Reykjavik: Small-Group Mjölnir Afternoon Horse Riding Tour

GYG

Reykjavik: Small-Group Mjölnir Afternoon Horse Riding Tour

★ 4.2(31 reviews)

• Pickup from your hotel
• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 3 hours

from $184

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

An afternoon on a Viking-named horse

This tour gets you out of Reykjavik and onto the back of an Icelandic horse for three hours, with the ride itself bookended by hotel pickup and drop-off in the capital. Viking Horses runs it in small groups, which keeps the pace relaxed and the attention personal. The route takes in two very different sides of the Icelandic countryside: the lava fields and rolling hills around Reykjavik, and the dramatic black-sand coastline near Vík í Mýrdal, roughly 180 km (112 miles) to the southeast. That is a long way to cover in a half-day trip, so the riding is broken up by transfers between the two areas. The tour runs in English, German and Icelandic, and the guide leads in English. It suits travellers who want more than a quick pony ride from the city edge, and who are happy to spend a good part of the afternoon travelling between the two stops rather than being in the saddle the whole time. The ride itself is suitable for anyone comfortable on a horse, though the operator notes it is not wheelchair accessible.

Photographs from the operator Viking Horses. They show the listing, not your day.

What the price covers

The entry price of 184 USD, around 22,300 ISK at current exchange rates, includes hotel pickup in Reykjavik, the services of an English-speaking guide, and the use of a horse for the afternoon. That pickup point is worth weighing up: it is the detail that separates this tour from most of its competitors, since only three other horse riding tours in the same category offer it as part of the deal. The operator sells this as a small-group tour, so the price reflects a more intimate setup than a large operation. No admission or parking fees apply at either of the two stops, so the listed price is the full cost of the outing. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline is given for it.

What 31 reviews tell you

The rating sits at 4.2 out of 5, but the number behind it is small: 31 reviews. That is the figure to pay attention to. A 4.2 from 31 riders is a weaker signal than a 4.2 from several hundred, and in this category it places the tour ninth out of thirteen by volume of feedback. The score itself is respectable, but with so few voices it does not carry the weight of tours with thousands of ratings. In its group, it ranks ninth of thirteen by strength of evidence, which means there are several better-documented options if you want a more reliable picture before booking. The price, at 184 USD, sits mid-field in the group, fifth of thirteen, with the range spanning from 79 to 346 USD. What the reviews do confirm is that the hotel pickup works as promised and the small-group format holds, since those are the two features the operator highlights and the ones most likely to shape your experience.

Afternoons in the Icelandic seasons

This is an afternoon tour, so the time of day is fixed, but the season changes what that afternoon feels like. From June through August, the high temperatures reach 13 to 15 °C (55 to 59 °F), and the low sits around 7 to 9 °C (45 to 48 °F). That is mild enough for a ride without heavy winter gear, though the wind off the coast near Vík can cut through a light jacket. In May and September, highs hover around 10 to 11 °C (50 to 52 °F), and the afternoon light is still good for the long transfer south. October drops to 8 °C (46 °F) and November to 5 °C (41 °F), with December through February holding highs near 3 °C (37 °F) and lows around minus 2 °C (28 °F). A three-hour outing in the middle of winter means you are riding in daylight that is short and fading fast, so the afternoon slot is best used between April and September when the sun is high enough to actually see the black sand and lava clearly.

What happens when you are picked up

The tour begins with hotel pickup in Reykjavik, so you do not need to find a meeting point or make your own way to the stable. Once you are in the small group, the guide takes you first to the riding area near the city, where you get acquainted with your horse and the basics of Icelandic riding, including the famous tölt gait if your group is ready for it. From there, the tour heads southeast toward Vík í Mýrdal, a long drive that is part of the experience. The weather is the main variable: rain and wind are common along the south coast, and the ride continues in most conditions, but the guide may adjust the route if the weather makes the ground unsafe. The two stops are open countryside rather than managed sites, so there is no staffed entrance at either end. You are out with your guide and the group the whole time, and the return to Reykjavik finishes where you were picked up.

Who this ride fits

This tour suits riders who want the convenience of being collected from their hotel and who are comfortable spending a good portion of the afternoon in a vehicle between two riding areas. It is a solid choice if you are staying in central Reykjavik and do not want to arrange your own transport to a stable. The small-group format also appeals to those who prefer not to be part of a large, impersonal operation. If your priority is a longer time in the saddle closer to the city, the Red Lava Horse Riding Tour runs for 2.5 hours from 143 USD and has a far stronger track record with 4.8 from 2,646 reviews, making it a better-documented bet. If you want a similar duration but with more feedback behind it, the Small-Group Horse Volcano Riding Tour with Pickup, at 3 hours from 187 USD, has 4.6 from 236 reviews. The Viking Horseback Tour in Hafnarfjörður, at 3 hours from 241 USD, is the most expensive of the four but carries 4.9 from 125 reviews. The operator states this tour is not wheelchair accessible, so those with limited mobility should look elsewhere.

GYG

Reykjavik: Small-Group Mjölnir Afternoon Horse Riding Tour

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $184

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