Icelandic Horse Riding And Whale Watching Tour From Reykjavik

Loved the horse riding experience. 2 levels for beginners and intermediates. The guides were professional and passionate. Afterwards, no one had information on where and when to meet for the whale tour. It took awhile to get the details. Though the crew was very friendly and knowledgeable, we did not enjoy the whale watching tour. Their idea of “rough seas” would be the average persons idea of being on “The Deadliest Catch.” About 1/3 of the passengers were vomiting and if you didn’t take the free dramamine in time you were out of luck. We saw a few backs of whales, but nothing worth the level of nausea we experienced.

Absolutely brilliant! Guides make you feel at ease (especially as someone very nervous around horses). Begins with being given a horse based on experience, make some time to befriend your horse before getting on and setting off! Start at a steady walk and then splits into two groups one steady and the other faster Guides are very knowledgeable and tell you all about the majestic Icelandic horses and the lava field you travel across with lots of photo opportunities

Great experience. Being a regular rider, I got to experience the tölt. Wouldn't have missed that for anything. Best moment of my trip. Be sure and take your camera. The pictures they take of you on your horse are spectacular!

It was like sitting on a box driving a truck with square wheels getting a tow by the horse in front. I have more years with horses than these kids have been alive. A nice group of kids, (a little "know it all" comes out at times ) if you are a horse person, save yourself some stress and stay on the slow ride and take some pics, it's more pleasant than riding a trotter that loves sniffing tail

Amazing horse experience with some of the nicest staff a company can have. My horse was Bliki and he was the nicest horse. Groups were. It too big and the staff were all personable.

This was a fabulous trip. We were very lucky to have numerous sightings of humpback whlaes. We were not expecting to see so many. We also saw some harbour seals. The weather was fabulous too. The sea was calm and the light was lovely. It was absolutely freezing. I would have worn even more warm clothes if I had realised how cold we would get (we had lots of clothes on!).

Humpback whales right next to the boat. Riding Icelandic horses through a lava field. Absolutely a fabulous day!!

While our plane was on time, there were others in front of us at customs in the airport and it took 1.5 hours to get through customs and security, and to the bus. That caused me to miss the pickup for the horse riding portion of the tour. The staff called me while I was in transport. I expected to be told sorry you missed the pickup, too bad/so sad. But instead, the staff were very accommodating, asking where I was on the road with the bus, and tried to determine best way to let me get the horse riding in. The staff efforts were very kind and appreciated. I expected the tour to be a wash and not to be able to make it, but I took a cab and made it to the stable just in time. The horse riding experience was great! Staff clearly cared about the horses and the people riding them; attentive and aware. They were knowledgeable about the horses and wanted to share that. They treated the horses and the guests both with respect. While it was a bit confusing dealing with two different entities for the pickup, transfer to whale watching then transfer back to the hotel, it worked out. One pickup has you pay when you are picked up, the return ride they wanted confirmed and paid ahead. I had not paid the return ride because I thought it was also paid at the time it occurred, but was able to do so at the desk and they accommodated it thankfully. Very sweet staff as well. The whale watching was great! The captain of the boat tried very hard to find whales and dolphins. The first hour there was a distant siting of dolphins, but no whales. But then the jackpot. The 2nd hour had 3-4 juvenile humpback whales swimming near the boat, in front of the boat, flapping their flippers, diving deep, swimming near each other, swimming near the boats, etc. It was spectacular and amazing. The captain was also excited and took his own pictures which he posted to their website. After an hour of cavorting with these whales, on the ride back to Reykjavik, the Captain gave a talk about whales, their size, that he had seen these whales before and noticed differences between them. He had skeletal parts on the boat to show the size of a whale vertebrae and other parts. It was very interesting. It was clear he cared about and was concerned for the whales as well. He said that if they flap their tails it's a sign to back off, but they didn't flap while we were there. It wasn't clear what the slapping of flippers while floating on their back meant but appeared to be playful and fun since the whale was floating on its back while doing so. You could hear the concern to not annoy the whales or cause them any stress in the Captain's words and tone. It was a great double tour and started my visit to Iceland out with a bang! Highly recommend.

