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Family Rafting (West)

Operated by Viking Rafting

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Duration:3 hours 30 minutes

Travel by:Self-Drive

Difficulty:Easy

Min. age:6+ years

Meeting point:Family Rafting Day Trip on The West Glacial River

About this experience

The Best Family Rafting Trip in North Iceland

West Glacial River | Ages 6+

There's a moment early in this trip that nobody expects. You're barely into the canyon and we pull over and you're drinking hot cocoa brewed from a natural geothermal spring right on the riverbank. In the middle of a glacial canyon. In Iceland. It sets the tone for everything that follows.

The Jökulsá Vestari flows through one of Iceland's most beautiful volcanic canyons with gentle Class 2-2+ rapids, stunning basalt walls, and enough splashing to keep everyone grinning without anyone feeling overwhelmed. Perfect for first-timers, families with young kids, and anyone who wants Iceland's raw landscape without the white-knuckle intensity. If you want that instead, our Whitewater Action trip is right there. And at the final stretch - a cliff jump. Our guides make the call on the day and we rarely skip it. If you can swim, you're in.

Like all our trips, every guest gets a full drysuit. Not a wetsuit. A drysuit. One of the very few rafting companies in the world doing this. The whole family stays warm, dry, and comfortable the entire way through.

What's included:

Class 2–2+ rapids, safe, fun, suitable for ages 6+
Stunning volcanic glacial canyon, only reachable by water
Geothermal hot cocoa stop
Cliff jump
Full drysuits for everyone
No experience needed
Daily departures from Hafgrímsstaðir, North Iceland (near Akureyri & Varmahlíð)

No experience needed. No cold. Just one of those days your family talks about for years.

Highlights

Hot Springs
Nature & Scenery
Outdoor Activities
River Rafting

Places you may visit

North Iceland

What's included

– All rafting equipment: drysuit, PFD, helmet, booties, gloves – Qualified, professional raft guides and safety kayakers – Transportation between our rafting base and the river – Riverside refreshments (hot chocolate) – Iceland's ultimate rafting experience!

Good to know

The first thing you need to know about your rafting trip is that you are probably going to get wet, so don't be too surprised! The second thing is that there is nothing tropical about Iceland, and even though you are on summer vacation, your speedos will do you no good here. All of our rafting trips run on glacial rivers, which means that the water we paddle in is recently melted ice. As the environment and the elements we face are unpredictable (often cold and always wet) overexposure will not only leave you shivering and miserable, but it can easily become a serious safety concern if you manage to sneak in unprepared. It is your responsibility as participants (yes, you!) to arrive for your rafting trip with adequate warm clothing. What do we mean? Let us explain... WHAT TO WEAR ON THE RIVER – Thermal underwear / base layers – Warm fleece top / wool sweater – Fleece pants / extra long johns – Thick wool socks / hiking socks (at least 1 pair) Be prepared to get wet! All clothing worn on the river should be of a material that keeps its insulating ability when wet. We highly recommend fleece, wool, and synthetic materials. DO NOT WEAR COTTON, so NOT your jeans and favourite hoodie! WHAT ELSE TO BRING – Dry clothes for after the river – Any necessary medications (asthma inhalers, etc.) – Waterproof camera (optional) – Thirst for adventure & sense of humour!

Meeting point

Family Rafting Day Trip on The West Glacial River

Hafgrímsstaðir, Varmahlíð

Cancellation policy

Cancellation fees apply

For all bookings of day tours, a minimum of 24 hours' notice prior to your scheduled departure is required in order to receive a full refund. If a cancellation is made with less than 24 hours notice, no refund is given.

For all bookings of multi-day and custom private tours, a minimum of 72 hours' notice prior to your scheduled departure is required in order to receive a full refund. If a cancellation is made with less than 72 hours' notice, no refund is given*

*Note that in the event the client requests a refund for any reason, Tour Desk reserves the right to charge a 3% administration fee to cover costs incurred.

Cancellation and refund requests need to be sent in writing to info@tourdesk.io

Tour operator

Operated by

Viking Rafting

Questions & answers

How long is the tour?

3 hours 30 minutes

Where does the tour start?

Family Rafting Day Trip on The West Glacial River , Varmahlíð

Is hotel pickup available?

No — guests must make their own way to the meeting point.

Is there a minimum age?

Participants must be at least 6 years old.

Book this experience

Real-time availability and pricing — book directly, no extra steps.

From

21,990 ISK

per person

Select a date

Choose a date to get started

Cancellation policy

Cancellation fees apply

Tour operator

Viking Rafting

Book with confidence

Icelandic company — GoIceTravel is based in Iceland
Booking by TourDesk — Booking handled through TourDesk
TourDesk Best Price Guarantee — Found the same tour cheaper from the same operator within 72 hours of booking? TourDesk may refund the price difference, subject to their guarantee terms.