Active Adventures in Iceland

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West Iceland

1. White water rafting – Three rivers, three challenges

• The Hvítá river flows fast and furious past the famous geysirs in the scenic highlands an hour east of the capital. For more than 20 years this rafting trip has been Iceland´s most popular adventure activity. What you get is a white-knuckle combination of waves, rapids and canyons while rafting the 7km stretch of the Hvítá (pronounced: Kveetau). When you have bounced and bucked your foaming path into the serene calm of the Brúarhlöð canyon you get the chance to clamber out and leap from the cliff into the icy depths
of the river.

• Then there’s rafting on the Markarfljót River, through its towering canyon with glaciers on three sides. This is probably the most scenic of the river trips, starting deep in the interior of Iceland, using one of those specially equipped, unfeasibly oversized off-roaders. After the canyon, the lush Thorsmork valley where there are loads of medium sized waves and rapids.

• In 2008 the Rafting World Championship were held on Hólmsá and this is the most challenging of the river rides. Huge waves, giant holes and mini waterfall as you pass through rolling pastures, mini woods and barren lava fields. Only for those who have rafted before should consider this one.

2. Caving – Lava Caving trip in the Thingvellir area

Go and chill out in a lava cave and take a stroll around a lava field, forged by a relatively recent eruption (no, nothing to do with the banking system). These volcanic fissures give an insight into how the (constantly rumbling) country came to be. The Gjábakkahellir cave is a perfect example of an Icelandic lava tube and is underneath the Thingvellir National Park, Iceland´s most historic site (and handily close to Reykjavik). There is a small amount of scrambling to get beneath the lava field but on the whole this is an easy outing suitable for all the family so long as no-one is under 12. Guaranteed departures: from the 1st of June to the 1st of September. Details: Price around £35 pp, includes pick-up.

3. Diving – Straddling two continents

Iceland is home to some extraordinary dive sites providing underwater snapshots of some of the world’s most exciting geographical quirks. The best two sites are Strytan, the thermal chimney at Eyjafjordur, and Silfra at the Thingvellir National Park. Silfra is one of the world’s top diving sites and is the crack in the tectonic plate which separates Eurasia from America. It has a constant temperature of 1–3°C all year around and you can swim in and out of the crack at will. Silfra offers open water diving, caving and deep diving – the depth is about 40 metres when in open water and 60 metres once inside the cave. You will be accompanied by a PADI Dive master or PADI Instructor. It is really easy to dive in this area, because there are a number of different routes to choose from depending on your experience as a diver. It is recommended that you wear warm clothes underneath the diving suit and bring extra clothing. This will not, however, be necessary at Strytan where hot spring water rises from the sea bed 70 metres below.

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