OUR RIDES IN ICELAND
Black Beach, Hot Springs & Waterfalls
Tölt, Glacier & Wellness
The Golden Circle Ride
What our riders say
Simply AMAZING!!! I have horses at home so I never thought to see another country on horseback, until this trip. Now I want to see every country forever on horseback!! From the horses, to the people (seriously our outfit of humans were top-tier, wonderful), to the landscape, everything was beyond incredible. There is such a special culture that is preserved in this beautiful country and it’s worth exploring. If you’re even remotely considering this trip, DO IT! I’d like to think I’m well traveled but the experience has set a new standard, that fear won’t be matched anytime soon.
Absolutely fantastic trip!! Steinunn, Loa, and Ari were wonderful. Rita was so helpful with logistics beforehand as well. They all care deeply about their horses. Fabulous scenery and I learned a lot of cultural and historical info from the guides! They went out of their way for little things like putting flowers out during evening coffee break and getting me a cake for my birthday! Loved that we were such a small group. Could not have been better, I would go on another trip with them in a heartbeat.
This trip was the best ever! No detail was left undone from airport pick up to airport drop off!! The hotels were wonderful and the horses were 5 star and the family that were our guides couldn’t do enough for you! Great rides, great lunches, GREAT FUN!! I’m already thinking when I can go back! Rita, from Nomad riders was also so helpful.. answered every question I had quickly! I highly recommend this trip… I imagine all of the Nomad trips would be equally fantastic!
This was a phenomenal trip that exceeded my expectations. Ari, Steinunn and Loa are fantastic guides and expert caretakers of their wonderful horses. The horses! So beautiful and sturdy. Tolting in a vast volcanic valley amid majestic scenery was an experience I will never forget. The lava cave tour is not to be missed. And, I loved the Husafell hotel, too. Perfect accommodations with a delicious restaurant and on-site hot pools.
Horseback Riding in Iceland: An extraordinary Equestrian, Nature & Wellness adventure
Horseback riding in Iceland is one of the most rewarding ways to explore the country's extraordinary landscapes. Riding trails inaccessible by car, you will get to tölt across black-sand beaches, lava fields, and endless plains, with views over the surrounding glaciers, volcanoes, and waterfalls; immersing yourself in Iceland's untouched wilderness on horseback.
Beyond its spectacular scenery, Iceland has an extremely rich equestrian heritage, dating back to the arrival of the first Viking settlers in the 9th century. Strong, brave, intelligent, and exceptionally sure-footed, the Icelandic horse has been the steadfast companion to Icelanders for centuries. One of the highlights of any Iceland horse tour is experiencing the famous tölt—the breed's unique four-beat gait, renowned for its remarkable smoothness and comfort in the saddle.
Our horseback riding tours in Iceland also introduce riders to the custom practice of hand-ponying, leading a second horse while riding. Thanks to this Icelandic tradition, riders get to ride the trails with two horses or more per day, allowing the horses to rest, and sometimes offering the unforgettable experience of riding alongside a herd of free-running horses.
After a day in the saddle, experience another of Iceland's oldest traditions: geothermal soaking. Thanks to the island's volcanic activity, natural hot springs are found throughout the country and are an essential part of the Icelandic way of life; gathering in warm waters to relax, recover, while re-connecting with nature.
If you are looking for unique Iceland horseback riding vacations combining rich equestrian heritage, game of thrones scenery, and natural wellness, the adventure is waiting for you.
ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES - BEYOND
OUR RIDES IN ICELAND
Snorkeling
Discover one of Iceland’s most amazing adventures by snorkeling through the crystal-clear waters of Silfra in Þingvellir National Park. You will have the opportunity to float between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in water so transparent that visibility can reach over 100m - making it one of the clearest water on Earth.
Buggy Car Tour
The Geysir Buggy Day Tour takes you through dramatic landscapes around the famous Golden Circle. On your way, you will see Haukadalur Geothermal Valley, one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls - Gullfoss, and witness the greatness of Langjökull glacier and Skjaldbreið Volcano from the highlands.
Golf in Húsafell
For golf enthusiasts, the GEO-certified Húsafell 9-hole course provides a unique and eco-friendly experience. Set amid stunning Icelandic nature, the course weaves along the crystal-clear Kaldá and Stuttá rivers and through tranquil birch forests. Along the way, you will enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including majestic glacier-capped mountains.
South Shore Tour
Explore Iceland’s iconic South Coast with visits to stunning Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, hike across the icy terrain of Sólheimajökull Glacier, and marvel at the dramatic Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach with its striking basalt columns.
