Accommodation

Ten double/twin rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. Disabled facilities. Two lovely common rooms with a fridge and coffee maker. Guests have access to a hot tub, sauna, and a washing machine. 

 
Board

At the guesthouse, there is a country pub and a restaurant that sits 50-70 people and emphasises serving delicious traditional Icelandic food. All the lamb served comes from the hosts' farm, Húsatóftir, and vegetables are sourced from farmers in nearby villages, Flúðir and Laugarás. The restaurant also offers homebaked bread and cakes. 

 
Service and recreation

The hosts of Hestakráin have run Land & Hestar horse rental since the summer of 1987. Guests can join riding tours ranging from an hour-long and all the way up to six-day tours around the upper regions of South Iceland and into the Highlands. All riding tours start with a short introduction and preparation before starting the tour. The tours are suitable for first-timers and advanced riders alike. Hiking trails. Geothermal swimming pool within walking distance from the guesthouse (800 m / 2,624 ft.). There is an 18-hole golf course, Selsvöllur, in village Flúðir (20 km / 12.5 mi) and a nine-hole course, Ásatúnsvöllur, at Langholt (19 km / 12 mi). River rafting and canoeing on Hvítá river (35 km / 22 mi). The closest towns with shops, restaurants, pools, and various general services are Flúðir (18 km / 11 mi) and Selfoss (27 km / 17 mi).

 
Gullfoss and Geysir

You can drive in any direction in the region from Hestakráin, and it doesn’t take long to go to many of Iceland’s best-known natural treasures. At Geysir (47 km / 29 mi) is the most popular geothermal area in the country, which takes its name from the world-famous geyser, Geysir. Geysir is now dormant, but Strokkur, a powerful geyser that erupts every 10-15 minutes, is an amazing spectacle. Iceland’s most famous and arguably most beautiful waterfall, Gullfoss, is just 10 km / 6 mi from Geysir.

 
Þjórsárdalur, Þjóðveldisbærinn and Hjálparfoss

Þjórsárdalur valley (37 km / 23 mi) is at the edge of the central highlands, close to the foothills of Mt. Hekla, a beautiful area of stark contrasts, where barren terrain meets with oases rich in vegetation. The settlement in the valley was abandoned during the Hekla eruption in the year 1104, and today you can see a reconstruction of the Settlement Age farm, Þjóðveldisbærinn, that was excavated from the pumice in the last century. The area has lovely hiking trails, such as Gjáin, and a short distance from the road around the valley is an enchantingly beautiful waterfall Hjálparfoss. Up from the valley, it is possible to drive onward into the highlands along a good paved road that was constructed in connection with the hydroelectric power station at Þjórsá glacial river.

 
Þingvellir National Park

The National Park at Þingvellir (73 km / 45 mi) is a unique and unforgettable natural treasure at the north end of the largest lake in Iceland. This sacred area is where the ancient Alþingi (or Althing, Iceland’s national parliament) was founded in the year 930, Christianity was officially adopted in the year 1000, and where the Republic of Iceland was formally founded on June 17th, 1944. Þingvellir is also famous in the world of geology, as it’s one of the few places where you can see clearly the divide between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates above sea level. There are many marked hiking trails around the National Park, and the visitors’ centre has a multimedia exhibition about the history and nature of Þingvellir (open daily from 09:00-17:00). There is also a souvenir shop and information centre.

Hosts: Aðalsteinn and Ástrún