I can´t swim.. Is that a problem?

Although you don´t need to "swim" while snorkeling, we recommend that you can. The reason for that is people that can´t swim tend to panic when they are in the water. You have to be comfortable with floating in water.

Do I need diving certifications to go snorkeling?

No, snorkeling is something that anyone with a taste for adventure can do, it is as easy as one, two, three .. : )

How cold is the water in the Silfra fissure?

The temperature in the Silfra is almost constant all year round at about 2°C but during extended sunshine and warm weather in the summertime the water can sometimes can go up to 4°C.

Where is the Silfra located?

The Silfra is located in a lava field inside Þingvellir National Park about 45 minutes from Reykjavík City. 

From Reykjavík you drive towards Mosfellsbær road nr 1, at the last roundabout in Mosfellsbær you turn right to road 36, the sign says Þingvellir. You drive straight for around 30 minutes until you see the information center at Þingvellir. 

Does Arctic Adventures provide snorkeling equipment on their trips?

Yes, we provide you with everything you need no go diving in the glacier spring water in Silfra. This includes a specially made thermal suite, a dry suit, a neoprene hoodie, neoprene gloves and neoprene shoes. All you need to bring is a towel to dry of and some warm thermal layers to wear underneath.

Will I get wet on the my snorkeling trip?

We have the best dry suits available in the business BUT for dry suits to be 100% watertight they have to custom made to measure for each individual. That is to say gaskets have to be custom made to fit the wrist and neckline of each person to be 100% watertight. We do our very best to fit you with the best fitting suit available but we can not guarantee that you will be dry, however our thermal suits (we call them Teddy bear suits) are designed to be warm even when wet. To be safe make sure you bring a extra set of thermal layers to wear underneath and if the one you wear on the trip should get wet.

What is the visibility under the waterline in Silfra?

In summer when there is some vegetation in the fissure the visibility is normally somewhere between 65-85 meters, in the winter visibility can be even better or 80-100 meters on clear days. This is absolutely world class visibilty, no where on earth will you find such conditions in fresh water.

How long am I in the water?

It takes anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour to go snorkeling in the Silfra.

How do I book and what information do you need from me?

There are a few different ways you can book our trips. First of all you can book almost all our trips right here on our website. There is a booking window on each trip page and we do recommend that you book and pay for your trip there with some time to spare as we keep our groups small and frequently sell out.

If the trip you would like to book is not bookable online then you can call us directly at our office, the phone number is 00354 562 7000. Another way is to send us an e-mail with an inquiry, our e-mail address is info@adventures.is . What we need to have is your name, how many people are in your party, where you are staying and some way of contacting you either an e-mail or a phone number.

How do I pay?

There are three ways in which you can pay for the trips that you book with us.

1. You can pay through the internet, through our booking website. This is by far the easiest, safest and fastest way to reserve and pay for your adventure. If you choose this way then you will receive a voucher via e-mail which you will need to print and bring along on your trips. If you are going on a multi day trip then you will receive one voucher for all of the trips via e-mail and we will make you separate vouchers for each of your trips, which will be waiting your arrival in Iceland at our office at Laugavegur 11.  

2. You can pay via phone, the phone number is +354 562 7000. If you choose to pay through phone then your vouchers will be waiting for you when you come to Iceland, either at our office at Laugavegur 11 or at your hotel.

3. Sometimes you can pay when you arrive to start your trip, but this is only possible in special circumstance.

Please Note: However you pay, you will always get a voucher: REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR VOUCHER ALONG FOR YOUR TRIP! 

Where is your Reykjavík Office located and when are you open?

Our office is at Laugavegur 11, the main shopping street in Reykjavík. There you can get all the information that you need, be it about the trips that you want to go to or just general information about Reykjavík. You can also book and pay for various day trips. We are open everyday from 8:00 in the morning to 22:00 in the evening, all year round.

What is your cancelation policy?

Click here to read details on our cancelation policy.

What is assumed risk when participating in outdoor activities?

Click here to read more about what it means to take part in outdoor activities.

