Iceland Wildlife & Nature

Whale watching excursions are available from Reykjavik and from Husavik in the north of Iceland and can be incorporated in any of our independent holidays.

		Killer Whales and Northern Lights Adventure 4-nights | Feb-Mar | from £690 This exciting short break combines thrilling orca watching with a chance to see the northern lights. find out more »

Husavik Whale Watching Excursion
Husavik is recognised as Europe’s whale watching capital. Sail out into the bay in a converted traditional oak fishing boat for regular sightings of minke whale, white beaked dolphin and harbour porpoise. Humpback and other species may also be spotted.
Duration 3 hours 
Price £35 (adult); £18 (child 7-15 yrs)
Departures 20 April to 30 September

Reykjavik Whale & Puffin Watching
Search for cetaceans and seabirds off the coast from Reykjavik on a 2½-3 hour trip on board the vessel, Elding. Enjoy sightings of white-beaked dolphins or minke whales and occasionally other species such as humpback and orca can be spotted along with puffins, fulmars, gannets and kittiwakes. Transfers to and from your hotel in Reykjavik to the harbour are included.
Duration 4-5 hours
Price £42 (adult); £20 (child)
Departures 1 Apr-31 May, 1-30 Sep daily at 09:00 & 13:00; 1 Jun-31 Aug daily at 09:00, 13:00 & 17:00; 1-31 Oct daily at 13:00

Below are some of the reasons why Iceland is so popular as a whale watching destination.

		Species galore Around one quarter of the world's cetacean species have been recorded in Iceland's nutrient-rich waters. Minke whale, humpback whale, blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, sperm whale, orca, pilot whale, white-beaked dolphin and harbour porpoise are regularly encountered. There are often surprises as well - previously, three rare northern bottlenose whales showed up.
		Boats for all seas Whether your trip is a sheltered fjord cruise or an adventure on the open seas, the boats used are tried and tested for the conditions, expertly crewed and offer ample deck space for viewing and photographing.
		Reliable sightings Accurate sightings records are kept and while every year is different, we know where particular species are most likely to be seen. At Husavik in 2008, there were reliable sightings of humpback whales (68% of voyages), Minke whale (48%), and white beaked dolphins (28%). 98% of voyages were marked as successful, meaning that something bigger than a porpoise was clearly visible to all on the boat.
		The bird life Iceland boasts huge colonies of nesting seabirds and on whale watching trips you may also encounter puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars and glaucos gulls.