Icelandic Horse Riding and Whale Watching Cruise from Reykjavík
South Iceland, Iceland
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Ride an Icelandic horse across open moors and fields, then look for minkes, humpbacks, porpoises, and white-beaked dolphins on a whale-watching cruise from Reykjavik. This full-day experience takes in the best of the country’s wildlife and scenery, both on land and at sea. Practice Iceland’s unique tölt gait and learn how horses arrived in Iceland almost a millennium ago, then search the waters of Faxaflói Bay while enjoying sweeping views of the rugged coastline.
- 8-hour horse riding and whale watching tour from Reykjavik
- Take a 1.5-hour horse ride through the rugged countryside around the city
- Cross heathland and fields on a small and hardy Icelandic horse
- Learn about this gentle breed of horse, and admire Iceland's surreal scenery
- Enjoy a whale watching cruise from Reykjavik
- Look for minke whales, humpbacks, white-beaked dolphins and porpoises in Faxaflói Bay or beyond
- Gain fascinating insights into Iceland’s whales and marine life from an onboard guide
What's Included
- Experienced and knowledgable guides
- Free WiFi on board boat
- 3 hr. whale watching
- 1,5-2 hr. horse riding
- Warm clothing on both tours
- Necessary safety equipment
- Entry to wildlife exhibition
- SnacksAvailable after the horse riding tour
- Gratuities
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Hótel Eldhestar
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Elding Whale Watching
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Minimum age is 12 years
- Please dress warmly for both activities
- In the case of non-sighting tours you will be given a complimentary ticket to use on another boat ride
- In the case of cancellation due to bad weather conditions you will be offered an alternative date or a full refund
- Please note that to take part in the horse riding element of the tour, travelers must weigh less than 240 pounds (110kg)
- This is a full day tour with only snacks included after the horse riding. You can purchase light refreshments on board whale watching tour or pack your own.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Stephen_B
The whole reason for our trip to Iceland was so my granddaughter could ride an Icelandic horse. We are so grateful that you offer this package. We all had little or no experience riding but the staff did a great job keeping everyone safe and comfortable. Experienced riders were allowed to gallop their horses but no one was forced to do that (a blessing for us 72 year olds!).
The whale watch was well curated and delivered a single humpback whale. We followed it for about 30 minutes and got ample opportunities for pictures as it surfaced nearby 5 or 6 times.
Reviews
4.0
based on 14 reviews
Stephen_B, Apr 2024
The whole reason for our trip to Iceland was so my granddaughter could ride an Icelandic horse. We are so grateful that you offer this package. We all had little or no experience riding but the staff did a great job keeping everyone safe and comfortable. Experienced riders were allowed to gallop their horses but no one was forced to do that (a blessing for us 72 year olds!).
The whale watch was well curated and delivered a single humpback whale. We followed it for about 30 minutes and got ample opportunities for pictures as it surfaced nearby 5 or 6 times.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Stephen_B,
We're delighted to hear that you and your granddaughter had a memorable experience with us on the horse riding and whale watching combination tour.
It's wonderful to hear that the staff made the horse riding experience enjoyable and safe for everyone, regardless of experience level. We're also glad you had the opportunity to see a humpback whale during the whale watch portion of the tour.
Thank you for choosing Elding!
All the best,
The Elding team
Jiselle_W, Jan 2020
I loved that the guides at the horseback riding ensured my absolute comfort and safety, rain fell for the entire day of my trip but the overalls provided kept me dry and warm and the guides were able to advise which rivers and paths to avoid due to the weather, plus they ensured we had a picture break to capture the experience.
I would however advise you walk with a face mask as these horses can go pretty fast and the cold breeze will freeze you face if unprotected.
Whale watching is completely in natures hands so unfortunately on my trip we were only able to spot 1 whale and 1 dolphin.
The organisation of the tour was exceptional as were the comfort and safety of the guests. The guides provided insightful details as to where to look, what we may see on the trip and they also took and shared their pictures in case guests missed anything.
I would definitely recommend this tour to others but as a guests be clear on when you decided to do this tour as some months will be better than others to spot whales due to whale migration etc
ROBERT O, Jul 2017
This was a fantastic day. We actually saw quite a number of whales which was so exciting. We saw hump back and minky whales. The boat was a great size to enable you to see the whales comfortably. The guide was very informative and helped us spot the whales.
The Horse riding tour was great fun. I had never ridden a horse before so was a little anxious but you get the basic training and it is quite sufficient. The were old and young on it and everyone had a great time. You ride for approx 1.5 hrs or so. The horses are lovely and you are matched with one based on the level of your experience or inexperience as the case may be. More experienced riders will not be bored either as you can take a different route to enable you to use your experience. I would highly recommend the day. It was a fantastic day and we were still back in Reykjavik by 6.30pm so we crammed a lot into our day.
Yvette_J, May 2016
Horse riding a ton of fun - guides were great : Whale watching started off great.. wish weather would have held up, but the staff on the boat entertained as much as they could - very funny and pleasant
Kim K, Nov 2015
While I understand that seeing whales is under nobody's control, we didn't see any wildlife. While we were in Reykjavik a local asked if this trip was sold as a whale watching tour. When we said yes, they were completely surprised since it was not whale watching season.
Christopher C, Nov 2015
unfortunately we didn't see any whales but the trip was great.
Hanna_F, Apr 2022
Underbar ridtur med samtliga gångarter. Trevliga instruktörer och fungerar smidigt med upphämtning och lämning. Fick se valar 5-6 gånger under båtresan.
Johann G, Jun 2017
Wir haben nicht die ganz großen Wale gesehen, aber viele Mink-Wale. Der Ausritt auf einem Islandpferd war trotz Regen sehr schön und auch für Reitanfänger problemlos zu machen.
From $280.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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