If you haven’t ridden an Icelandic horse before now is your chance! These horses are cute, friendly and sure-footed. Suitable for all riders, from complete beginners to experts alike, everyone is sure of a great experience on this Black Beach Horse Riding Tour. Riding the horse in its natural environment is something you’re going to want to do again and again here!
Tours depart from the beautiful village of Vík on the South Coast of Iceland and follow a course along the mesmerizing Víkurfjara black beach. The award-winning beaches are made up of pitch-black sand, contrasting beautifully against the white foam of the ocean waves. With the roaring Atlantic waves providing the background music, is this the most enchanting place to ride a horse? Enjoying the breathtaking scenery in the company of a friendly horse is something that you should definitely consider when traveling the South Coast.
Horseback riding tour options:
RIDING TOUR - one-hour tour is suitable for beginners and people who don’t go horseback riding very often or it is their first-time experience. The minimum age for this tour is 10 years.
FAMILY RIDING TOUR - half an hour slow pace ride, perfect for children from the age of six and their families.
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The Family Riding Tour is ideal for younger, inexperienced horse enthusiasts (6+), you have the option to take a slower-paced 30-minute ride along the black beach, created for the younger, first-time new riders and their families. Outside of scheduled dates, please email for availability and your family ride will be arranged at a suitable time.
Icelandic horses' height ranges between 128 cm and 148 cm but you must never refer to them as ponies! You will deeply offend the nation! Icelandic Horses are a unique breed of small horse, patient and adaptable in nature, with 5 different gaits, the horses are obedient and easygoing! It is strictly forbidden to import horses into Iceland. A horse that has left Iceland can never return.
Please note: keeping the welfare of the Icelandic horses, the participant's weight limit for this adventure is 100 kg / 220 lbs.
Black beaches have quite literally risen from the ashes!
There are around 130 volcanoes in Iceland with 30 active volcanic systems running through the island, and a lot of the volcanoes are still active today! Black sand beaches are formed from the volcanic ashes of eruptions! When molten lava hits the water, a violent reaction occurs between the hot lava and the cold sea water.
The lava cools down so rapidly that it is forced to break apart into debris instantly. The sand has less of the grainy texture of a white sandy beach, and is actually comprised of a combination of black pebbles and stones of varying shapes and sizes
The beach is known for its black sand, stunning lava formations, treacherous cliffs and breathtaking views of some stunning stone arches off in the distance! With the rolling Atlantic waves and thousands of nesting birds and sea stacks, the black sand beaches on the South Coast are widely considered to be the most beautiful black sand beaches in Iceland and the picturesque nature is not to be missed.
The meeting point is directly at our stable on Smiðjuvegur 6 in Vík.
Please be careful with SatNavs! The location of our stable on Google Maps is in the correct place (Vík Horse Adventure, 63.416699, -18.996465), but some SatNavs try to lead you down a steep gravel bank from the nearby roundabout where you will get stuck.
Access is through the Orkan petrol station, opposite Hotel Kría - turn into the petrol station and then turn right and you will find Vik Horse Adventure. GPS coordinates for the stables: 63°25’01.9″N, 18°59’42.2W.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the departure time that you have chosen. This allows time for you to get prepared for the tour, and we will be ready to leave on time.
