Top-Rated Family Rafting – Drysuits & Geothermal Hot Cocoa
Description
Early into the canyon we pull over and hand everyone hot cocoa brewed from a natural geothermal spring right on the riverbank. In a glacial canyon. In Iceland. That moment alone surprises every single guest. The West Glacial River runs through one of Iceland's most beautiful volcanic canyons — gentle Grade 2-2+ rapids, stunning basalt walls, and a cliff jump waiting at the final stretch. Our guides make the call and we rarely skip it. Every guest gets a full drysuit. Not a wetsuit. Nobody gets cold, nobody checks out early. The whole family stays warm and present the entire way through. No experience needed. Ages 6 and up.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Raft one of North Iceland’s most popular adventures for families, beginners, and anyone who wants fun without extreme rapids. This gentle yet exciting trip blends Class II+ whitewater, dramatic volcanic canyon scenery, and warm hospitality. Your journey begins at our rafting base in Hafgrímsstaðir, where you’ll meet guides and gear up in premium drysuits, helmets, neoprene shoes, and gloves. After a short drive to the river, you’ll receive a safety briefing before launching into a 10 km descent through a spectacular canyon of basalt cliffs and steaming hot springs. Along the way, enjoy hot cocoa brewed from a natural geothermal spring, and if conditions allow, try a playful cliff jump or a refreshing swim in glacial waters (always optional). This trip is safe, scenic, and unforgettable. Perfect for kids aged 7+, first-time rafters, and travelers looking to experience family-friendly rafting in Iceland. No experience required, just bring your sense of adventure!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age: 6
- Recommended items to bring with you: Thermal underwear/base layers, warm fleece top/wool sweater, fleece pants/extra long johns, thick wool socks/hiking socks (at least 1 pair), change of clothes for after the river, any necessary medications (asthma inhalers, etc.), waterproof camera (optional)
Reviews(421)
We did the family rafting trip with our 10-year-old daughter, and it turned out to be the perfect adventure. None of us had any prior rafting experience, but we felt completely safe from start to finish thanks to the incredible team. Hari was the most fun and trustworthy guide we could have asked for. Naina was incredibly kind and attentive, and captured the experience with amazing photos we'll treasure. Mike, our other guide, took wonderful care of our daughter and made sure she felt comfortable for the tour. And last but certainly not least, a special thank you to Bhalu for being our emotional support! This was the grand finale of our two-week Iceland adventure and easily the most memorable. Highly recommend!
Sean, Bahlu, Mike, and Saurav (Sorry if I misspelled names). Jack and I had a blast and you were all very friendly, welcoming, patient, and fun. Cheers!
The BEST ending for our inaugural trip to Iceland!! Our tour group of 35 adventures had a FANTASTIC experience with Viking Rafting this morning. Saurav did an excellent job of being thorough, detailed, and patient as he explained the rules and procedures to ensure a great adventure on the water; he was also funny, too. Holding the attention of a group of 35, including all ages, is no small feat - especially when explaining procedures. He did this in two parts, before getting all of our gear and again when we arrived at the water’s edge for instructions about paddling and staying safe. We were lucky to have had Saurav as our raft guide as well, but EVERYONE we interacted with at Viking Rafting was helpful - even the young lady who assisted with rafting equipment (I really appreciated that she suggested I remove my ring so I wouldn’t lose it while paddling.) Even though our tour operator booked this experience for our group, I would 1000% book with Viking Rafting again as well as recommend them to others! Also, make sure to give Baloo a “good boy!” when he comes to greet you! He’s super fun to have as a companion in your raft!
Amir saved the day! He deserves a beer tonight. Our boat hit a rock and we all went in, quick thinking Amir got us all out with the help of the other amazing crew members.
This was such a fun experience! Harry and Sean were awesome guides and so fun!! I would highly recommend this to anyone young or old!
We had the most amazing trip on the river. Saurav was a fantastic guide. My kids rated this the best thing they did in Iceland. The highlights were the geothermal hot chocolate, free floating down the river, my 9 year old jumping off the cliff into the river and of course Bhalu. I couldn't recommend this trip enough
Huge respect to your 9 year old for sending it off the cliff, that takes real courage. Saurav and Bhalu both will be smiling reading this. So happy your family had such a great day with us. Big thanks for the kind words!
Such an amazing trip - highlight of our two week vacation in Iceland - tours were patient, knowledgeable and easy to talk with! Everyone who works there seems like one big happy family! They provide everything you need outside of basic thermals! My 13 year old son had a blast and the pictures at the end were great because we didn’t have to worry about capturing the moment while out on the water! Must do!
Highlight of a two week Iceland trip, that is huge, thank you! We really do feel like a big family at Viking Rafting and it makes us happy when guests pick up on that vibe. So glad your 13 year old had a blast and that the photos turned out great too. Means a lot, thank you!
This was an amazing tour! Nai, Andy and Mike made the experience so special and safe for me and my son (8 years old). My son really wanted to go rafting and he was thrilled by the white water rapids, amazing scenery, swim in the rive and geothermal hot chocolate. The team took good care of us and made it a wonderful experience.
So happy Nai, Andy and Mike took good care of you both and that your son got his white water moment. Thank you for taking the time to share the river love!
This was a great family rafting experience. We were fortunate to have great weather. Yes, the water is cold, but if you wear appropriate base layers, you will be warm. The dry suit will keep you dry. Don’t worry about falling out of the raft, unless you want to or are just careless. Hari was our guide and Naina was our photographer/rescue kayaker. Both were great and very personable. We were so fortunate that this was a small group (one raft, just 6 rafters total). This made the experience so enjoyable. It was interesting to have Bhalo, the dog, on the raft. I think he had a blast also. If you are near Akureyri, i highly recommend this trip.
Small group, good weather, Hari and Naina on the team and Bhalu doing his thing, that is pretty much the dream combo. Thank you for taking your time to share the river love and for the kind recommendation!
It's fun to see peoples reaction when we tell them that not only did we go white water rafting in the freezing cold waters of Iceland, but we also jumped off of the raft and floated in the water downstream for part of the journey, AND jumped off of a cliff into the river. Saurav and Anup were our guides and did a great job. My daughter was super nervous before we started and was thinking about not going, but Saurav calmed her down and she wound up going and having a great time. Another reason why she decided to go is that the Viking Rafting crew had a dog named Bhalu that they offered to bring along for the ride and my daughter loves dogs. Bhalu was awesome, jumping back and forth between the 2 rafts and jumping into the water with us too. The whole operation was very well run and organized. The whole experience was one that we will never forget.
It was a real joy having you and your daughter with us. Big respect to her for jumping in, both the cold water and the cliff, that is no small thing! And Bhalu, well, he basically considers himself the lead guide at this point 😄 So happy Saurav could help ease the nerves and turn it into a story you will be telling for a long time. Thank you for taking your time to share the experience and we hope to welcome you both again!
