Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour with Expert Guide

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Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour with Expert Guide

★ 4.3(2,480 reviews)

• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 2 to 3 hours

from $103

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

A 2 to 3 Hour Search for Whales from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

This tour leaves from Reykjavik and heads into Faxaflói Bay, the stretch of water that opens up from the city’s coast. The trip runs for two to three hours, which is enough time to reach the feeding grounds where minke and humpback whales are regularly seen, as well as harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins. You go out with a professional guide who narrates in English throughout, pointing out the wildlife and explaining what the boat’s crew are doing as they track the animals. The tour is run by Special Tours Iceland, one of the longest-established operators in the harbour. It suits visitors who want a solid introduction to whale watching without committing to a full day at sea. The boat is not wheelchair accessible, so if that is a requirement for you, this particular departure will not work. You will be on the water for the better part of a morning or afternoon, so dress for the wind and the cold, even in summer.

Photographs from the operator Special Tours Iceland. They show the listing, not your day.

What the Price Covers and What You Pay on Top

The entry price is from 103 USD per person. That covers the boat trip itself and the services of the English-speaking professional guide who stays with the group for the whole outing. The guide’s job is to spot the whales, identify the species, and give you context on the marine life of the bay. Food is not part of the deal, so you should eat before you board or bring your own snacks if you think you will need them during the two to three hours. There are no official fees added on the day for the places this tour visits. The whale-watching grounds are in open water, and the departure point is the harbour in Reykjavik, so there is no admission charge or parking fee at any stop along the way. What you pay at the time of booking is what the tour costs. Free cancellation is offered, so you have some flexibility if your plans change before the departure date.

What 2,480 Reviews Say About This Trip

The tour holds a rating of 4.3 out of 5, based on 2,480 individual reviews. That is a solid score, and the size of the sample matters here. With nearly two and a half thousand ratings behind it, this is one of the most-reviewed whale-watching options in Reykjavik. In fact, across the 36 whale-watching tours listed in the city, this one ranks third by the number of reviews it has collected. That means the 4.3 figure is not a fluke of a handful of passengers; it reflects the experience of thousands of people who have taken this specific trip. The score itself is slightly below the top-rated tours in the category, which sit closer to 4.5, but the gap is small and the volume of feedback gives you a reliable sense of what to expect. A 4.3 from this many passengers suggests a consistent, well-run operation that delivers what it promises on most days, with the usual variability that comes from wildlife sightings being never guaranteed.

When the Bay is at Its Best for This Trip

The tour runs year-round, and the water in Faxaflói Bay holds whales in every season, but your experience will vary a lot with the month. From June through August, the average high in Reykjavik sits between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius (55 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit), which is the warmest the city gets. Those are the months when the sea is calmest and the daylight lasts well into the evening, giving you the longest windows for sightings. May and September are transitional months, with highs around 10 to 11 degrees Celsius (50 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit), and they still offer decent conditions. From October through April, the average high drops to between 3 and 8 degrees Celsius (37 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit), and the shorter days mean the two to three hour window is more likely to sit in grey light. The low temperatures in winter, hovering around minus 2 degrees Celsius (28 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, mean the boat will be cold, but the whales do not migrate away, so winter departures still go out. The key is to book a morning departure in summer when the sea is flattest, and to take the middle of the day in winter when there is the most light.

Boarding in Reykjavik and What Happens on the Water

You board the boat at the old harbour in central Reykjavik, which is a short walk from the main shopping streets. The crew gets everyone on board and the guide gives a safety briefing before the boat leaves the shelter of the harbour. Once you are out in the bay, the guide and the crew work together to find the whales, using both their knowledge of the local feeding patterns and their eyes on the surface. When a whale is spotted, the boat slows and approaches carefully so that everyone on board gets a look. The guide points out what you are seeing and gives you time to watch before moving on. The weather in the bay changes quickly, and if the wind picks up or the sea gets rough, the captain may adjust the route or cut the trip short to keep everyone safe. The boat has an indoor cabin where you can warm up between sightings, so you are not out on the open deck for the entire two to three hours. There is no fixed itinerary of stops with a gate or an entrance; the trip is entirely on the water, and the plan is driven by where the whales are on the day you go.

Who Should Take This Tour and Who Should Look Elsewhere

This tour is for first-time whale watchers who want a straightforward, reasonably priced introduction to the activity. The two to three hour length is manageable for most people, and the English-speaking guide means you will understand what you are looking at without needing to do your own research. The 103 USD entry price puts it among the cheaper third of the 36 whale-watching tours in Reykjavik, so it is a sensible choice if you want to see whales without paying a premium. If you have more time and want a longer trip with a similar focus, the Whale Watching and Marine Life Cruise runs for three hours and has a higher rating of 4.5 from over 11,000 reviews, which gives you an even larger base of feedback. If you are short on time and want a faster, more thrilling ride, the RIB Speedboat tour lasts two hours but costs nearly double at 195 USD, and it is a very different experience from a larger boat. This tour is not for anyone who needs wheelchair access, as the operator states that the boat is not accessible. It is also not the best pick if you are prone to seasickness, since you will be out in open water for the full duration.

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Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour with Expert Guide

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $103

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