Going from almost sea level up to 630 m height, you really start appreciating how sure footed, sturdy, smart and careful the Icelandic horse is as it takes you safely and comfortably over landscape that is probably rougher than you’ve ever ridden in before.  We take our horses on a trailer to a meeting point, where there’s spectacular view over the ocean already by the parking spot.  We ride on a ca. 60 cm. (1-2 feet) wide medieval trail on a mountainside.  This trail used to be the main road to the Siglufjordur fishing village, throughout the history of Iceland.  The view is spectacular, and we go through landscape with heather and moss, up to an area so high that there is a tiny glazier there right on the trail on most years.  We also stop for refreshments on the way, brought with us in the guide’s saddle bags.

Siglufjordur used to be a totally isolated fjord, with a prosperous village, but the only way to get there, until 1967, was by foot/horse over the Siglufjardar-skard mountain pass, or by boat on the sea to Siglufjordur.  A narrow but well kept trail has been used for the last 1100 years to go over the mountains, through the one available option to cross the steep mountains, by foot or horse, through the Siglufjardar-skard pass.  This is the trail our viking ancestors used, and the people that lived here until just a few decades ago.  The scenery is breathtaking.  We start close to the ocean, go by the hillside, and slowly go higher and higher up, by a narrow breathtaking trail, with a lot of view over the ocean and the mountains.  This is a safe route and most people enjoy it tremendously, I would not recommend it though for those that have severe fear of heights or for beginners.  History and nature speaks to you from every rock and flower.  Then we ride up a beautiful valley surrounded by steep mountains, and go from grassy areas in the lowland to tundra-like arctic highland flora, and often pass snow on the hillside even though it’s high summer, we might even still cross snow for a few hundred meters in as late as August.  The valley does though provide good shelter and usually the weather is mild there.  From the narrow pass we can look over the Siglufjordur fjord, down by the ocean on the other side of the mountain pass.  We ride back in unspoiled nature, on a historic road, with a super view.

Duration and price:

4-5 hours (the whole experience can be 5 hours), price 27000 ISK per person.  Minimum number of participants is 2.

Riding level:

Intermediate experience or very experienced, and riding fit.  Sporty novice riders have also enjoyed it a lot.  We can not start this tour with a riding lesson, so you have to know how to ride, and guide your horse with the reins, English riding style.