Réttir (pronounced roughly 'RYET-ir') is the autumn sheep round-up, when farmers bring their flocks down from the highlands and sort them by owner. It runs on weekends from early September into early October at around a hundred pens across the country. Visitors are welcome to watch, but it is a working day for the farmers first.
What is réttir?
Icelandic sheep spend the summer roaming the highlands and valleys with no fences. In September, farmers and neighbours ride, walk and drive out in organised sweeps called göngur to gather them. The animals are driven to a communal pen, the rétt, where they are sorted by the earmarks each farmer registers for his or her flock.
The sheep descend from animals the settlers brought over in the ninth and tenth centuries. Wool, meat and tallow kept people alive here for a thousand years, and the round-up is still one of the year's main social occasions in rural areas. Numbers have fallen over the decades, but hundreds of thousands of sheep still spend the summer roaming free.
When are the réttir?
The season runs from early September to early October, and most sorting days fall on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Each district sets its own dates, usually based on when the highland gathering is finished, and dates can change with the weather.
In 2026, for example, Skaftholtsréttir in the south were on 11 September and Reykjaréttir on 12 September, Ölfus had its round-up on 13 September, and pens in Skagafjörður ran from early September into October. For 2027, expect a similar pattern: the first two or three weekends of September are the busiest, and a few districts run later.
Local councils publish the schedule in August. Search the district name with 'réttir' and the year, or ask your accommodation host, who will nearly always know the nearest one. If you are planning a September visit, our guide to Iceland in September covers weather and daylight.
Where to see a sheep round-up
Any rural district with sheep has a rétt, and you do not need to drive far to find one. These are areas travellers often use as bases.
- South Iceland: the pens in Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur (Skaftholtsréttir, Reykjaréttir and Skeiðaréttir) and in Ölfus are within a couple of hours of Reykjavík and close to the Golden Circle.
- West Iceland: the Borgarfjörður area has several large pens within about two hours' drive of Reykjavík.
- North Iceland: Skagafjörður and Húnavatnssýsla are known for big, traditional round-ups, including Stafnsrétt and Silfrastaðarétt, and for the horse round-up at Laufskálarétt.
- Westfjords and East: smaller, quieter pens where you may be one of very few visitors.
Horse round-ups (stóðréttir)
Horses are gathered too, usually in the second half of September. The best known is Laufskálarétt in Skagafjörður, which draws well over a thousand riders in a good year. In 2026 it fell on the last weekend of September, with a herd drive, a horse show in Sauðárkrókur and the round-up itself.
Horse round-ups are more of a party than the sheep sorting, and tour riders often join the drive. If you like the idea of taking part, read about the Icelandic horse and browse horseback riding tours. If you simply want a ride near Reykjavík, our Golden Circle & Horse Riding Tour pairs the Golden Circle with time in the saddle. Round-up trips sell out early, so book well ahead.
How to visit respectfully
Réttir is not a tourist show. Farmers may have been up since dawn and have a lot of animals to sort. Follow a few simple rules and you will be welcomed.
- Park where you are directed, and never block gates or farm tracks.
- Stay outside the central pen (almenningur) unless someone invites you in. The sheep are stressed enough.
- Ask before photographing people, and leave your drone at home. Flying near livestock is a quick way to upset everyone.
- Bring cash for coffee and pastries sold locally, and your own food if the pen is remote.
- Wear waterproofs, wool layers and boots you do not mind getting dirty.
- Say góðan daginn. It goes a long way.
Leader sheep, and other things you might see
Look for the forystufé, or leader sheep. It is a special Icelandic type that is said to sense storms coming and to lead the flock home, and farmers have always valued it for that. It is often taller and more alert than the rest of the flock.
Sheep that missed the first sweep are called eftirlegukindur and are collected in a second and sometimes third search. The severity of the risk is well known: a blizzard in mid-September 2012 hit the northern highlands before the round-up was finished and killed around 10,000 sheep. That is why farmers do not like to leave gathering late.
Sheep on the road: what drivers should know
During réttir season, flocks and loose sheep are on the roads more than usual. Slow down, do not honk, and let the animals move. Honking scatters them.
If you hit a sheep, do not drive away. Call 112 and the police will contact the farmer, or tell the nearest farm. Farmers say they would much rather be told, because injured animals can often be treated if they are found quickly.
Réttir in your trip plan
September is a good month to be in Iceland, with long evenings, fewer crowds than July and a first chance of Northern Lights. Add a pen visit to a day on the Golden Circle or a self-drive around the south or north. If you would rather not drive, our Golden Circle Private Tour from Reykjavík goes at your own pace with a local guide, so ask us when you book whether a round-up falls on your dates. For a guided loop, the winter edition of our 6 Day Iceland Ring Road Tour starts running in September and covers the South, East and North. See all our private tours. As a local travel agency, we can plan the route around the round-up dates and book farm stays nearby. Try local lamb while you are there, as covered in our guide to Icelandic traditional food.
Tours to book
A September trip can take in a round-up and the sights around it.
- Golden Circle Private Tour from Reykjavík: your own guide and pace, close to the southern pens.
- Golden Circle & Horse Riding Tour: the Golden Circle plus a ride on the Icelandic horse.
- 6 Day Iceland Ring Road Tour: a small-group loop of the south, east and north that starts running in September.
Questions people ask
When is the sheep round-up in Iceland?
Réttir runs from early September to early October, mostly on weekends. Each district sets its own date, and councils publish the schedule in August. The first two or three weekends of September are the busiest.
Can tourists attend réttir?
Yes. Most round-ups are open to watch. Park where directed, stay out of the central pen, ask before taking photos of people and remember it is a working day for farmers.
Where is the best réttir for visitors from Reykjavík?
Pens in Ölfus and Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur in the south, and in Borgarfjörður in the west, are about one to two hours from Reykjavík. Check the exact date for the year before you go.
What is Laufskálarétt?
The best-known horse round-up in Iceland, held in Skagafjörður in late September. More than a thousand riders take part, and there is a horse show in Sauðárkrókur the same weekend.
What should I do if I hit a sheep with my car?
Do not drive away. Call 112, or tell the nearest farm. Farmers say they would rather be told, and injured sheep can often be saved if found quickly.
