Day of arrival: Gröf
After settling in and a light meal, it is time for the riders to meet the horses. Following an introduction of the special gaits of the Icelandic horse, there is a short riding tour (1-2 hours) down the fields and to the beach.
Day 2: Gröf-Búðir-Garðar
Riding in Búðahraun lava on the way to Búðir - video
From Gröf we ride through Búðahraun lava, past the old crater, Búðaklettur, on our way to Búðir. At Búðir we change horses. While we take a break, you could walk to the tiny, old but romantic church, Búðakirkja, dating back to 1703. Dozens of people from all over the world come to Iceland every summer, just to get married in Búðakirkja, and stay at Hotel Búðir, one of the finest hotels in Iceland. We may add that ccording to GoEcco, Hotel Búðir is the mecca of Icelandic cooking.
Or you could just enjoy the staggering scenery with Snæfellsjökull glacier towering above.
From Búðir we ride across Búðaós, where the river Hraunhafnará falls into the sea. Ahead are Löngufjörur, one of the longest beaches in Iceland, which gives horses and riders great opportunities to perform the smooth gait “tölt”, over long distances.
Day 3: Garðar-Traðir-Stakkhamarsnes-Skógarnes
Riding over Straumfjarðará river - video
After rejoining the horses at Garðar, we start our longest day. We ride the smooth trail of Löngufjörur, which is as much fun and as exiting for the horse as the rider, as the horses can run free (tölt) and show their mettle without any obstacles to slow them down.
The beach is golden and the trail, only revealed by low tide, is soft. On the way to Skógarnes, we change horses at Traðir and Stakkhamarsnes.
There is a golf course at Garðar, run by the romantic country hotel Langaholt.
Day 4: Skógarnes-Skógarnes
We ride along Löngufjörur at spring tide, when even more of the sand is exposed and the ground is even softer. We take an adventurous roundtrip on the wide-open beach and ride into the small islands along the coast.
Day 5: Skógarnes-Stakkhamarsnes-Traðir
Even if we are riding the same trail back, as two days before, a whole new world opens for the riders as we ride towards the beautiful Snæfellsjökull glacier. The horses know that they are returning home, which makes them even more willing.
On the way to Traðir, we change horses at Stakkhamarsnes.
Day 6: Traðir-Lýsuhóll
Now we turn away from the beach to ride an old traditional trail by the roots of the colourful mountains of Snæfellsnes to the horse farm Lýsuhóll.
We change horses once on the way
Day 7: Lýsuhóll-Búðir-Gröf
From Lýsuhóll we ride to Búðir, where we change horses.
From there we go back home to Gröf.
Day 8: Departure from Gröf
We get up early for breakfast, our last meal together. How early depends on when our guests need to be at Keflavik airport. It might take up to four hours to get to Keflavik from Gröf, depending on how many will be off in Reykjavík. We recommend that our guests take a late flight home, if possible.
On this tour you do not have to pack every day – at the end of each day, we return to our farm Gröf.
