Reykjavik: Whales and Northern Lights Boat Tour

GYG

Reykjavik: Whales and Northern Lights Boat Tour

★ 4.2(55 reviews)

• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 7 hours

from $201

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

Seven hours of whales and northern lights

This tour from Special Tours Iceland combines two of Iceland’s most sought-after natural spectacles into one long evening outing. You board in Reykjavik and head out to sea as daylight fades, with the first part of the trip given over to whale watching. As the sky darkens, the focus shifts to the aurora borealis, which you view from the water rather than from land. The full run lasts seven hours, which makes it one of the longer options in this category. The tour is guided in English, and the guide stays with you throughout to point out what to look for and to explain what you are seeing. It suits travellers who want both experiences in a single booking and who are prepared for a substantial stretch of time on a boat in cool conditions.

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

What the price covers and what it does not

The entry price starts at 201 USD per person. That figure covers the guided boat tour itself, including the English-speaking guide and the full seven-hour duration. No admission or parking fees apply at any point on this itinerary, so there are no extra gate costs to factor into your budget. The operator does not offer hotel pickup, and you will need to make your own way to the departure point in Reykjavik. This puts the tour in a minority within its category: only seven other northern lights listings in the same group state that hotel pickup is excluded. If you are staying outside the city centre, check how you will reach the harbour before you book.

What 55 ratings tell you

The tour holds a rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on 55 reviews. That score is respectable, but the number behind it is small. With only 55 ratings, the figure can shift noticeably with a handful of new reviews, so treat it as a general indication rather than a settled verdict. Within the category of 68 northern lights tours, this listing ranks 30th by the strength of its evidence. That places it in the middle of the group, neither among the most-reviewed nor among the least. The price of 201 USD ranks 43rd of 68, which puts it in the mid-to-upper range of the category. You are paying for a longer trip that combines two activities, and the modest review count means you are relying on the operator’s description more than on a large body of passenger feedback.

When the season works for this tour

The northern lights are a winter phenomenon, and this tour runs in the months when darkness arrives early enough for the aurora to appear. The climate chart above shows Reykjavik’s average highs peaking at 15 degrees in July and dropping to 3 degrees from December through February. For a seven-hour boat trip, the cold months are the realistic window. In January and February, average highs sit at 3 degrees and lows at minus 2 degrees, so you will want substantial layers even before you factor in wind chill on the water. The shoulder months of September and October still offer average highs of 11 and 8 degrees, which are more comfortable for the whale-watching portion, but the nights are shorter and the aurora less reliable. The tour’s length means you will be out during the coldest part of the day, so dress for the actual temperature on the bay rather than the air temperature in the city.

What to expect at the departure point

You will meet the boat at the harbour in Reykjavik, where the crew handles boarding and safety briefings. The tour is guided, so you will not be left to interpret what you see on your own. The guide’s job is to spot whales during the daylight portion and to track the aurora as darkness falls. Weather is the deciding factor on any given evening. If the sky is overcast or the sea is rough, the guide may adjust the route or cut the trip short; turning back in poor conditions is part of the job. The boat itself is the setting for the entire seven hours, so there is no walking or climbing involved. You will spend the time on deck or in the cabin, depending on the cold and your own tolerance for it.

Who this tour suits and who should look elsewhere

This tour is for travellers who want both whales and northern lights in one outing and who are comfortable with a long stretch at sea. It is also for those who prefer a guide to explain what is happening rather than a self-directed experience. If your priority is purely the aurora and you want a shorter, cheaper option, the Northern Lights Bus Tour with Hot Cocoa runs for four hours from 83 USD and has a 4.3 rating from nearly 15,000 reviews. That tour stays on land, which may appeal if you are prone to seasickness or want to keep the evening brief. The Small-Group Premium Northern Lights Tour from Reykjavik is another alternative at four hours and 116 USD, with a 4.4 rating from over 3,000 reviews. If you are set on seeing the lights from the water but want a shorter commitment, the Northern Lights Yacht Tour lasts two hours and costs from 107 USD. This seven-hour tour makes sense when you want the combined experience and are willing to trade time and money for it.

GYG

Reykjavik: Whales and Northern Lights Boat Tour

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 $201

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