Best of Iceland singletracks for experienced riders
The UltimateAM Experience
- Information
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What's included
- 5 nights hotel (twin/dbl)
- FOOD: 5 breakfast, 6x lunch, 1x casual dinner, 2x 3course dinner,1x dinner buffet, 1x pizza and brews
- Local expert bike guide with superjeep and driver
- Packed lunch
- Small group guarantee
- Support vehicle
- Travel in 4x4 8 passenger van
- Travel with modified highland vehicle
- Trip extension assistance, detailed trip information and pre trip assistance
- Airfares and airport transfers
- Awesome weather guarantee
- Bikerental not included, - Scott Genius bikes available for rent
- Optional tips to guide and driver
- Personal medical insurance and emergency insurance
- Single Room
Skill and Fitness level:
Raven AM mountain with optional Heli-biking day: 6-7 days of singletrack heaven
The Raven AM MTB trip is the result of 15 years of scouting Iceland trails to showcase the best singletracks in Iceland. Explore Iceland’s rugged and magical backcountry terrain. Raven AM is the trip for the advanced all-mountain rider. An exclusive trip that will only run three times in summer 2024. Each trip has up to 8 riders with two bike guides and driver. Highland travel in 46″ modified superjeep with custom built bike trailer. Our guides are the local expert riders and won’t hesitate to change the plan to react to weather to make the most of your time in Iceland.
The trips plan is action packed 5 days of biking – with a short last day of wrapping up and shuttling to civilisation. We start and end in Reykjavík.
First day we drive from Reykjavík to our Trailcenter in village of Hveragerði. Get bikes ready, head out to ride and get to know the guides and country. We spend the first night in the village of Hveragerði, exploring the tectonic and geothermal areas. We ride new trails built by the Icebike team. On day two it is time to head out to the highlands to explore Iceland’s rugged and magical backcountry terrain around nature reserve Fjallabak. We spend two nights in the highland center riding some magnificent singletracks in Fjallabak nature reserve. Then it is time to cross the highlands on the superjeep. Destination is the glacier surrounded “Þórsmörk” also known as the “Garden of Thor”. Featured in films and photos, part of the singletracks we ride include the same areas as the famous “Laugavegur” hiking trail. End the trip back in Hveragerði town we have a final evening togethter, sharing local brews, pizza and photoss. Final day is about recovery, packing up and shutttle to Reykjavík – there by lunchtime.
This is a trip for the experienced riders only, riding a quality 4-7 inch full-suspension trail bike.
*No need to bring a group, solo riders welcome. Price is based on double or twin rooms, for single rooms a fee of 102.000 ISK is added.
Iceland highlands:
We head to the vast highlands of Iceland where the short summer of 8 weeks creates a short window for biking. The area is a protected nature reserve and of course we treat it with respect. Our talented local guides are great riders, fun people and experienced mountaineers. They will know options for trails on any day. They will use your time in Iceland well. Mountain biking in Iceland is not about racing through the trails. It is as important to take a moment to enjoy the views. To let the vistas sink in. The landscapes are other worldly and ever changing. You’ll ride past bubbling hot pools, glaciers, birch woods and black sand. Even in the same day. You can find information here about how Icebike works with authorities on trailbuilding.
Is this trip suitable for my skill level?:
This trip is aimed for the strong intermediate to advanced AM / Enduro rider. If you enjoy technical trails and natural singletracks in the remote, this is a good match. You need to be happy riding 4-6 hours per day on challenging terrain. Challenging uphill rides including “hike a bike” rewarded with once in a lifetime views. If you’ve seen videos of Iceland mountainbiking: this is it!
Facilities and food:
In 2023 we retired using the highland cabins that had bunk beds, sleeping bags and common rooms. We will endure the (sometimes) 30-60 min shuttle post ride to reach private rooms, warm showers and excellent food. At least two days we ride all the way to our hotel. We believe our riders will enjoy the days better having had a good nights sleep. All food on the trip is included, expect a variety of casual pizza/burgers to 3 course menus in the highland hotel. You’ll sample the favourite food of Icebike guides.
If you want more information on the cabins we use, check this page out. Find information on what to wear and have a look at Icebike Adventures picture gallery from our trips. Grab the popcorn, sit back and enjoy some of your biking videos from Iceland. Last but not least, get some practical information on your trips and what to expect when riding in Iceland.
“The volcanic landscape covered in green moss is mesmerizing and photos hardly do it justice. The idea of going and finding perfect single track that laces through the hills was our goal, and with the help of Magne from Icebike we set out to find the best trails the south island had to offer. “
KC Deane – Pro Rider
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
Welcome to Iceland: Meet, shuttle, brief, build, eat, RIDE!
