Top 10 Riding Spots in Iceland
Iceland is the only country in the world where you can ride the same breed on the same volcanic landscape where it evolved over a thousand years of isolation. The Icelandic horse is not merely the local breed; it is a living record of tenth-century Norse horse genetics, unchanged by crossbreeding because Icelandic law has prohibited horse imports since the parliament of the Vikings prohibited it. The result is an animal of remarkable consistency — hardy, gaited, sure-footed, and possessed of a character that experienced riders describe as both opinionated and genuinely willing. The landscape it moves through — lava fields, geothermal plains, glacial river crossings, volcanic plateau — is unlike any other riding destination on earth.
All farms and centres below can be found on the map.
1. Eldhestar, near Hveragerði
Located on the southern slopes of the Hengilsmassi geothermal area thirty kilometres east of Reykjavík, Eldhestar is one of Iceland's most professional and accessible year-round operations. Rides cross geothermal ground with steam vents, lava fields, and moss-covered volcanic rock. Winter rides include snow terrain. Full gear hire available; all levels. Multi-day tours link to other southern Iceland farms. Season: year-round.
2. Íshestar, Hafnarfjörður
Íshestar operates from the town of Hafnarfjörður, effectively a southern suburb of Reykjavík, making it the most urban-accessible of the major Icelandic operations. Day rides cover lava fields and coastal plain; multi-day tours depart from here to the highlands. Íshestar runs one of the largest and most varied programmes in Iceland, with specific winter northern-lights rides and glacier-edge routes in summer. All levels. Season: year-round.
3. Laxnes Horse Farm, Mosfellsbær
Forty minutes from central Reykjavík, Laxnes is the farm most commonly used for short introductions to Icelandic horses for visitors staying in the capital. The rides here are deliberately accessible — suitable for complete beginners, including children — and give a genuine introduction to the tölt on terrain near the Mosfellsdalur valley. Season: year-round.
4. Sólhestar, Mosfellsbær
Another Mosfellsbær-area farm, Sólhestar occupies the upper Mosfellsdalur valley and offers somewhat more challenging terrain than Laxnes, with valley-head rides reaching into birch woodland and open moorland. Multi-day tours available linking south Iceland farms. All levels. Season: year-round.
5. Þingvellir Route, Capital Region
The national park of Þingvellir — site of the original Icelandic parliament (Alþing) and located at the geological crack between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates — is accessible by horse from the Laugarvatn area. Riding through the rift valley here is an experience with no parallel; the landscape is flat lava plain fractured by dramatic cliffs and fissures filled with spring water. Several Laugarvatn-area farms offer route access. Intermediate. Season: May to October.
6. Akureyri Area, North Iceland
The Eyjafjörður valley around Akureyri — Iceland's second city — is the heart of the country's horse-breeding culture. The region's farms host a disproportionate share of Iceland's best breeding stallions, and the landscape of birch-wooded river valleys and mountain backdrop is distinct from the more volcanic south. Farm stays and multi-day programmes operate in summer. Intermediate to experienced. Season: June to September.
7. Glymsdalur, West Iceland
The Dalir (dales) region of west Iceland is the setting of the Laxdæla Saga and holds some of the oldest farm names in the country. Riding here connects with Icelandic cultural history alongside the physical landscape of wide river valleys and open moorland. Several farms in the Glymsdalur and Hvammsfjörður area offer multi-day programmes. Intermediate. Season: June to September.
8. Skagaheiði, North Iceland
The Skagafjörður valley and the Skagaheiði highland are among the most important horse-breeding districts in Iceland. The Skagafjörður district produces a high proportion of Iceland's top competition horses. Highland riding here crosses the interior plateau — vast, treeless, and crossed by glacial rivers that require genuine ford-crossing rather than bridge crossings. Experienced riders. Season: July to August.
9. Hnjótur Farm, Westfjords
The Westfjords peninsula is the most remote part of Iceland and the least visited. The Hnjótur area offers farm-based riding in a landscape of deep fjords, sea cliffs, and open moorland that feels genuinely isolated. This is not a polished tourist operation; it is riding with a working Icelandic farm as a base, with all the character that implies. Experienced riders comfortable with variable conditions. Season: June to August.
10. Multi-Day Kjölur Route
The Kjölur highland route crosses Iceland's interior desert — much of it protected land overseen by the Environment Agency of Iceland — between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers, connecting the south of the country to the north over approximately five days on horseback. The route has been used since Viking times and crosses terrain that has no roads; highland rivers must be forded and the weather can change from brilliant sunshine to snow squall within minutes. The Kjölur is the benchmark multi-day Icelandic horse experience. Experienced riders only. Operators including Íshestar and Eldhestar offer guided Kjölur departures. Season: July to August.
The five gaits
The tölt (smooth four-beat lateral gait at any speed), the flying pace (two-beat racing lateral gait), combined with walk, trot, and canter make the Icelandic horse the only five-gaited breed in widespread recreational use. Not all individuals have the flying pace; a five-gaited horse is confirmed through breed association testing. The tölt alone is reason enough to seek out the breed.
Booking and preparation
Iceland's most popular horse farms — Eldhestar and Íshestar especially — fill their summer programmes months in advance, particularly the multi-day tour departures in July and August. Book early. Winter programmes are less competitive for places but require flexibility around weather; Icelandic weather in November through February is changeable and not every day is suitable for long rides.
No special riding gear is required — farms supply full waterproof oversuits, helmets, and boots in all sizes. Arriving with your own gear is fine but not necessary. The horses do not require riders with an advanced seat; the tölt is forgiving and accessible. That said, riders who are already comfortable at trot will get more out of the experience than true beginners who are managing the fundamentals of balance at the same time as learning a new gait.
Geothermal pools are standard recovery infrastructure for riders after multi-day tours; most farms either have their own hot pools or are within easy reach of one. Hveragerði, near Eldhestar, is a geothermal town with several public pools. Building in a pool session after a long riding day is standard and genuinely helpful for the legs and back.
Plan your next trip
Every place in this guide is on the interactive map — zoom in, check what's nearby and start sketching a route.