05D - Riding and Hiking

by Eldhestar · Hiking & trekking · Reykjavík

4.50· 1,180 Google reviews of the operator

Beginners welcome
Fine on your own
Self-guided

from €195 per person

Next departure: Thu 29 Oct

Book Thu 29 Oct · €195 Other dates

1 / 4

Duration
9 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Hveragerdi
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Starts at
Eldhestar
Vellir, Ölfus
Departs
09:00
Minimum age
8
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

Meeting point, in Eldhestar's words: Please be at our stable at 9:00 in the morning for the tour.

About this experience

Minimum number of participants are 3 people. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, a different tour will be offered instead.

The tour starts at our farm Vellir. We ride for 1.5 to 2 hours in the charming countryside followed by a light lunch at Hótel Eldhestar. After lunch we drive into the Hengill Volcano area, where we start our hiking tour down the magnificient geothermal valley of Reykjadalur. In the valley we will experience hot springs and also take a relaxing bath in a warm river. The tour ends with some refreshments at Eldhestar riding center. This is a unique opportunity to experience Icelandic nature in all its variety.

Please note: The tour is suitable for all levels of riding experience from beginners to advanced. During booking process, we ask our clients to inform us about their riding experience, which helps us to choose the right horse for everyone. Beginners and experienced riders ride together. We always try to tölt as much as possible, but do not gallop for safety reasons.

Minimum number of participants are 3 people. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, a different tour will be offered instead.

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

Included

Pick up and drop off, riding for 1,5-2 hours, light lunch at our hotel, guided hiking tour through the Valley of Reykjadalur, bathing in natural hot stream, coffee and cake after the tour.

Minimum number of participants are 3 people. If we do not reach the minimum number of participants, a different tour will be offered instead.

Good to know

Please wear clothes according to weather and solid shoes. We recommend hiking boots. Bring your swim suites and towel. Guests should be in good physical condition.

This tour is offered all year around. NOTE: To be able to go on the tour we need to be a minimum of 2 participants. If weather conditions prohibit us from hiking up the valley we will offer an alternative. Pick-up in Reykjavik every day at 08:00. Return to Reykjavik around 17:00 Note that pick up from hotels in Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur and Mosfellsbær is at 7:30 and pick up from Hveragerði and Selfoss is at 8:45. Please double check your booking a day or two before arrival for the pick up location, as they may change without notice. Please let us know if there are any dietary needs like if there are allergies or vegetarians.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. 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 wind above the treeline and river levels after rain — the guide decides on the day. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Eldhestar 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 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

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

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Day Hike to Moskardshnjukar: The Knife's Edge from Hikers of Iceland is €88 — €107 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Eldhestar · €195	Hikers of Iceland · €88
How long it runs	9 hours	5 hours
How hard it is	Easy	Moderate

The €107 buys you 4 more hours out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

Children under 8 cannot join this one.

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

Why we list it

Eldhestar is one of 204 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 Eldhestar

Read all 1,180 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.5/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Aleksandr
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
This review is for the horse tour, not the hotel. Signed up for route 2A as a completely novice rider (0 horsing experience). Had Lena as our guide and she was excellent. The horses were very well behaved and only went fast when you asked them to, and sometimes I had to ask more than once (my horse liked to ignore me). Views were incredible and it was the best introduction to horse riding I could have asked for. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland.
R Florio
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Stayed at the guesthouse and beds were very comfortable. Shared bathrooms-clean and multiple. Nice common room and got to also use and enjoy the hotel hottubs. The restaurant was very good and can accommodate any diet restrictions.
Sarah Hildebrand
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Highly recommended for horse riding tours, our horses were very well behaved, the day rides to the hot river and river estuary had amazing variety and views. Our lead guide Nadine was exceptional, full of fun and very informed on the local area and culture and especially good on identifying the many birds we saw. Our second guide Ami was also very helpful and cheerful and helped riders to understand how to ask the horses to go into the tolt gait. We were very comfortable in the hotel and enjoyed the evening meals which were of a high standard. The staff in the hotel were great as well.
Patricia García
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Just finished the tour 9AH and had the time of my life riding beautiful and kind-hearted horses. Everything about these tours is so well thought and planned, from the pick-ups to the horses, organisation and guides. The horses are just amazing and incredibly safe through the difficult terrain. Our guides Anna, Caroline and Signe were all incredible, super knowledgeable and helpful, and Anna's leadership and problem solving skills made us feel comfortable and safe at every moment, we couldn't have asked for better guides. We've made really good friends along the way, enjoyed very nice meals and a hot tub after the long rides. The hotel rooms were comfortable and spacious, with beautiful views of the paddock and ponies. This place is like heaven on earth and everyone is so lovely that it makes you just want to move in there and ride Icelandic ponies every day. My only bit of feedback would be that the restaurant staff could do with handling allergies/intolerances much better. I hope to be back another time, it was super worth it!!

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

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.

Hiking & trekking — questions people ask

When can you hike in Landmannalaugar?

Late June to September. The highland roads to Landmannalaugar are closed by snow the rest of the year, and the opening date shifts with the weather each summer. In season, day tours from Reykjavík (/experience/16823/) run about fourteen hours with a three- to five-hour guided hike and a soak in the hot river. If you have your own 4x4, the meet-on-location hike (/experience/254326/) skips the bus.

How hard is the Laugavegur trek?

Moderate to hard. It is 55 kilometres over four days from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk, with river crossings, snow patches in July and weather that can turn to sleet in August. You do not need technical skills, but you need to carry a pack and walk five to eight hours a day. Guided treks (/experience/738812/) handle logistics and camping gear; the luggage transfer (/experience/1036525/) lets self-guided walkers carry a day pack only.

Can you hike to the volcano near Reykjavík?

Yes, when it is safe. The Reykjanes eruption sites at Fagradalsfjall and around Grindavík have drawn hikers since 2021, and guided tours (/experience/629086/, /experience/620679/) follow the routes the Civil Protection authority has open. If there is an active eruption, access changes daily and tours adapt or pause. The lava is usually cooled and crusted; you see fresh black rock and steam, not flowing lava. Wear boots; the ground is rough.

What should I pack for a day hike in Iceland?

Waterproof jacket and trousers, not a poncho; the wind will shred it. Hiking boots with ankle support, wool or synthetic layers, hat, gloves, sunglasses and a packed lunch with two litres of water. In the highlands add a warm mid-layer even in July. Guides carry first aid and route knowledge, not your rain gear. Cotton jeans and trainers are the most common reason people have a miserable day.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

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

All hotels in Golden Circle →

One checkout, any number of operators
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If it falls short, we fix it

from

€195 per person

Eldhestar'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.

Departs09:00

Selfoss: light 08:54–17:22, 8 h 28 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Eldhestar 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: Eldhestar'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 €12 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.