East Glacial River Rafting Tour

  • Availability

    June - September

  • DURATION

    4 - 5 Hours

  • Difficulty

    Challenging

  • Pickup

    No

  • Minimum Age

    18 Years

  • Price

    ISK 26.500

Tour Highlights:

  • East Glacial River
  • Grade 4+ River Rafting
  • Alarm Clock
  • Screaming Lady
  • The Green Room
  • And more!

Included:

  • Professional guidance
  • Safety equipment
  • Hot soup after the tour
  • Entrance to hot pools after the tour

The East Glacial River Rafting Tour

For those looking for adventure, the East Glacier River Rafting tour is the perfect option! This river is one of the most exciting rafting rivers in Europe. The East Glacial river is classified as 4+. The river rafting route is about 16 km through the East Glacial canyon. During the tour, you will go through rapids such as Alarm Clock, Commitment, and Screaming Lady. The last rapid is, of course, the famous Green Room. If conditions are right, the tour will also stop for some cliff jumping for those who want some extra excitement!

You will be supplied with wet suits, dry tops, helmets, buoyancy aids/life jackets, and rafting booties. You only need to bring a swimsuit, a warm sweater, a towel, and an adventurous spirit!

The tour starts at the boathouse, where you will change into your gear. Next, you’ll be driven up to the East Valley, where you will get a safety briefing. Your guide will also give you information and tips on how to get the most out of your tour.  Once in the boats, you will glide down the glacial river in style, making your way through the exciting rapids. Before driving back to the boathouse, you’ll be able to warm up with a hot bowl of soup. You’ll also be able to relax in the hot pools by the boathouse after the tour.

Please note that this is a challenging tour, and you must meet some minimum requirements to be able to participate. If you do not meet the minimum requirements, would like something more easygoing, or have kids under 18, we recommend the Family River Rafting tour.

Please read the FAQ for this tour carefully before booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be able to swim to participate in this tour?

Yes, you do need to be able to swim in order to participate in this tour.

Can I participate in this tour if I'm pregnant?

No, due to the risk involved with adventure sports you can not participate in this tour if you are pregnant.

I have a medical condition, can I still participate in this tour?

Most people are able to participate in this tour, but if you have a serious medical condition please contact us at info@iat.is before booking your tour.

Once you arrive at the meeting point all guests are asked about medical conditions which the guides need to be aware of. Please advise of any medical conditions that you may have, no matter how trivial they are. This is so that the guides are able to help you in a more efficient manner should you have any problems on the river. It is possible to store medication in a waterproof box should you need it during your trip.

Is there a height/weight limit for this tour?

If you are over 200 cm (6’5″) and 120 kg (265 lbs) please email us at info@iat.is before booking your tour.

Can I drink alcohol before my tour?

No, you can not drink alcohol before your tour. We advise you not to drink alcohol excessively 12 hours prior to the start of your trip.

The tour operator reserves the right to refuse participation in rafting activities to those deemed dangerous to themselves and others.

WE DO NOT TAKE DRUNK PEOPLE FOR RAFTING.

What equipment / safety gear is included in the tour?

You will be provided with the following equipment on location:

  • Longjohn style wetsuit
  • Neoprene river booties (shoes)
  • Splash Jacket
  • Personal floatation device (lifejacket)
  • Helmet

The wetsuit is a 5mm thick rafting wetsuit to keep you warm and protect you from any rocks should you take a swim.

Rafting boats and oars are of course also included in the tour.

What should I wear/bring with me for the tour?

You will be supplied with a wetsuit and safety gear for the tour, but you do need to provide warm clothing to wear underneath your wetsuit. You’ll also need to dress according to the weather before and after the tour.

Please bring the following with you:

  • Swimwear
  • Towel
  • Long sleeve thermal underwear or a thin fleece

Rafting takes place on glacial rivers where the water is cold all year around. Once you get cold it is very hard to get you warm again. By bringing the correct thermal clothing you reduce the possibilities of becoming cold. Please do not bring any cotton products with you to wear on the river. If you are too warm on the river we can think of many creative ways to cool you down, for example, cliff jumping

Other optional things to bring with you:

  • Woolen socks or hiking socks (remember, no cotton socks)
  • Sunblock
  • Camera
  • A small snack (for the bus ride)

Is there an age limit for this tour? Is it flexible?

Yes, the minimum age for this tour is 18 years. The age limit is not flexible but if you have kids younger than 18 years of age, then we recommend the West Glacial River Rafting Tour.

Are meals included in this tour?

Once you get out of the river you will be offered a hot bowl of soup.

What happens if the weather is bad on my selected date?

The tour operator reserves the right to cancel or curtail any trip at short notice due to the prevailing weather conditions or a safety compromise.

Cancellations due to weather are solely at the discretion of the tour operator.

If the tour is canceled on your date, we offer you to re-schedule your tour. If you are unable to go on the tour on a different date, we will refund your tour in full.

Is river rafting in Iceland safe?

As with any adventure sport, there is an inherent risk by participating in the tour. However, there have been very few accidents on this tour due to the rigorous safety standards set by the operator.

The guide team all hold internationally recognized certificates in raft guiding, first aid, and river rescue. Each season they are constantly training and reviewing the safety standards and evacuation procedures.

Guides always carry a minimum of 2 VHF radios, a comprehensive first aid kit and are all well trained, friendly and professional river rafting guides.

The operator only uses up to date modern equipment, all of our rafts, paddles, life-jackets, and helmets are less than 5 years old.

Transportation vehicles (bus) used on this tour all confirm to Icelandic transport regulations and all of the drivers hold commercial driving licenses.

What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

Reservations can be canceled 72 hours prior to departure without penalty.

Cancellations received less than 72 hours before departure, but more than 24 hours prior to departure will be refunded by 50%. Tours canceled less than 24 hours before departure are non-refundable.

Cancellations must be submitted in writing to info@iat.is.

Please be mindful of possible time zone differences. Iceland is in the GMT time zone and cancellations must be submitted at least 72 hours before departure in Icelandic local time (GMT).

If you do need to cancel your tour, we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible. 

The meeting point for this tour is near the town of Varmahlíð in North Iceland. From the main road (nr. 1), you’ll turn onto road nr. 752 and drive for about 10 km before turning onto road nr. 754. Continue on that road for about 750 m before right onto the Merkigarðsvegur road where you will find your meeting point.

It takes about 1,5 hours to drive to the meeting point from the town of Akureyri. From Reykjavík, the drive takes about 4 hours. Pickup and dropoff in Reykjavík is not available for this tour.

Please note that you must be ready at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the start of your tour.

Book this tour

Price from 26.500 ISK per person.

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