Calm Water Kayaking

Gentle paddling with scenic views of Skutulsfjörður

A wonderful experience for beginners and veterans alike, this tour takes you paddling just beneath the magnificent mountains that tower over our small town. This trip is a perfect half-day activity. Experience the majesty of our fjord from a unique perspective.

I did the calm water kayaking tour. All the equipment was provided, including things I did not know I would need. The weather cooperated and everyone had a relaxing time in the water enjoying the scenery around Ísafjörður.

Mississauga, Tripadvisor 2017

Tour overview

Description

Our guides will be sure to tell stories of history, folklore and life in a small town close to the arctic circle. During the summer, we can expect to see many sea birds including Oystercatchers, Arctic Terns and Eider ducks.

Meeting point: Our base at Mávagarður C (grey building) close to the Eastern Harbour.

Departure: 9:30 AM. Be there half an hour before departure time.

Minimum age: 10 years.

Group size: We need a minimum number of 2 participants to operate the tour. Maximum group size is 8, but most of our tours are between 2–6 people.

Trip Difficulty: Easy.

Duration of trip: 2.5 hours.

Included: All kayaking gear and professional guide.

Itinerary

The journey begins at our base at Mávagarður C (grey building), where you meet your guide and gear up. We then walk down to the shore behind the old houses in Neðstikaupstaður, where we have a short safety briefing and paddling lesson.

And then we’re off! We explore the fjord keeping a good lookout for various bird species and seals. We spend approximately 2 hours on the water before heading back to our base at Mávagarður C.

What to bring

Warm woollen or fleece clothing including top, bottoms and socks. Please avoid cotton as it keeps you cold when wet and takes a very long time to dry.
Soft shoes like trainers or even flip flops if it’s a warm day
Sunhat, sunglasses and sunscreen, it can get sunny up here!
Water bottle.
Don’t forget your camera!

FAQ

You can bring cameras and phones to capture those great moments. However, as we all know, water and electronics don’t mix very well. We at Borea hold no responsibility over your personal electronics. That being said, we have very few accidents and you’re unlikely to drop or damage your items if you’re careful. We recommend using a waterproof case.

Our kayaks are very stable and capsizes are rare, therefore, you’re unlikely to get soaked. But it’s important to remember that we are kayaking and it’s normal to get caught by a few splashes. Our kayak gear will keep you somewhat protected but getting a little damp is normal.

There is a colony of seals which live in the fjord and they are often seen sunbathing on the rocks or swimming around the kayaks, they are very curious. However, we don’t guarantee that we’ll see them as they’re sometimes out hunting fish.

We use plastic sea kayaks. We have both single and tandem kayaks available. We highly recommend using tandem kayaks for our trips as they are faster, more stable and a lot more social than the singles! Tandem kayaks are not only for beginners, in fact, experienced kayakers will know the benefit of tandem kayaks. However, if you are an experienced paddler, then of course the single kayaks are available.

Definitely! Our kayaks are very stable and easy to use. We will give you very easy and clear guidance and make you feel very comfortable. If you have any worries, then please feel free discuss this with your guide beforehand.

You arrive in Keflavik International Airport about 40 minutes away from the capital city of Reykjavik. From the domestic airport in Reykjavik there are 2-3 daily 40 minute flights to Isafjordur. You can take the Fly-Bus between the airports and most of the time you can continue same day. Check out Air Iceland Connect for schedules and special offers. You can also rent a car and drive to Isafjordur. The drive, over mountain passes and through fjords is an adventure itself. It’s about 440-500 km depending on which route you take. A new road via Arnkötludalur opened in 2009 which completes the asphalted pathway the whole way, and kills the old myth of bad roads in the Westfjords! The drive will normally take you 5-6 hours. A new tunnel opened in September 2020 under the infamous mountain pass between the fjords of Arnarfjörður and Dýrafjörður. That tunnel makes it much easier to travel through the Westfjords all year round and shortens the route up the West coast. For accommodation in Reykjavik there are many options of hotels and guesthouses that we can book for groups. Please ask us for individual bookings. We strongly recommend you to spend a few extra days visiting the West Fjords and other parts of Iceland. We’re happy to help you arranging few days in the area or give you good tips about exciting things to do while in Iceland.