Laxnes Farm Ride, Pickup

Icelandic Horseback Riding Tour Including Pick Up from Reykjavik runs through Laxnes Horse Farm. Rated 4.8 across 901 reviews. Runs 3 hours 30 minutes. From $166.

Overview

Pickup in Reykjavik is part of this Laxnes ride, and travellers are driven out to the farm where the actual riding happens. The full experience runs 3 hours 30 minutes from pickup to drop-off, though several reviewers point out that a good chunk of that is transport, with time in the saddle closer to two hours depending on the day. Once at the farm, staff fit helmets, adjust saddles, reins and stirrups, and give a short lesson on steering before anyone mounts up.

The ride itself follows farm trails through rolling countryside at the base of the mountains, and reviewers mention a stream along the way and, on one route, a waterfall. Groups are capped at 15 travellers. The pace is gentle: beginners mostly walk. Horses are matched to each rider's experience, a detail many reviews single out as the reason nervous first-timers felt safe.

Rain gear and winter overalls are provided, along with helmets. Minimum age is 7 and children must ride with an adult. It suits novice riders and families, with reviewers picked up from hotels and a downtown bus stop.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in ReykjavikTransport from Reykjavik to the farm is included in the tour. Reviewers report being collected from hotels and a downtown bus stop.
2. Drive to Laxnes Horse FarmThe transfer takes up a notable part of the total duration of 3 hours 30 minutes, as several reviewers mention.
3. Gear fitting and briefingStaff fit helmets and rain gear or winter overalls, adjust tack, and explain how to mount, steer and dismount. Horses are matched to rider experience.
4. Trail rideRiders follow trails through countryside at the base of the mountains, with reviewers mentioning a stream and a waterfall route. Beginners mostly walk.
5. Hot drinks at the farmA reviewer mentions hot beverages served after the ride.
6. Drop-off in ReykjavikTransport back to Reykjavik is included, returning riders to their pickup point.

What To Expect From The Tour

Most of the practical points below come straight from the listing or from what multiple reviewers reported after riding at Laxnes.

• Dress for weather. The farm provides rain gear or winter overalls and a helmet, but reviewers recommend adding your own warm base layer, gloves and a face cover. Wind, rain and cold can hit even in late summer, as one reviewer riding in late August found.
• Pace and fitness. Beginner groups mostly walk, and reviewers who had not ridden in years said they felt safe and well looked after. The tour is not recommended for travellers with back problems or pregnant travellers, per the listing.
• Group feel. The maximum group size is 15, and one reviewer described a group of about a dozen. Guides check on everyone regularly. Expect a quiet ride rather than a narrated tour, as a couple of reviewers noted there is little commentary.
• Food and drink. No meal is included, but hot beverages are served at the farm afterwards, according to a reviewer. Eat before pickup, since the total time away is 3 hours 30 minutes.
• Timing expectations. Several reviewers note the riding portion is shorter than the headline duration, with one putting it near two hours and another closer to 90 minutes. The rest is pickup, transfer and drop-off, so plan the day around the full window.
• What is included. Local taxes, helmet, rain gear or winter overalls, and pickup in Reykjavik are all covered. No riding gear or experience is needed, as one reviewer put it.

Common issues. The listing sets a minimum age of 7, requires children to be accompanied by an adult, and states the tour is not wheelchair accessible or recommended for travellers with back problems or pregnancy. Intoxicated riders can be refused without a refund. A full refund requires cancelling at least 24 hours before the start time, and poor weather can lead to cancellation with a choice of another date or a full refund. Some reviewers wanted more commentary on the Icelandic horse breed, and several noted that much of the total duration is transport rather than riding.

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