Kayak River Ride
River ride down the mighty Hvítá River in a tandem inflatable kayak. You control the shots as you navigate the 1-2 person kayak down the river. This is the ultimate whitewater action, only for the brave!
Adults: 28.990 ISK
Add a pick-up: 8.000 ISK
ADDITIONAL OFFER:
Add burgers, drinks and fries +3.490 kr.
INCLUDED:
Kayaking down Hvítá, access to hot tub and sauna cabin.
Price
STarting point
Arrive 15 minutes before departure at Drumbó River Base.
Pick-up available from Reykjavík at 12:30
Age limit
The tour is intended for 18 yrs+
Daily tours at 11:00 and 15:00
From May - Sept
Contact us if you want other times
DURATION
3 hours from Drumboddsstaðir.
8 hours to and from Reykjavík.
departures
Easy - medium difficulty - very accessible to most people.
Hvítá is class 2 out of 5 possible.
Difficulty level
WITH TRANSPORT
Pickup from Reykjavík included. Experience an unforgettable adventure in this complete package with a ride!
BOOK Without transport
Meet us at Arctic Rafting, Drumboddsstaðir. Experience the same adventure at a lower price!
Tour Description
Cruising down Hvítá River in an inflatable kayak is a magnificent way to experience Icelandic nature. The guides will be on a safety kayak next to you so you will navigate your boat yourself, whether you go alone or with your friend or partner. The inflatable kayaks do not fill up with water and are easy to maneuver. However, it is a pretty challenging ride so be prepared that you will probably flip your kayak and need to brave the mighty glacial waters. In which case, our expert raft-guides and safety kayakers will be there to assist you. We provide wetsuits to keep you as warm as possible and a life-jacket to keep you afloat.
Hvítá River means the ‘White River’, the name without a doubt referring to the roaring white water you will encounter. Once in a smaller boat, the waves become magnified and extra exhilarating. We only recommend this trip to those seeking action and are in good physical condition, perhaps with some previous white water experience.
The river originates from Langjökull glacier, the second largest glacier in Iceland. We begin our journey a few kilometers downstream from Gullfoss Waterfall and travel down 7 kilometers, encountering a view you can only see floating in a boat. The first few kilometers offer us whitewater rapids and action and the latter serene beautiful canyons. We drift through Brúarhlöð, a striking canyon which was created by a volcanic eruption and subsequently carved out by the river.
After the tour we recommend the hot tubs and sauna at Drumbó River Base to warm up as well as getting a drink or good food at our River Restaurant.
The River Ride is the ultimate whitewater action, one you are not likely to forget. See you out on the rapids!
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🌊 Rafting trip down the scenic Hvítá with an expert guide
🤿 All necessary rafting equipment; wetsuit, life-jacket, neoprene shoes, helmet and paddle
🌉 Visit to the famous Brúarhlöð canyon via the river
♨ Hot tubs, showers and a sauna after the river
🚸 Small group experience, the boat can fit 8 to 10 people.
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A raft is made of advanced nylon or kevlar infused plastics and can sit 3-12 passengers. Passengers aboard rafts have paddles with blades on one side and a T-grip on the other. An inflatable kayak is also made of advanced nylon or kevlar infused plastics but can sit only 1 or 2 persons. The paddles for the inflatable kayaks are with blades on both sides and therefore do not have a T-grip. Both types of boats do not fill up with water.
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Yes, you can. Experienced kayakers also have the option of a single man kayak, just contact us directly.
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Yes, the warm clothes that you wear to the river will get wet. We recommend having something dry and cozy to change after the tour.
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Warm wool or fleece sweater and thermal underwear (pants) to wear underneath the wetsuit. Warm wool socks. This might get wet during your tour. Don’t wear cotton as it will not keep you warm when wet.
Bathing suit to wear underneath the neoprene pants on the river and for the sauna.
Towel (you can rent one)
Change of clothing
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To meet on location arrive at Drumbó River Base at least 15 minutes prior to departure
You can add pick up and transfer from your Reykjavík hotel or accommodation for an additional fee. Then the total tour including transfer is approx. 7 hours.
We welcome children from the age of 11 to join the River Fun Rafting. In the tour Family Fun Rafting we also welcome kids from 8 years so there is something for everybody. There is no upper age limit as long as you are healthy and are willing to get wet in cold waters.
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Drumbo River Base is our beloved rafting headquarters situated within the Golden Circle, just a short drive from the iconic Gullfoss waterfall and even closer to Geysir and Strokkur hot springs. From Reykjavík, it takes about 1.5 hours to reach Drumbo from Reykjavík. All of our rafting tours begin from Drumbó and there we get geared up for rafting.
At Drumbó you find:
Changing rooms
Showers
Hot tubs (outside in the fresh air)
Sauna with an infinity window
River Restaurant & Bar
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BBQ Lamb Feast after the river - 5.690 ISK
Hamburger and fries after the river - 3.490 ISK
Rent a Go Pro - 3.990 ISK
Buy a water-proof instant camera - 4.990 ISK
Transfer to and from Reykjavík accommodation or Bus Stop - 8.000 ISK
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We provide everyone with a neoprene wetsuit long johns, neoprene booties, splash jacket, life-jacket and a helmet. You need to bring warm clothes underneath that you don’t mind getting wet, e.g. fleece sweater, wool pants and wool socks. Neoprene will warm up a bit when wet.
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Yes, you can bring your camera. However, if it’s not waterproof then it will get ruined.
Luckily, you have a few options to get that great photo;
You own a waterproof camera or phone that you bring with you (make sure it has a string to attach it to your life west).
You buy a waterproof plastic pocket from us, to make your phone waterproof while still being operational for the river ride.
You rent a GoPro from us at Drumbó River Base
You buy a disposable waterproof camera at the Drumbó River Base.
You buy photos from us (sometimes the driver takes photos!).
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We will pick you up at your designated pick up location at the time stated on your voucher. Please note that the pick up can take up to 30 minutes. If you are staying at the very center of Reykjavík it is likely that you will have to go to your designated bus stop.
You can type in your accommodation here to check which one is yours: https://busstop.is/
Good to know
You can find more questions and answers in our big FAQ.
