Reykjavik: ATV Quad Tour with Mountain Views & Small Groups

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/15

Duration3h 30m

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

ATV Riding Outside Reykjavik with a Local Guide

You get picked up from your Reykjavik hotel (or a nearby bus stop if downtown), driven to the basecamp, suited up in protective gear, and ride an ATV quad across lava fields and up to Hafrafell mountain for views of Reykjavik and the surrounding towns. The whole outing is about 2.5 hours. Your guide is local and the group stays under eight people, so it doesn't feel crowded. Just know that downtown pickups have restrictions, so you may start at a designated bus stop instead of your hotel door.

3h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

ATV tour from Reykjavik to Hafravatn

Pickup from Reykjavik hotel
Drive 15 minutes to quad biking base
Attend safety briefing and wear helmet
Ride quad bike into countryside
Stop at Lake Hafravatn for photos
Observe horses, birds, and arctic foxes
Enjoy views from Hafrafell mountain
Return to basecamp
Drive back to Reykjavik hotel

The Experience

The pickup window said 10:00, and at 10:28 we were still waiting at the bus stop downtown—turns out the government doesn't allow pickups from most hotels in central Reykjavik, so you meet the guide at a designated stop instead. It's a small thing, but worth knowing. Once the van arrived, we drove about 15 minutes out of the city to the basecamp, which sits only 20 minutes from downtown if you decide to meet there directly. The whole ATV quad tour from Reykjavik takes about 2.5 hours with pickup and return included.

At the basecamp, the guide ran through the safety briefing—helmet on, throttle control, how to lean into turns—then handed out warm, windproof overalls and gloves. The quad itself felt heavier than expected, but once we were moving across the lava fields toward Lake Hafravatn, that weight made sense. The terrain is rough and open, and the guide led us at a steady pace. We stopped at the lake for what they call a Kodak moment, and honestly, the view back toward Reykjavik from up there is the reason people book this. On the way up to Hafrafell mountain, the guide pointed out Arctic foxes and ptarmigans if they showed, though we didn't see them that day. What we did see was the lava from an old volcano near Hafnafjordur, and on clear days you can spot the active volcano in Geldingadalur on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Groups stay small—maximum eight people if everyone pairs up on a quad, or four if you go single ride. Single ride costs extra, but you're not sharing the bike or the experience. The double ride is the standard option, so two people per quad. You need a full driver's license to operate one yourself; passengers can be as young as six if an adult is with them. The whole thing operates in all weather, which in Iceland means you could be riding in rain, wind, or sudden sun. Dress in layers—the guide recommends handwarmers and footwarmers in winter, because sitting on a moving quad in cold air is different from walking around cold air.

What’s included

Your tour includes hotel pickup and dropoff (or pickup from a designated bus stop in downtown Reykjavik), warm windproof overalls, gloves, and a helmet, a professional local guide, and the ATV quad ride itself across lava fields and up to Hafrafell mountain for views of Reykjavik and surrounding towns. The total time is about 2.5 hours with transport included.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Action Adventures

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to ride an ATV across Icelandic terrain without arranging your own transport or gear—pickup is included and everything you need is provided. Plan for a full-day outing with the ride itself lasting about 2.5 hours, which is what lets you see the lava fields and mountain views without rushing.