Kayaking in Iceland

Iceland is raw, wild, and unique at its core. We will be combining the classic Icelandic grade IV runs with stunning park-and-hucks to offer you the ultimate Icelandic whitewater experience as we drive around the famous Iceland’s Ring Road. Along the way we will stop to check some of the must-see tourist attractions including Dethifoss, Godafoss, Geysir, the famous Jökulsárlón Lagoon amongst others! We will also relax in the many natural hot springs and if the group is up for it check do some non-kayaking activities like whale-watching. This trip is truly going to be a feast for all your senses!

This trip will follow a road-trip style, as most of Iceland’s classic attractions are located along the loop road around the island. On our hit list, you will find kayaking on the Hvítá River and Faxafoss, exploring the Strokkur Geyser, visiting Háifoss and Jökulsárlón in the south, followed by the Bakká and the West & East Glacial Rivers in the north. The trip will also include whale watching in Akureyri, along with countless mind-blowing waterfalls and hot pools along the way.

Contrary to popular belief, Iceland is not only a destination for Class V expedition paddlers. There are many incredibly scenic, easier sections and super clean drops around the island, and it’s also a popular destination for experienced packrafters looking to push their limits on Class IV rivers.

We will encounter unforgettable views at every step—but be warned: this trip is not for the faint-hearted. Even in July, the weather in Iceland can be unpredictable, and most rivers are fed by glacial or snowmelt water.

That said, peak summer is the best time to explore whitewater in Iceland, and we can confidently say it offers a truly unique paddling experience.

The final highlight of the trip will be to paddle the committing but stunning “The Beast of the East” section of the Austari Jökulsa. This is a 20km long powerful big water section in a remote gorge that will require full concentration and for you to bring you “A-game” on the table. This belongs to the realm of “serious” whitewater.

Whitewater Kayaking Expedition

FLY IN/OUT & PICK UPS -Book your flight to Keflavík (KEF) where we will pick you up with a rental vehicle. We are currently looking at exact flights logistics.

DROP OFF – We will drop you off at Keflavík (KEF). We are currently looking at exact flights logistics.

GAME PLAN

Day 1 – Arrival day: We will pick you up from the airport with a rental car and head towards our first base on the banks of the Hvita River.

Day 2 – Lower Tungufjot is a great place to start our Icelandic whitewater adventure. This is a great grade III section of relatively continuous whitewater with bits of IV to make sure your kayak is perfectly outfitted, get used to the sharp Icelandic bedrock and slowly get in the mood for the harder whitewater. After paddling we will go to check out the Strokkur Geyser which is nearby and one of the most famous geysers in the world! It erupts every 6-10 minutes with water reaching up to 20m.

Day 3 – We will hit our first park&huck of the trip – the Faxi Waterfall. This is a stunning and easy 5m waterfall perfect to start getting used to the feeling of freefalling and practising both our boofs and stomps. It is perfect for lapping so expect us to host a little waterfall-running clinic. It is also a great place for media both for IG and to analyse later on. We will then drive towards Jökulsárlón Lagoon where you’ll be able to go for a float between icebergs and play hide&seek with the seals. This is a must do for any kayaker visiting Iceland as the views of the Vatnajökul are insane. We will sleep in the area.

Day 4 – Fossá Waterfalls – This is one of the famous set of waterfalls everyone hits when visiting Iceland – they are stunning and as clean as they come. Guaranteed you will fall in love!

Day 5 – Jokulsa a Bru – the Stuolagil Canyon – After a day of hucking waterfalls your body will be happy to hit something chill and scenic. This section is a really easy paddle mainly grade II with 3 grade III rapids. However, this is featured in most Iceland kayaking videos because of the crazy basalt formations. This is without a doubt on the top 3 of Iceland’s most scenic runs.

Day 6 – Jökulsá á Fjöllum – This is a really big water run with massive wave trains and freezing water coming from the North side of the Vatnajökul. In the afternoon we can go to check out one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland – Dethifoss and the crazy geological formations in the area.