Silver Circle Tour
The Silver Circle is a 146 km journey through the varied terrains of Borgarfjörður in West Iceland featuring geothermal hot springs, waterfalls, and historic sites linked to Iceland’s early settlers. This tour offers a perfect blend of sightseeing and cultural legacy discovery, providing a richer insight into the environmental and human influences that have shaped Iceland over the centuries.
Hikes across Húsafell
While the riders are on horseback, you can explore the diverse and stunning Icelandic landscape surrounding Húsafell Hotel - from lush woodlands and waterfalls to hot springs, rugged lava fields, and crystal-clear streams. Whether you prefer easy walks or more challenging trails, the area offers something for every level, all within close reach of the hotel.
Snæfellness Peninsula Tour
The Snæfellsnes national park is home to the seal colony, shark museum and the charming village of Stykkishólmur. On the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you can experience the vast nature of Iceland including Snæfellsjökull glacier, black sandy beaches, mountains and volcanic craters and much more.
Stay at Blue Lagoon Retreat
After an exhilarating horseback riding adventure, the Blue Lagoon Retreat is the ideal place to unwind and soothe your muscles in its warm, natural geothermal waters. Unique in the world, the lagoon is rich in silica, algae, and minerals - ingredients known for their nourishing and healing effects on the skin and body. Close to the airport, this is the perfect place to stay before flying back home.
The Nomad Riders Experience
At Nomad Riders, we craft more than riding holidays; we design immersive luxury horseback riding vacations that blend exclusive rides, cultural discovery, gastronomic experiences, wellness rituals, and refined accommodations into one seamless adventure.
- Exclusive Riding Adventures: From tölting on Iceland's black-sand beaches to riding Gaucho-style across Patagonia, every journey takes you off the beaten path. Our trips are designed for small groups of riders, seeking singular experiences in the world's most breathtaking landscapes.
- Cultural Immersion: History and heritage are woven into every itinerary. On each journey, we invite you for an immersive cultural experience for you to truly connect with the local heritage of your destination.
- Refined Accommodations: Rest in places as memorable as the rides themselves. From historic French châteaux and Indian Maharaja palaces, every property is handpicked for its charm and refinement — the perfect retreat after a day in the saddle.
- Gastronomy: We believe a region is best discovered through its flavors. On every ride, we handpick partner restaurants where local chefs craft seasonal, traditional cuisine turning every meal into a highlight of your horseback riding tour.
- Wellness Rituals: Riding is exhilarating, & restorative moments matter. On each adventure, you can enhance your ride with wellness experiences, from yoga sessions and spa treatments to natural hot springs - for a restorative break between rides.
Why Book Your Horseback Riding Experience with Us?
We believe horseback riding holidays are about connection, freedom, and experiencing travel at a different rhythm.
To bring this vision to life, we ensure that every experience is thoughtfully crafted and tested firsthand. We handpick each ride, travel on-site, meet the horses and guides, and try the full experience to ensure it meets our highest standards. This allows us to offer only high-quality horseback riding experiences.
Above all, we place horse welfare at the core of every decision we make. On all of our horseback riding tours, we collaborate exclusively with trusted partners who provide attentive care, balanced routines, and the highest standards of well-being. Riding with Nomad Riders means being part of a community that values the horse as much as the experience itself.
To offer you a fully immersive experience, we work closely with passionate local guides who bring each destination to life. Beyond leading the ride, they share their knowledge, culture, and stories, creating a deeper and more enriching experience. From guides to hosts and chefs, every partner contributes to making your journey seamless and authentic.
Finally, as every rider is unique, we take pride in creating fully private, tailor-made riding experiences that reflect your preferences and riding level. Thanks to our close relationships with trusted partners and refined accommodations, we create journeys that are truly your own. Whether you dream of riding from castle to castle in the Loire Valley, tölting on Iceland’s black-sand beaches, horse-trekking at the summits of Dolomites, riding by Gaucho tradition in Patagonia or horseback riding in Paris, we craft experiences that stay with you long after the ride ends.
Eager to join one of our luxury horse riding vacations in Europe & worldwide ?
Reach out to us and start planning your next Nomad Riders adventure.
Frequently asked questions
An intermediate rider is someone who feels comfortable at all gaits and is confident handling different types of horses, even without riding regularly. You should be at ease using your aids - seat, legs, and hands - to communicate clearly with your horse and maintain control in varied situations.
If this sounds like you, the Black Beach, Hot Springs & Waterfalls Ride is the best fit for your horseback riding trip in Iceland. This itinerary offers the perfect balance between active riding and relaxation, with around 2 to 3 hours in the saddle each morning, and sightseeing tours or hot springs baths in the afternoons. You will explore the very best of the Icelandic countryside, riding across black-sand beaches and through lava fields, while enjoying time for sightseeing to the south shore, relaxing in geothermal pools. The pace remains enjoyable and varied, making it ideal for riders who want a real riding experience without overly demanding days.
