Only one day to ride with us?
Some of you visit Iceland with their family and can not be away from their loved ones for too long. Others are in Iceland for only a few days and can not spend too much time riding a bicycle.
No worries, we have plenty of solutions for you. This blog will guide you through the different types of day tours we offer. We will also give some tips to keep your loved ones busy and happy during your little biking escape. We even have some suggestions for the end of the day and the “après”.
Our day tours: a few hours of riding, starting 40 mins from Reykjavik.
Intermediate E-mountain biking: the “Geotrail”
This route is for intermediate riders capable of off-road riding. It is 13km of double and singletracks navigating from forests to geothermal areas. You will also ride past a few waterfalls. During the season, salmon can even be spotted jumping in some of them!
Riding the “Geotrail” tour offers a 2 hours long glimpse of riding in Iceland.
Advanced E-mountain biking: the “Steamer”
For experienced all-mountain and Enduro riders, we designed the “Steamer tour”. The program: 4 hours of intense climbs, technical downhills and breathtaking views from the ridgelines.
You will ride narrow singletracks, exposed off-camber sections and rock-gardens! Pure fun for riders looking for a true Icelandic-style mountain biking experience. Those trails are loved and cherished by the locals that still drive there from Reykjavik to level up their riding.
Gravel cycling: the “lava gravel”
This tour is an express but epic introduction to Icelandic gravel riding. Designed with intermediate gravel cyclists in mind, this tour is quite flexible. We can ride more tarmac or more gravel roads depending on your taste.
The Reykjanes peninsula offers forgotten gravel roads that have nothing to envy the highland’s ones. Get ready for mountain passes, lakes, seaside views and of course “hero dirt”. Some of you might check out the new lava of Fjagradalsfjall. The toughest riders might even end the riding day all the way to the charming fishing village of Grindavik!
Want to go solo? Rent an analog full-suspension bike
Please note that we do NOT rent E-bikes.
If you are a lone wolf, or simply eager to wander on the trails at your own pace, you can also rent a bike from us. We have All-mountain bikes ready-for-action in various sizes available at our trailcenter. They have 150mm of travel and good tubeless tires.
For gravel cyclists, we also have a few aluminum gravels up for grabs. We provide a pump, a spare tube, a multi-tool and a helmet along with the bike.
We will be happy to share with you some route options and to provide the corresponding .GPX routes.
It is important to note that the higher mountain bike tracks of the trail center are only accessible via long and steep climbs. They are “E-bike friendly” but climbing to the top of the mountains on an analog bike requires being in very good shape! Please keep that in mind when planning your day.
For the gravel rentals, note that there unfortunately is no gravel friendly route starting from the trail center…yet!
Après: Reykjadalur lodge or the warm river
Hveragerði has a couple of amazing options for post-ride activities.
The most outdoorsy can hike all the way up to where the river Varmá is warm (up to 40°C/110°F). The hike itself takes two hours from our headquarters – one hour climbing and one descending. If you plan to soak in the river and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, the whole adventure might last 3 to 4 hours. We recommend it!
Pro tips: dress well as the weather changes quickly in the mountains, and do not forget to remove your jewelry before jumping in the river. Indeed, the sulfur contained in the geothermal water might damage gold and silver.
After the hike, a stop at our friends’ café “The Reykjadalur lodge” is a must. In the cozy atmosphere, you can relax with a splendid view of the mountains. We recommend a hot coffee with some delicious Icelandic “Kleina” – a local pastry. If you are still hungry, both their traditional lamb soup or vegetable soup are amazing!
And about my friends and family?
A variety of activities are available in the area to keep your family and friends busy while you are riding with us.
Activities in Hveragerði
- In the village of Hveragerði, we share the trails with the horses of Eldhestar. Check them out to book a horse riding tour. (https://eldhestar.is/)
- A bath at the local pool is also a nice idea. It has a natural steambath and one of the very few 50m long basins of the country. https://sundlaugin-laugaskardi
- The Ölverk brewery & Pizza (https://www.olverk.is/) – in town – offers a brewery tour and beer tasting sessions.
Activities within one hour of driving
For the adrenaline seekers, our friends of Black beach tours (https://blackbeachtours.is/) offer a cool selection of ATV tours.
For sightseeing, we recommend the nearby old fishing villages of Stokkseyri and Eyrarbakki.
The beautiful valley of Nesjavellir or the majestuous Thingvellir lake are also less than one hour drive away. There you can check out the snorkeling and diving tours. Freedive.is (https://freedive.is/) is our diving instructor of choice to discover the Silfra crack from underwater.
The geothermal power plant of Hellisheiðavirkjun – on the way to Reykjavik – also has a great exhibition explaining geothermal energy.
The Kerid crater is also a nice spot to visit.
We hope this article is useful to plan your future riding day with us and find some side activities. See you soon in Hveragerði!
