Lava Tour - Horseback Riding through the Lava Fields
by Íshestar Riding Tours · Horse riding · Volcanoes & lava · Reykjavík
- Beginners welcome
- Fine on your own
- Eco-certified
- Self-guided
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Íshestar Riding Tours's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.
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Duration
2 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Languages
EN, DE, SV, IS, DA
Departs
10:00, 14:00
Minimum age
7
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Experience the Icelandic horse surrounded by unique nature right outside Reykjavík’s city center. Our friendly horses and specially trained guides will take you on a ride on excellent riding paths where you can experience the unique Icelandic horse while enjoying beautiful scenery full of lava fields and green hillsides.
Please note that the riding time is 1 1/2 - 2 hours, a total of 4 hours with transfer.
When we arrive back at the stables enjoy complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate is available and feel free to ask our staff any questions about the Icelandic horse. This tour is ideal for both beginners and more experienced riders and is a fantastic choice for a day tour in Reykjavík.
Before the Lava Tour starts we organize the groups according to riding skill level to ensure everyone gets an experience and adventure according to their skill level. At Íshestar we take pride in our personal service and limit group sizes to ensure a safe and enjoyable tour for all of our guests.
Our stables are located a short 20-minute drive outside of Reykjavik’s city center.
Description from the operator, Íshestar Riding Tours. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
- The age limit to ride on this tour is 7 years old.
- The weight limit for all our tours is 110 kg/240 lbs
- If you are arriving by own car, please be at our stable 30 minutes before departure
- Riding helmets, rubber boots and rainwear / warm outfit during the ride
- Trained guides who speak multiple languages (English, Scandinavian and German)
Please note that it is not allowed to ride with backpacks or bags but Íshestar provides complimentary safety boxes at the stables for valuables.
Good to know
- The age limit to ride on this tour is 7 years old
- The weight limit for all our tours is 110 kg/240 lbs
- If you are arriving by own car, please be at the Íshestar stables 30 minutes before departure
- Riding gear (riding boots, riding trousers, jackets, hats, gloves, etc.) needs to be washed (40°C), dry cleaned or disinfected before arriving in Iceland. Used leather gear may not be brought into the country. Disinfecting of riding equipment can be found here.
- Note that the riding time is 1 1/2 - 2 hours, a total of 4 hours with a transfer
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 on the ridge or a change in eruption activity — civil protection decides, not the operator. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 1Íshestar Riding Tours 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 Golden Circle & Meet the Icelandic Horses | English Guide + Selected German Departures from Magic Iceland Travel is €86 — €46 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Íshestar Riding Tours · €132 | Magic Iceland Travel · €86 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 2 hours | 8 hours |
On everything we can measure, the Magic Iceland Travel tour is the better buy. The €46 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.
Sold out on your date?
Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.
Who this is not for
- Children under 7 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
Íshestar Riding Tours is one of 154 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 Íshestar Riding Tours
Read all 727 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.8/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Wonderful! Small group really appreciate the attention we were given. Loved to have personal space with the horses before we road. Great trainers took time to explain everything. They took pictures/ video of us riding with our phones for great memories. One hour was perfectly pleasant for us to enjoy.
★★★★★ · a month ago
Horses and Waffles tour was perfect for beginners and young kids. The trainers, instructions, and of course horses were amazing. We all had a really good experience and highly recommend this place. Ending the tour on a sweet note with complimentary waffles and hot chocolate was awesome.
★★★★★ · a month ago
Such a fun experience, its suitable for both beginner or experienced riders, on the icelandic poneys you will experience the tolt. Dont miss out a ride in the most stunning scenic views
★★★★★ · a month ago
Wonderful trek out on beautiful Icelandic horses, who all knew their jobs so well (but would also move out to a canter when we wanted them to!) impressive network of trails up.to the lava fields and great to feel the tolt as well, the 5th gait unique to Icelandics
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Horse riding in Iceland — the tölt, the Golden Circle combos and who it actually 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.
Reviews from our travellers
Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.
No reviews yet from our travellers on 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.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
153 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
Pairs well with
Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.
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