What currency do you accept?

We only accept the Icelandic króna. Our website presents prices is ISK and in EURO, the EURO price is obtained by converting it with the currency exchange rate of the Icelandic Federal Bank. If you would like to calculate the price of our tours in some other currency you can do so here.

Do you do private departures?

Yes we arrange private departures on all of our trips, please contact our office for further information: Info@adventures.is

How do Arctic Adventures, Arctic Rafting, the Glacier Guides and Reykjavík Backpackers connect?

We are one family of companies that work together and share facilities (f.ex. we all have the same office in Reykjavík). We also share guides, vehicles and equipment in order to run an organized and professional operation. All of these companies are run by guides and adventures and owned by guides and adventurers.

How long have you been in business?

We have been in rafting on the Hvítá river since 1983 which makes us one of the longest running rafting operations in Europe. Since the late 1990s we have been adding more and more activities to our selection. So we are NOT a travel agency, we are an adventure operator, owned by guides and world travelers and run by guides and adventurers.

What is the minimum age for a participant on a your tours?

Each one of our tours have unique characteristics and different age limits, how ever you can generally assume that kids 10 years and older, with shoe size 35 EURO or larger can participate in our tours more easy going tours. On demanding tours we generally have a age limit of 18 years. On motorized activity tours participants that want to drive (f.ex. snowmobiles) you will need to be at least 17 years old and hold a valid driving license. Younger kids and those that would not like to drive can in most cases sit at the back of the quad or snowmobile. Here below you can see a few examples of our age limits.

On the River Fun Tour: Kids 12 years old and older can raft the whole river if accompanied by a guardian. Kids between 10 and 12 can raft half way, for half price.

On the Wonderful West the minimum age is 10 years if accompanied by a guardian.

On the River Ride the minimum age is 18 years.

On the Beast of the East the minimum age is 18 years.

Do I have to know how to swim to go on river rafting and/or sea kayaking?

Yes, absolutely, each paddler on a rafting boat or a kayak has to know how to swim.

Can I drink alcohol before or during your tours?

No absolutely not. The consumption of alcohol makes you more prone to hypothermia and makes you to unpredictable mistakes (as you probably know : ). It is therefore strictly prohibited, if we suspect that participants are intoxicated we will prohibit them from joining the tour.

What do I have to bring with me for my tour?

Each tour is different and you will need to bring different things. How ever there are certain things that you always have to bring with you. Remember this is ICEland and for you to have a pleasant experience here in the High North it is vital that you bring good outdoor clothing. No one should come to Iceland (it does no matter if you are coming in summer or winter) with out a good water and wind proof jacket and pants, good, sturdy, waterproof hiking shoes, a warm hat that breaks the wind, good warm gloves, good warm woolen or other thermal undergarments. In Iceland there is no such thing a bad weather, just bad equipment and not the right clothing.

For rafting in South Iceland you have to bring; your swimming wear (or a change of underclothing) to wear under your rafting pants, a warm fleece or a wool sweater to wear under your rafting jacket (it will get wet) and a towel to dry of after your trip. Every thing else we will provide. Click here to see the equipment we will provide for you on your rafting trip.

Here is short briefing on safety and insurance:

Ensuring the safety of all our participants is our first and foremost priority. However, due to the nature of rafting as an outdoor and adventure activity, we are subject to the same environmental risks as in any wild natural environment. Should you wish to participate in one of our rafting trips, we ask you to be prepared to sign a contract with us stipulating that you are fit to participate in such activities and assume all risks inherent in doing so.

Do I need a insurance before going on one of your trips?

We recommend that you have personal health insurance coverage when participating in adventure activities in Iceland, we actually recommend that when ever and where ever you travel you take out a good travel insurance..as world travelers our selves it has saved us money and aggravation many times..

 If I am travelling solo, can I book a trip or is there always a minimum of 2 people?

 There is a minimum of 2 people for most of our trips, we usually run the trips on the guaranteed departure dates. If you are interested in some trips and are travelling solo we can put you on waiting list and contact you if more people book the trip.