Horse riding near Akureyri

6 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

The rides on this page fall into two areas. Close to Akureyri there is a family-run farm at Gásir, on road 816 north of the town, where you park in front of the yellow barn with the yellow roof. Further away, Hestasport keeps its horses in Varmahlíð in Skagafjörður, the valley west of Akureyri. Its reception is on road 752, about 95 km or roughly 1 hour 25 minutes from the centre of Akureyri by car. None of the rides includes transport from town, so you need a car or a lift.

Icelandic horses are sure-footed, and the operators make much of the tölt, a gait special to the breed. The Reykjafoss ride and the Stable Stop mountain ride name it as a highlight.

A farm ride at Gásir

The Gásir ride is the closest one to town. You choose between 60 and 90 minutes on horseback, with views over Eyjafjörður, the open sea and the mountains around the fjord. The guide takes photos during the ride, and the ride starts and ends in front of the barn. Afterwards there is time to meet the other animals on the farm: cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens, sheep and guinea pigs. Children can join from 6 years.

Not every guest liked the route. One review describes riding in single file along the side of a road with an unmotivated guide. If quiet trails matter more to you than a short drive, the Skagafjörður rides are the alternative.

Reykjafoss and the Svartá river

Hestasport runs the best-known ride in the region. The 90-minute tour follows the Svartá river and the surrounding hills to the Reykjafoss waterfall, in a small group with an English-speaking guide. Helmets are provided and a snow suit when the weather calls for it. Arrive 15 minutes before departure. Children under 6 cannot join, and the weight limit is 100 kg.

One German reviewer warned that the trail runs right along the cliff edge, climbs and drops steeply, and is ridden fast in places, which the reviewer found too demanding for people without riding experience. If you have never sat on a horse, read the tour page closely or choose the short version.

That short ride takes 30 minutes from the Hestasport reception towards Reykjafoss, where the water drops in steps into the Brandgil canyon. It runs all year: the operator says its horses are fine on frozen ground and snow in winter. Thermal overalls or rain gear, a helmet, and tea and coffee are included, and children can ride from 5. Please come to the reception 20 minutes before departure.

For experienced riders or a family that wants the guide to itself, Hestasport also offers a private three-hour ride through the valleys and along the glacial rivers of Skagafjörður. The pace is set by your group. It takes riders from 8 years, and the 100 kg limit applies here too. An English-speaking guide, a riding helmet, tea and coffee, and rain jackets and trousers when needed are included. The operator does not recommend this ride for people with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy, and asks for at least moderate fitness.

A mountain ride with coffee

Stable Stop runs a ride of about one and a half hours into the mountains, with several chances to tölt. The whole visit takes about 2 hours 15 minutes, including a short introduction at the start and coffee, tea and snacks back at the stables. Groups are limited to 8 riders, every level from beginner to expert is welcome, and riders need at least moderate fitness. The meeting point is the big white stable building at Ytri-Bægisá, on the Þelamerkurvegur.

The operator gives its season as February to October. For the dark months, the Hestasport short ride is sold as an all-season tour.

Bringing your own riding gear

Iceland protects its horses strictly. The food and veterinary authority MAST prohibits the import of used riding equipment, including saddles, bridles, pads, rugs and whips, and of used riding gloves. Used riding clothes and boots must be washed in a washing machine or dry-cleaned before you travel. Items that cannot be washed, helmets and boots among them, have to be cleaned, dried and disinfected and then kept for at least five days before they come near an Icelandic horse. The reason is simple: Icelandic horses are not vaccinated.

In practice it is easier to leave your own gear at home. Hestasport provides helmets and adds snow suits, overalls or rain gear as needed, and the Gásir ride includes riding equipment.

Clothing and weather

Even in summer the weather in North Iceland changes quickly, and Visit North Iceland recommends layers and a waterproof jacket. It gives daytime temperatures of about 10 to 18 °C for Akureyri from June to August. For the winter, Visit Akureyri gives an average of around 0 °C, and the short ride at Reykjafoss is sold as an all-season tour, with thermal overalls from the operator. Our page on what to wear in North Iceland lists the rest.

A ride in Varmahlíð combines well with rafting in Skagafjörður on the same day; see rafting near Akureyri. For more animal encounters close to town, including the huskies north of Akureyri, see Akureyri with kids.