Action Rafting & Whale watching

by Viking Rafting · Whale watching · North Iceland

5.00· 608 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own
Adults only

Duration
9 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Starts in
Varmahlíð
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00
Minimum age
18
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 30 days.

About this experience

Start the day bright and early at 7:20 with a pickup at Akureyri Backpackers Hostel organised by Viking Rafting (or if arriving by own car, follow instructions on your ticket to find your way to the base camp at Hafgrímsstaðir). The East Glacial River gorge is the setting for the most action-packed and exciting rafting day tour. With spectacular deep canyon scenery and relentless heart-pumping whitewater, the East has been consistently rated one of Europe’s best rafting rivers and topped popular guide books’ lists of "must-do's" in Iceland. One of the most remote single-day rafting trips on the planet, this whitewater adventure delivers an unforgettable journey into the untamed beauty of Iceland’s river wilderness and a dose of adrenaline strong enough to satisfy the most powerful of cravings. The river is rated 4/4+ which makes it sort of like your favourite Disney World ride, but without a seatbelt. And just like that ride, you don't need any previous rafting experience to discover for yourself why the East Glacial River has become Iceland's signature whitewater rafting trip. (If you're scared of getting wet and don't enjoy excitement, this is definitely not the trip for you - please contact us directly for other 'milder' rafting options)

Once you've had your fun on the river you will (make your own way or) be driven back to Akureyri Backpackers Hostel where it's only a short walk to our ticket office in the harbour and where your whale watching tour departs from at 17:00. Eyjafjord is home to many Humpback whales, that year after year return to the fjord for it's plentiful food. Our newly renovated and specially modified whale watching ship is capable of carrying 200 persons with spectacular views from our “cinema style” viewing platforms. Its speed guarantees availability of whale watching tours from Akureyri, where ever the whales might be located in the deepest fjord in Iceland. With ample indoor and outdoor seating, bar and cafeteria, you can be sure that the ride is comfortable and pleasant, even at speed. Our sighting success of Humpback whales in summer 2016 is 100% and among them there have been reports of Minke whales, Blue Whales and White-beaked dolphins.

Description from the operator, Viking Rafting. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Action Rafting
Whale watching in Akureyri

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 (food and hot drinks)
Iceland's ultimate rafting experience.
Overalls to wear on whale tour
Free onboard WiFi
Excellent guidance

Good to know

YOU BRING:

- Thermal underwear / base layers

- Warm fleece top / wool sweater

- Fleece pants / extra long johns

- Thick wool socks / hiking socks (at least 1 pair)

- Dry clothes for after the river

- Any necessary medications (asthma inhalers, etc.)

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 30 days. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure; in winter this happens often. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Viking Rafting decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Who this is not for

Not for families with children under 18 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Viking Rafting is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Viking Rafting

Read all 608 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 5.0/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Phillip Leon
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Spectacular experience. The setting is amazing. The crew are joyful and engaging. Mr. A was our guide. His safety briefings have you engaged and prepared for what may come. It is cold water rafting so bring layers to tailor your needs to the conditions. Always better to be warm and need to cool off with a quick dip in the 40ish degree water. Bhalu is awesome. He loves his "job". It was an honor to have him in our boat. Check out his insta. I recommend getting lunch at the end of the big rapids trip. It truly is a delicious feast.
Alan Cammack
★★★★★ · a month ago
Excellent experience rafting the East Glacier River. The guides are all top notch, fun, and highly trained. Drysuits were provided which were well maintained. The trip was well manged and had a "safety kayaker," so we felt very well taken care of. This is one of the coolest ways to experience Iceland and this river in particular is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Would highly recommend!
Jan
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
We did the Whitewater Action Tour with Viking Rafting and honestly it was one of the best experiences in Iceland so far and i live here for 4 years straight. From start to finish everything felt safe, well organized, and just really fun. Huge thanks to all the team - Anup, the senior guide and boss, for running everything so smoothly and making sure we felt looked after the whole time. Saurav and Hari, the senior guides, were fantastic on the water, profesional, but also just great, fun people to be around. Sean and Naina kept the energy up and made sure everyone was having a good time, even when we were nervous before the bigger rapids. Mike got us safely to and from the river, and Camino and Andy took care of us at the camp with amazing food and a really warm welcome, it genuinely felt like being with friends rather than just staff. This whole team is talented, kind, and clearly loves what they do. We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in the area. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a real adventure with people who actually care!
Ewa Szewczyk
★★★★★ · a month ago
It was my first time and I am absolutely blown away! I didn't expect such an amazing experience with such fantastic guides. It was extreme, but thanks to the warmth and smiles of the whole team, I felt completely safe. Now I truly feel alive! Thank you to the entire crew for the great atmosphere and unforgettable emotions. Also, I highly recommend the meal that you can order on-site – it was simply delicious! Recommended from the bottom of my heart!”

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

River rafting in Iceland: east or west river?Both rafting rivers meet near Varmahlíð in the north. One is class 4 and adults only, the other is class 2 and takes children from six.
Húsavík or Eyjafjörður for whale watching?Whale watching from Húsavík's Skjálfandi Bay versus boats leaving Akureyri or Dalvík on Eyjafjörður — which bay to book from and why.

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Whale watching — questions people ask

When is the best time for whale watching in Iceland?

April to October, with June to August the most reliable. Humpbacks and minke whales feed in Faxaflói off Reykjavík and in the northern fjords all summer, and white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises turn up on most trips. Winter boats still sail from Reykjavík, but sightings drop and the sea is rougher. If whales are the point of your trip, come in summer and book an early departure; seas are usually calmer in the morning.

Can you see whales from Reykjavík in December?

Sometimes. Boats run from the Old Harbour all year, and winter trips do find whales, mostly humpbacks and the occasional orca. But December means short daylight, cold wind and a higher chance the operator cancels for weather. Sightings are noticeably less frequent than in summer. If you are here in winter, go anyway, but treat it as a sea trip with a chance of whales rather than a whale trip. Most operators offer a free second trip if nothing shows.

Is Húsavík or Reykjavík better for whale watching?

Húsavík, if you can get there. Skjálfandi Bay in the north sees humpbacks close to shore from May to September, and the small family-run boats like Friends of Moby Dick (/experience/752602/) keep group sizes down. Reykjavík is more convenient: boats leave the Old Harbour five minutes from most hotels and run all year. Akureyri and Dalvík in Eyjafjörður are also strong. If you are only in Reykjavík, go from Reykjavík and do not feel short-changed.

Will I get seasick on a whale watching tour?

You might. Faxaflói is open sea and the boats roll, especially in wind. Take a tablet an hour before departure, stay on deck in fresh air and watch the horizon rather than your phone. Morning trips tend to be calmer than afternoon ones. If you know you suffer badly, a two-hour RIB trip (/experience/155331/) is faster and bumpier but shorter, or pick a northern fjord like Eyjafjörður, which is more sheltered than the bay off Reykjavík.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Sauðárkrókur, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in North Iceland →

One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

from

Price on request

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs09:00

Sauðárkrókur: light 03:47–22:42, 18 h 55 min of daylight.

· Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 30 days.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Viking Rafting cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Viking Rafting's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes