If you’re seeking a unique and traditional Icelandic experience, then look no further than Skagafjordur, the cradle of Icelandic horsemanship. Follow in the hoof-steps of the ancient Viking settlers, astride the direct descendants of the horses they brought with them 1,000 years ago, and go chase some waterfalls.

When you visit Iceland – whether you’re staying for a day, a week, a lifetime – you’re going to see waterfalls. Many, many waterfalls. It’s estimated that Iceland is home to around 10,000 of these ‘foss’ (the Icelandic term), and despite their abundance, it’s never something you grow tired of seeing. However, if you’re seeking a truly unique Icelandic waterfall experience, then I’d recommend imitating the Vikings and traversing one via horseback.

Areas like the Golden Circle may offer more spectacular waterfalls, but they are also teeming with tourists, and it can be difficult to truly appreciate these stunning features. For those who want to get off the beaten track and enjoy some more authentic Iceland experiences, a horseback tour in Skagafjordur should be at the very top of your itinerary. This is the ideal stop on your ring road tour, near Akureyri. Whether you’re an experienced equestrian or a complete rookie, there is nothing more magical than hunting a waterfall atop one of these world-famous Icelandic horses.

1. The horses and their history
2. Where to experience this
3. What to expect
   1. When to go
   2. Cost
   3. The experience

The horses and their history

The beautiful horses you’ll find throughout Iceland are the direct descendants of those that the Vikings brought with them from Norway when they settled here in the 9th and 10th centuries. This is due to a strict policy of pure breeding and a subsequent ban on importing horses (in place now for over 1,000 years), meaning that the Icelandic horse is one of the most unique breeds in the entire world.

Having arrived here together, strangers in a new and frigid landscape, the horse has great historical significance for the people of Iceland, who relied on them for transport well into the 1900s. The horse has remained an integral feature of Norse mythology, another Icelandic import, and you’ll find traces of this throughout the country; for example, the Asbyrgi canyon: according to legend, this canyon is the hoofprint of Odin’s giant eight-legged horse Sleipnir.

Today, they are mostly employed by farmers to round up sheep in the highlands, or trained for leisure pursuits. They’re famous for their ability to display five distinctive ‘gaits’ (different types of movement) as opposed to the standard three – apparently if you know much about horses, this is a pretty big deal. As well as their speedy ‘flying pace’, they’re renowned for their ‘tolt’, which is a comfortable, ground-covering four-beat gait, and one you’ll get to experience if you arrange a horseback waterfall tour.

Where to experience this

For the ultimate Icelandic horse riding experience, you’ll need to head to Skagafjordur. This large fjord in northern Iceland is known as the cradle of Icelandic horsemanship; here there is a deep-rooted history between man and horse. If you’re departing from the northern capital, Akureyri, then allow around 1.5 hours to drive anti-clockwise along the ring road. If you’re on a clockwise ring road tour, then it’s a 2.5 hour drive north-west from Borgarnes, in western Iceland. While it is possible to spend the night in Skagafjordur, there are more accommodation options in these two locations, and they are generally cheaper.

My girlfriend and I did this as a stop-off on our self-planned ten day ring road tour, and it was one of the highlights of the entire trip. We had spent our third day exploring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, then spent the night in a small hotel in Borgarnes. Our next hotel was in Akureyri, roughly four hours away, and as we rose early and had rented our own car, we were able to stop off at a multiple attractions along the way, and arrived in plenty of time for our tour at 3pm.

To preface, this is not an ad. There are many companies that offer horseback tours and various horse-related excursions, and you should take a look at what they offer and their ratings. However, we chose to go with a company called HestaSport, and I honestly can’t recommend them enough. Here is a link to their site: https://riding.is/riding/. I have included a Google Maps pin at the end of the article.

What to expect

When to go

Horse riding tours in Skagafjordur are run year-round, so you’ll be able to enjoy this authentic Icelandic Viking experience no matter when you arrive. The summer months offer greater variety, such as multi-day mountain excursions and horseback river crossings for the more adventurous equestrian, though this is peak tourist season and it will likely be very busy (book well in advance). We visited in late October, which I would personally recommend as the best time to visit Iceland and the conditions were ideal for a shorter tour. Due to the hardiness of these horses – assuming their riders are up to the challenge – you can still venture out in the depths of winter.

Cost

The prices will vary between companies and packages. We opted for the Viking tour which advertised 1 – 1.5 hours, however our guide was lovely and allowed us to take a slightly longer route, meaning we got in about 2 hours of scenic horse riding. It cost 11,500 ISK each, which at the time equated to around £65.00, and this was a decent price for such an incredible experience, especially in comparison with some of the other excursions. If you’re being strict with your budget and you are unsure which excursions are worth the cost, I guarantee that this, the Vatnajokull glacier hike, and snorkelling between tectonic plates are by far the best experiences you’ll have in Iceland.

The experience

Before this moment, I had never ridden a horse in my life, while my girlfriend is an experienced horse rider, however this tour suited us both perfectly. Our tour guide was unendingly patient and helpful, and Icelandic horses are the Teslas of the equestrian world – my horse, Murnir, wasn’t going to let me accidentally ride her off a cliff. The tour takes you across the plains of Skagafjordur, up and down the vertiginous banks of the rivered valley, and stops beside Reykjafoss waterfall. It was only a small group: my girlfriend and I, two other couples, our guide and her dog. Without a doubt, this was one of the most magical things that we did while we were in Iceland, and probably the closest we will ever come to being Vikings.

I’ll be uploading some videos of the journey to my socials shortly, so give them a follow to check it out.

• Instagram
• TikTok

The location for the tour starting point is below, and the co-ordinates are: N 65°32,744′  W 19°26,338′. Check their website for further details on how to find them, as it can be a bit confusing without manual directions.