Intro to Glacier Packrafting

3 hours and 30 minutes

Moderate

Paddle across a secluded glacier lagoon and step onto Europe’s largest glacier in this mini adventure!

The meeting point for this tour is Smyrlabjörg Hotel. We begin the trip with a short briefing on the weather conditions and what to expect, before departing in our 4x4 vehicle towards the glacier. The journey will take approximately 20 minutes, driving mainly on a gravel road. Upon arriving at the destination, we will get our gear ready and start the 30-minute hike towards the glacier. We hike along a green mossy trail, past the cascading Bolstaðafoss waterfall and to the lakes edge.

At the lake, we will inflate the boats and put on our drysuits. After some paddling instruction and safety briefing, we will paddle across the lake taking time to admire the mountains and ice surrounding us. We will then land the boats on a skerry which is still emerging from under the melting glacier, and hike 10 – 15 minutes to get a great view across the lake, up close to the impressive and intimidating glacier. Safety permitting, we will briefly walk onto the ice so that we can say we have stepped foot on the largest glacier in Europe*!


*The glacier is constantly changing and safe access cannot be guaranteed. The guide will assess access to the glacier each trip and take a decision based on safety- this decision is final.

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What's included?

    Included:  

    -All kayaking equipment (boat, paddle, PFD, drysuit, water shoes).

    -Waterproof backpack to carry gear to the lake

    Exclusions
    • Food & drinks
    Please note

      This trip consists of approximately 1.5 hours hiking and 1 hour kayaking. When hiking to/from the lake (2 km each way), you will be expected to carry your kayaking equipment (7kg total). In places, the trail is rocky and uneven with short uphill sections. The kayaking and hiking are performed at a relaxed pace, so people in good shape will find the trip easy. This trip is designed for active people who have some experience hiking outdoors. It is not suitable for very unfit/overweight people.

      What to bring
        • Hiking boots
        • Warm clothes to hike in and wear under the drysuit. Avoid very bulky items such as ski jackets, as this will not fit under the drysuit.
        • Warm socks
        • Hat
        • Gloves
        • Sunglasses
        • Phone or camera*

        *Electronic items are brought at the owner's risk. We recommend bringing a waterproof case or drybag if your phone/camera is not waterproof.