Golden Circle Private Tour

In two very different places on this site. Near Reykjavík, the Hafnarfjörður lava fields, twenty minutes from town, host the ATV combos with caving, horses and whale watching (/experience/292/, /experience/1603/). In the Westfjords, Activity Tours runs one-hour and three-hour rides from Drangsnes and Djúpavík on the Strandir coast (/experience/1176229/, /experience/1167831/), with fjord views and almost no other traffic. The Westfjords rides are better; Reykjavík is easier to reach.

Yes, a full valid car licence to drive one. Passengers ride behind the driver and do not need a licence, but minimum ages apply for both; check the tour page. Bring the physical licence card. Standard pricing puts two people on one ATV, with a single-rider supplement if you want your own. Buggies (/experience/7689/) are side-by-side and more car-like, if you are unsure about balancing an ATV.

Old clothes and closed shoes. The operator gives you a helmet, overalls, gloves and often a balaclava, because Icelandic tracks are mud in summer and slush in winter and you will get sprayed. Wear warm layers underneath; you are sitting still in the wind. Sunglasses or goggles help with grit. Leave anything white at the hotel. A shower afterwards is not optional.

It carries real risk, which is why the licence rules exist. You ride in a line behind a guide at a set pace on marked tracks, so the danger is mostly in overconfidence on loose gravel or steep sections. Follow the guide's speed and keep your feet on the footrests. Travel insurance that covers motorised activities is worth checking before you book; some standard policies exclude ATVs.