Horses and Waffles

by Íshestar Riding Tours · Horse riding · Reykjavík

4.80· 739 Google reviews of the operator

Beginners welcome
Fine on your own
Eco-certified
Self-guided

from €123.88 per person

Next departure: Sat 24 Oct

Book Sat 24 Oct · €123.88 Other dates

Horses and Waffles — Íshestar Riding Tours

1 / 6

6 photos from Íshestar Riding Tours. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
1 hour
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Hafnarfjordur
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Ishestar Riding Center
Sörlaskeið, Hafnarfjörður
Departs
09:00, 13:00
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

Our take on this one

Fifty minutes in the saddle through the lava fields outside Hafnarfjörður, at a calm pace built for beginners, followed by a fresh waffle with your choice of toppings and hot chocolate at the stable. Íshestar give you warm overalls and rain gear for the ride, and shoe the horses with studs in winter so they stay sure-footed on ice and packed snow — which is why this runs happily in the dark months when other outdoor plans fall over. Helmets and rubber boots provided; you may not bring your own used riding gear into Iceland. Age limit seven, weight limit 110 kg. One departure, 13:00. If you drive yourself, be at the stables half an hour early.

Book it if: Complete beginners, and families with children from seven, who want an hour with the horses rather than a half-day commitment.
Skip it if: Fifty minutes at a walking pace is barely a taste — experienced riders should book one of the longer tours instead.

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

Winter riding and relaxing with the horses

This relaxed tour through the Icelandic winter wonderland is ideal for beginners as well as more advanced riders. We connect strongly to nature and the elements as we calmly ride, for appr. 50 minutes, through beautiful lava fields, surrounded by mountains and pristine nature.

The horses and the weather are of course key to the experience and to ensure riders’ comfort we provide you with warm overalls and rain gear during the ride. The horses are comfortable as nature provides them with warm, fluffy winter coats and we equip them with studded winter shoes which make them surefooted even when the riding paths are covered with ice and snow.

After the ride, we come back to our cosy horse center where you can enjoy a complimentary, freshly baked waffle with toppings of your choice as well as hot chocolate, coffee, or tea.

You are welcome to take your time and relax and we’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Icelandic horse as we never get tired of talking about horses. You can browse our selection of horse-related souvenirs in our store or visit our stables and horse paddocks where you can pet and say goodbye to your horse of the day.

At Íshestar we take pride in our service and do our utmost to provide safe and enjoyable tours for our guests. With this in mind, we limit the number of guests in this tour to a maximum of only 12 - so seat availability is limited.

We look forward to showing you the Icelandic horse in its natural surroundings.

Riding skills: No riding experience is required for this tour. As the pace is relaxed it is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced riders. It is therefore ideal for families and groups of friends.

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
When 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)
Waffle and hot drink

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

Dress accordingly and bring hat and gloves.

The age limit to ride on this tour is 7 years old
The weight limit for all our tours is 110 kg/240 lbs
When arriving on your 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 50-60 min.

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 01A - Countryside Charm from Eldhestar is €85 — €39 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Íshestar Riding Tours · €124	Eldhestar · €85
How hard it is	Easy	Very easy

On everything we can measure, the Eldhestar tour is the better buy. The €39 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.

Why we list it

Íshestar Riding Tours 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 Íshestar Riding Tours

Read all 739 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.

K Tay
★★★★★ · 3 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.
Vishal Sheth
★★★★★ · 2 months 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.
Leena Amiri
★★★★★ · 2 months 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
Simon Bates
★★★★★ · 2 months 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 23 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.

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One checkout, any number of operators
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from

€123.88 per person

Íshestar Riding Tours'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.

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Departs09:0013:00

Reykjavík: light 08:43–17:41, 8 h 58 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Íshestar Riding Tours 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: Íshestar Riding Tours'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 €7 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.