H
usavik is considered one of the best “whale spots” not only in Iceland and Europe, but also globally.
Whale watching is definitely one of Iceland’s top exciting activities. Going on such a trip will not only guarantee unforgettable experiences, but also give you a powerful dose of adrenaline. What are the best places to observe whales here? How much is such a cruise and how to prepare? Let us tell you all about it.
Whale watching tours – summary |
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|---|---|---|---|
| passenger boat | fishing boat | RIB / zodiac | |
| comfort | best: as high as can be at sea; shelter from wind and rain, a bar and toilet on deck | good: the cruise is calm, you don’t expect to get wet, but there’s no place to hide from wind and cold; | low: you are exposed to the wind, waves, rain and bouncing; operators provide raincoats; |
| whale watching | lower likelihood of spotting many whales; usually watching from a greater distance; | high likelihood of spotting many whales and from up close | |
| puffin watching | requires a separate tour for a surcharge and extra time | included | |
| taking photos | take photos at any moment; high focal lengths (telephoto lens) highly advisable | only take photos when the boat stops; phone camera will do just fine; make sure all gear is strapped and covered well; | |
| duration | typically about 3 hours | typically about 2 hours | |
| price | usually around $100 per adult; small kids often go for free; | usually in the $175-$200 range per adult; children under 10 not admitted | |
| starting port | starting from Reykjavik only; | available in Husavik, Reykjavik, Akureyri, Isafjordur, Seydisfjordur, Heimaey and others; | |
| summary | comfortable tour for everyone, with high chances of spotting some whales; | easy and relatively inexpensive tour for everyone, with high chances of spotting some whales; | exciting and a bit crazy ride with best chances of seeing whales up close; |
Best places for whale watching
When you plan on visiting Iceland you’re probably thinking volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, waterfalls and hot pools. And you are correct – they are all absolutely great. But one thing you definitely want to add to your itinerary when visiting this island of ice and fire is a whale watching tour.
Iceland is definitely the best place in Europe to watch whales. It combines a wide variety of species that thrive in waters surrounding Iceland, with relatively mild climate for our travelling comfort.
Melting glaciers release a wealth of nutrients from places that are rich in minerals into the ocean. These minerals become the main source of food for krill, which in turn is the main diet element for the largest of whales. And if some krill is eaten by local fish, then they later become food for dolphins, killer whales and seals. Nothing goes to waste and North Atlantic is perfect habitat for a wide variety of large marine mammal species.
Map: Top Harbors for Whale Watching in Iceland
The best place to set out on a whale watching tour in Iceland is Husavik (North), closely followed by the capital – Reykjavik (South-West; orange anchor symbols on map above). There are also whale watching tours departing from Akureyri, Isafjordur in Westfjords, Seydisfjordur in the East, and Heimaey in the south of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago (and a few more places), but you are a bit less likely to see the big species on those tours.
Whale watching tours from Husavik
the port in Husavik
If you drive Route 1 around Iceland, you will find Husavik between Akureyri and Myvatn, a bit north of these two towns. It is almost exactly across the island from Reykjavik.
H
usavik is considered one of the best “whale spots” not only in Iceland and Europe, but also globally.
Husavik is a great starting point for whale watching tours for two reasons. First of all, it is not tucked away in a deep cove and a nearby island of Grimsey is where whales like to come and they do it often. So the tour doesn’t have to be long or far in order for you to spot these kings of the ocean.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it is here – in the North of Iceland – that the largest species are seen most often. The most frequent visitor of the waters near Husavik is the humpback whale, but the largest ones – blue whales – are also spotted quite frequently. The greatest likelihood of encountering a blue whale comes between mid-June and mid-July, but they have been seen earlier in the year, even as early as April.
These enormous, nearly 200-tonne mammals are the largest living species on Earth. In mid 20th century they had been nearly extinct, but now their population is slowly growing again. Seeing “fish” that are almost 30 meters in length surely makes a colossal impression.
If you take a tour from Husavik, especially if you go on a RIB (short for Rigid Inflatable Boat, also known as zodiac), you will also see huge puffin colonies.
Tours from Husavik go from spring to autumn and are available on fishing boats as well as superfast RIBs/zodiacs. The pros and cons of each of these boat types are discussed further down in the article.
