Herding sheep                              VIDEO 2018     VIDEO 2017

In September the farmers go up to the mountains to gather up their sheep that have been up there for the summer grazing in the vast highlands. The sheep are gathered down to the inhabited areas and all the way to the separating place called réttir. There all the farmers meet (and many other people too) and take their sheep home. On this tour we ride to meet the gatherers and help them take the sheep to the inhabited area and to the réttir.
This is a great opportunity to experience the real Icelandic country feeling. The tour takes six days of which four we are on horseback.
Day 1.
We come and pick you up at B.S.I bus station in Reykjavik around six o’clock in the evening and then we drive to Steinsholt. There we have a look at the tour schedule together and get to know each other a little better while enjoying the tasty dinner. Maybe you want to try our relaxing hot tub in the garden before you retire for the night.
Day 2.
We start the day by finding the horses and everything that we need for them on the tour. Then we ride from Steinsholt to Þjórsá-river. Here Þjórsá runs through a wide and long valley – Þjórsárdalur, we ride up the valley and end the day in Hólaskógur. The horses are kept in Hólaskógur but we go home to Steinsholt where we stay the night (On this tour we spend all nights in Steinsholt). The riding distance on this day is 38 km which takes 6-7 hours to ride.
Day 3.
We drive to Hólaskógur and get the horses ready for the day. Then we ride towards the people gathering the sheep of the highlands. After we have met the people we help them gather the sheep and herd them to Hólaskógur. The horses stay the night in Hólaskógur but we go home to Steinsholt. This day we are travelling for 10-12 hours.
Day 4.
We go to Hólaskógur and prepare the horses and then we ride towards the people gathering the sheep. We help taking the sheep down Þjórsárdalur and to the lowlands and then ride to Steinsholt. Like the day before we are travelling for 10-12 hours.
Day 5.
This is the day the sheep come to a place called Skaftholtsréttir. Sheep owners, their friends and relatives, meet up in réttir (a sheep round up) and each finds their sheep to take them home. The farmers of Steinsholt find their sheep and we end the day by helping them taking the sheep home. After we come to Steinsholt we eat lambs meat soup – kjötsúpa, but it has been a tradition in Iceland for decades to eat kjötsúpa on the day of réttir.
Day 6.
After breakfast we drive to Reykjavík bus station (BSÍ) where this trip ends.

Dates 2020

07 th to 12 th of September

Price: 1.550 EUR: 

Permission to operate a travel agency

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TEL 354 486 6069
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E-Mail steinsholt@steinsholt.is