Overall, it is an excellent way to enjoy Iceland must do activities while exploring the country on horseback. If you are unsure which Iceland riding tour best suits your level or would like to create a tailor-made itinerary, feel free to contact us — we will be delighted to guide you in planning your ideal riding experience.
An experienced rider is confident, fit, and fully at ease in the saddle for long hours. You are comfortable riding at all gaits - including faster canters and gallops - and able to handle forward or sensitive horses across varied and sometimes challenging terrain. With an independent seat and soft hands, you can adapt quickly to different horses and maintain control in open spaces.
We offer two distinct itineraries that are particularly well suited to experienced riders to enjoy the best horseback riding in Iceland experience:
The Tölt Glacier & Wellness Ride offers an immersive horse-riding and relaxing experience that takes you through the stunning views of Husafell’s National Park, in South West Iceland. Taking place in June each year, guests ride around 3 to 4 hours per day, and rotate between 2 different horses in order to complete the 20/25km trails.
The Golden Circle Ride takes place in Þingvellir National Park, South Iceland, where you get to ride “in between the continents” within the dividing plates of North America and Eurasia. Taking place in September each year, riders are in the saddle around 4 to 5 hours per day, and rotate between 2 different horses in order to complete the 20km (and up to 35km) routes.
If you are unsure which Icelandic horse tour would best suit your preferences or would like to create a tailor-made itinerary, feel free to contact us — we will be delighted to guide you in planning your dream riding experience.
Yes — all of our rides in Iceland can be privatized and fully customizable according to your preferences. Whether you are traveling with a group of riding friends, as a family, or wish to enjoy a more exclusive and personalized experience, we are delighted to craft a private and tailor-made riding retreat for you.
Choosing a private ride rather than a group ride allows you to set the pace of your rides, tailor-made your day with a wide range of activities (such as snorkeling, snowmobiling, buggy car tours), and enjoy as much flexibility as possible throughout your journey. From adjusting riding hours to including additional experiences — cultural visits, SPA treatments, sightseeing tours — the itinerary can be thoughtfully curated according to your riding level and interests.
Contact us though our form to start organizing your ideal private and tailor-made Icelandic ride.
Yes — we are delighted to welcome non-riders on all of our adventures horseback riding in Iceland. To allow non-riders to fully explore the best of what Iceland has to offer and enjoy a wide range of activities, we often suggest including a rental car to the itinerary, which we are happy to arrange in addition to crafting a personalized itinerary tailored to the non-riders’ interests.
While riders explore the trails, we invite non-riding guests to enjoy a curated selection of activities — from snorkeling, snowmobiling, buggy car tours, SPA treatments, golf, sightseeing tours, etc. Each of these activities is designed to uncover a specificity of the region you are visiting, and is carefully selected, with the same attention to detail as our riding activities.
Throughout the journey, our flexible format allows riders and non-riders to reconnect for lunches, breaks and some group experiences, ensuring that part of the adventure is enjoyed all together.
Our Iceland horse tours stand apart thanks to a highly personal approach, deep on-the-ground involvement, and a strong commitment to quality at every step of the adventures we craft:
- A meticulous selection process of our rides, always tested on-site:
Behind every ride lies an intricate process of selection. We carefully handpick each experience to ensure it aligns with our core values and commitments. Before being included in our collection of horse riding tours in Iceland, every itinerary is personally tested on-site: we meet the riding team and the horses, ride the trails, visit the accommodations. These try outs allow us to guarantee the ride meets our requirements and provide you with all the information you need before joining the adventure yourself.
- Riding experiences enriched with wellness, heritage, sightseeing & comfort:
Our Icelandic riding adventures go far beyond the saddle: each experience is crafted as a cultural immersion, combining riding with sightseeing tours, equestrian heritage wellness breaks and top comfort and service from handpicked accommodations. From practicing the tölt along Ölfusá delta, to visiting the country’s largest lava cave Viðgelmir, and relaxing by soaking in the stunning Giljaböð Canyon springs, every experience connects you more deeply with the destination.
- Curating refined and characterful accommodations:
We believe that your riding experience in Iceland should be both restful and enjoyable, which is why we exclusively offer refined accommodations that combine comfort, authenticity, and character, while offering a high-end service. From modern chalets to wellness retreat estates, each property is chosen for its atmosphere and quality, ensuring you have the perfect place to rest after a day in the saddle.
