South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding

by Arctic Adventures · Horse riding · South Coast

4.60· 5,195 Google reviews of the operator

Beginners welcome
Fine on your own
Eco-certified

from €146.53 per person

Next departure: Sun 25 Oct

Book Sun 25 Oct · €146.53 Other dates

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding — Arctic Adventures

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding, photo 2

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding, photo 3

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding, photo 4

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding, photo 5

1 / 5

Duration
11 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
08:00, 09:00
Minimum age
10
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 60% of the price within 2 days of departure.

About this experience

South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding

Trip Difficulty: 2/5, easy.

Tour Highlights: Small Group Experience, Easy Horseback Riding, Vikurfjara Black Sand Beach, Icelandic Horses, Skogafoss Waterfall, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Vik Village

We will pick you up from your designated pick up location, and head to the Icelandic South Coast.
Our fist stop will be the village of Vík where you will meet with your horse riding guide, and meet your four-legged companion for the tour. The ride will take place in Víkurfjara black-sand-beach.

Afterwards we continue with the tour. We will visit Vík for lunch, and then continue with our journey through the South. We will stop at the famous Skógafoss waterfall as well as Seljalandsfoss (don´t miss the perfect photo opportunity of walking behind it.).

Lastly, we will drop you off at your designated drop of location for a deserved rest.

Please note. Arctic Adventures reserves the right to alter itineraries and/or timetables should it be necessary, due to adverse weather and or other related conditions.

Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Guided tour of the South Coast waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss
Horse riding tour from Vík
Small group experience

Included in the horse riding tour:

Exciting horse riding tour on an Icelandic horse
Expert guide
Helmet
Full rain gear
Waterproof gloves

Not included

Food and beverages are not included.

Good to know

Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing (weather appropriate), headwear, scarf and gloves.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 60% of the price within 2 days of departure. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is a forecast the operator judges unsafe. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Arctic Adventures decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Who this is not for

Children under 10 cannot join this one.
Not a good fit if you want a relaxed day: 11 hours is a long time on the road, most of it spent getting there and back.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Arctic Adventures is one of 207 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Arctic Adventures

Read all 5,195 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Kai Gilchrist
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
This was a phenomenal trip with AMAZING sights. Our tour guide was informative, friendly, and easy to listen to. You will learn a lot and see nature at its greatest. We absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to anyone. The car ride is comfortable and there is wifi as well! Shout out to our tour guide, Magnus (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly), who told us some hilarious stories.
Tatjana Kultaniemi
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
I spent six days on a bus tour around Iceland with a professional guide. It was an excellent opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of Iceland's breathtaking nature while also learning about the country's history and the everyday lives of its people. Iceland's landscape and animals are truly unique, featuring magnificent waterfalls, geysers, whales, seals, puffins, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains. Every day brought new and unforgettable experiences. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our guide, Viko. He not only drove the bus safely but also shared fascinating stories about Icelandic history, culture, and way of life. He was willing to tailor the itinerary to our group's interests and wishes, making the experience even more enjoyable. I am very grateful for his professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm in interpreting Iceland's natural and cultural heritage. He played a key role in making this tour such a memorable experience.
Chloe Lamm
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
I did the Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik. Such an amazing tour and one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland! Our guide, Erik, was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much interesting information about Iceland throughout the day. We visited some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including stunning waterfalls, Vik, black sand beaches, and other breathtaking stops along the South Coast. The pickup process was simple and organized, making the day completely stress-free. The scenery was incredible from start to finish, and Erik helped make the experience even better with his knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. If you’re visiting Iceland, the South Coast is a must-do, and I highly recommend taking this tour with Erik as your guide!
Nicole Y.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
What a wonderful adventure! The 3 Day South Coast/Golden Circle tour included all of the sites we wanted to see and it did not disappoint. We were picked up at a bus stop in downtown Reykjavik and our journey began with about 16 other guests, a good group size. Our tour guide "Good" John did an excellent job teaching us about the history of Iceland and the sites we saw. The tour is well organized with just enough time at each site. He also made adjustments to the itinerary based on the weather as well as including sites not on the tour to give us more to see, which we loved! There were plenty of bathroom/food breaks as needed and we loved that we could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the views outside the window rather than worrying about driving and parking. Our multi-day tour included a 2 night stay at Adventure Hotel Geirland, which Arctic Adventures owns. Such a quiet hotel, convenient location with beautiful views. Our only complaints were that the shower leaked and made the floor wet, and that dinner at the restaurant was expensive with limited options. However the food was good and breakfast was included. The Katla Ice Cave was our favorite part, which was partnered with Southcoast Adventure, and our guide Inga was very friendly and knowledgeable. We did pay for a hiking boot rental for my husband but never received the boots. We did not ask our tour guide so we are not sure what happened with that. Overall we absolutely loved this tour and would highly recommend Arctic Adventures to anyone visiting Iceland for the first time!

Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Horse riding in Iceland: the tölt and who it suitsIcelandic horses have a gait no other breed in Europe has. Here's what a riding tour really is, which combo to book, and who should stay on the fence.
Best Horse Riding Tour in Iceland (2026): 4 PicksThe horse riding tours we would book ourselves: an easy lava-field ride near Reykjavík, the hot-spring valley, and longer rides for confident riders.
Reykjadalur hot river: hike, horse or night walkReykjadalur is a free, easy hike above Hveragerði with a warm river to bathe in. Walk it yourself with a car; book the €98 night hike or the horse ride without one.

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Horse riding — questions people ask

Can complete beginners ride Icelandic horses?

Yes, and most people on the tours are beginners. Icelandic horses are small, calm and used to novices, and the one- to two-hour rides on the farm tours (/experience/164615/, /experience/170834/) move at a walk with a taste of tölt, the smooth fifth gait the breed is known for. You get a helmet and a short briefing. If you have ridden before, tell the guide; they will match you to a livelier horse.

Why can't I call it a pony?

Because Icelanders will correct you, politely. The Icelandic horse stands around 13 to 14 hands, pony height elsewhere, but it has been bred as a horse for a thousand years with no outside blood since the settlement. It has five gaits, including tölt and the flying pace. Once a horse leaves Iceland it cannot come back, to protect the herd from disease. Call it a horse; the guides will like you more.

Can I bring my own riding gear to Iceland?

Only if it has been disinfected. Iceland has strict rules to protect its horses from foreign disease: used riding clothing, gloves and boots must be disinfected before entering the country, and used leather tack, saddles and bridles are not allowed at all. The stables provide helmets and rain overalls, so most people bring nothing. Wear long trousers and closed shoes with a small heel if you have them.

Is there a weight limit for horse riding in Iceland?

Yes. Icelandic horses are small, and most stables set a rider weight limit somewhere around 100 to 110 kilograms, sometimes lower for longer rides. The tour page states the exact limit, and stables do enforce it on the day. If you are close to the limit, email us before booking and we will check with the operator. Minimum ages also apply, usually six to eight for a farm ride.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
206 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

from

€146.53 per person

Arctic Adventures's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs08:0009:00

Reykjavík: light 08:46–17:38, 8 h 52 min of daylight.

· Cancelling costs 60% of the price within 2 days of departure.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Arctic Adventures cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Arctic Adventures's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €8 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.