Landmannalaugar Adventure for Black Saddle

Day by Day Itinerary 

Day 1: Getting started (Reykjavik - Minnivellir - Hellar - Minnivellir)

Early afternoon pick up in Reykjavik

We drive up to the former farm Minnivellir (1,5 hours) where we settle in. After a short brief, we catch our horses from the field next to the house, get acquainted with the gear and ready for the first ride. This ride takes us through lush fields – fertilized through the ash from the eruptions of the Hekla volcano – to the farm Hellar at Skarðsfjall mountain range. There we take a break and visit the biggest man-made cave in Iceland. We finish our visit with homemade snacks from the farmer and his family that has lived there for centuries before we head back to Minnivellir. We take a different route this time and ride alongside the shores of the mighty river Þjórsá.

Accommodation: Minnivellir

Day 2:  Towards the Volcano (Minnivellir – Rettanes – Rjupnavellir)

Today we ride towards the majestic Hekla volcano. The landscape changes from lush fields to ash and sand dunes with sharp lava rocks: Both testimonies of the power of Hekla's eruptions. We reach Rangá river and have our lunch break at a historical sheep round-ups. After lunch we cross Rangá river and ride closer to Hekla until we reach Rjúpnavellir, where we leave our horses and drive back to Minnivellir for the night. 

Accommodation: Minnivellir
Riding distance: ca. 30 km.

Day 3:  Entering the Highlands (Rjupnavellir - Landmannahellir)

After a nice breakfast and a short drive we start our ride into the highlands. With a view of the Hekla volcano we climb up into the mountains, through black sand and past small lakes until we reach the remote valley Landmannahellir. 

Accommodation: Landmannahellir
Riding distance: 35 km.

Day 4:  The Kaleidoscope of Iceland's colors (Landmannahellir)

After an exhilarating ascent up to the highlands, we leave the herd behind for a well deserved rest and go on a single horse ride exploring the area. After a warm lunch in the hut we go by bus to Landmannalaugar passing through an obsidian field and experiencing the colors change from greenish black lava fields to the blue-yellow-reddish of the rhyolite mountain ranges in Landmannalaugar. In Landmannalaugar we will have time to enjoy a soak in the thermal hot spring as well as a hike through the area. Then we return by bus to out hut in Landmannahellir for a warm dinner and a cozy evening.

Accommodation: Landmannahellir
Riding distance: 40 km.

Day 5:  The Gateway to Hell (Landmannahellir – Rjúpnavellir Summer Cottages)

We leave the scenic Landmannahellir area and ride north of Mt. Hekla volcano, down from the highlands. A desert of black ash and light pumice is a witness to numerous eruptions of this volcano, the most active one in Iceland and known as the Gateway to Hell. Rjúpnavellir cottages are our first step back into “civilization”.  We leave the horses there and drive back to Minnivellir for a cozy evening.

Accommodation: Minnivellir
Riding distance: 35 km.

Day 6:  Winding Down: (Rjúpnavellir – Skarfanes - Minnivellir)

Our last riding day leads us west of Mt. Hekla volcano and around the big lava field ‘Merkurhraun’, that is about 6000-8000 years old. We ride alongside the mighty river Þjórsá and past the beautiful waterfall Þjófafoss that shows another, rather positive side of Mt. Hekla's  eruptions: fertile farmland. We ride through lush green fields  and cross the rivers Ytri-Rangá and Eystri-Rangá. 

We return to Reykjavik in the late afternoon.

Riding distance: 35 km

Day 7:  Return to Reykjavik

Today we pack our things in the morning and bid the horses farewell before returning to Reykjavik around lunch