The tours start in the marina, at the town centre. The parking lot and booths of tour operators are clearly visible from the main road. In the vicinity you will also find the Húsavík Whale Museum (very interesting, especially if you need to kill some time waiting for your tour departure), a supermarket and a gas station.
Tickets can be bought in many places online, but ultimately there are only three tour operators here. Their offer and prices for 2024 are as below:
- Gentle Giants
– RIB tour and puffins – 2+ hours tour on a RIB with a visit to puffin island (the best puffin watching opportunity anywhere in Iceland!); prices ca. $145 per adult (13+), $100 for 8-12 y.o., minimum age 8 years;
– traditional fishing boat cruise – it’s a bit longer, but your chances of meeting large whales in close proximity are perhaps a bit lower; it’s a 3-hour cruise that costs around $85 per adult (16+), $45 for 7-15 y.o., kids younger than 7 go free of charge (under supervision, of course);
– animal lovers combo: Whales & Horses – a horseback trip (for beginners) combined with a fishing boat whale cruise; priced at around $170 pp; - North Sailing
– whale fishing boat classic – a classic 3-hour cruise for $95 per adult (16+), $45 for 7-15 y.o., kids younger than 7 go free of charge (under supervision);
– Whales and Puffins – a classic cruise on a fishing boat, but with an extra stop near the puffin island; $110 per adult (16+), $55 for 7-15 y.o., kids younger than 7 go free of charge (under supervision);
– Whales, Sails and Science – a special trip focused more on oceanography than whales alone; 15% of your ticket price goes to a non-profit organisation Ocean Missions; 3h, Thursdays only, $105 per adult (16+), $50 for 7-15 y.o., kids younger than 7 go free of charge (under supervision); - Husavik Adventures
– Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour – as the name implies: a cruise on a speedboat / zodiac to see both whales and puffins; 2h, $145 per adult (15+), $100 for 8-14 y.o., kids younger than 8 are not allowed;
Whale watching in Reykjavik
Although whale watching tours from Husavik are certainly the most attractive ones, those starting in Reykjavik also have some advantages.
The advantages of Reykjavik tours fall into four general categories:
- Location: if you’re on a short tour, you likely don’t have the time to travel north to Husavik; and regardless of the length of your stay, you are most likely to visit Reykjavik at least twice – at the beginning and the end of your tour, since the only international airport of the country is near the capital; so the whale watching starting point is right there on your itinerary already and if you miss the whales at the beginning of your trip, you get a decent second chance at the end of it;
- Time: whale watching tours from Reykjavik go out all year long, while those from Husavik (and all North, in general) start around April/May and end somewhere in September/October time frame; so if you’re coming to Iceland in the low season and still want to go for a whale watching tour, Reykjavik tours are effectively your only option;
- Boats: whale watching tours from Reyjkavik are organized not only on classic fishing boats or modern zodiac/rib speedboats, but also on fully enclosed modern yachts / motor boats; if you’re doing this outside of summer and you want to make sure you’re not freezing through (or that your kids stay warm), those yachts are certainly your best pick; in addition you can also go for a fishing tour and aurora watching tour on a boat from Reykjavik;
- Whale species: while the largest whales are less likely to be seen on tours from Reykjavik, there’s other species that are more likely to be seen here, then in the North; these often include minke whales, porpoises or the killer whales, but some tours are lucky enough to see humback whales, too; in this way a tour from Reykjavik often proves complementary to one from Husavik – you just tend to see other species here;
A killer whale up close
Whale watching tours from Reykjavik start in the quaint old port in Geirsgata street. You cruise on the Faxaflói bay, on which Reykjavik is located; between Snaefellsnes in the north and Reykjanes in the south.
T
here is a very interesting exhibition in Reykjavik called Whales of Iceland. It is really worth seeing even though it displays models of whales rather than, for instance, real-life skeletons.
