Viking Horses Morning Tour

by Viking Horses · Horse riding · Reykjavík

4.90· 426 Google reviews of the operator

Beginners welcome
Fine on your own

from €175.45 per person

Next departure: Fri 23 Oct

Book Fri 23 Oct · €175.45 Other dates

Viking Horses Morning Tour — Viking Horses

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12 photos from Viking Horses. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Starts at
Almannadalsgata 13
Almannadalsgata 13, Reykjavik
Guide
Guided in German, Icelandic, English, Swedish, Danish, French
Departs
10:00, 14:00
Minimum age
8
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 2 days of departure.

Meeting point, in Viking Horses's words: Pick up and drop off have been opted out. Please meet us at our stables at Almannadalur 13, 110 Reykjavik. Parking space is available.

Our take on this one

The same route as Viking Horses' afternoon ride — Hólmsheiði and the Rauðhólar pseudocraters — with a 10:00 start, which is the better choice if you want the afternoon free or you are catching an evening flight. Maximum ten riders, a lesson before you set off, and coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits at the stable at the end. Hotel pickup and drop-off, saddles and helmets included, and they send you photographs from the ride afterwards. Saddle time is an hour and a half to two hours. Trainers are usually fine unless it is raining or cold. Minimum age eight; younger children are steered to the private family tour. €171.

Book it if: Anyone who wants the riding done by lunchtime and their afternoon left open in Reykjavík.
Skip it if: It is the identical route to the afternoon tour at the identical price — pick by your timetable, not by expecting a different ride.

Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.

About this experience

Small groups - Big Adventures:

Our morning tour takes you through small forests at Hólmsheiði hills and the bizarre lava formations of Rauðhólar, which are clusters of 5200-year-old pseudocraters.

We start with a short riding lesson and end the tour with coffee, tea or hot cacao at our Viking Horses stable.

We ride only in small groups (max. 10 riders).

Time in the saddle 1,5 – 2 hours, a total of 3,5 – 4 hours

This tour suits beginners as well as more experienced riders.

Included: Riding gear, helmets, jackets, rain pants, refreshments, English-speaking guides.

Please bring warm clothes according to weather, camera.

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

Where you go

Viking Tour agenda

Included

Pick up and drop off at your Hotel, High quality saddles, helmets, very good horses, coffee, Tea, Hot chocolate and cookies, photos from your tour, and of course a lifetime memory

Good to know

Dress according to weather. Bring appropriate shoewear (sneakers are usually fine, except when it´s raining or very cold).

Families with children younger than 8 are recommend to book our popular family private tour.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% 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.

1Viking Horses 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 →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Lava Tour - Horseback Riding through the Lava Fields from Íshestar Riding Tours is €115 — €60 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Viking Horses · €175	Íshestar Riding Tours · €115
How long it runs	3 hours	2 hours
Changing your mind	Not stated	Free until 24 h before

The €60 buys you 1 more hour 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

Viking Horses 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 Viking Horses

Read all 426 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Moazam
★★★★★ · a month ago
We booked the private tour for five — and it turned out to be the most fun I've had traveling. Riding Icelandic horses through that landscape is something else entirely; the scenery alone would have been worth it, and doing it from the saddle made it unforgettable. The team was excellent from the moment we arrived. They took real care fitting each of us individually to the right horse, and made sure every saddle and helmet was properly adjusted before we set off. I have a sensitive hip and the team was very attentive to help me enjoy the experience with the right horse and pace. We were all beginners, and our guide Merketa was so patient and clear with her instructions that we picked up the handling far faster than I expected. She made everyone feel comfortable and capable. What struck me most was how well cared for the horses were. They were visibly happy, calm, and beautiful animals — you can tell this is a team that genuinely loves them. If you're visiting Iceland, do this. We'll be back.
Tammy Ostrom
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Did an evening tour with Sara. We were picked up from our hotel at stated time. A short ride brought us to the stables. She was very professional and personable. Our tour went through lava fields and forested areas. The horses were lovely and well behaved. We all had a fabulous trip.
Dirk Lindner
★★★★★ · 5 months ago
It was a wonderful afternoon with Andrea and the whole team. We were picked up right on time at the hotel in a large car. Upon arrival, we received a warm welcome and were able to choose our horses and equipment. We were given a thorough introduction and instruction on the riding program. Then the excursion began with two adults and two children. We started off slowly, picking up the pace a bit at times, but always riding safely. An impressive landscape and breathtaking scenery in the Fields of Lava, including a ride through streams. Upon our return, drinks and homemade cake were served. Great! Then we headed back to the hotel. A highlight of our stay in Iceland!
Catherine Runyan
★★★★★ · a month ago
Fantastic family experience. Our family of six had the best time. The horses were very easy to ride and the guides were friendly and knowledgeable. We all felt very safe and the views were beautiful. We were lucky to have nice weather and every member of our family (2 adults, 4 teens) said they had a great experience. The pick up and drop off from our rental was very appreciated.

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

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.
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.
Horse riding near Reykjavík: which stable to bookÍshestar, Sólhestar and Eldhestar all ride within an hour of Reykjavík for €85 to €140. Take Íshestar for convenience, Eldhestar's one-hour ride for families.

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
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

from

€175.45 per person

Viking Horses'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.

Departs10:0014:00

Reykjavík: light 08:40–17:44, 9 h 5 min of daylight.

· Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 2 days of departure.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Viking Horses 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: Viking Horses'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 €11 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.