Both Horse Riding and Whale watching was an amazing experience for us! Truly recommend booking this combo.

We had an amazing ride and the landscape was beautiful ! The guides were friendly and helpful. They even split us into groups based on riding experience and ability so I would recommend this to even experienced riders. Icelandic ponies are so much fun to ride! We had four whale sightings on our tour too !

I thoroughly enjoyed riding the horses. I wish we could’ve tried out more gaits than we did. And we found a few humpbacks and spent time with them and the birds. We also saw a porpoise and some puffins.

Horses was great experience, just a horses I would rate all 5 stars Whale watch was not good due to fog weather and I believe they was supposed to cancell( never saw whales) they said I can reschedule for free next time but I had no availability in my schedule due other activities were scheduled I dont think I will be in Island soon again , disappointed

The guides on the riding experience….. amazing team effort from the all, even with the most awkwardly inexperienced rider like me…… they were great and very attentive. Watching the sun rise on a horse; beautiful scenery and snow was a memory I’ll never forget.

Whale watching was unfortunately cancelled due to the weather but horse riding in the snow was amazing. Staff were brilliant.

Very good locations and operators were really good in their service! Everything is expensive in Iceland but thinis worth it. Highly recommend.

The boat was very comfortable, the commentator was fun and knowledgeable. I appreciated the efficiency of your whole operation.

This excursion was amazing! The staff at the stable was kind and patient with inexperienced riders while letting equestrians have a truly exhilarating experience. Do not miss this!

Horseback riding was very well done and an enjoyable experience. Guide even took me on a solo ride in order to ride faster than the group. Unfortunately, we saw NO whales on the whale watching trip.

The horses were fabulous. I really enjoyed going through all 5 of the horses gaits. If it weren't for the whale watching, I would have rated 5 stars. No whales sighted which would seem to be almost impossible since this is the largest whale colony of these whales. There were 5 large boats chasing each others tails like the kids in a Pee Wee soccer game. HUGE disappointment. I would recommend taking separating tours for the horses from the whales and take independent tours. Whales were spotted in the morning tours -- this tour had the whales in the afternoon

It was a great trip - one my wife and I wanted to take. Given the opportunity, we will certainly be back.

Had a great time. They help me get on horse. Split two groups fast and Slow for beginners and experts to have great experience. Even hand walked one horse for child that was scared. Told about history and about each horse history.

Our guide Gretar is very attending and explained every detail of the process, so it went smoothly, the fissure is amazing, water so translucent and clear, I would highly recommend

The horse riding was funny and the guides were amazing and of course the horses too. The whale watching was to crowdy and the sound of the speaker was not good

We thoroughly enjoyed the Horse Riding experience and learning all about the history of the Icelandic horses from our excellent guides. We were very lucky that the weather was kind to us and our lovely horses and we enjoyed taking in our surroundings! We were taken by bus from the Horse Riding to the Whale Watching and again were blessed with the weather, with the rain staying away. I suffer from sea-sickness so took a ginger tablet before leaving, but the crew also supplied ginger sweets on the trip, which was appreciated. Thankfully I wasn't sick but I wasn't able to run from side to side to catch all the viewings of Dolphins and Minke Whales and Hump Back Whales. Despite that, I saw plenty and was delighted with the trip. Our guide was very enthusiastic and obviously loved their job, which also made it more enjoyable for us. I thoroughly recommend both tours, very enjoyable and very professional.

