Forces of Nature: The Black Sand Trail

Saddle up for
the ride of a lifetime across Iceland’s untamed frontier—where ancient glaciers
loom like sleeping giants and endless black sand beaches stretch to the edge of
the world.

Embark on an unforgettable long-distance horse ride through Iceland’s raw and rugged
beauty—where the rhythm of hooves carries you around a glacial giant and across
some of the world’s most hauntingly beautiful black sand beaches.

From the lava fields of Hekla and Tindfjallajökull through the vast black volcanic plains of
Mælifellssandur to the windswept shores near Vík and the endless expanse of
Sólheimasandur, this journey is a deep dive into Iceland’s elemental soul. Ride
beneath ice-capped peaks, through deep and rugged gorges, across braided
rivers, and over shimmering black sands that whisper tales of fire and frost.
This is more than a ride—it’s an odyssey into the heart of a land shaped by
nature’s fiercest forces.

Day 0:

Pick up at BSI
at 17:30 and drive up to Minnivellir. We will all try rain gear and helmets and
have a cozy dinner there.

Day 1: Where
lava shaped the Earth - Galtalækur – Foss (30 km)

Pick up early in
the morning (or the night before?)

Starting from
Galtalækur, our ride leads us south of Mt. Hekla volcano and shows both sides
of Mt. Hekla eruptions: rocky lava fields and fertile farmland. We ride through
lush green fields and cross the river Ytri-Rangá. For parts of the day we
follow the well-known Hekla Trail and ride on good riding tracks where it is
easy to enjoy the tölt and for parts of it we walk through rough lava. We stay
in the mountain cabin Foss for the night.

Day 2: Where
the wild sheep roam - Foss – Hungurfit (25 km)

Our riding day
leads us up North, with the infamous Mt. Hekla volcano to our left side. Hekla
is one of the most active and most feared volcanos in Iceland, the lava fields
in the South date back to the 12th century. Constant eruptions have not only
destroyed human settlements throughout the centuries but also created fertile
soil. Our ride takes us on the slopes of Tindfjallajökull  through lush
farmland at the edge of lava fields, following Eystri-Rangá river upstream and
crossing it. We stay in the hut Hungurfit for the night. This is a recently
rebuilt, cosy cabin. It is bravely located in the proximity of Tindfjallajökull
(easily recognizable by its two symmetrical peaks, Ýmir and Ýma, both over 1400
metres high)

Day 3: Passing
the Peaks: Hungurfit – Mosar – around Mosar (30 km)

We ride Eastwards
through valleys and over mountains, with beautifull views towards Grænafjall
mountain. We continue through the green Botnar valley and stop at a cave used
in earlier times as a shelter for farmers when gathering their sheep until we
reach our cabin Mosar.

After lunch we
leave the herd behind and continue on individual horses to further explore this
wonderful area some more. The highlight of this day will be looking down at the
impressive Markafljotsglúfur, a gorge that is 200 meters deep.

Day 4:
Through the Black Sand Desert (50 km) Mosar to Holmsáa

The longest
day of our tour lies ahead of us. Our ride will take us Northeast, between
Mýrdalsjökull and Torfajökull Glacier. We follow the Fjallabak Trail across
Mælifellssandur, a black sand desert named after the prominent cone shaped
volcano Mælifell that rises above the black sand and provides great contrast
with its’ moss green slopes. We ride past it and continue East. At the end of
the path we turn South and get really close to the glacier on our way to the field
for the night. We leave the horses and drive to our place for the night
(Tungusel).

Day 5: In
Katla´s shadow (ca 25 km) Holmsáa to Hrífunes

Today we
continue our ride down South. We follow Holmsá river and venture a bit into
Merkigiljasandur, a small sander area of Myrdalsjökull. After our long day
yesterday, we take it easier today and end the riding day in Hrifunes.

Day 6:
Let´s get our feet wet (Hrífunes –Höfðabrekka/Kerlingadalur) (app. 35 km)

We drive to
meet with our herd in Hrifunes. Today we will cross the extensive black sand sander
area Myrdalssandur and cross some glacial streams on the way. We will reach the
mountain ranges before Vik and turn right into one of the valleys to end in
Kerlingardalur.

Day 7: Into
the Wild mountains (Kerlingadalur – Þakgil – Heiði)

Today will
take us deeper into the mountain ranges South of Myrdalsjökull. We cross a high
plateau and venture deep into the gorges. From there, ride to Heiði through the
gorges at Höfðabrekkuheiði, including Þakgil. This is a magical environment
that will transport us straight into a Lord of the Rings movie. (app. 35 km)

Day 8: The
(in)famous Black Beach

We will ride
out of the mountains and down to the infamous Black Beach (Reynisfjara). We
will cross the lagoon and ride up to the cliffs of  Dyrhóley, and the sandbanks of Klifanda, and
end in Pétursey. (app. 30km)

Day 9:
Between glacier and the ocean (Pétursey – Skálakot /Fornusandar) app. 40 km

We ride from
Peturséy across Sólheimasandur and the famous plane wreck. In 1973 a transport
aircraft operated by the US Navy crashed there during severe weather conditions
and was left there. It has since become a popular tourist spots.  We follow the glacier river Jökulsá á
Sólheimasandi upstream to the bridge and follow alongside the ring road for a
bit to catch the sight of impressive Skógarfoss.

When we reach the
mountain Lambafell we turn left towards the coast and to Eyjafjallasandur and
around the Eyjafjöll lagoon, if the conditions allow.  We ride along the coast under the mountains Eyjafjöll
and Eyjafjallajökull.  and end close to
Seljalandsfoss.  (app. 40 km).

Day 10:
Skalakot – Torfastaðir or up the mountains in Skalakot

On our last
day we take it easy, we take our favourite horse and our lunch pack and climb
up the mountains towards Eyjafjallajoekull and enjoy the amazing views from up
there, towards the glaciers, black beaches and the Westman islands. Perfect
spot to let it all sink in.

In the
afternoon we drive back to Reykjavik.