Many years ago, I was sitting in a friend’s kitchen with his mom, Jean, who was a powerhouse packed into a tiny package.
At 90, she paddled the mighty Ottawa River in the bow of a double kayak with her grandson, a professional kayaker. But when I first met her, she was 80 years old and planning her next horseback riding adventure in Iceland. It would be her fifteenth consecutive year making the journey.
I was immediately intrigued and asked her what it was like and why it drew her back year after year.
She disappeared for a moment and returned carrying a well-loved photo album and a sleeve of loose prints. This was well before smartphones held our entire lives. I flipped through photographs of shaggy horses, endless green valleys, waterfalls tumbling off cliffs, and Jean herself, grinning from ear to ear.
This was clearly her happy place.
There was something almost otherworldly about the photographs that I couldn’t quite explain. The horses were all thick manes and short legs, but they radiated strength. One image showed Jean going through a gate with an entire herd of loose horses flowing behind her. Wrapped in layers against the Icelandic weather, only her smiling face peeked out beneath her helmet.
I remember thinking, I have to experience this someday.
Almost twenty-five years later, I’ve done far more than that.
I’ve ridden these remarkable horses across Iceland’s mountains, rivers, lava fields, and valleys. I’ve returned year after year, and have helped to develop and guide Wild Women Expeditions’ Iceland horseback riding tours over the past 12 years.
Looking back, I realize Jean was ahead of her time.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Iceland wasn’t the destination it is today. Few people outside Europe knew much about the small island tucked between Greenland and northern Canada. Björk, the famous singer, hadn’t yet become an international icon. Tourism was still relatively quiet, and fishing was the country’s main industry. Those who travelled there often came home struggling to explain why this place had captured their hearts so completely.
Today, I understand.
There is something undeniably magical about Iceland.
Its volcanic landscapes hearken from another world. Mist drifts across moss-covered lava fields. Waterfalls tumble from impossible heights. Ancient sagas tell stories of elves, trolls, and hidden people, and after spending a day riding through the countryside, it’s surprisingly easy to believe they might still be there.
But as magical as Iceland feels, choosing the right horseback adventure shouldn’t be a mystery.
One of the questions I’m asked most often is:
“What’s the difference between the Iceland Horseback Riding Tour and the Iceland Horseback Adventure?”
The names are similar, but the experiences are quite different.
And the good news is that neither is better than the other; they’re simply designed for different riders.
First, Let’s Talk About the Horses
No matter which itinerary you choose, the true stars of the trip are the Icelandic horses.
They’re smaller than many riders expect—usually between 13 and 15 hands—but don’t ever call them ponies. Icelanders are fiercely proud of their national horse, and once you’ve ridden one, you’ll understand why.
They’re incredibly strong, remarkably sure-footed, and famous for the smooth tölt, a unique four-beat gait that lets you cover long distances in surprising comfort.
The horses are also wonderfully curious and full of personality. By the end of the week you’ll almost certainly have a favourite—or several.
Which Trip Is Right For You?
Choose the Iceland Horseback Riding Tour if…
…you want an unforgettable Icelandic riding holiday that’s accessible to confident beginners and experienced riders alike.
If you’re an experienced novice, this trip was designed with you in mind.
Before joining, beginners should have had several riding lessons—ideally English or Icelandic style—so you’re comfortable tacking up your horse, leading it safely, mounting unassisted, and riding confidently at a walk and trot. The saddles used in Iceland are similar to dressage saddles used elsewhere in the world. If you’re lucky enough to have access to Icelandic horses in your area, taking lessons on them would be ideal, but any well-trained horse and experienced trainer will do.
The pace is relaxed, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the scenery. Most riding is at the walk or an easy tölt, covering 5 to 12 miles (8 to 20 kilometres) each day, with breaks for lunch, photos, and letting the horses graze.
This itinerary also includes some of Iceland’s iconic highlights, making it perfect if you want to combine horseback riding with experiencing the country’s famous landscapes.
Choose the Iceland Horseback Adventure if…
…your dream is to spend as much time as possible in the saddle.
This trip is designed for riders with more experience and confidence.
You’ll ride longer days—generally 10 to 16 miles (16 to 25 kilometres) daily—at a quicker pace, often travelling in a fast tölt and occasionally cantering over suitable terrain.
You’ll need to be comfortable mounting your horse from the ground (or rock or hill!) with little or no assistance.
The reward?
An immersive riding expedition that takes you deeper into Iceland’s countryside, where riding isn’t just one activity on the itinerary—it is the adventure.
One of Iceland’s Most Incredible Traditions: Riding with a Herd
One of my favourite things about riding in Iceland is something many visitors have never experienced before.
Extra horses.
On both trips, multiple extra horses travel with the group, allowing us to switch mounts throughout the journey. It’s better for the horses and gives riders the opportunity to experience different personalities and gaits.
On the Iceland Horseback Riding Tour, guides lead one or two spare horses by hand. Riders rotate horses throughout the week, ensuring everyone—and every horse—stays fresh.
The Iceland Horseback Adventure takes this tradition to another level.
During the longer days in the middle of the trip, the spare horses travel loose as a herd.
It’s exactly like the photograph that first captivated me in Jean’s kitchen all those years ago.
Watching twenty or thirty horses flowing across the Icelandic landscape together is unforgettable. Riders help guide the herd from front and back while the horses move naturally across the countryside. It’s dynamic, exciting, and deeply rooted in Icelandic horsemanship.
For many guests, it’s the moment they remember forever.
Life Off the Horse
Whichever itinerary you choose, expect hearty Icelandic hospitality.
Meals are simple, nourishing, and delicious, often featuring lamb, salmon, potatoes, fresh vegetables, and the traditional Icelandic meat soup, usually served on the first evening. Vegetarian options are always available.
Accommodations are comfortable without being luxurious.
On the Horseback Riding Tour, you’ll stay in a comfortable guesthouse and also experience rustic mountain huts that feel wonderfully removed from modern life. For two nights, you’re in a one-room hut (giant slumber party!) with no electricity or hot water—just good company, spectacular scenery, and the quiet that only true wilderness can provide. You’ll need to bring a sleeping bag for this one.
On the Horseback Adventure, you’ll enjoy charming rustic riverside cabins with private rooms at a family farm—complete with your own group hot tub—and boutique guesthouse twin accommodations while you’re out on the trail. Linens and towels are provided throughout.
Both experiences offer something increasingly rare: the chance to disconnect completely and immerse yourself in Iceland’s extraordinary landscape.
So… Which One Would Jean Choose?
Probably both.
She returned to Iceland fifteen years in a row because she understood something that stories and photographs can only hint at.
There’s something deeply restorative about spending your days on horseback beneath endless skies, crossing rivers, listening to waterfalls, and trusting these remarkable horses to carry you through landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Whether you choose the Iceland Horseback Riding Tour or the Iceland Horseback Adventure, you’ll come home understanding exactly why Jean kept going back.
And if youIt’sanything like me…
It probably won’t be your last trip to Iceland, either.
Rather Hike Than Ride?
We’ve got you covered. Join our Iceland Hiking Adventure in 2027. You’ll also get an optional introductory ride on an Icelandic horse, and visit some of the best spas in the country, where you can soak your tired muscles after a day of hiking!
