What is included in our day tours:
Transfers to and from the Riding Centre, horse riding as per itinerary, riding helmets, rubber boots, and rainwear or a warm outfit during the ride.English and Scandinavian speaking guidance. Please note that you cannot take any backpacks or bags with you on the ride but there are safety boxes at the Riding Centre where you can store your valuables.
The Íshestar Riding Centre is unique here in Iceland with facilities as good as they get. It’s set in beautiful surroundings just outside the town of Hafnarfjörður, about 10 minutes drive from Reykjavík. The facilities and the fascinating area provide endless opportunities of riding, hiking and other outdoor activities.
We welcome individuals, families and all kinds of groups who want to enjoy themselves outdoors. The facilities offer people an easy way to enjoy our horses and the experience of our staff will ensure the safety of all our guests.
The locker room of the Riding Centre is well equipped. All customers are provided with warm overalls, raingear, riding boots and helmets in their sizes. The Íshestar staff take pride in finding horses to suit individual needs as well as secure the safety of everybody.
What is included in our multi day tours:
• Accommodation in Reykjavík (included in many of our tours) includes breakfast only, not lunch and dinner. If your tour package includes our welcome meeting, a traditional Icelandic stew is served on the arrival day.
• During the ride full board is provided. Our menu consists of a large breakfast and traditional Icelandic meals (fish or lamb). Vegetarian meals are available if requested in advance. All riders make their own packed lunch from the breakfast table.
• Alcoholic beverages are not included in the tour price and are hard to get in the highlands. They can be bought at a reasonable price in the Duty Free Store at Keflavik Airport upon arrival.
• Rain wear, water bottle, saddle bag, riding helmet and sleeping bag with a sheet (where necessary).
• Individual travel insurance is not included in the tour price. We encourage clients to obtain relevant travel insurance before visiting Iceland.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Reykjavík, included in many of the longer tours, is in rooms with private facilities. 2 - 3 clients share a room but a limited number of single rooms are available for additional cost af EURO 50 per night.
Fosshotel Lind, Rauðarárstígur 18, 105 Reykjavík, www.fosshotel.is
IH-3 Northern Exposure, IH-5 Snaefellsnes, IH-8 Egilsstadir, IH-68 Ride on the Wild Side,
IH-12 Power of Creation, IH-14 Twilight Zone, IH-17 Northern Odyssey,
IH-19 Hekla-Landmannalaugar, IH-611 Riding under Northern Lights
Fosshotel Barón, Baronsstígur 2-4, 101 Reykjavík, www.fosshotel.is
IH-6 Golden Circle, IH-10 Íshestar Special
Hotel Cabin, Borgartún 32, 105 Reykjavík, www.hotelcabin.is
IH-7 Kjölur (all departures except for July 14 – 22 which is accommodated at Fosshotel Lind)
Hotel Reykjavík Natura, Hlídarfótur, 101 Reykjavík, www.icehotels.is
Tour 4 Volcano Vistas.
KEA Hotel Björk, Brautarholt 22-24, 105 Reykjavík, www.keahotel.is
IH-15 Horse Round-up
During the ride all accommodation and facilities are shared. Tours 4, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 611 offer accommodation in beds with bed linen throughout the ride. Tour 4 is operated in double room accommodation throughout the tour. Single room accommodation is available for tour 4 as well at an extra charge. Tours no. 6 and 13 include two nights in rooms with private facilities at the Geysir Hotel.
Our mountain rides no. 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 17 and 19 offer simple accommodations in sleeping bags, tour 5 only for two nights. Sometimes the whole group stays together in one large room. Tour 68 offers accommodation in tents and basic cabins.
Accommodation is equipped with beds, bunk beds and shared bunk beds depending on the size and location of each mountain cabin. Indoor WC, warm showers and/or hot pools are available at most locations.
Íshestar provides detailed descriptions of the accommodation for each tour upon request.
Luggage
Luggage will be transported in the kitchen van.
• Bring bags rather than hard cover suitcases.
• Pack light because transport space is limited.
How much money to bring with you
Íshestar offers optional sightseeing tours and/or activities on some of the rides. These are mentioned in the tour description with the price in Icelandic currency and should be paid for in cash on the spot.
Group size
Number of participants varies from 12 to 20 guests. Please check tours for listed maximum of riders. Our staff consists of the tour leader, our associate in charge of the horses, additional people to take care of the horses and a cook.
Changing horses
Usually we change horses once or twice a day. On most of our longer tours we herd our spare horses along in a free running herd, the traditional way of riding in Iceland. All tours of the three and four horse categories are operated that way. For tours of the two horse category our guides may lead spare horses for parts of the ride.
Airport transfer
Airport transfer to a hotel in Reykjavík for tours 3 - 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 68 and 611 is arranged in private buses or the Flybus. Since clients arrive on different flights some waiting might be involved. The transfer is only included if clients participate in the tour programme as described. If clients need an extra night before or after our programme or if they are not using the included accommodation, the transfer is not included either. We will however assist all our clients with information. A public bus (Flybus) runs between the International Airport and Reykjavík upon every arrival of a flight and leaves Reykjavík approx. 2 ½ hrs. prior to every flight departure.
Information folder
Upon arrival our driver gives you a welcome folder with various information regarding the tours. If clients are not using our transfer, the folder is available at the accommodation the day before the ride starts. For tours where airport transfer or accommodation in Reykjavík is not included by Íshestar the welcome folder will be delivered to your accommodation the day before your ride starts. Included in the welcome folder is the departure time of your tour the next morning. Please ask for your folder at the reception desk.
Introduction meeting
For clients on our tours no. 3 - 8, 12, 15, 17, 19 and 68 we offer an introduction meeting at the Íshestar Riding Centre on the scheduled arrival day of the tour at approx. 17:00 hrs. Tours 10 and 14 will have a meeting in Reykjavík. For those who either arrive late or choose not to attend the meeting, Íshestar’s representative will be at the accommodation the following morning to send the riders on their way.
Emergency phone number
In case of any emergency or problem before you meet our representatives please call
+354 860 7006.
Terms & conditions
If you book the tour through the website the full amount is requested.
If you book via e-mail or phone. We request a 30% confirmation payment upon booking to be able to confirm a seat. When we have received the confirmation payment the seat is secure. The remaining balance is due six weeks before the tour starts.
Our cancellation terms are as follows:
• A cancellation made (by letter, fax or e-mail) with more than six weeks notice is subject to 10% of the tour price.
• A cancellation made (by letter, fax or e-mail) with less than six weeks but more than three weeks notice is subject to 30% of the tour price.
• A cancellation made with less than three weeks and more than one week notice is subject to a 50% cancellation fee.
• A cancellation made with less than one weeks notice means that the full price will be collected.
Íshestar reserves the right to change a day’s itinerary, if road or weather conditions prove unfavourable.
A cancellation of tour due to insufficient participation must be made with at least 4 weeks notice. Íshestar shall make every effort to provide similar alternative arrangements without additional cost to the buyer. Should the alternative not be to the buyer’s satisfaction a full refund will be made. Still we are proud to confirm that this has rarely happened since we started our operation in 1982.
