Go to content 
Where to see whales in Iceland | Places & Tours
conduct a whale watching in Iceland It's a wonderful experience, especially the first time. In Iceland we were lucky enough to watch a humpback whale breach We did it twice and almost brought tears to our eyes. Since we lived there, we did not stop repeating this activity in different parts of the country every time we had the chance. That is why we will share with you the best places to see whales in Iceland according to our experience.
Whales are the main attraction of the activity, but not the only one, it is also possible to see dolphins, puffins and enjoy incredible views of the fjord while sailing.
When to see whales in Iceland
Whale watching in Iceland is possible all year round, but The best season is during the summerBetween June and August the chance of seeing these marine giants is almost 100% and the temperature on the deck of the boat is more pleasant. Of course they are wild animals, so you never know what can happen, sometimes you keep finding different groups of whales, other times just one and, the strangest thing, not seeing any.
The good news is that the best whale watching tours in Iceland They let you repeat for free in case you don't manage to see any. Reset your Iceland itinerary It's complicated, but it's great to have the possibility to repeat the activity for free.
Whale watching in Iceland in summer
Humpback and minke whales come to Iceland looking for cold waters and come close to the coasts in search of food, so they are very common to see.
Other species that are more difficult to see such as blue whale They pass through Iceland as part of their migration route during these months, they are still very difficult to see but it is the best time of the year.
Although the high summer months are the best, whales can be easily seen from April to October. Personally, the only drawback we see is that the temperature is much colder and you should wrap up very well so as not to worry about the cold sea breeze. Read our article about what is the best time to visit best time to travel to iceland where we explain the best and worst of each month.
Whale watching in Iceland in winter
During the colder months it is still possible to see whales, including the famous killer whales, you can see orcas in Iceland.
Please note that tours are reduced and They do not depart from all areas of the country. The winter weather is harsh, so it is more likely that the tour will be cancelled, of course with a refund. In the northern part of the country, such as Akureyri or Húsavik, there are only tours from March to November.
We insist that in the colder months you should wear good winter clothes to Iceland so as not to get cold during the activity, despite the cold, the snowy coastal landscapes are well worth it.
Where to see whales in Iceland
The most famous place where to see whales in iceland is Húsavik, considered the European capital of whales.
But Húsavik is not the only place in the country and after doing the activity 3 or 4 times at different times, although it is very good for us, it is not the best place. There are less known options to see whales in Iceland such as in small coastal towns in the north, in the western fjords, the touristic Snaefellsness peninsula or even from Reykjavik.
One of our favorite places It is the small town of Hauganes in the Akureyri fjord. Unlike Husavik, it is not crowded and there will only be one or two boats looking for whales at a time.
Another thing we love is that it is located in the middle of the fjord, so the views from the start are spectacular and the navigation time until we find the first whales is much shorter. To give you an idea, we have been to Hauganes 2 or 3 times and it has never taken us more than 15 minutes to see whales, whereas from Akureyri we travelled the fjord for about 1 hour until we saw whales.
Don't miss our Guide to North IcelandThere are so many places that seem out of this world.
Which the best tour to see whales in Iceland
I'll tell you several options so that choose the one that best suits you and your tripGenerally, the smaller the boat, the better, because you can get closer.car More whale watching. We recommend avoiding excursions on large ferry-style boats; they are packed with people fighting for the best photo, and the boat doesn't turn off its engines, preventing you from clearly hearing the whales breathing.
Traditional Icelandic boat
This is the most common tour and also one of the most economical. Old fishing boats are used and in many cases coffee, hot chocolate and cookies are included to make the return trip more pleasant.
The activity lasts about 3 hours and the prices are around 80€. In the links below you can read more information about each of them and book them easily.
Speedboat
Among all the forms of whale watching in Iceland, this option is the one that guarantees you A closer look at the whales. Being faster, the boats move more agilely from one point to another in order to see the whales just when they are on the surface.
The tour takes a little less time, but you see whales more often. It is more exclusive and the price is around €140.
Whales + puffins or fishing
There are companies that offer combined options with puffin watching or fishing. Some go to specific sites with puffin colonies. Or as was our case, Whale Watching Hauganes You have the option of complementing the activity with fishing. We took two cod home!
best time to see whales in Iceland
Best time to see whales in Iceland It depends on the season and weather conditions.Most tours have both morning and afternoon schedules.
If you travel in June and July, the best time to see whales in Iceland is on the last trip, which most companies do around 8pm. We like that time in particular because in June and July there is the midnight sun phenomenon that you can see from the boat accompanied by the sunset light that leaves behind some beautiful landscapes.
Another very good time to do the activity is around 8amThere is usually less wind in the early morning, which makes the sea calmer, increasing the chances of spotting whales and reducing the chances of seasickness.
