Three day river rafting expedition on Jökulsá
Austari (The East
Glacial River) in the North Iceland highlands. Available directly
from Reykjavík city.
Trip difficulty 4+ out of 5 possible – Action Packed &
Demanding
This is surely Iceland’s ultimate river rafting experience. It is Arctic
Rafting’s crown jewel and Iceland´s only multi day rafting expedition.
Your adventure starts with a coach transfer from Reykjavík or
Akureyri to our pick up point in Varmahlíð village in Skagafjörður,
North Iceland. From there the road quickly turns from asphalt to
gravel to mountain path as we head into the Sprengisandur desert, making
our way towards the source of the legendary Austari Jökulsá
river at the foot of Hofsjökull glacier. Our first night is spent at the
cozy
mountain huts at Laugafell, where we get the chance to soak in a natural
hot spring
and enjoy the magical midnight sun and the incredible highland
surroundings. On the morning of our second day we start our action
packed two-day descent of all the runnable
rapids on Iceland's best rafting river. As we make our way through the
valleys and canyons of the river, you will find yourself lost deep
in some of the most remote, pristine, and otherwise inaccessible
wilderness in Iceland and maybe in all of Europe. You will face some
classic whitewater rapids such as “the Green Room” and
“Lost” not to mention the mind-blowing scenery along the way! The trip
ends at our base camp in Skagafjörður with a barbecue feast, and a
farewell fiesta with your guides
and fellow rafters.
Details:
Price: 79.990 ISK per person including transfer from Reykjavík or Akureyri.
Price: 69.990 ISK per person excluding transfer, meet us in Varmahlíð at 13:00 or at our base at 13:30.
Guaranteed departures every Tuesday for minimum 4 persons from the 22nd of June - 24th of August.
Guaranteed departures every Tuesday for minimum 8 persons from the 31st of August - 28th of September.
Some experience of river rafting or a strong spirit of adventure
recommended!
Price includes: Transfer back and forth from Reykjavík
or Akureyri, two nights accommodation in mountain huts in the Icelandic
Highlands with full board, two days of awesome river rafting on the East
Glacial River, BBQ after the second rafting day
and some awesome memories, guaranteed for life!
From Reykjavík City:
Pick-up from Reykjavík is available every Tuesday from the 22nd of June
to the 24th of August at 8:30 AM from the BSI bus terminal in down town
Reykjavik. Please be there 20 minutes before your departure. Transfer
length: 4,5 hours (3,5 hours by car). You are back in Reykjavík in the evening of the third
day at 23:10 PM.
From Akureyri Town:
Pick-up from Akureyri is available every Tuesday from the 22nd of June to
the 24th of August at 8:30 AM from the SBA bus terminal in Akureyri.
Please be there 20 minutes before your departure. Transfer length: 1
-1,5 hour. You are back in Akureyri in the evening of the third day at 22:50
PM.
Distance from Reykjavik: 294 km. Duration of trip: Three full days.
Minimum: 4 persons on Tuesdays from the 22nd of June to the 24th of
August. Maximum: 18 persons. Age limit: 18 years.
Please call or email to see if you can join a group!
Minimum is 8 persons from the 31st of August – 28st of September.
Maximum: 18 persons. Age limit: 18 years.
Bring with you:
· River clothing: warm, lightweight, layered clothing-made of synthetic
materials, fleece, or wool (no cotton)
· Hut clothing: warm and comfortable, waterproof/windproof jacket,
footwear for hiking around the camp.
· 3 pairs of extra socks
· Sleeping bag
· Personal hygiene kit/ toiletries
· Any personal medications (asthma inhalers, etc.)
· Swimsuit and towel for thermal pools
· Camera (optional but recommended)
* Please keep in mind that while we are on the river, all personal gear
will be packed into plastic bags and drybags and brought along in the
rafts. We cannot guarantee the safety of your personal belongings, and
therefore discourage bringing valuables on the trip. Due to space
limitations, we also encourage participants to avoid bringing excess or
unnecessary personal belongings.
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1:
Check in at 8:30 AM in the BSI bus terminal in Reykjavík or the the SBA
bus terminal in Akureyri, your bus is the one going to Varmahlíð
village. Get off in Varmahlíð (that is a 4 hour drive from Reykjavík
and 1 hour drive from Akureyri), we will pick you up from there and
drive the 15 km to our base camp. There you will meet your guides and
fellow participants and go over the order of events and general plan
for the trip. Here we fit you with a dry suit and all necessary rafting
equipment, and provide you with a dry bag for your personal gear. After
making sure that everyone is fully packed and adequately prepared, we
load up and begin the adventure! We spend the next 4 hours traveling
the deserted backcountry roads into the highlands of Iceland's rugged
interior. With the majestic Hofsjökull Glacier looming on the horizon,
we negotiate the vast expanse of the Sprengisandur Desert, fording
rivers and streams, and arriving in Laugarfell in time for a hearty
meal and a relaxing soak in the natural thermal pool under the late
night sun. A night of restful sleep in one of the mountain cabins
should be our final preparation for the adventures that lie in the days
ahead.
Day 2:
Wake up to the smell of freshly made coffee and energize yourself with
a hot breakfast feast. After packing up we set off on a 20-minute
off-road excursion to our put-in. While the guides make final equipment
preparations and load the gear raft, your trip leader will give you a
full safety briefing and any necessary instruction. Now we are ready to
hit the water! The first hour is a meandering float down the milky
glacial runoff, a time your guide will use to train you up until they
are confident in your team's ability to successfully negotiate the
rapids that lie ahead. Because once the action starts, it is
unrelenting for most of the day! The river's gradient suddenly steepens
as you face continuous and technical class 3/4 'boulder garden' rapids,
a nonstop rush that will challenge your nerves as much as your muscles!
After about 3 hours the river's fury finally settles down, where we
break for lunch at the river's edge to rest up and refuel the tanks.
Another hour-long 'cool-down' stretch lies between us and tonight's
riverside backcountry hut. Spend the evening relaxing in good company
with a well-deserved dinner and warm drinks, and resting up for a
second round of whitewater action tomorrow.
Day 3:
Today's section begins with an easy warm-up float through the lush
greenery of the Austurdalur valley. After about an hour the landscape
begins to change quickly and dramatically, and as we commit ourselves
renowned lower gorge of the East Glacial River, you will notice a stark
contrast to the previous day's lanscape and rapids. This 80m deep
volcanic rock gorge is home to some of Iceland's most spectacular
whitewater and mind-blowing scenery alike. The nonstop rush through big
waves and steep pool-drop class 3/4+ rapids will get your adrenaline
surging for the next two hours! Once successfully through the major
rapids, we pull over for riverside lunch and cliff jumping session.
From here, we raft the remaining few kilometers of the East to its
confluence with the West Glacial River, where you will have a final
opportunity to unwind on the raft, take in the majestic surroundings,
or go for one last invigorating dip in the river! Upon our arrival back
in Varmahlíð, we welcome you to our summer cottages where the rewards
await: a steaming stone hot pool, a mouth-watering barbecue feast with
your guides and fellow rafters, a glass of wine, and perhaps a farewell
party!
Disclaimer: All river rafting trips are undertaken on
the responsibility of its participants. Arctic Adventures does not
assume any responsibility for accidents which are caused by its
customers or can be traced to there own actions. Participants have to
sign a waiver before undertaking all trips stating that they realize
that all outdoor activities carry an inherit risk.