Family Rafting (West)

by Viking Rafting · Family & kids · Reykjavík

Fine on your own

from €161.43 per person

Next departure: Sat 1 May

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

Duration
3 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Varmahlíð
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Family Rafting Day Trip on The West Glacial River
Hafgrímsstaðir, Varmahlíð
Guide
Guided in English, Icelandic
Departs
09:00, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 …
Minimum age
6
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure.

Our take on this one

Class 2 to 2+ water through a basalt canyon in north Iceland — enough to soak everyone and not enough to frighten a six-year-old. Viking Rafting put every guest in a drysuit rather than a wetsuit, which is unusual and is the difference between a cold three hours and a comfortable one, and they stop early on for hot chocolate made with water from a geothermal spring on the bank. There is a cliff jump near the end; the guides decide on the day and anyone who can swim may do it. Gear, guides, safety kayakers and the transfer from their base are included. It runs from Varmahlíð, five hours' drive north of Reykjavík, so this belongs to a Ring Road trip, not a day out from the capital.

Book it if: Families with children from six who are already in north Iceland and want water without whitewater nerves.
Skip it if: It is gentle by design — and it is in Skagafjörður, so it is not a day trip from Reykjavík under any arrangement.

Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.

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.

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

Where you go

Family Rafting

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.

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.

Who this is not for

Children under 6 cannot join this one.

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

Family adventures in Iceland: ages and pricesFamily-friendly activities in Iceland with prices: a €81 beach ride, €147 rafting from age 8, a €235 snowmobile and slide trip. What suits which age.
Family rafting in Iceland: from what age?Family rafting in Iceland starts at age 8 on the Hvítá near Gullfoss and age 6 in North Iceland; the standard trips are 11 and up. Which one to 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.

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.

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

€161.43 per person

Viking Rafting's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

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

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs09:0010:0010:3011:0012:0013:0015:00

Sauðárkrókur: light 04:41–21:50, 17 h 8 min of daylight.

Labour Day — a public holiday in Iceland. Shops, pools and museums keep short hours or shut, and some tours do not run.

· Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure.
✓ 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

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €9 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.