Calm Water Kayaking
by Borea Adventures · Boat tours · Westfjords
- Fine on your own
- Eco-certified
- Self-guided
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Borea Adventures'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 Calm Water Kayaking
8 photos from Borea Adventures. Tap any one for the full-size original.
Duration
2 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Ísafjörður
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN, IS
Departs
09:00, 09:30, 10:30, 12:30 …
Minimum age
12
Our take on this one
Two and a half hours of flat-water paddling straight out of Ísafjörður, under the mountains that hem the town in. Borea run it for complete beginners as readily as for people who own a boat, and all the gear and a guide are in the price. The fjord is sheltered, which is why it runs year-round when open sea kayaking would not. In summer the water carries eider ducks, oystercatchers and arctic terns, and a seal colony lives in the fjord — we won't promise you a seal, but this is their address. The guides talk history and small-town life while you paddle, which is a good part of the value. Eight start times through the day; minimum age 12.
- Book it if
- Anyone spending a day in Ísafjörður who wants to see the fjord from the water without any paddling experience.
- Skip it if
- It is a calm two and a half hours close to town — if you came to the Westfjords for a serious expedition, this is not it.
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
A wonderful experience for beginners and veterans alike, this tour takes you paddling just beneath the magnificent mountains that tower over our small town. This trip is a perfect half-day activity. Experience the majesty of our fjord from a unique angle. Our guides will be sure to tell stories of history, folklore and life in a small town close to the arctic circle. During the summer, we can expect to see many sea birds including Oystercatchers, Arctic Terns, Eider ducks and of course the curious colony of seals who call Ísafjörður their home.
Description from the operator, Borea Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
Good to know
Cancellation for this tour
Cancelling costs 30% of the price within 7 days of departure. 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. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 1Borea Adventures 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 →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Puffins & Reykjavík Bay Sailing from Iceland Discover is €54 — €65 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Borea Adventures · €119 | Iceland Discover · €54 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 2.5 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Changing your mind | Not stated | No free cancellation |
The €65 buys you 1 more hour 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 12 — 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
Borea Adventures 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 Borea Adventures
Read all 175 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
We went on the Highlights of Hornvik trip in June 2026. We loved it! Hiking was challenging - don't expect level trails - rocks, mud, etc. Really felt like got to see a remote area. Guides were excellent. Very knowledgeable and shared all kinds of interesting information about plants, animals, the environment. Did a good job of managing the group. Since the company has their own boat they have some flexibility in terms of getting back in time - we were a little later but it was okay. Excellent day! Very impressed with the company. It was helpful that they provided walking poles if needed.
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Fantastic experience. We saw whales on the boat trip there. The hike was easy with little elevation. We managed to see many bird species, seals and of course the highlight the Arctic fox. The fish soup and Icelandic pancakes were delicious! Our guide was also hilarious, patient and made the whole trip a joy.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
We did the two night Midnight Sun and Arctic Fox tour and it did not disappoint! First we were dropped off 6 km away from the house and hiked to the house. Our guide Mo, prepared our beds and cooked dinner. The next day we made short hikes up and down the coast looking for Arctic Foxes. The sky at sunset was amazing!! The third day just after breakfast a fox was spotted coming towards the house and came close. We spotted him again later from the kayak as he was laying in the grass near the shore. Everything was great and our guide had so much information on everything from the plants and fox to the history as well. Getting away from everything and unplugging was very relaxing. I can't recommend this tour enough.
★★★★★ · a year ago
We had an amazing time with Borea Adventures on the three day Hornstrandir Traverse trip! Our guide Filip was fantastic!!! The hikes may be long and challenging for some but Filip set a nice pace where we could take in the wildlife, the scenery, and enjoy ourselves along the way. The weather can be unpredictable so always be prepared for being cold and wet (pack some extra layers) but we were lucky and had three days with little to no rain. The base camp is set in a beautiful bay and you're surrounded by all sorts of wildlife - all types of birds and even arctic foxes, too! Filip cooked great meals for us and made sure we all had plenty to eat and were comfortable. I'd highly recommend this trip if you enjoy hiking/camping and want to get off the beaten track in Iceland.
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Reviews from our travellers
Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.
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.
Boat tours — questions people ask
Where do boat tours leave from in Reykjavík?
The Old Harbour, on Ægisgarður pier, about five minutes' walk from most downtown hotels and ten from Hallgrímskirkja. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors both have ticket offices there. Whale, puffin, sea-angling and northern-lights boats all use the same area. Arrive thirty minutes before departure to check in. The Viðey ferry (/experience/1539/) leaves from the same harbour in summer and from Skarfabakki the rest of the year.
Is the Jökulsárlón boat tour worth it?
Yes, if you are already at the lagoon. A Zodiac gets you among the icebergs and close to the glacier edge in a way the shore cannot, and the combined glacier hike and Zodiac day (/experience/716547/) is the best full day in the southeast. Boats run in the warmer months only; check the tour page for dates. It is not worth a fourteen-hour day trip from Reykjavík just for the boat.
What is the difference between a Zodiac and an amphibian boat at Jökulsárlón?
A Zodiac is a fast rigid inflatable seating around ten, with a guide who can nose it near the glacier face and into iceberg fields; you wear a flotation suit and get a bit wet. The amphibian is a slow duck boat carrying larger groups on a fixed loop. The Zodiac is the better trip and the one we list. It has a minimum age and is bumpier; the tour page has details.
Will a boat tour be cancelled if it is windy?
Quite possibly. Operators cancel whale, puffin and lagoon boats when the wind or swell makes them unsafe or pointless, and Iceland is windy. The decision usually comes the evening before or early on the day, by email or text. You get a full refund or a new date. Book boat trips early in your stay rather than on your last day so a cancellation can be rebooked.
One checkout, any number of operators
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Pairs well with
Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.
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