In geological terms, Iceland is the youngest land on earth. Its two hundred volcanoes plus many splendid waterfalls and hot springs make for a dramatic, awe-inspiring landscape. Treeless, windswept, lava-blanketed and eerily empty, this island nation offers a powerful, rugged beauty with a variety of color and texture that feels like another world.

Located in the middle of the North Atlantic, just south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland was settled by Vikings who arrived in the ninth century. The Norsemen settled the land between 870 AD and 930 AD with the help of their horses, Iceland’s “most useful servant.” In spite of its name and northern location, Iceland is not always freezing and snow-covered. The Gulf Stream makes the coastal areas more temperate. The southeastern capital, Reykjavik, averages 52º F in July and 30º F in January. Reykjavik is home to 100,000 people, nearly half of the island’s population of 250,000. The remaining Icelanders live in tiny towns scattered mainly around the perimeter of the island and connected by a road that is often one lane wide and sometimes unpaved. It’s easy to see how important the Icelandic horse was for daily transportation until very recently.

Icelanders speak Icelandic, the purest of the Nordic languages and the closest to Old Norse, remaining basically as it was at the time of settlement. Almost all Icelanders also speak excellent English, even though they can and do read their Icelandic Sagas of the 12th century as they were written. Icelanders are avid readers who publish the greatest number of books per capita of any country in the world and have a 100% literacy rate.

For anyone with the slightest interest in geology or the outdoors, Iceland is a paradise. The absense of heavy industry and heating provided by geothermal power keep the island’s air and water crystal clear, allowing endless views of mountains and fields with each color and texture in sharp focus. Fishing, hiking, swimming in heated pools, and riding are favorite activities. Urban pleasures such as shopping, fine dining and nightclubbing are available only in Reykjavik and Akureyri in the north. Iceland is about nature, unspoiled, unlittered and untamed, mainly free of fences and signs and roads, giving us a glimpse of what the beginning of the earth must have been like.

Horse trekking is a perfect way to get out into the country for a few hours or several days of fresh air and glorious scenery. Over forty farms offer guided treks with a variety of tours to choose from that are suitable for riders at every level.

Satellite view of Iceland.

A horse that can survive this climate will thrive anywhere else. If you’d like to see more of Iceland, reload this page for a random slide show. If you’re interested in visiting Iceland, here are links to help you. Iceland Air Tourist Info