Riding an Icelandic horse is not only tremendous fun, it’s also a great way to experience the natural beauty of Iceland; snow topped mountains, the largest glacier in Europe, volcanoes, thundering waterfalls and striking lunar landscapes.

The Icelandic horse is a pure-bred descendant of those brought to Iceland by the Vikings over a thousand years ago. Horses remain an important part of Icelandic culture; they are used on remote farms to round up livestock and are still the best means of getting around in many parts of the island. Although small, the Icelandic is a powerful horse and has no difficulty carrying someone weighing 90kgs.

What makes this horse special is its fifth gait, the tölt, which is comparable to a running walk. Most riders can master it fairly quickly; it's fast, comfortable and enables the horse to cover great distances.

On the Highland Escape you change horses once or twice a day and as you ride, the herd of up to fifty loose horses travels with you. You spend four nights in comfortable cottages and three nights in simple mountain huts and refuges which are comfortable, but with limited facilities. Showers are may not be available on these nights and sleeping bags are required.