The tours from Reykjavik are highly varied to fit all needs and wants of the tourists. So you can combine a whale watching cruise not only with puffin watching, but also with angling or aurora hunting, you can go on a larger vessel, or a smaller one and the trips go from 1-hour “sprints” all the way to 6-hour “marathons”. It’s best to make up your mind before looking at what’s available…
The top selection for 2024 is as follows (grouped by company that runs them):
- Special Tours Iceland
– passenger boat (Andrea) cruise, 3-3.5 h, $100 per adult, $50 for 7-15 y.o., kids younger than 7 go free of charge; you can also add pick-up service for this ($20 per adult, $10 per youth) and an entry ticket to the Whales of Iceland exibiton (highly recommended; $15 per adult, $14 per youth);
– Whales & Puffins – with additional puffin cruise on a small, shallow draught boat (you can do both tours on the same day or split them); $135 per adult, $70 per youth, $20/$10 for pick-up service; kids under 7: free of charge;
– RIB Express (w. puffins) – a shorter tour (ca. 2-hour), but on a speed boat, so you spend even more time actually watching the whales and still have the time to stop by the puffin island; best choice in the summer: $170 per adult, $85 per youth, $20/$10 for pick-up service; kids under 10: not allowed;
– Midnight Sun Tour – watch the whales in the never-ending ‘golden hour’ light; 2+ hours; the light is beautiful, but the conditions for whale watching are still better during the day, so this is either for the photo enthusiasts or the romantic ones 🙂 Tours go out from June to July only; $100 per adult, $50 per youth, kids under 7: free of charge;
– Whales & Sea Angling – combine a whale watching trip with a sea angling one for a total of 6 hours of adventure; May to mid September only; $200 per adult, $100 per youth, $20/$10 for pick-up service; kids under 7: free of charge; - Whale Safari
– Whales, Puffins & Reykjavík – a 2-hour tour on a RIB (but with special shock absorbing seats) that also takes you for a cruise along the Reykjavik waterfront; April to October; $175 per person, kids under 10: not allowed;
– Premium Whales & Midnight Sun – a very similar trip to the one above, but starts at 8:00 PM, if you want to catch a photo of a whale on a midnight sun backdrop; June to August only; $195 per person, kids under 10: not allowed; - Elding Adventure at Sea
– Classic Whale Watching, 3-hour tour, medium-size vessel; $100 per adult, $50 per youth, $25/$13 for pick-up service; kids under 7: free of charge;
– Premium Whale Watching, 2-hour RIB cruise, April-October, includes a puffin island stop and a cruise along the Reykjavik quay; April to October; $175 per person, kids under 10: not allowed;
– Whales & Puffins – a combination of a classic whale tour and a puffin one (on a smaller boat, dedicated for puffin watching); both tours on the same day in the order of your choice; a total of 6+ hours of activity; May to October; $145 per adult, $70 per youth, $25/$13 for pick-up service; kids under 7: free of charge;
As the offer is so broad, here’s a selection of tours that do NOT include time spent specifically on whale watching (altough you may be lucky to spot them):
- Sea Angling Gourmet – a fishing tour for everyone – no experience needed; 3 hours; May to September; $140 for anyone over 14, $80 for 5-13 y.o., kids under 5: not allowed;
- a stand-alone Puffin trip – a short, 1-hour trip to the puffin island only; $55 for anyone over 16, $30 for 7-15 y.o., kids under 7: free of charge;
- Premium Puffin Tour also a stand-alone 1-hour tour, but on a RIB so you get to spend almost all of the time with the birds; May to August; $90 per person, kids under 10: not allowed;;
- Northern Lights by Boat – you want to get away from the city lights to enjoy the aurora properly and this is one of your options; 2-3 hours; September to April; $95 per adult, $50 per youth, $20/$10 for pick-up service; kids under 7: free of charge;
- Northern Lights Luxury Yacht Cruise – a version of the aurora cruise, but on a deluxe boat; slightly shorter, but similarly priced; 2 hours; September to April; $110 per adult, $55 per youth, kids under 7: not allowed;
- New Year’s Eve Celebration at Sea – Available on New Year’s Eve each year, focused on watching the city skyline and fireworks show from the sea; 2 hours; $185 per adult, $90 per youth, kids under 7: free of charge;
The best time to go whale watching in Iceland
The best time to go whale watching in Iceland is April through September. This is when the largest number of these incredible beasts come to Icelandic waters.
It is possible to set out on a whale watching tour in winter, too. The tours are less frequent and the cold is really piercing, but you may be lucky to see killer whales or maybe even humpback whales. The extra benefit of taking a tour in winter is that you can also admire the northern lights.
If
only possible, do not set a “very fixed” date for your whale watching tour. It can well happen that the weather will be too bad to set out or make your chances of encountering whales very low. Choose a date that will allow you to move the tour 1-2 days either way and be in touch with the operator. If the weather is unfavorable, operators are open to rescheduling tours.
