Viking Express Ride, Pickup

From Reykjavík: Viking Horseback Tour in Hafnarfjörður runs through Íshestar Riding Tours. Rated 4.8 across 135 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From $234.

Overview

This Viking horseback tour from Íshestar runs from the stables at Sörlaskeið 26 in Hafnarfjörður, a short drive from Reykjavík, and spends about 2.5 hours on horseback across the Reykjanes preservation area. The listing states plainly that it is for strong intermediate riders only, people who have ridden roughly 30 times or more and who are comfortable and in control at every gait, including tölt and pace.

The ride itself covers lava fields and open countryside, with reviews repeatedly describing long stretches of tölt and gallop. One experienced rider said the tour let them experience every gait of the Icelandic horse, and another described it as feeling like riding through a volcanic landscape from a fantasy film. Guides match each rider to a suitable horse, and reviewers often mention the animals look healthy and well cared for, with rest breaks built in so the horses can graze and catch their breath.

The tour duration is 3 hours. Optional pickup in Reykjavík is available for this product, with drop-offs at a long list of central bus stops and hotels afterwards. Helmets, rubber boots, rainwear or a warm overall are all provided, so travellers arrive in ordinary weather-appropriate clothing and gear up at the Riding Centre. Anyone arriving on their own should be at the meeting point 30 minutes before departure.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup or own arrivalOptional pickup in Reykjavík for the Hafnarfjörður ride, or make your own way to the meeting point at Sörlaskeið 26, Hafnarfjörður. Be there 30 minutes before departure.
2. Gearing up at the stablesArrive at the Íshestar Riding Centre, where riders are fitted with a helmet, rubber boots and rainwear or a warm overall. Bags and large cameras stay behind at the centre.
3. Horse ridingRide through the Reykjanes preservation area for 2.5 hours with an English-speaking guide. This tour is aimed at strong intermediate riders comfortable at all gaits.
4. Return and drop-offAfter the ride, transfers run back toward Reykjavík with a choice of drop-off points, including central bus stops such as Ráðhúsið City Hall, Harpa and the BSI Bus Terminal, plus selected hotels.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what matters before booking this particular ride, from the listing details and from what travellers have written afterwards.

• Riding ability. This is not a beginner tour. The listing asks for strong intermediate riders who have ridden around 30 times or more and are in control at all gaits. Several travellers confirmed the pace is genuinely fast, and one experienced rider called it unmissable for riders at that level but clearly not for beginners.
• Kit provided. Helmets, rubber boots, rainwear and warm overalls are all included in the right size. Bring sunglasses, a hat, gloves and weather-appropriate clothing underneath. Backpacks and large cameras cannot come on the ride but can be stored at the centre.
• The horses. Reviewers frequently mention the horses by temperament, describing them as friendly, well behaved and visibly well cared for.
• Group feel. Guides match riders to horses and watch the group closely. One reviewer noted the guide kept checking that even the slowest riders were keeping up and comfortable, and another said the group was split so faster riders could go ahead while others held back.
• Bring your own gear rules. Any riding gear brought into Iceland, such as boots, trousers or gloves, must be washed at 40°C, dry cleaned or disinfected first. Used leather gear may not be brought into the country at all. Using the provided equipment avoids the hassle entirely.
• Weather. The supplied overalls and rainwear are there for a reason, and gloves and a hat are on the operator's own bring list.

Common issues. The strict riding requirement is the main filter: if you are not comfortable at speed in all gaits, this is the wrong tour. The listing also bars pregnant riders, anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and riders over 110 kilograms, with a minimum age of 12. One reviewer hoping for more speed found the pace limited by weaker riders in the group.

Picking A Ride