Riding on ice - Lake Myvatn

by Safarihestar slf · Horse riding · North Iceland

4.90(166) · operator on Google
Riding on ice - Lake Myvatn — Safarihestar slf

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Safarihestar slf'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.

More photos of Riding on ice - Lake Myvatn

Riding on ice - Lake Myvatn, photo 6

6 photos from Safarihestar slf. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    1 hour and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Mývatn

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, IS

  • Departs

    10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 …

  • Minimum age

    6

About this experience

In the winter time, from February throughout March, our riding tours are on the ice-covered Lake Myvatn if the conditions permit. The tours depart from Álftagerði farm on the south side of Lake Myvatn. We ride on the lake, providing a unique view of the area. Our horses have snowshoes which gives them the stability they need for walking on ice.

The tour lasts approximately one hour (time in the saddle) but customers can expect to spend 15 extra minutes before and after the tour 

There will be some occasions where we cannot ride on the ice, usually due to too much snow in the trail. In that case we ride on land in the vicinity of the farm where we are able to ride, given the conditions of the ground. From the time when the ice on the lake starts receding and it is no longer safe for us to ride on, our rides will be solely on land. This usually happens towards the end of March/very beginning of April.

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

Included

Helmets are provided for each rider.

Good to know

Please dress according to the weather - warm clothes, winter gloves, winter outfits. Sunglasses are very helpful when riding on ice and snow. 

Please be advised to dress according to the weather. Sunglasses might come in handy when riding on ice.

We like our customers to arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled starting time in order to get everyone ready in time.

Large cameras/lenses or bags should not be taken on the tour and if taken, any damage is your responsibility.

Please be advised that 110 kg (242 lbs) is the maximum weight for our strongest horses. If you weigh more than 100 kg (220 lbs), please notify us in advance so we can make necessary arrangements (safarihestar@safarihestar.is).

Please understand that horses are live animals and can be startled by loud noises such as screaming.

For any other concerns or questions you may have, please contact us directly and we will be happy to help.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 5 days of departure, rising to 50% within 2 days. 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.

  1. 1Safarihestar slf 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 Golden Circle & Meet the Icelandic Horses | English Guide + Selected German Departures from Magic Iceland Travel is €86 — €50 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Safarihestar slf · €136Magic Iceland Travel · €86
How long it runs1.5 hours8 hours
Changing your mindNot statedFree until 24 h before
How hard it isModerateEasy

On everything we can measure, the Magic Iceland Travel tour is the better buy. The €50 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 6 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

Safarihestar slf 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 Safarihestar slf

Read all 166 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.

  • Amina Kranson

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    OMG. Best horse tour ever!! I had so much fun with my partner and Josie on our tour. It was beyond what I imagined, so much fun and adventure. We got to go off the dirt paths and into the rocks and hills of Iceland. It was awesome getting to tölt! I love horses, and the only thing I love more is birds. So it was incredible that our guide knew so much about the birds during our tour, too! I loved learning about the ecology and geology of Lake Myvatin. Couldn't have asked for a better tour or tour guide. Such a personalized experience! I'd say it was money well spent, worth it for the once in a lifetime experience.

  • Cassie Ellsworth

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    This tour was a great experience! My partner and I did the two hour tour with Josie. She did an excellent job of pairing us with horses that fit our experience. The ride was so beyond what I expected it to be. We walked and tolted through the countryside, saw many birds, and learned about the lava formations. I would book again in a heartbeat!

  • Lisa Fehrenkötter

    ★★★★★ · 10 months ago

    Fantastic experience! We booked a private tour as we are experienced riders and absolutely loved it. After a kind welcome we were able to experience the beautiful landscape on horseback while learning so much interesting information about the area. They matched the horses very well for our personality. Would absolutely recommend for experienced riders in small groups to book the ride!!

  • Linchet Adeline

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    We did a 2 hours horseback riding tour, it was absolutely amazing! Our guide nadia was lovely, she gave us good explanations and she made sure we were confortable all along. The landscapes that we went through were mezmerizing and away from the main paths. The horses were adorable and very well trained. I am not a trained rider and i was feeling at ease all along. All in ill, it was a great experience and i highly recommend safarihestar for a horse riding tour!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 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.

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.

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Pairs well with

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from

€136 per person

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