back to Vellir for dinner and to spend the night. Today’s stretch is 30 kilometres long and will take us about 6–7 hours.
Day
Day 4
Horseback Tour: Nesjavellir – Reykjadalur – Hveragerdi
We will ride up into the mountains and through a canyon with a running river. After tackling yet another mountain we will then ride over a sandy plain which gradually gives way to grassy terrain as we reach Þverárdalur Valley. We will ascend a slope at the side of a waterfall that will take us to a luscious green area with hot springs. After that we will come to a steep cliff formation that will lead us down into Reykjadalur, the Valley of Steam. We will take a dip in the valley’s warm brook before then returning to Hveragerdi where the tour will end. Before we head down the mountain we will have an incredible view of the sea and the Westman Islands. We will travel back to Reykjavík by car at around 16:30. You will spend the night at your chosen hotel in Reykjavík. Today’s stretch is 20 km and will take us about 4–5 hours to complete.
Day
Day 5
Journey home
Breakfast at your hotel. If you have chosen the optional add-on of return transfer to the airport a transfer bus will fetch you at the hotel. You can also buy a ticket for the airport transfer bus on site.
