2 hour Riding tour Lake Myvatn area
by Safarihestar slf · Horse riding · North Iceland
- Fine on your own
- Eco-certified
from €150.49 per person
No published departures in the coming months — ask us
1 / 7
Duration
2 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Starts in
Mývatn
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Álftagerði 3, Mývatn
Guide
Guided in Icelandic, English
Departs
10:00, 13:00, 16:00
Minimum age
6
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 5 days of departure, rising to 50% within 2 days.
About this experience
Our riding tours depart from Álftagerði farm on the south side of Lake Myvatn. We ride along the coastline of Lake Myvatn, up on top of pseudocraters as well as weaving through the old lava. We take you to where the river Laxá starts and, if you are up for it, may try some more riding speeds. The tour takes you through amazing lava formations and provides you a view over the whole lake, its islands and birds.
The riding tours are suitable for both beginners and experienced riders. You can expect to spend 2,5 hours for the experience, the time in the saddle is about two hours.
We are normally not able to do two hour tours until the middle of May as our regular trails have to recover from the winter and snow and may not permit riding on.
For larger groups (>10) and private tours, please contact us by phone or e-mail: +354-864-1121, safarihestar@safarihestar.is
Description from the operator, Safarihestar slf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
Helmets are provided for each rider and flynets if necessary. Gloves may be borrowed upon request.
Good to know
Please dress according to weather (warm clothes if cold, rain jacket if raining). Gloves are nice to keep your hands warm, especially in cool or wet conditions.
We kindly ask you 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.
- 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.
- 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 The Saltvík tour from Saltvík Holidayfarm is €88 — €63 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Safarihestar slf · €150 | Saltvík Holidayfarm · €88 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 2 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Not stated | Free until 48 h before |
| How hard it is | Moderate | Easy |
The €63 buys you 1 more hour out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.
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 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 Safarihestar slf
Read all 168 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.
★★★★★ · 4 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.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Our best riding tour in Iceland We loved our 1-hour tour around Lake Mývatn and the pseudocraters with Josie! It’s a wonderful family-run farm, and they gave us great safety instructions before we set off. You can really tell how much they care about their horses. Horses rides maximum two hours a day for two weeks, and then get a full week off in the pastures to rest. Plus vacation all winter as well. It was beautiful, friendly, and very ethical. Highly recommended! ⭐️
★★★★★ · 4 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!
★★★★★ · 11 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!!
Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026
Read before you book
- Icelandic farm visits: sheep, horses and lambsThe real farm visits are small and short: a family farm with sheep and horses at Mývatn, a dairy with its own ice cream, a horse stable. Lambs are born in May.
- Skagafjörður: horses and rafting on the Ring RoadSkagafjörður is the best place to break the Reykjavík–Akureyri drive: a 30- or 90-minute ride from Varmahlíð all year, and family rafting in summer.
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 Mývatn · Reykjahlíð, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
206 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
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.
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