Best Place to See Whales in Iceland: Whale Watching in Akureyri, Husavik or Reykjavik

Akureyri, Husavik and Reykjavik compared

This table puts Akureyri, Husavik and Reykjavik side by side on access, price, time on the water, species and boats. Prices are per person from the tours compared on this site, travel times come from Visit Akureyri, and species lists come from Visit Akureyri, the Husavik Whale Museum and the operators.

What you see from Akureyri

Humpback whales are the main attraction in Eyjafjordur and are seen throughout the year, according to Visit Akureyri. Elding lists humpback whales, minke whales and dolphins on its Classic trip.

Two kinds of departure serve the town. Elding, Ambassador and Special Tours leave from the pier by Hof in the centre. Up the fjord, Keli Sea Tours sails from Hauganes, about 25 minutes away, and picks up at Hof, while North Sailing sails from Arskogssandur, about 30 minutes away. The table lists the downtown trips with price, length and rating from each tour's listing.

No-whale policies and booking

If no whales appear on the Elding Classic, you get a free ticket for another Classic tour, valid two years in Akureyri or Reykjavik. Ambassador and Special Tours also give a free ticket to try again. Up the fjord at Dalvik, Arctic Sea Tours offers a free return ticket.

Every trip listed above has free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The table compares the two boat styles.

What you see from Husavik

The Husavik Whale Museum lists the most common species in Skjalfandi Bay as humpback whale, minke whale, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and blue whale. Gentle Giants runs its GG1 oak-boat trip from 1 April to 30 November.

North Sailing sails for 3 hours at $80 per person, and children 6 and younger go free. Gentle Giants sails for 3 hours at $78 per person. Both use traditional oak boats, and both can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead. The table compares them on price, length and rating.

The Husavik Whale Museum

If the weather turns, the Whale Museum fills the day, with its own guide to the species in the bay. Husavik is about 1 hour by road from Akureyri and bus 79 makes the trip, so a day trip from an Akureyri base works without a car. If no whales are seen, North Sailing offers another tour free of charge and Gentle Giants a voucher for a traditional tour.

Odds and guarantees in Reykjavik

Visit Iceland says daily tours depart from the Old Harbour in Reykjavik and from several towns in the west and north. Elding's tours start from Reykjavik's Old Harbour or Akureyri's floating pier, and its free retry ticket works in either city. Ambassador also operates from the old harbour in Reykjavik city centre.

If your itinerary gives you a full day or more in the north, Icelandair flies Reykjavik to Akureyri several times daily all year, in about 40 minutes. Bus 57 from Mjodd terminal takes about 6 hours. That is why most travellers pick one northern base rather than commuting from the capital for whale watching.

What the North Iceland Boats List

Arctic Sea Tours lists humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins and minke whales on its 3-hour trip from Dalvik, about 35 minutes from Akureyri, and occasionally a blue or killer whale. Visit Akureyri names humpbacks as the main attraction in Eyjafjordur, seen throughout the year. In Skjalfandi Bay, the Husavik Whale Museum's list of the most common species does not include killer whales.

If an orca sighting is the whole point of your trip, ask the operator before you book, because no North Iceland operator here promises one.

Month by month

This table sets out the published season of each North Iceland trip, so you can see what sails in your travel month. The Elding Classic and Whale Watching Hauganes sail all year. The Elding RIB Express runs 1 April to 31 October, and Special Tours sails May to September.

North Sailing runs from Arskogssandur 1 February to 15 December. Arctic Sea Tours runs midnight trips from 20 May to 10 July. Gentle Giants in Husavik sails its GG1 trip from 1 April to 30 November.

Ambassador adds an 11:00 departure from 1 December to 31 January.

What happens if you see nothing

In Akureyri, Elding gives a free ticket for another Classic tour, valid two years in Akureyri or Reykjavik, if no whales or dolphins are seen. Ambassador gives a free ticket valid two years, and Special Tours a second-chance ticket. Arctic Sea Tours in Dalvik offers a free return ticket.

In Husavik, North Sailing offers another tour free of charge, and Friends of Moby Dick a standby voucher valid 2 years. Whale Fairytale lists guaranteed sightings as not included. Book early in your stay so a retry fits before you leave.

The short packing list

Wear a base layer, a fleece and a waterproof jacket, plus a hat and gloves even in summer. The Elding Classic includes warm floatable overalls, raincoats and blankets, and Special Tours provides warm overalls with children's sizes. Closed waterproof shoes beat trainers on wet decks.

If you are prone to seasickness, take medicine before boarding. Keep your phone in a sealed pocket, because spray reaches the deck when the boat moves between sightings.

Pick your town by traveller type

Cruise passengers with a day in port should book the Elding Classic Whale Watching from Akureyri, because the cruise terminal is within a 5 to 7 minute walk of Elding's pier. Families with young children get the most from a 3-hour big boat with a heated cabin and overalls in children's sizes, and children 6 and younger sail free with North Sailing in Husavik if you make the 1-hour drive.

Photographers can take the 3-hour Midnight Sun tour in Akureyri at $95 for evening light. Budget travellers compare Gentle Giants in Husavik at $78 with the Midnight Sun trip. Anyone on a ring road trip can do both towns from one Akureyri base, since Husavik is about 1 hour away and bus 79 runs there. If you have only one day in the country and it is in Reykjavik, sail from the Old Harbour. The table matches each traveller to a town.