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About tour

This wonderful horse-riding tour takes place on Iceland’s famous South Coast – crossing a volcanically scarred landscape that epitomizes the land of fire and ice. You’ll also spend some time in the charming village of Vik and see the glorious Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. If you want to combine a fun horse-ride with some incredible sightseeing, then this is the perfect tour for you!

Highlights

  • Easy Horseback Riding
  • Vikurfjara Black Sand Beach
  • Icelandic Horses
  • Skogafoss Waterfall (from 1st of February to 15th of November)
  • Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
  • Vik Village

Included

  • Pick-up & drop off from Reykjavík
  • Minibus Transport
  • English Speaking Adventure Guide
  • Free WiFi on Board Your Bus
  • All Necessary Horse Riding Safety Equipment & Gear

What to bring

  • Warm Outdoor Clothing
  • Weatherproof Top Layer
  • Headwear
  • Gloves

Tour Snapshot

Availability All Year
Duration ~11 hours
Level Easy Suitable for most people in fair condition.
Minimum age 10 years
Departs From Reykjavik
Meet on Location No
Pick Up Yes

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  • Expert Guides
  • Small Group Experience
  • Free Wifi
  • No Booking Fees
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  • Best Price Guarantee
  • Operated with our trusted partner

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Itinerary

We'll collect you from one of our designated pick-up points in Reykjavik and make the scenic drive to the charming village of Vik via Ring Road. Along the way, you'll see everything that Iceland is famous for, including volcanoes, glaciers and moss-smothered lava fields.

Once we arrive in Vik, we’ll head to our traditional Icelandic stables to meet with the guide and be provided with the necessary safety equipment. The guides will then match you with a horse--the greener the rider, the more experienced the horse. Once everyone is ready, your horse-riding adventure will begin!

horse riding at Víkurfjara beach in Iceland

The ride takes place on Víkurfjara beach, a remarkable volcanic wonderland, famed for its jet-black sands, curious rock formations and the basalt sea stacks that rise high above it. Swooping above our heads will be a diverse selection of seabirds, ranging from Arctic terns to puffins. Be prepared for the stark contrast of the white-foamed waves against the black sand and basalt columns. Smell in the salty air from a cool sea breeze blowing against your face.

arctic horse farm in Iceland

The Icelandic breed of horse is the perfect way to explore this magical landscape. They are smaller than most other horses and have a unique set of adaptations that make them ideal for Icelandic conditions. 

The Icelandic horse was first brought to the country during Viking times and was so popular that laws were passed to prevent their genes from being mixed with other types of horses – meaning that they have remained unchanged for almost 1000 years. Their most interesting feature is their unique gait, which is called the ‘tolt’ – get ready to tolt like a Viking!

Skogafoss Waterfall drone view from above

After the horse-riding tour, we’ll visit the picturesque village of Vik for lunch and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean. Then, we’ll head back to Reykjavik stopping at two beautiful waterfalls along the way. The first, Skogafoss is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland and is steeped in myth and legend – with locals believing that one of the first Viking settlers buried treasure beneath its beautiful cascade. 

The second, Seljalandsfoss, is almost as big as Skogafoss and especially famous for the narrow rock path that allows visitors to walk behind its rushing cascade. Get ready for some awesome photos!

We’ll drop you off in Reykjavik after a day filled with fun! Nothing beats a day out on a horse-riding adventure on the wild South Coast of Iceland. We can’t wait to see you on the next one!

We will have a lunch stop at Vík, but please note that lunch is not included in the tour price.

Due to limited daylight, we won't be able to stop at Skógafoss from the 16th of November until the 31st of January.

horseback riding tour in black sand beach

FAQ

Yes, the weight limit for this adventure is 100 kg / 220 lbs. This is of course with the welfare of the horses in mind.

This is a great question. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated. This is because you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the start time that you chose when booking the tour.

Here you should wait for your guide.

Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.

View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.

Before and during activities on the multi-day tours consumption of alcohol is prohibited. If we suspect that a participant is intoxicated, we will prohibit them from joining the activity.

After the activities of the day are finished, you are welcome to have a drink and relax.

Yes, we do. Langjökull Ice Cave is a magical experience, the tour has no minimum age and is a wonderful option for the whole family. Whale Watching with our partner company Elding has been a favourite with families traveling with young children, these guys have a great success rate in seeing whales (upwards of 98% in the summertime).

Another option would be the Landmannalaugar Safari on this tour you get to explore parts of the Icelandic highlands and bathe in natural hot springs. Most of our super jeep tours are also suitable for children over the age of 6 years old. If you would like a nice and relaxing experience we would also recommend the Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour.

Your safety is our number one priority! Keeping this in mind, Arctic Adventures reserves the right to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Please read more information in our cancellation policy.

Yes, there is a specially trained and certified guide on each of our tours. The only exception to this is for our self-drive tours.

All of our tours are guided in English.

No, for all your questions and concerns you would need to contact our customer service.

The standard in Iceland is 230V and 50Hz and we use F-type power sockets and plugs, so you might have to bring an adaptor if you are visiting from UK, USA, Canada or other countries using a different voltage, Hz or plugs.

Our tours are split into four different categories that help participants to understand what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. Each tour is rated making it easier to find tours that suit you.

For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.

We’ve partnered with the Kolviður Fund in a new carbon offsetting program, which passengers can select to participate in at the time of booking.

The Kolviður Fund is the oldest, most respected carbon offsetting program in Iceland. With your support, one tree will be planted in special Kolviður forests in Iceland to carbon offset your tour with us.

Kolviður forests are strategically planted to absorb the maximum amount of CO2 and the forests are protected for a minimum of 60 years. During their lifetime the trees absorb carbon and store it in their root system, trunk, and branches. Trees also prevent soil erosion and maintain storage of carbon in the soil.

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