Welcome to Iceland! Trip starts in Reykjavík center and hop on the van for a 40 minutes scenic drive to the Icebike Trail center in Hveragerði. Once there we get the bikes ready, riders with own bikes start buidling - the riders with rentals can head out for a spin. When all is set we head out to the geothermal areas for a short ride, then have light lunch at trailside café before riding further into the mountains. Evening: Have dinner in your own time, a casual meal included at the hotel food hall. After dinner, if you fancy a dip in a warm river under the midnight sun: bring your bike out and ride some beautiful singletracks up the mountain to earn your dip and singletrack ride back to hotel
Steamer and Háifoss Waterfall / Singletrack Canyon
Breakfast at Hveragerði then we'll ride some of our favourite trails in the area. We know them because we built them. Lunch in the village then time to bring out the superjeep to head to the highlands. We stop enroute at one of Icelands most beautiful waterfalls, named “Háifoss” for a nice singletrack 1-2 hour ride. We start at a scenic point overlooking the waterfall from the top before we start our ride down into the canyon carved by the river leading into the valley Þjórsárdalur where we end our ride today. Then hop back in the Super Jeep to make our way to the remote B&B here we overnight. Showers & made up beds are a welcome luxury after a day of enduring Iceland elements. Enjoy dinner at the hotel prepared by talented chefs & possibly crack open a cold one to share some pictures with the guides and riders.
Postcard area
Today we ride Landmannalaugar singletracks. The rich contrast of black sand and bright glaciers starts our day with breathtaking views. We pedal through the colourful Rhyolite mountains and wind down a steep trail to a green oasis on lush river banks. The wildly-formed canyons along this section of fast singletrack harken back to an age when our mother earth was still in her infancy. To cap this choice day of riding, our terminus point provides an unforgettable panorama of distant glaciers and azure lakes. Option of a dip in a geothermal pool before superjeep brings us back to the comfort of a hot shower and made up bed.
Getting Primeval - To the Garden Of Thor
Our superjeep once again delivers adventure in spades as we travel 3 hours deeper in to Fjallabak mountains area. Today includes water crossings as we transition once again to even more verdant land with crisp waterfalls flowing into pristine lakes and a thin line of hero dirt snaking its way through it all. This is where the now famous Yeti video was filmed in Þórsmörk . We'll stop at a mountain cabin for warm soup and Kleina (or fried dough), before venturing out into more super scenic landscapes on for the rest of the day. After 6 hours on the saddle we arrive in Þórsmörk area where birch trees and grassy meadows are a welcome change.This is the best part for biking the famous Laugavegur hiking trail. The interesting mix of technical and flowing singletrack delivers us to the Volcanohuts, option of warm showers and sauna. Dinner is served buffet style, dessert is simply enjoying the views of this incredible place, behind mountains and unbridged rivers, with glaciers towering on three sides, there is a reason this place is treasured by Icelanders.
Eyjafjallajökull "Island Mountain Glacier" "ay-yah-FYAH'-plah-yer-kuh-duhl"
We’ll wake up, enjoy a hearty breakfast and get ready for our final day of mind-blowing terrain.! Again, weather will be the deciding factor on which trails we ride today. In any case, we will see the wonders of Thors Garden and great views after a challenging hike a bike sections. We'll take a moment to enjoy the stunning views of glaciers, snow-capped mountains and dormant volcanoes. Serene birch forests and grassy meadows provide a striking contrast against the blackened earth on which we’ll ride. Several rocky sections and wild river crossings will make for an unforgettable adventure. Post ride: Shuttle 3hours back to Hveragerði for the final evening together. For our final evening we head to Ölverk pizzeria, to have the best pizza in the country paired with local brews. Thank you for some incredible days. SKÁL!
This is goodbye
The last day is about recovery and getting ready to travel home. Breakfast at the Greenhouse, pack your bike and we will shuttle you back to Reykavík before lunch time. Thank you for riding with us! *If you are on a tight schedule it is possible to end the trip on day #5 and heading straight to the airport to fetch a morning flight out. (ask info@icebikeadventures.com for arrangements)
More about Fjallabak area
More about Hengill
More about Landmannalaugar
More about Reykjavík
More about Þjórsárdalur
More about this tour
We ride in Fjallabak nature reserve.
Iceland weather is highly unpredictable it is very important to bring the right gear for riding - you will receive a detailed kit list upon booking the trip.