- A curated, limited portfolio for higher quality and tailor-made journeys:
At the heart of our approach is the creation of fully personalized, tailor-made horseback rides, designed around your preferences, riding level, and aspirations. Because this level of customization requires time, care, and close collaboration, our collection remains intentionally limited. This allows us to stay closely connected with our partners, and dedicate ourselves to crafting tailor-made journeys with the highest level of service.
When curating our portfolio of riding experiences, group size is a fundamental consideration for us. At the heart of our philosophy is the aim to offer a highly personalized and immersive journey. And we believe that small, intimate groups of riders ensure closer guidance from riding guides, minimise the risks inherent to trail riding, while allowing for greater flexibility, attention to detail, and a more refined experience for each of our guests.
On our group rides in Iceland, we limit groups to a maximum of 5 riders on the Tölt Glacier & Wellness Ride & Golden Circle Ride and to a maximum of 7 riders on the Black Beach, Hot Springs & Waterfalls Ride.
By keeping our groups deliberately small, we are able to preserve the quality of the experience and maintain the spirit of our rides — where every guest feels supported, guided, and fully immersed in the journey.
We offer three distinct horseback riding experiences in Iceland, each showcasing a different facet of the country’s landscapes, equestrian heritage, and geothermal soaking traditions:
Set in West Iceland, this journey combines scenic trails with Icelandic wellness experiences. Riders travel with hand horses, allowing each guest to ride two horses, and spend approximately 4 to 5 hours in the saddle each day. The riding trails take you along riverbanks, through lava fields and birch forests, as well as past waterfalls, with picnic lunches enjoyed altogether along the way.
The experience also includes a guided lava cave tour and a visit to the Krauma Geothermal Baths, with the option to add either a glacier tunnel excursion or a relaxing break at the Canyon Baths. Accommodation is at the 4-star Húsafell Hotel.
Also featuring hand horses and approximately 4 to 5 hours of riding per day, this journey takes place in South Iceland, and is ideal for riders looking for longer days in the saddle and unique, game of thrones-alike scenery. The route immerses you into the Rift Valley of Þingvellir National Park, crossing spectacular landscapes of rifts, riding in between the continents, along canyons, and through lava fields.
The ride also includes sightseeing at Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir hot spring area, a relaxing break at the Fontana Spa, and a lunch at the famous Friðheimar restaurant. The horses remain in the same field throughout the journey, while guests stay at the 4-star Hotel Grímsborgir.
Black Beach, Hot Springs & Waterfalls Ride
Set in South Iceland, this tour offers a more sightseeing-focused experience, with shorter rides of approximately 2 to 3 hours per day. It is a wonderful pick for intermediate riders interested in discovering Iceland’s rich equestrian heritage, as visits to different horse farms are planned each day, allowing you to ride different Icelandic horses throughout the journey. Lunches are enjoyed at local restaurants, while the itinerary includes some of Iceland’s most spectacular natural wonders, including the Geysir geothermal area, Dyrhólaey bird sanctuary, Gullfoss, Skógafoss, and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, as well as rides along Iceland’s volcanic black-sand beaches.
The journey also includes relaxing wellness experiences at the Secret Lagoon, one of Iceland’s oldest geothermal pools, and the iconic Sky Lagoon, where the sea meets the sky in turquoise-blue waters. To explore as much of the country as possible, the journey is based at two different accommodations: the 4-star Hotel Geysir and Hotel Rangá.
If you are unsure which Icelandic horse ride would best suit your preferences or would like to create a tailor-made itinerary, feel free to contact us — we will be delighted to guide you in crafting your dream ride.
While Iceland offers beautiful scenery to ride all year round, the best season for a riding experience is generally from June to September.
During the summer, the weather is the most stable, days are longer (with sun up setting at 12 a.m. and raising at 3 a.m.), meadows are greener, and the views are wide open. This seasonality is not only weather-related, but also linked to our partner riding tour operators, who decide to put their horses to rest during the winter months to ensure they remain healthy, fit, and fully ready for the riding season.
During the summer, Iceland offers its most stable weather conditions, exceptionally long daylight hours - with the sun setting around midnight and rising again as early as 3 a.m. - lush green meadows, and wide-open views across the countryside. The summer seasonality also allows our local riding partners to give their horses a well-deserved rest during the winter months, allowing them to remain healthy, fit, and in excellent condition for the riding season.
In June, we offer two departures on the Tölt Glacier & Wellness Ride, in July, one departure is scheduled for the Black Beach, Hot Springs & Waterfalls Ride, and in September, two departures are set for the The Golden Circle Ride (If seeing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, the September departures offer your best opportunity). While August is reserved for private and tailor-made rides, we are happy to offer private and customizable riding experiences throughout the other summer months.
Feel free to contact us through our form — we will be delighted to guide you in planning your ideal riding experience in Iceland.
