Paddle boarding in Iceland: Reykjavík or Hvalfjörður
Paddle boarding tours near Reykjavík are private and start at €1027. Here is how the bay and fjord trips compare, and what else to try on the water.
The short version
- Both paddle board tours near Reykjavík are private: €1027 for a 2.5-hour sunset session, €734 for a 3-hour fjord trip.
- The fjord tour has a minimum age of 14 and a minimum height of 145 cm; the sunset tour lists no minimum age.
- Both are weather dependent and the fjord tour needs light winds of about 5 to 7 m/s.
- Cheaper water alternatives are the €219 sunset jet ski tour and the €228 river kayak ride on the Hvítá.
There are two paddle board tours in our catalogue, both from Adventure Vikings and both private. The sunset session on Reykjavík bay is from €1027. The Hvalfjörður fjord trip is from €734. If you have never paddled, the bay is the gentler start. If you want quiet, the fjord is better. Neither is cheap.
Sunset paddle in Reykjavík
Reykjavik Sunset and Paddle Board tour (from €1027, two and a half hours) is built around the summer evenings. Start times run from 17:00 to 22:00. Red Paddle equipment, an English-speaking instructor and a drysuit are included, though your hands and head stay exposed. Bring a hat, gloves and a towel.
The operator says it is the only one running this tour, so you are unlikely to share the water. The listing also includes photos, which is useful because you will not be holding a phone.
Be aware of the limits. It is not recommended for people with back problems, heart conditions or pregnant travellers. It is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. And it is heavily weather dependent. The operator will contact you closer to the date. Our availability snapshot shows no open dates in the next 120 days, which fits a summer-only product. If you are visiting now, this one is not for you.
Free cancellation until 24 hours before.
Hvalfjörður fjord paddle
SUP into the Forgotten Fjords (from €734, three hours) takes you into Hvalfjörður, a long fjord north of Reykjavík with a whaling and wartime history. Glymur, Iceland’s highest waterfall, is nearby. The paddling area is quiet.
Rules are stricter. You must be at least 14 years old, at least 145 cm tall and no more than 200 cm. The tour is private for up to five participants, so the price is for the group, not per person. Check that on the booking page before you divide it. It starts at 08:00 and needs light winds of about 5 to 7 m/s. Flexibility matters: the operator advises keeping back-up days in your plan.
Free cancellation until two days before departure. Our snapshot shows only a handful of open dates, so book early if you want it.
If you want water without a board
Two other trips on the water cost less.
- Sunset jet ski tour on Reykjavík Bay (from €219, two hours). You ride past Lundey, where puffins nest from May to August, and stop at Viðey. Minimum age is 8. See our Reykjavík jet ski guide for the other options.
- Kayak River Ride (from €228). An inflatable kayak down the Hvítá with a river safety team, wetsuit, helmet and lifejacket included. Minimum age is 18.
Neither is a paddle board. Both are cheaper, run in groups and ask for less balance.
Is it hard?
Not as hard as it looks, if the water is calm. The operators teach you from scratch. You start kneeling, then stand. You will probably fall in once. The drysuit is there for that. What makes it hard is cold and wind, not technique.
Our honest take
Paddle boarding in Iceland is a good idea in the right month on the right evening, and a poor one otherwise. The two tours are private, so the price looks high until you divide it between a group. For a couple, €1027 is a lot for two and a half hours. For four friends it is more reasonable. The price has risen since we first wrote this; check the tour page for the current figure. If the budget is tight, the jet ski at €219 is a better value and the kayak ride at €228 is the safer choice for a first timer. Book paddle boarding only if you have flexibility on dates and a real wish to be on a calm bay at sunset.
