Whitewater Action (East)

by Viking Rafting · Sightseeing day tours · North Iceland

5.00(602) · operator on Google
Whitewater Action (East) — Viking Rafting

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Viking Rafting's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

More photos of Whitewater Action (East)

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27 photos from Viking Rafting. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    6 hours

  • Difficulty

    Challenging

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Varmahlíð

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, DE, IS, FR, DA, ES

  • Departs

    08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 10:30 …

  • Minimum age

    18

About this experience

In one word... AWESOME . This is like your favourite Disney World ride, but without a seatbelt. Just like that ride, you don't need previous rafting experience to discover for yourself why the East Glacial River has become Iceland's signature whitewater rafting trip. The reason we are experienced professionals is so you don't have to be. If you're scared of getting splashed by huge waves and don't enjoy the excitement, this is definitely not the trip for you. However, we're pretty confident that you'll still love our Family Rafting trip (https://vikingrafting.is/family-rafting-2/) The East Glacial River Gorge (Jökulsá-Austari) is the setting for our 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 has 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. Combine that with a dose of adrenaline strong enough to satisfy the most powerful of cravings. For those traveling to Iceland with a thirst for adventure, this is a day tour not to be missed..

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

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 (a tasty homemade surprise.) – 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 misrable, 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.
*IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE BOOKED WITH TRANSFER FROM AKUREYRI. This service is available everyday of our rafting season, with the exception that the minimum of 2 participants required to operate the trip has not been met. Pickups must be booked and paid for in advance- either in person, online, or by phone. Pickups depart from Akureyri Backpackers (Hafnarstræti 98) at 7:20. No refunds will be given for those missing their morning pick-up from Akureyri.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Golden Ride – Day tour in Golden Circle area from Íslandshestar is €0 — €229 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Viking Rafting · €229Íslandshestar · €0
How long it runs6 hours1 hour
Changing your mindNot statedNo free cancellation
How hard it isChallengingEasy

The €229 buys you 5 more hours out and clearer cancellation terms. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Not for families with children under 18 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.
  • Not for anyone unsure on their feet or carrying an injury — the operator rates this as physically demanding, and there is no easy version of the day.

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 154 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 602 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

    ★★★★★ · 2 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.

  • Jan

    ★★★★★ · 2 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!

  • Анастасия Зайкова

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    Our rafting experience with Viking Rafting was absolutely unforgettable! From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, and the entire team made us feel safe, welcome, and excited. The guides are true professionals who clearly know what they’re doing. They were incredibly friendly, fun, and passionate, making the whole adventure even more enjoyable. We laughed a lot, admired the stunning scenery, and created memories that will stay with us for a long time. If you’re visiting Iceland and looking for an exciting adventure, I highly recommend Viking Rafting. Thank you to the amazing team for such an incredible experience!

  • Tomas Varnas

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    There's a reason why those guys have 5 star rating with hundreds of reviews. First - you will have a great experience (if you are not afraid of water ofc) Second - you won't get cold or wet, just wear a lot of layers and listen to the guides. You don't need any prior experience also. Thank you guys for great time, and maybe we'll meet in Nepal ;)

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

Reviews from our travellers

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No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

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from

€229 per person

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