Day 7 – A bit of a touristic morning – we will stop to check one of the most active volcanic areas in Iceland full of sulfuric smokers – we will then carry on direction Akureyri stopping at one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland – Godafoss. The right line is actually pretty good to go.

Day 8 – Barkká is a really nice creek with a few great moves and very easy to lap – this is the scene of the most famous extreme race in Iceland – and for good reason! We can spend an evening visiting Akureyri and going whale watching before moving close to the Viking rafting base for our final adventure!

Day 9 – Today is the final day on the water in Iceland and we will hit what is provably going to be one of the highlights of the trip – the “Beast of the East” section of the Austari Jökulsa. This is provably the most popular river in Iceland. The section is a 20km long committing grade IV gorge that will put the whole group to test. It is indeed a worthy final challenge in Iceland. We will celebrate a successful trip at the local hot springs.

Day 10 – You won’t believe time flew by this fast nor what you experience in the last long week of paddling and traveling around Iceland. Time to take all these memories back home with you.

ICELAND SOUND INTERESTING. AM I READY FOR THE CHALLENGE?​

You will enjoy this trip most if you are solid on Class III+/IV and have a reliable roll—or are close to it . The rivers are fed by glacial or snowmelt water, the weather can be unpredictable even in July, and conditions are demanding—but that’s also what makes the experience so rewarding.

We may ask first-timers with the EWWS or LILI to provide footage of their paddling so our team can confirm that this trip is a good fit—but if you’re ready, Iceland will deliver an unforgettable adventure.

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WHAT BOAT SHOULD I BE BRINGING WITH ME?​

A full-volume creek boat will be your weapon of choice for this trip.

Most of the classic rivers are big and bouncy, and a full-volume boat will give you the stability you need.

The water will be cold, as you’ll be paddling Icelandic rivers during the snowmelt, so a drysuit is a MUST HAVE. Grippy shoes are a must, along with classic safety gear: creeking PFD and a full-cut helmet.

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I DON’T HAVE THE NECESSARY BOAT WHAT NOW?​

Your own kayaking gear is required. If you don’t have a creek boat, EWWS can organize a rental through a partner company in Iceland. Please note that modern models are scarce there—it’s not easy to import goods to the island so we might not be able to get your preferred model.

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HOW DOES THE ACCOMMODATION LOOK LIKE?​

We will be moving from one accommodation to the next so a description of the accommodation doeasn’t make sense – we will stay in cabins and cottages where we can warm up and take a break from the weather outside.

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MY ENGLISH IS NOT THAT GOOD… IS THIS OK?

Can you think of any better opportunity to study English without even noticing it? Sessions will be run in English but in case you don’t understand or you have any questions, our coaches do speak French, Spanish and Catalan. Other Athletes may be able to help you as well. Don’t worry, we will find the way to understand each other and your English will improve by the day!

WHAT’S THE MAIN LANGUAGE OF COMMUNICATION?​

We will use English as the vehicular language of the trip, however Quim also speaks Catalan, Spanish and French whilst Bartosz speaks Polish and Russian – he will claim he also speaks spanish – he doesn’t.

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HOW DO I BOOK MY KAYAK ONTO MY FLIGHT?​

There are various companies flying to Iceland that do accept kayaks / large sport equipment or surf boards 😉 – here’s a few of them:

Finnair – Finnair accepts kayaks and the fee is 150€ each way if you travel from mainland Europe to Iceland.

Iceland Air – Accepts kayaks but there’s limited space for oversized items and it is necessary to book in advance. The fee from Europe is 24000ISK or 27500ISK if you’re traveling from North America.

There a number of other companies flying to Iceland many of which will be happy to take kayaks – just make sure you consult their excess or sport baggage policies.

We highly recommend that you book your sports equipment in advance to avoid higher fees in the airport check in, or even worse, finding out that the flight is full and not being allowed to bring your kayak with you on board.

Also, packing your kayak nicely in a bag or using a “sock” for surfboards will maximise the chances that everything goes smoothly and that you don’t have any problems.