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.
Some experience of river rafting or a strong spirit of adventure recommended!
Guaranteed departures every Tuesday for minimum 4 persons from the 26th of June - 28th of August.
Guaranteed departures every Tuesday for minimum 8 persons from the 1st of September - 10th of September.
We have 2 persons on a waiting list for the 26th June departure for River Rush. Therefore we only need 2 more persons to confirm the departure.
Details: Price: 69.990 ISK per person excluding transfer,
meet us in Varmahlíð at 13:00 or at our base at 13:30.
Price: 76.990 ISK per person including transfer from Akureyri.
Price: 89.990 ISK per person including transfer from Reykjavík. Price includes: two days of awesome river rafting on the East Glacial River, two nights sleeping bag accommodation in mountain huts in the Icelandic Highlands with full board (except breakfast and lunch on day 1), BBQ after the second rafting day, bathing in a natural hot stream, swimming pool entry and some awesome memories, guaranteed for life!
From Reykjavík City: Transfer from Reykjavík is available every Tuesday from the 26th of June to the 28th 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 or you can stay an extra night and take the bus back the following morning from Varmahlíð at 9:55, arriving at BSI at 14:24 on the fourth day.
From Akureyri Town: Transfer from Akureyri is available every Tuesday from the 26th of June to the 28th of August at 8:30 AM from the Sterna 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 or you can stay an extra night and take the bus back from Varmahlíð the following morning.
Distance from Reykjavik: 294 km / 183 miles. 3,5 hour drive.
Duration of trip: Three full days.
Minimum: 4 persons on Tuesdays from the 26th of June to the 28th of August. From September 1st- September 10th the minimum is 8 persons.
Maximum: 18 persons.
Age limit: 18 years.
Please call or email to see if you can join a group!
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 Sterna 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 at Hafgrímsstaðir raft base, we take a quick drive to Varmahlíð village to soak ourselves in the hot pots at their local swiming pool. At our return to the raft base, a mouth-watering barbecue feast with your guides and fellow rafters awaits us 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.