Icelandic Horse Riding and Whale Watching Cruise from Reykjavík: An Animal Lover's Day Out!
3.8
12 Ratings
Sveitarfélagið Ölfus
Experience the best of Iceland's animal life with this exciting combo! Ride a sturdy Icelandic horse through rugged moors and farmland, then embark on a thrilling 3-hour whale watching cruise in Faxaflói Bay. Don't miss out on this unforgettable day of adventure!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Hótel Eldhestar - 1-1.5 hr. horse riding in the hardened lava fields of Hveragerði, the town of hot springs. See the beautiful landscape while you enjoy a lovely ride on the Icelandic horse!
- Elding Whale Watching - Enjoy a 3 hr. whale watching tour in Iceland’s biggest bay. Encounter minke whales, dolphins, porpoises and humpback whales and take in the breathtaking landscape on the way.
What's Included
- 1.5-2 hour horse riding excursion
- Access to exclusive wildlife exhibition
- Complimentary WiFi on boat
- 3-hour whale watching adventure
- Provision of warm clothing for all tours
- Expert guides with extensive knowledge
- All necessary safety gear provided
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Lunch
Additional Information
Ideal package for wildlife enthusiasts! A day filled with two exciting activities - one terrestrial and the other aquatic! Dedicate a day to the creatures of Iceland, on both land and sea, with this 8-hour experience departing from Reykjavik. Visit a horse stable located on the outskirts of the city and partake in a 1.5-hour ride on a robust Icelandic horse. Accompanied by a seasoned guide, traverse over wild moors and farmland following well-knit horse trails, taking breaks to appreciate the landscapes and take photographs. Subsequently indulge in a 3-hour whale sight-seeing expedition and look out for humpback and minke whales, dolphins, and porpoises in the Faxaflói Bay — be sure to bring your camera!
- 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 no meals included. You can purchase light refreshments on board whale watching tour or pack your own lunch.
Location
Hótel Eldhestar
Meet us in the ELDHESTAR stables located in Hveragerði. Be sure to arrive in good time before departure.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
3.8
(12 Ratings)
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Letzgettwisted
Jan 1, 2018
great staff, very knowledgeable - extremely accomodating- and just great customer service - What a great experience. a true highlight on our vacation. The horseback riding experience was perfect. The staff was kind, much pacience, knowledgeable. Coral was such a good tour guide. My horse was a beautiful "White Princess" named "SYN". My husband had "Finnar"- gorgeous red horse. Such a great adventure.
the Whale watching was GREAT- We realize that you may or may not see the Whales but we SAW 3.... magnificent . The guides were perfect- Remember to bring a camera but if not they take pictures and post... Its really nice. they also have sea sickness pills, onboard refreshments. GREAT experience well done
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert
Jul 14, 2017
This was a fantastic day. We... - <p>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.<br/>
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.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Jiselle_w
Jan 2, 2020
Value for money - 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
Review provided by Viator
Wolf3728
Aug 4, 2019
Good horses and staff - The horse ride was very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful for first time horse riders.
They stopped to talk a little much for me.
Wear insect repellent, it is a must.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christopher
Nov 2, 2015
unfortunately we didn't see any whales... - <p>unfortunately we didn't see any whales but the trip was great.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Okiejer
Jun 2, 2019
Whale watching without the whales - We would have loved to have seen whales, but you have to know in advance that is not guaranteed so we just considered this a boat ride. The company did offer vouchers for additional trips to be able to see whales. They were good for 2 years; we didn't want to take anymore time on the chance we might not see anything the next day. The weather was beautiful by Icelandic standards, but we thought it was really cold so we appreciated the mustang rescue suits. We were warned of rough seas so I really appreciated the free Dramamine before the cruise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yvette_j
May 2, 2016
Horse riding a ton of fun - guides... - <p>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</p>
Review provided by Viator
Kim
Nov 18, 2015
While I understand that seeing... - <p>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.</p>
Review provided by Viator
294allin
Apr 21, 2018
Tour departed without me - Was given the wrong pick up time by a member of staff meaning I was stood at the bus stop waiting when in fact the tour had already begun. Was then told I would be entitled to a refund for the morning's activities, however despite numerous emails to Viator and Elding Whale Watching over the past month, I still haven't received my refund. I find this level of customer care extremely unacceptable. I would advise other tourists to book with somebody else instead if you don't want to end up in my position.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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