Classic 9 Hour Golden Circle & Horse Riding Tour with Transfer from Reykjavik

Mount up to experience the joy of riding the friendly Icelandic horse before you boarding a bus and sightseeing the famous Golden Circle. This tour combines two of the most popular activities in Iceland for maximum enjoyment of nature: horseback riding in the morning and sightseeing the Golden Circle in the afternoon.

You'll start today’s adventure by being picked up in Reykjavík, and delivered to a horse farm at Vellir, where you will be matched with the ideal mount for your experience level and ride for 1.5-2 hours on excellent riding trails in the charming countryside, enjoying the view of volcanoes and wide meadows. 

After the riding tour, you'll have lunch at Hotel Eldhestar and then you will be picked up for a spin around the Golden Circle, visiting the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park.

At Geysir geothermal area, the unbelievable pressure exerted on the earth is visible in the steaming vents, sulphurous fumaroles, scalding mud pools and, of course, the geysers. Though Geysir is shy these days, its neighbour Strokkur loves to have an audience for eruptions every 10 minutes.

Next, you'll visit the mighty Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, powered by glacial runoff which pours down the river and tumbles over the two-tiered falls. You can view its blistering force from afar, or take the walking path directly down to the falls to feel it rumble beneath your feet.

Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is your final stop of the day. This is where the longest ongoing parliament in the world was founded in the 10th century. You can still see the ruins of old booths and meeting areas built there in past centuries as thousands gathered in the valley to settle disagreements and form alliances.

The site is also a rift valley, a geological feature resulting from the ocean floor spreading, dragging the crust of the earth apart with its devastating force. But don’t worry – it is only drifting at a rate of 2 mm per year. That’s slow enough to take an easy stroll between the two tectonic plates before you explore the rest of the area.

If you are a nature and animal lover, book this best value tour and make the most out of one day in the land of ice and fire. Check availability by choosing a date.