Horse Riding Snaefellsnes: Saddle Up on the Coast

• Top choice Full-day Snaefellsnes tour from US$145 Duration11 hours^[4]GuideLive guide in English^[4]Rating4.72 from 3,765 reviews^[4]PickupCheck availability for options^[4]CancellationFree cancellation 24 hours ahead^[4] Check availability
• Premium minibus tour from US$161 Duration11 hours^[6]GuideLive guide in English^[6]Rating4.77 from 789 reviews^[6]PickupCheck availability for details^[6]CancellationFree cancellation 24 hours ahead^[6] See this tour
• Small-group adventure from US$138 Duration12 hours^[7]GuideLive guide in English^[7]Rating4.60 from 478 reviews^[7]PickupCheck availability for details^[7]CancellationFree cancellation 24 hours ahead^[7] See this tour

Why Snaefellsnes suits a day in the saddle

Snaefellsnes reaches west from the ring road like a long arm, with farmland down the middle and lava, cliffs and black pebble beaches along the edges. Riding here puts you at eye level with all of it: mossy lava fields, sheep tracks, old stone walls, small lakes and the sea never far from view. Icelandic horses are compact and sure-footed, bred for rough ground and for the smooth tölt gait. Their pace suits long stretches of open country, and many riders find the tölt easier to sit than a trot, even on a first try. The result is a quiet, ground-level view of the peninsula that a coach window cannot give you.

Horse riding tours that take riders into the heart of Snaefellsnes in West Iceland are offered by Stóri-Kambur.^[1] Horseback riding on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is usually arranged directly with the farms, while coach tours handle the long-distance sightseeing between the villages. The peninsula sits 136 km (85 mi) from Reykjavík, roughly a 2-hour drive via Route 1 and Route 54.^[2] That puts both the Reykjavik hotels and the western guesthouses within reach of a riding day.

The western tip is volcano country. Snæfellsjökull is 1,446 meters high, and Snæfellsjökull National Park was established in 2001.^[10] Farm tracks, horse trails and hiking paths run toward the ice cap from several directions, and the light on the mountain shifts all day. Early mornings tend to be still and clear, and that is often the best time to be out on a horse.

Pairing a ride with the famous sights

Many of the peninsula's headline stops sit along the south coast road, within a short drive of the farms where rides set off. Kirkjufell stands at 463 meters (1,519 feet) and is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland.^[3] Its shape changes with every bend in the road, and from the north shore you often see it across the water before you reach its base. From the farmland south of the bay, the mountain shows its quieter side.

Djúpalónssandur is known for its four historic lifting stones, the remains of the British trawler Epine GY7 wrecked here in 1948, the natural rock arch Gatklettur and its black pebble beach at the foot of Snæfellsjökull glacier.^[11] Búðakirkja is a small wooden church on the south side of the peninsula, standing alone in a lava field.^[12] Both are easy to add to a riding day if you have your own car, and both are short walks rather than long hikes.

The trick with a riding day is to keep the drives short. Choose the stops that matter most for the morning or the afternoon, leave the rest for another visit, and give yourself time to stand still at the places you like most. Snaefellsnes rewards slow travel: the distances look small on a map, but the roads are narrow in places and the views demand stops.

Farm tracks, lava and black sand: the riding country of the Snaefellsnes coast.

Weather, clothing and riding conditions

Weather on Snaefellsnes is overall quite good throughout the year, but it can change quickly, so a flexible travel plan is a good idea, especially in winter.^[5] On horseback you feel that shift sooner than you would in a car. The wind comes straight off the water as soon as you round a headland, and rain that looks light from indoors can sting on an open track. Build in slack, and treat a changed plan as normal rather than a problem.

Dress in thin layers and finish with a windproof and waterproof outer layer. Gloves help on the reins, and boots with a low heel are the usual choice for riding. Sunglasses and a buff are welcome on bright days with a cold wind, and a dry bag keeps a phone safe in a saddle bag. If the forecast looks rough, ask the farm about moving the ride instead of losing the day.

Riding centres generally match riders to horses and pace, and beginners are welcome on gentle walks and short tölt sections. Tell the guide about your experience honestly, and say something early if you feel unsure in the saddle. Ask about helmets and about age limits for children when you book.