What boat is best to go whale watching
The type of boat you choose will determine the course of the tour as well as your satisfaction with the whole experience. Most operators offer two options: a classic fishing boat or a fast RIB/zodiac. Which one is better?
In
a nutshell a RIB/zodiac tour is definitely the best, if you prioritize seeing the whales. But if comfort and low price are also important, than you might want to look at the fishing boat or passenger boat tours.
A tour on a fishing boat
A cruise on a fishing boat
These boats offer you the benefit of comfort and convenience. You are not going to get wet, the going is not rough at all and it’s no problem at all to bring your binoculars or camera: just pack them in your backpack and use them when needed.
A
tour on a fishing boat is relatively comfortable, dry and steady. Few cruises end up not seeing any whales, but your chances of seeing many whales up close on a fishing boat tour are rather low.
Unfortunately, due to their sluggish pace, even on a 3-hour trip the fishing boats are not able to go as far away from the shore as RIBs/zodiacs. And when you do manage to spot a whale, a fishing boat is rarely able to catch up with it. So you need to be extra lucky, to see a large whale up close (it does happen, just not too often).
In Reykjavik you can also go for a tour on a larger, passanger vessel. Those passenger boats offer a cabin on board that can fit all passengers, a toilet, usually a small bar, sometimes even free wi-fi. That’s especially important for the winter tours, where you really need to retreat to the cabin to keep warm, if there is nothing or little to see around.
A tour on a zodiac/RIB
a RIB tour
As far as speedboats go, RIBs are quite big, but they are very light and use a powerful engine (or a few), which makes them super fast. If the sea is calm they glide on the water and that ride alone is a great experience in itself.
On the downside, if the sea is choppy, a RIB jumps up and down much more, hitting the water much harder, than a fishing boat would. Your skipper will try to avoid that, but you might be up for a bit of a roller coaster ride on water…
Thanks to their great speed, RIBs can take you much farther out to sea than fishing boats can. And although RIB tours are shorter in time, they cover a much larger area. This also greatly improves your chances of seeing whales up close.
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our operators provide pro-grade stormcoats to keep you warm and dry. And if the sea is really rough, they will re-book you to another day or give you your money back.
Going out on a zodiac tour means you have to prepare for strong wind, cold water and constant bouncing that can be somewhat exhausting. Obviously, you can’t use the toilet for the entire duration of your tour. If you bring your camera to the tour (and who doesn’t?!), make sure it is well protected against the elements and firmly strapped to yourself. You don’t want to damage or loose it on the tour.
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our operators usually set a minimum age limit for all zodiac/RIB tours. It is often 10 or 12 years. If you travel with children, make sure everyone qualifies for this adventure.
How much is a whale watching tour in Iceland
A whale watching cruise is one of the more expensive tours in Iceland, but surely worth the price.
The prices vary based on which port you’re setting off from and what’s included in the tour, but as you can notice above – they differ very little from one operator to another.
As a general rule the fishing boat cruises (and those on larger passenger vessels) are oriented towards families and people who don’t enjoy a wavy roller coaster. The RIB trips are more expensive and less comfortable, but you have significantly higher chances of actually seeing the whales and getting close to them. Plus the adrenaline junkies will love the ride itself.
| fishing boat tour vs zodiac tour prices – comparison | fishing boat | RIB (zodiac) |
|---|---|---|
| duration | typically about 3 h | typically about 2 h |
| price | about $100 per person | about $175 – $200 per person |
What whale species can you see in Iceland
There are 23 species of whales (more precisely: cetaceans) that you can encounter along the coasts of Iceland, out of which at least 12 come here on a regular basis, while the remaining 11 can be spotted sporadically.
The most common sightings are of the 5 species of baleen whales also known as whalebone whales (minke whales, blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales and sei whales) and the 7 species of toothed whales (northern bottlenose whales, sperm whales, porpoises, pilot whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins and white-sided dolphins). These species, commonly sighted in Iceland are described in a separate article: Whale Species You Can See in Iceland.
Other cetaceans that can be seen in Icelandic waters are some baleen whales (biscayan whales and bowhead whales) as well as toothed whales (beluga whales, narwhals, beaked whales, short-beaked common dolphins).