User Reviews & Comments
Christian Mayr
We did a Fatbike daytrip in Reykjanes 2015 with Icebike and were so impressed that we came back 2018 for the full 5-day adventure trip (Raven AM). We didn't regret this - it was indeed the most epic tour of our life (and we have done some years of traveling)! The guides were amazing and real outdoor aficionados (takk fyrir to Gummi, Kelly, Sole and Erla) and the organization was great - very helpful, flexible and always able to finding a good solution for every need (thanks to Ásta and Magne). So here is what you get: * Trails: The trails are hand-picked by the most experienced riders in Iceland and are not to be found anywhere else. The guides do a good job of constantly adopting the many variants to the weather as well as the skills, speed and preferences of the group. I wouldn't want to go searching for trails here by myself, as a lot of the gems are hidden and the elevation is easily lost when searching for trails. Going uphill there are only hiking paths, so there is a good amount of hike-a-bike involved. That was fun too, and a good way to experience the landscape. I would consider the trails "enduro" - in any case, the downhills were mostly flowy and sometimes technical, but not steeper than -70%. I would rate it S1-S2 with some S3 elements. * Landscape: It is amazing. The backcountry highlands are some of the most beautiful places in Iceland, especially Landmannalaugar. It is ever-changing, volcanic rocks, stones, sand, snow, rivers - you get it all. Don't do the All-Mountain tour just for the sports - do it for maximum smiles per hour. * Group: We had a very heterogeneous group, as some were fast riders who wanted to maximize their miles record, whereas we wanted to take it slow and enjoy the ride with lots of picture and drone breaks. Icebike did an excellent job at providing a second guide and splitting the group up, so everyone would be happy. We were very contend with the routes, but if you have specific wishes (like very sports orientated rides), you might want to consider the XC or an individual tour instead of a group ride. * Fitness: We kind of overlooked the 90/100 fitness recommendation on the web page, but guys, take it seriously - the weather is harsh, the bars in the plus-size tires are low and the uphill is steep. It was not a walk in the park, but definitely worth it. Try to do regular 1000m+ climb days before for maximum fun. * Bike: I rented a Scott Genius 2017 150mm, which was in very good shape - still, considering the uphill hiking, I would take something lighter like the 130mm Scott Spark 2018. Bringing your own bike is easy too - get a big rental car or the airport bus and store your box + gear @Icebike. * Weather: Everything is possible; it's best to wear a waterproof outer layer and just a baselayer underneath plus smart wool socks; that way you will neither overheat nor cool out. * Price: Given that you have a private superjeep shuttle, a personal cook, a heli flight and everything taken care of (including bike repairs), I think it is justified. Iceland is not cheap, but it is one of the most amazing tours that you can experience! Icebike is a good way to get away from the crowds and enjoy the country with real icelanders in the best way possible - on a mountainbike! We already miss the unique beauty and vibe of Iceland and hope to get back there very soon!
Google Review
Glenn A
Life event To say this trip was awesome would just fall short of the truth. From beginning to end Icebike adventures is a well oiled machine. I'm a pretty good rider and was challenged each day with the very diverse terrain. I'm also a very picky eater, and both guides Runar and David, bent over backwards to meet my dietary challenges. This company is top notch, nothing is left to chance. The guides, the transportation, the food, the bikes, and the lodging were all great. I do recommend bringing your own bike, for comfort of knowing your ride.
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VTimpone
Unreal experience This should be on anyone's adventure bucket list. Spectacular scenery, amazing trails, great people, helicopters, plentiful beer, excellent food, bonfires, glaciers, hot springs... an unforgettable experience. I am an intermediate rider at best, while others in my group were more advanced. We all had a great time. Book the trip. You won't regret it.
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Chris S
Excellent Adventure I did the 5 day Raven adventure with my wife, we flew out MTB's out and explored Porsmork and Landmannalaugar, and it was very epic. Our guides were excellent, Icebike was very helpful with accommodations and figuring out how to get us all going where we needed to be. We had so much fun and was able to see so much of the country. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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K.Knight
Awesome and a half - with good dinners! I had a great time with Icebike. My wife and I both did a five day tour with them in July of 2016. Mountain biking is hard, sometimes scary, and often exhausting. Icebike' tours are for experienced, and fairly strong riders. Mountain biking in Iceland is demanding. The weather is cold and wet. The trails are not flat. Quite the opposite, I found myself regularly on far steeper trails than I ride at home in Colorado. If that didn't scare you off, buy your ticket because Icebike is great! From the initial planning on, Icebike was great about communication and organization. They gave great advice on gear, bikes, clothes, everything. When we got to Iceland, they picked up our bikes and helped us get situated. The riding they took us on ranged throughout the southwest part of Iceland. The key to having a good trip biking in Iceland is route finding. There are no "mountain biking trails" there. There are primitive hiking trails with very few signs. Icebike guided the group I was in (eight riders), on great trails. The guides were fun, professional, and willing to do whatever to make the trip better. They worked with a range of riders - I was anxious for some exciting technical riding. We had a couple of riders who wanted to skip the "gnar" here and there. No, if you are a beginner rider, this trip is not for you. However, a strong intermediate rider could do great on this trip if you have the mindset that getting off and walking once in a while is just fine. We had a chef who made amazing food! Nice hot stews, fresh meat, great salads, and awesome desserts. It made a huge difference to finish a hard ride and have a great meal - and large portions! I highly recommend these folks to help you have a great trip. I went places and saw things that I simply could not have done without them. I also made new friends and learned a lot about Iceland and the culture of the country.
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