SO much fun!! The staff at Is Hestar for Horse Riding tour were amazing and so knowledgeable. The horses were great and the area is beautiful. Everyone gets matched with a horse and after 20 min you can choose to take a gentle ride (just walking) or go for a more adventurous ride (trotting, some hills). There are light refreshments before and after (coffee, tea, etc). After you have an hour before the whale watching boat ride which is in the Old Harbor (approx 20-25 min drive from the stables depending on traffic). Its a big boat with a capacity of about 200 people. Also very fund, we saw whales, dolphins, porpoise, and even puffin. Be aware that the best place for views is the front of the boat outside on the deck and with the wind it gets COLD!!! I went on a sunny June day and eventually had to go inside due to wind chill but the cold is worth it! Afterwards you are in the heart of the Old Harbor perfect for walking around, lots of places to eat. They direct you to a free parking lot

Horseback riding was great!! Awesome staff! Whale watching was canceled twice and we never received a cancellation notice. Frustrating to show up two times and both canceled. Understand the weather, but get the information to your clients. Thank you

Can't say enough about how amazing the horses are. A highlight among many Iceland delights. Same goes for the whale watching. Amazing scenery and lots of sightings. The only warning is that, if you are driving yourself, make sure you have a plan for getting to the boat on time. We almost missed the whale watching and had to parking illegally to have any chance of making the boat. As it was, we were the last to board and I think they had to hold the departure a few minutes so we could make it.

We liked this tour because it had two experiences. We especially liked the horse riding and getting to know about Icelandic horses. Good photo opportunities included. The people at the stables were friendly and helpful. The whale watching was completely different. Whilst we only saw one whale it was still a great experience. The guide pointing out any activity in the water was very good. You definitely need warm clothes on if you spend much time on deck! Thank you

Both tours were amazing experiences, one of the best days spent in Iceland. The tour guides were welcoming and friendly - we couldn’t ask for better.

I wish I could break this down into two ratings. If I could rate the horseback riding part of the day, it would be five stars. The horses were beautiful and the ride through the stunning countryside of Iceland was even better than I was hoping to experience. The whale watching tour, however, I would give three stars. The guide was wonderful and friendly, but every time wildlife was spotted to the side of the boat, the boat would turn to go straight towards it, multiple times, over and over. Doing that for an hour and a half made me unpleasantly ill. I’ve had a lot of experiences on boats and have never developed seasickness until this particular boat ride. As a fair warming, take the seasickness medicine they offer or bring your own dramamine or scopolamine patch from home. You will probably need it.

We r very lucky the weather is good with sunshine which make the horse riding really ver enjoyable. The trainer are great and horses are very nice and beautiful. We were also very lucky in whale watching. Saw two whales and one is really big and keep show up and jump on water.

Riding horse in lava fields. Listening to explanation of the uniqueness of Icelandic horse breed. Thanks!

One of the best horseback riding experiences. Guides were super friendly and views from the trails were amazing

Horseback riding was an amazing experience. The guides were really fun and patient. This is for all levels of riders experience.

Man, where to even begin. These two tours were nothing short of remarkable. Beautiful sights, wonderful tour guides and an overall great experience. Horse riding was fun, and the two girls who lead us were awesome. They even let us go a bit faster, which is always a great thing. As for the whale watching, Iga, the tour guide, was by far the most amazing person I've ever seen in my life. It felt like I was travelling with a movie like hero during the entire trip. She was so wonderful and informative, that at times I wasn't sure if I should be taking photos and videos of her, rather than the whales. She even had us join us for a good song so that we put on a good show for the whales. Highly recommended, and for the whale tours, absolutely look for Iga.

Lovely group of girls at this riding centre. The Icelandic horses are gorgeous and we had a really fun couple of hours riding. Well organised, friendly and fun. Can highly recommend

The while thing was completely amazing! We had so much fun and we would absolutely recommend it to anyone.

The horseback riding was wonderful. The horses are a delight and the guides were very good. Scenery was spectacular. Unfortunately the whale watching was cancelled. Hopefully the partial refund process will go smoothly.

