Look for whales in their natural environment on a whale-watching tour from Húsavík. Climb aboard a traditional Icelandic oak boat for a guided adventure in search of the giants of the ocean.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Reserve now & pay later to book your spot without any charges today. Learn more
Duration 3 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English

Highlights

Step aboard a traditional Icelandic oak boat in Húsavík
Cruise around Skjálfandi Bay searching for whales on a 3-hour tour
Learn about Iceland's nature and wildlife from the experienced guides
Stay warm in overalls provided by the crew

Full description

Covid-19 Update

Due to health and safety regulations, this itinerary may change. See Know before you go for the latest updates.

Climb aboard a traditional Icelandic oak boat and experience a traditional whale watching tour from Europe's whale watching capital at Húsavík. Sail out into the bay and prepare to be captivated by the work of Mother Nature. Your specialized guide will give a safety demonstration on board the boat and then feed you live commentary on all the sights you will encounter. Skjálfandi Bay is known for its rich wildlife, including numerous types, shapes and sizes of whale. Keep a look out for the acrobatic humpback whales and giant blue whales. This is wild nature and therefore unpredictable, but your chances of seeing whales in their natural environment is very high. Sail back to Húsavík harbor and enjoy the stunning scenery.

Includes

Access to Skjálfandi
Live tour guide
Transport for activity duration: Other water transport
Rain poncho
Jacket

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned

Meeting point

Meet at the Gentle Giants ticket center in central Húsavík (look for the big blue flags).

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Important information

What to bring

Comfortable shoes
Warm clothing
Outdoor clothing

Know before you go

Please bring warm and waterproof clothing
The tour is subject to favourable weather conditions. If cancelled due to bad weather, you will be given the option of another date or full refund
If no whales (dolphins included) are seen on the tour, you will be offered a voucher for a traditional whale watching tour free of charge, however, no refund is given
The tour is wheelchair accessible. Please contact the tour operator prior to arrival

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 706 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.5/5
Transportation
3.8/5
Value for money
4.1/5
Safety
4.6/5

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Helpful guide and safe transportation but we did not see any whales even though the guide and captain tried their best. For the voucher to go on another try to be useful it should be usable in other parts of the country given in Iceland one would generally travel every day round the ring road.

April 27, 2022

We went on a tour in November, so it was really cold, but the crew gave us overalls and an extra coat to protect us from the water splashes. At the beginning, we didn't manage to see a lot of whales, but the crew decided to stay on the water longer to give us a chance of seeing whales. In the end we got lucky and managed to see a whale for a full minute from close by. Truly a great experience!

November 8, 2021

The tour was great, we have seen 6 humpback whales. I really did not expect to see them from such a short distance. The closest was like 15 metres from the boat. Both the captain and the guide had been very knowledgeable and witty. This cruise had been one of the best experiences we had during our stay in Iceland.

October 9, 2021

From Húsavík: Traditional Whale Watching Tour

From Húsavík: Traditional Whale Watching Tour

About this activity

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