​INT 1028 Wonderful West – Family Rafting in North Iceland

Half-day family river rafting on the West Glacial River (Vestari-Jökulsá) in North Iceland

Where fun, relaxation and scenery combine to deliver a splash of unforgettable memories! Featuring bubbling hot springs and mind-blowing scenery, this half-day trip offers everyone from the novice rafter to the whole family a gentler whitewater experience and the opportunity to explore the Icelandic wilderness from the depths of the West Glacial River's magnificent canyon! As you negotiate gentle rapids through the twists and bends of this towering gorge, you will have the opportunity to sample hot cocoa from nature's own kettle, get caught up in a friendly water fight, bathe your soul in the invigorating glacial runoff, or simply kick back and let your troubles drift away with the meandering waters!



This trip begins and ends at our Hafgrímsstaðir rafting base in North Iceland. For those wishing to include transportation to this trip, we offer several packages that include transfers to-and-from Akureyri and Reykjavik.

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From Akureyri: we offer a daily shuttle service departing from Akureyri Backpackers at 7:30 and returning around 17:00.

From Reykjavik: we offer several options that include busses, flights, and a night of local accommodation in North Iceland, as well as the option to combine other activities with this rafting trip. Please contact us for details and more information about custom packages.



The Arctic Rafting base at Hafgrímsstaðir is located on Road #752, 15km from its junction with Hwy #1 at the west end of Varmahlíð. Simply follow Road #752 up the valley for about 10-15 minutes until you see us on the left-hand side of the road!

FROM REYKJAVÍK: 305km/190mi (4-hour drive). Follow Highway #1 (Ringroad) towards the North. Just after you descend a long hill into the Skagafjörður valley, Road #752 is on your RIGHT, about 500m before the centre of Varmahlíð (Tourist Info & N1 fuel station).

FROM AKUREYRI: 110km/68mi (1.5-hour drive). Follow Highway #1 (Ringroad) towards the West. Continue along about 500m past the left turn in the centre of Varmahlíð (Tourist Info & N1 fuel station) until you reach Road #752 on your LEFT.



PLEASE NOTE: Although you don´t need to "swim" while river rafting, we recommend that you can. The reason for that is people that can´t swim tend to panic when they are in the water. You have to be comfortable with floating in water.



Disclaimer: All river rafting trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Icelandic Nature Tours does not assume any responsibility for accidents caused by its clients or which can be traced to their own actions. Participants will be required to sign a waiver form prior to their trip, acknowledging that all outdoor adventure activities carry an inherit risk. We reserve the right to cancel trips at any time due to safety reasons.



Due to weather conditions and/or water levels it may sometimes not be possible to safely operate this trip for only 2 participants.

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Trip Difficulty: 2 out of 5 possible

Rated: Easy