We actually saw 2 Humpback whales breach - so that was awesome. Riding the Icelandic Horses was a unique experience and I’m glad we went.

A wonderful tour from start to finish! The stables ensured transport from pick-up point to stables going as far as to send a taxi. As soon as we arrived to the stables we felt welcome; the staff besides being highly professional were so friendly and easy to talk with. The horses were incredible; so beautiful! The ride was informative, relaxing, and enjoyable. I wanted to take one home! Beginners to experienced riders would enjoy the ride. Note: They use English saddles, not Western, but it wasn't a big adjustment. After the ride, drinks were offered and souvenirs are available for purchase. After, transport was provided back to the Old Harbor for the whale watching cruise. The cruise was also very nice, but a little chilly even though it was one of the warmest days in Iceland. We saw dolphins and puffins and maybe a quick sight of a minke whale, but the fog made it a little difficult to see so Special Tours offered a free return tour for another chance to catch whale sighting. The guide was informative and funny and accessible for questions. The boat had a nice enclosed cafe to warm-up with favorite drink and waffle (try the Iceland custom of topping with rhurbarb jam and chantilly). Souvenirs were also available for purchase to include ear muffs :) Highly recommend this tour.

An outstanding experience for both beginner and experienced riders. The horses are absolutely beautiful (and yes, if I could take one home I would). The guides combine professionalism and knowledge with friendliness making the ride wonderful. I vould have ridden all day, especially since the weather was so cooperative. Easy and convenient transport from city hotel back to Old Harbour for whale watching tour. Complimentary drinks after ride and and small gift shop to remeber experience along with photos. The whale watching is about a 3 - 3 1/2 hour crusie on multi-level ship with very good viewing access. The guide was very knowledgeable (and funny). While the weather was not so cooperative (fog) we did sort of see the minke whale and some dolphins and puffins. Because the view was not the best, ticket holders are given opportunity to return to try again as long as company, Special Tours, in business. Even with poor weather, the cruise was nice. Dress very warm even if hot when getting on boat, though they do provide warm suits. Also, can get warm in the enclosed ship's cafe which serves hot, soft and alcoholic drinks along with snacks. Don't pass-up the waffle dressed the Icelandic way with rhubarb sauce and chantilly. Also, in the cafe is a souvenir shop. Highly recommend this 2-for-1 tour.

Sarah, the tour guide for the horseback riding made it a very fun and relaxing experience. This was a great intro into Iceland and horseback riding for beginners! Me and my brother absolutely loved this event .

Great fun. We had only little riding experience. Two adults and a mature 11-year old. The nicest riding guides that speak Danish. Whale watching was beautiful. Both places gives you access to photos of your tour.

I have written a separate reviews for Islenski Hesturinn horseback outing and the Whale Watching tours -- because it would be too long together -- but I recommend this combination of activities to active people and families with children old enough to safely ride horses, who also enjoy being out on a boat. NOTE: I did NOT have time to catch lunch at the harbor, and had arranged a picnic lunch from my hotel. There are also snacks and beverages on the boat.

Great trip! Begga from ÍSLENSKI HESTURINN was such a great instructor and so passionate about the Icelandic horses. It was a beautiful ride.

Very great tour, whales have seen.

Belle expérience mais trop de monde sur le bateau. Les gens sont des sauvages !..Nous avons pu quand même voir les baleines et c'était extraordinaire. La beauté de la nature !..Waouhhh !. Personnel disponible et aimable. Manque néanmoins un peu de sourire !.A recommencer mais sur un plus petit bateau.

Very good arrangement. First horse riding with good and instructive guides. Then whaling safari by boat. Really good guides and arrangement. Proft and serious.

Es war wunderbar! Die Pferde, die Guides, die Natur - einfach unvergesslich! Wir wurden sehr herzlich empfangen, für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene gab es verschiedene Gruppen, so dass jede:r auf seine Kosten kam.