Sprengisandur Trail - DREAM TOUR PART I

 We start our journey from the homebase of Riding Iceland at Saltvík farm. After some introduction between guides, riders and horses and  some refreshement  from our cook we ride out with our herd of 80 horses that will join us on this 9 day´part and the  next 57 day´s on the big journey of the Dream tour in total  before coming back home to Saltvík in september.!   We follow great riding trails in the north , cross river Laxá at a 100m wide passing and enjoy th magnificent view to lake Vestmannsvatn before  arriving at Goðafoss Waterfall where we leave our horses and head back to Saltvík with our little bus for the first night stay at Saltvík guesthouse. our private hot pools will be ready for our guests and guides for relaxing and enjoying the evening after dinner. 

 We ride up the valley Bárðardalur to farm Mýri where we leave the horses and head back to Saltvík farm for the night.  Bárðardalur valley is one of the longest valleys i Iceland and through the valley runs the big river Skjálfandafljót wich we follow all the way up the valley. 

We head up to the wilderness and when we ride through the gates of Mýri we will be out in nomansland for the rest of the journey . We ride up the abandoned valley Mjóidalur to the historical canion Kiðagil which is famous among travellers through the history of Iceland as a camping place on journey´s through the Icelandic highlands.  We leave the horses at Fossgilsmosar by the canions and after feeding our fellow four legged compaions we drive with our bus to a  guesthouse nearby where we stay over night. 

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We ride from Kiðagil  towards Laugafell following trail marked by "stonemens"  piles of rocks put up hundreds of years ago as waypoints for travellers in the highlands. at a certain point this day we reach the highlest altitude of the ride and enjoy the amazing view to the big glaciers on both sides. Vatnajökull in the east and Hofsjökull in the south. We arrive to the oasis of Laugafell in the afternoon . Laugafell is a true paradise in the middle of nowhere with green vegetation and hot springs wich come in handy for a nice bath in the natural little swimming pool right outside our mountain cabin where we spend the night. 

We ride from Laugafell in the morning across the desert towards the  eastern side of Hofsjökull  crossing  the big rivers Bergvatnskvísl and Fjórðungskvísl. our destination is another  historical camping place of past travellers called "Háumýrar "    to the west the great mountain Arnarfell watches over our horses and to east is Nýidalur and Vonarskarð. We drive with our bus to a nearby mountain cabin Versalir where we stay over night. 

 Another long day ahead where we ride across Þjórsá river and some smaller glacier rivers coming from Hofsjökull .We ride to Arnarfell the great and enjoy the unique vegetation at this very special place at the roots of Hogsjökull glacier. We ride to Tjarnarver mountain cabin at the bench of Þjórsá river where we stay over night. 

 We follow Þjórsá river southwards to Gljúfurleit mountain cabin where we stay over night. On the way we  follow nice riding trails along the river. 

 We ride on along Þjórsá river towards Hólaskógur  which is located at the edge of the southern highlands. 

We ride in to the amazing Þjórsárdalur and make a little break at Gjáin and Stöng wich is a rebuilt viking farm from the settlements of Iceland. 

We follow great trails towards the farm Fossnes where our journey ends and our horses get a well deserved 2 day´s rest before keeping on to part II on the Dream tour. 

At Fossnes farm we are blessed with a hot pool available for sore legs and backs of tough riders just finishing the most challenging highland route of Iceland    We enjoy the evening telling stories from our adventures and enjoying the final dinner together. 

After breakfast at Fossnes farm we drive to Reykjavík. Arrival around 12.00 at BSI busstation in central Reykjavík.