Our experience whale watching in iceland
By now you've probably noticed that we love whale watching, especially in Iceland where we did it for the first time. We've lost count of how many times we've done this activity, trying different companies and places in the country.
Our favorite place is Hauganes, it is a small village on the Eyjafödur fjord. just half an hour from Akureyri And after having been three times, for us it's the best place to see whales in Iceland. Whale Watching Hauganes was the first in the entire country to offer this activity and is the only one in the village. Even today it remains a family business, where the captain is the father or the eldest son, and the daughter is in charge.carThe reception area is open and the mother bakes delicious cinnamon pastries for the customers.
What is the activity like?
We tell you a little about our first experienceWe went on the 9 o'clock tour. There we tried on a waterproof suit and once we had chosen the size we got on the boat.
We started sailing through the fjord and although it was a foggy day, some mountains could be seen, a very, very beautiful landscape. After fifteen minutes the captain started shouting: at 11, at 1, at 3!, so they tell you where to look. We started seeing Arctic dolphins everywhere. We saw so many that they started to lose their charm. Where are the whales?
Our first time seeing whales
While searching a humpback whale arrived, and then another. We were following them from afar, watching them come out to breathe and waiting patiently for them to show their tails.
But while we were waiting to see the queue, one surprised us with something much better, a full body jumpWe saw an animal the size of a bus jump into the air and land leaving a splash of water meters high. It was a great moment! It's a shame I wasn't quick enough to take a photo.
Did you know that most of the time they jump do they do it just for fun? I learned that day. And it seems that this humpback whale was bored, because we were still recovering from the excitement jumped a second time.
Icelandic style fishing experience
After we had been on the tour for 2 hours, they prepared several fishing rods.car so that those who wished could try it fishing for the famous Icelandic cod. And it doesn't surprise me that this town lives off fishing; the amount of cod we caught was insane.car at a time without experience. As we were already heading back home (the one from Egilsstadir) we kept the two cod we had caught and the captain even left them filleted for us. Don't be ashamed to ask for it!
After half an hour we returned to the port delighting ourselves with some cinnamon sweets, hot chocolate and coffee which tasted like heaven to us.
Lee: Best campsites from iceland
We ate in the nearby town of Dalvik at the restaurant Gisli Eirikur Helgi. They had fish soup of the day with vegetables and curry that was delicious. In this article I recommend this restaurant and others good and 'cheap' all over Iceland.
What whales you can see in Iceland
As I said before, it is not only a matter of whales, Most likely, you will see arctic dolphins on the tour. (white beaked dolphin), birds such as arctic terns or the famous puffins. But the whales are the protagonists, so I wanted to leave here a little information about all the whales that can be seen in Iceland.
If you want to know more about them I recommend you visit the museum whale museum in Reykjavík where you can see life-size replicas, is considered the best whale museum in the world.
Humpback Whale
In English known as humpback whale, This is the most common and easiest species to see during whale watching tours in Iceland. We have seen it on almost every whale watching tour we have done, especially in summer. These whales can grow to 20-30 meters in length and weigh more than 150 tons. In one year they can travel more than 25.000 kilometers. Incredible, isn't it? Plus, on the back of their tail they have a unique black and white pattern, the equivalent of our fingerprints.
Minke Whales
Also very common to see in Iceland, especially in the Reykjavik area. Although they are smaller and can hold their breath for up to 25 minutes, they are seen quite frequently in Faxaflói Bay.
We saw one on one of our sightings in Hauganes.
Orca sighting in Iceland
In Iceland you can also see one of the largest predators in the world. If you take a tour whale watching in Iceland during the winter you have a chance of encountering them especially in Reykjavik.
In the village of Olafsvik They are seen in winter but are also usually seen in spring and early summer. Finally, in the westfjords There may be meetings during the summer.
Blue whale
Iceland is on the migration route of the largest animal on the planet, so during the summer there is a chance of seeing them. It must be spectacular to have that luck. They can measure up to 30 metres and weigh 170 tonnes. They are difficult to see because they are in transit and do not usually stay in the same area for too long.
We have not seen it, but several acquaintances have had the privilege of seeing it in the waters of Húsavik.
porpoises
They are the smallest cetaceans in the North Atlantic. We could easily confuse them with Arctic dolphins, but they are much less playful, a rather shy animal that rises to the surface for a few seconds.
Pilot Whale
Also known as Pilot whales, they are actually a species of dolphin that is very difficult to spot on a tour because they are usually always on the high seas.
We hope our guide on where to see whales in Iceland has been helpful in planning your trip. If you have any questions about when to see whales in Iceland or any other questions, you can join the group. WhatsApp and we will all try to help. We have other interesting ones guides about Iceland articles and a lot of content in Instagram.
