Husavik Whale Watching from Akureyri: Comparing the Boats on Skjalfandi Bay

The Boats Compared

This table compares the Husavik trips on price per person, length, boat and rating, with figures from each tour's own listing.

North Sailing also sails from Arskogssandur, about 30 minutes from Akureyri, which saves the drive if you would rather not go all the way to Husavik. Friends of Moby Dick runs two boats: Vinur, a modern boat with heated indoor seating and two toilets, and Moby Dick, a restored oak boat built in 1976 with one toilet. Gentle Giants describes 160 years of family history in the bay and runs six named tours, from GG1 whale watching to puffin, horse, Flatey Island and sea angling trips.

Who each boat suits

Choose Gentle Giants for the lowest fare and an oak boat with rain jackets if needed. Choose North Sailing for the most-reviewed trip, warm overalls and hot chocolate with cinnamon buns on the way back. Choose Friends of Moby Dick if you want heated indoor seating on Vinur in cooler weather, with flotation suits and lifejackets for children.

The table matches each priority to a trip, with prices per person from each tour's listing.

Day trip plan

This table compares the ways to reach a whale watching boat north of Akureyri, with travel times from Visit Akureyri. Rent a car in Akureyri and allow about 1 hour each way to Husavik. A 3-hour trip plus the drive fills most of a day, so book a morning departure if you want time in town afterwards.

If the drive does not appeal, Akureyri whale watching boats leave from the town itself, and North Sailing's Arskogssandur departure is about 30 minutes away.

Seasons by Operator

This table sets out the season each operator publishes for Husavik and the nearby fjord harbour, so you can see which boats sail on your dates. The Husavik Whale Museum lists the most common species in Skjalfandi Bay as humpback, minke, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and blue whale. Friends of Moby Dick operates daily from Husavik harbour between April and October.

North Sailing also offers winter whale watching with fewer visitors, and its Arskogssandur trips run from 1 February to 15 December.

What Time of Day

The best time of day for Husavik whale watching is the slot that fits your drive. Leaving Akureyri after breakfast, the 1-hour drive and the 40-minute check-in at Gentle Giants put you on a late-morning boat, with the afternoon free for the town. Departure times differ by operator and season and are listed on each booking page.

Puffins on the Friends of Moby Dick trips are seasonal, generally seen from spring until around mid-August.

Oak boat, RIB or silent boat

The oak boat is the classic Husavik experience: Gentle Giants and North Sailing both sail traditional Icelandic oak boats on their 3-hour trips. Friends of Moby Dick sails Vinur, a fast boat with a heated indoor cabin, tables, windows and two toilets, plus several outdoor viewing areas. A RIB covers water fast: on Gentle Giants RIB trips the minimum age is 8 and the minimum height 130 cm, and overalls are obligatory.

For quiet, North Sailing offers Silent Whale Watching on carbon neutral boats, the closest thing to the electric boat travellers search for. The table compares the three boat types.

Booking terms

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure applies to every Husavik fare here. Gentle Giants also lets you pay in advance or on arrival and change bookings online, and refunds online reservations cancelled more than 24 hours ahead. North Sailing lets children 6 and younger sail free on its Husavik tours.

The table sets out each cost item for the Husavik boats, using the operators' own terms.

What Each Boat Includes

This table lists what each Husavik fare includes on board, from each tour's own listing. If you overnight nearby, guests at the family guesthouse Gamli Skolinn get a discount on whale watching tours with Friends of Moby Dick. Gentle Giants and Friends of Moby Dick also give discounts with selected local partners in Husavik.

If No Whales Are Seen

This table sets out each Husavik operator's own no-sighting policy, from its tour listing. North Sailing offers another whale watching tour free of charge. Gentle Giants offers a voucher for a traditional tour, with dolphins counted as a sighting and no refund.

Friends of Moby Dick gives each passenger a standby return voucher, valid for 2 years from the original tour date, and also counts dolphins. The Husavik Whale Museum lists humpback, minke, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and blue whale as the most common species in the bay.

Responsible watching

How the boat behaves around whales matters as much as how many it finds. Gentle Giants follows a code of conduct for responsible whale watching and uses boats with modern eco-friendly engines. IceWhale partners follow a strict code of conduct that aims to minimise impact on cetaceans and keep whale watching sustainable.

Clothing and seasickness

Waterproofs, a warm mid layer and a windproof outer are the baseline, even in summer. On Gentle Giants oak boats overalls are not obligatory unless the captain decides, while North Sailing and Friends of Moby Dick provide warm overalls or flotation suits. The open deck of an oak boat leaves you fully exposed, while the heated indoor seating on Vinur gives a warm retreat between sightings.

If you are prone to motion sickness, take seasickness medicine before boarding and stay outside where you can see the horizon. North Sailing lists shoes as not included, so bring sturdy ones. The table sets out what to pack and why.

Husavik or Akureyri

This table compares the whale watching bases you can reach from Akureyri, with drive times from Visit Akureyri. Husavik is worth the drive for the widest choice of boats and the Whale Museum town. If you would rather stay close, Akureyri whale watching tours sail Eyjafjordur, one of the country's longest and most scenic fjords, where humpbacks are the main attraction throughout the year.

Keli Sea Tours operates from Hauganes, about 25 minutes from Akureyri, with pick-up at the Hof cultural centre, and Hauganes sails all year. In Akureyri itself, Elding and Special Tours both depart from the pier by Hof.

Husavik whale watching reddit and reviews

Travellers comparing Husavik whale watching on reddit and review sites weigh the same points this page compares: boat, price and departure time. On the numbers, North Sailing Whale Watching in Husavik has 3,129 reviews, Gentle Giants Whale Watching in Husavik has 2,484 and Friends of Moby Dick Whale Watching in Husavik has 2,336, all at 4.6. The table sets the review counts side by side.