Getting there and where to stay

Staying out west means shorter drives and earlier starts. Hotel Snaefellsnes is in the middle of the peninsula, 32 km from Stykkishólmur, 38 km from Grundarfjörður, 57 km from Ólafsvík, 35 km from Búðir, 54 km from Arnarstapi and 58 km from Hellnar.^[13] From a central base like that, the riding farms and the main sightseeing road are close enough for a relaxed day, and you can ride in the morning and still reach the coast for the evening light.

Plenty of travellers base in Reykjavik and join a guided day tour instead. The drive from the capital takes about 2 hours.^[2] A tour removes the logistics and the long drive home in the dark, and it puts the peninsula's best-known stops in one loop. The trade-off is that you travel on the tour's schedule, so a riding day of your own needs its own slot in your trip.

Coastal walks, cliffs and puffins

The Arnarstapi to Hellnar coastal walk starts very close to the Bardur statue in Arnarstapi. It is a small, easy trail that takes about 2 hours return along the coastline, past basalt columns, rock arches and seabird colonies.^[9] It fits neatly into an afternoon after a morning ride, or into a rest day when the weather closes in on the high ground.

Puffins nest at Londrangar from late spring to summer, alongside guillemots, fulmars and kittiwakes.^[14] The cliffs sit close to the south coast road and make an easy stop on the drive back. Bring binoculars, wear something windproof and keep a respectful distance from the edge and from the nests.

According to Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss, Bárður Snæfellsás was the settler of the Snæfellsnes area, half a troll and half a man, his father being half a titan and his mother human.^[15] The story is worth knowing before you ride across the slopes below the glacier, and it gives the empty country between farms a bit more character.

Lava caves, hot baths and whales

A guided tour of Vatnshellir lava cave lasts 45 minutes, which leaves most of the day free for riding or driving.^[8] You walk through an underground lava tube inside Snæfellsjökull National Park with a guide, down steps into a cool, dark space where the rock keeps the shapes of the flow that made it. It is a good wet-weather alternative and an easy add-on if you are already near the national park.

Lýsulaugar has geothermal baths including two hot tubs, a large geothermal swimming pool and a cold tub, a fine place to soak after a long ride.^[16] On the north coast, whale watching tours run from Ólafsvík, and the Ólafsvík whale watching tour takes 3 hours.^[17][18] Between the baths, the caves and the boats, a few days on the peninsula has plenty to fill it.

Booking a Snaefellsnes day tour from Reykjavik

The full-day Snaefellsnes tour from Reykjavik runs 11 hours with a live English-speaking guide, from US$145.^[4] It stops at Vatnaleið, Kirkjufell, Ólafsvík, Djúpalónssandur, Londrangar, Arnarstapi, Búðakirkja and Ytri Tunga, with pickup options available.^[4] You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[4] For a first visit, it is a straightforward way to see the peninsula without driving the whole loop yourself.

Other listings cover much the same ground. A premium minibus tour runs 11 hours from US$161 with an English-speaking guide, and a small-group Snaefellsnes and Kirkjufell tour runs 12 hours from US$138.^[6][7] All three list free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[4][6][7] Compare the group size and the pickup options before you choose.

If you want both the ride and the coach tour on one trip, give yourself two clear days: one in the saddle, one on the road. That also leaves room for a weather day, which is worth having on this coast. Book the riding first, fit the sightseeing around it, and keep your last afternoon free for the pools.

How to plan a riding day

1. Pick a central base

   Hotel Snaefellsnes sits in the middle of the peninsula, 32 km from Stykkishólmur, 38 km from Grundarfjörður and 35 km from Búðir.^[13]

2. Book the ride early

   Stóri-Kambur offers horse riding tours that take riders into the heart of Snaefellsnes in West Iceland.^[1]

3. Add a guided day

   The Reykjavik day tour runs 11 hours with a live English-speaking guide and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.^[4]

4. Pack for four seasons

   Weather on Snaefellsnes is overall quite good but can change quickly, so keep a flexible plan, especially in winter.^[5]

5. Keep an evening spare

   Lýsulaugar has geothermal baths with two hot tubs, a large geothermal swimming pool and a cold tub.^[16]

Good to know first