Grand Golden Circle & Horse Riding Tour

by BusTravel Iceland · Horse riding · Golden Circle

4.70· 3,015 Google reviews of the operator
  • Beginners welcome
  • Fine on your own
  • Good with teenagers
  • Eco-certified

from €205.17 per person

Next departure: Sun 25 Oct

Book Sun 25 Oct · €205.17Other dates
Grand Golden Circle & Horse Riding Tour — BusTravel Iceland
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  • Duration

    11 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    09:00

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Make the most of your time in Iceland and combine two of the most popular tours available; Horse-back riding on the Iceland horse; and the most popular sight-seeing tour in Iceland, the Golden Circle.

Join our friends at Laxnes Horse farm, meet the Icelandic horse and canter through the Icelandic countryside, passing valleys, rivers and hills along the way.

In the afternoon, you'll be picked up at the horse farm by our Golden Circle bus. We make stops at some of Iceland´s most treasured natural wonders, namely the UNESCO heritage site Thingvellir national park, Geysir Hot Springs and Gullfoss waterfall. 

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

Where you go

  1. Horse Riding Tour
  2. Thingvellir National Park
  3. Geysir
  4. Gullfoss Waterfall
  5. Kerið volcanic crater

Included

Gear for horse riding tour including helmet, boots and raingear

Pickup and drop off

Good to know

Food and snacks.

Warm clothes, hat and gloves

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.

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 €88 — €117 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

BusTravel Iceland · €205Magic Iceland Travel · €88
How long it runs11.5 hours8 hours
Getting therePicks you upYou make your own way

The €117 buys you 3.5 more hours out and hotel pickup. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

  • Not a good fit if you want a relaxed day: 11 hours and 30 minutes 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

BusTravel Iceland 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 BusTravel Iceland

Read all 3,015 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Frank Robards

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had a wonderful tour to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula today. It was amazing!! Our guide, Vjeran, was exceptional. His knowledge and experience made our tour even more memorable. He even worked in a couple of additional stops to our itinerary which further enhanced our experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in experiencing the majesty of nature in Iceland.

  • Topha

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    An amazing experience! It was our first time in Iceland, and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip. For six unforgettable days, we travelled along the famous Ring Road with our guide, Vjeran, who was friendly, knowledgeable, and highly professional throughout the entire journey. He made every day enjoyable while showing us Iceland’s most spectacular attractions. The trip was truly unforgettable. Some of the accommodations were also lovely, with welcoming and helpful staff that made us feel at home. There is so much to see in Iceland, and six days go by very quickly, so the itinerary was quite busy. Even so, we had the opportunity to enjoy every activity and appreciate the incredible landscapes along the way. Overall, the experience exceeded all our expectations, helped even more by the fantastic weather we were lucky enough to enjoy throughout the trip. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Iceland!

  • Andrea Di Nardo

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    During our Iceland vacation, we took two tours with Bus Travel Iceland: the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon; and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. On the exceptional Golden Circle tour with a relaxing conclusion at the enchanting Blue Lagoon, we visited the iconic sites along the way, following a fairly packed itinerary but with adequate time for each stop. The guide was knowledgeable in driving the bus and engaging in providing information and telling stories about the places we visited. Higly recommended the fascinating tour to discover the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Departing from Reykjavik, we visited the main towns and iconic sites from the north to the south coast of the peninsula. The excellent Axel guided us, providing interesting details about the places to visit. His expert bus driving skills and precise planning allowed us to see everything in the allotted time, without excessive pressure or fatigue.

  • Kirsty Macdonald

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    6 Days Around Iceland Ring Road Small Group Tour This is one of those trips that delivers on every level — partly because of Iceland itself, and largely because of our guide Michael. Travelling in March — Iceland's stormiest month — meant our itinerary had to be adapted constantly. Every evening and morning Michael would brief us on the current plan and be upfront about where the weather would have the final say. Clear, honest communication and smart decisions that meant we still packed in as much as was viable each day. His commentary was full of stories, weaving folklore throughout — a great insight into Icelandic thinking. Fantastic guide. The accommodation was excellent throughout with great breakfasts each morning. One practical note for anyone weighing up the six, seven, or eight day options: Icelandic weather is changeable year-round, so build in flexibility. I chose not to do the eighth day in March given the weather risk, and booked the seventh day (Snaefellsnes Peninsula) as a separate tour with a buffer day in between. As a solo traveller, the fact that you can share a room rather than automatically cop the single supplement was a genuine bonus — not something every operator offers. I did a lot of research before settling on BusTravel Iceland, and prior to booking their communication was prompt and clear — every question answered without chasing. It was a good sign of things to come.

Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026

Read before you book

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 →

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €9 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

from

€205.17 per person

Book Sun 25 Oct · €205.17