With Svaðilfari for 8 days
In the North West of Iceland, surrounded by the waves of the North Atlantic Sea and the icecap of Drangajökull glacier, nestled in the mountain valley of Skjaldfannardalur is our sheep and horse farm Laugaland. Here the horses have been used for hundreds of years to gather the sheep down from the mountains in autumn before the winter storms arrive and the sun disappears behind the glacier for a couple of months. The grazing land is rough and steep so only the most sure-footed and reliable horses are suitable for these conditions.
For over ten years we have offered nature-lovers and horse enthusiasts the opportunity to discover this landscape, which was abandoned by the last settlers 50 years ago, in the most special way - on horseback along side pack horses and a free running herd, as our fore-fathers have travelled for centuries.
This is a circular eight day tour around the magnificent Drangajokull icecap. We follow ancient routes over mountain passes and through abandoned farmland, cross rivers and fjords, soak in hot springs and on the final day we trek across the Drangajokull glacier!
In these vast tracts of uninhabited land you can lose yourself in this sub-arctic wilderness and feel your insignificance in comparison to such mind-blowing forces of nature. There is a large variety of sea birds, ground nesting and cliff dwelling birds. White tailed sea eagles are not uncommon and as arcic foxes cross our paths, seals lie relaxing on the rocks in the sunshine. The vegetation of the coastline varies continuously, from barren mountain plateaus to richly coloured flower meadows.
The expedition takes 8 days. All the luggage must be carried on horseback because in this area there are no roads and therefore there is no vehicle support. The typical group size is always small, eg. 6 people and 2 guides. We stay in a traditional communal tent (Laplandic Kota) with a small wood stove for cooking and heating and also in old farm houses.
Join us on our horseback circumnavigation of the Drangajokull glacier. We would be delighted to give you a warm welcome!
