The 15 Whale Watching in North Iceland That Earn Their Price

1.3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour by Ship

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,000 reviews · 3 hours · from $108Our pick

3-hour Akureyri whale cruise in Eyjafjord, high-speed ship, thermal suits, and expert guides hunting humpbacks, plus comfy warmth.

“Really loved this whale watching trip (snowy February 2026). Even if we didn't see any whales, the scenic cruise along the fjord was very nice itself, but we saw two young humpbacks! We spent over an hour in their company as they were feeding, which was amazing. When we left to return to Port, they could still be seen in the distance. Very informative guide, very considerate of the whales and not getting too close. Free hot drinks onboard (coffee, hot chocolate, etc) was a nice touch and welcome after enduring the cold outdoors.”

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2.Whale Watching Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,761 reviews · 3 hours · from $115

Húsavík whale watching from a traditional oak boat in Skjálfandi Bay, with live guide, warm overalls, hot chocolate, and cinnamon bun.

“Great Guides, had a lot of fun and the female Guide (don’t remember her name unfortunately) did such a great job on commenting where to see the whales and gave many interesting Information.”

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3.Traditional Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,115 reviews · 3 hours · from $100

Traditional Húsavík whale watching on a wooden oak boat in Skjálfandi Bay, with warm gear, live guide talk, and real wildlife spotting.

“We saw whales in the very first beginning, which was very nice. The whole trip was a bit too long for us (around 3.5 hours) but it’s bearable. The only downside is that there wasn’t enough sits for everyone so we almost stood the entire time.”

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4.Whale Watching – Family Run with Indoor Seats

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,521 reviews · 3 hours · from $96

Húsavík whale watching with indoor seating March to December. Friends of Moby Dick, warm suits, expert crew, and a 3-hour Skjálfandi Bay cruise.

“Guide and Boat Captain did great job with our tour and seeing the whales feeding close to our boat. Once in a lifetime event! Safety coveralls helped ensure you stayed warm and comfortable on the tour!”

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5.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,221 reviews · 2 hours · from $175

Húsavík RIB safari to Puffin Island and Skjálfandi Bay. Modern boat, warm overalls, expert guide, big-whale odds in 2 hours.

“We had such an unforgettable whale-watching tour! For the first two hours, we searched without any luck, but that only made the adventure more exciting. The typical Icelandic weather — strong wind and rain — added to the atmosphere and gave us some pretty high waves, which made the whole experience feel even more real and adventurous. Spotting whales was definitely more challenging in those conditions, and although we didn’t get to see any humpbacks, the tour ended in the most magical way. In the last five minutes, a group of bottlenose whales appeared right next to the boat! Absolutely fantastic and a memory we’ll never forget.”

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6.Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 979 reviews · 2 hours · from $198

Speedboat whale watching in Húsavík, plus Puffin Island in season, from a warm RIB ride with a pro guide.

“This tour was fantastic! Our guide Ignacio was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We saw multiple humpback whales, puffins and arctic tern. The boat was comfortable and gear is provided to help keep you warm and dry. Tour is a good amount of time (not too long) and is run in small groups which was really nice! Highly recommend!”

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7.Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 971 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $104

3-hour whale watching from downtown Akureyri with thermal gear, indoor decks, WiFi, and a captain who hunts humpbacks and orcas.

“The tour is very good. Our tour guide was very informative and had a fun persona. We saw a humpback and a minke and few porpoises. I would highly recommend.”

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8.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203Top rated

RIB whale watching from Húsavík in Skjálfandi Bay, with Lundey puffins during season, warm suits on board, small group views.

“Overall fun experience even though we took the 9am tour which was the first tour of the day hoping to see Whales, but only saw a few fins, not that exciting. Very cold, wet and rough waters getting out there so expect to get wet! They provide great gear for all. Austin our guide was great, very informative. I will say the negative was that it was also suppose to be whales & puffins, but the puffins aspect of the tour was never addressed, so not sure if what happened with that (?) overall no regrets.”

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9.2-Hour Whale Watching Express by RIB Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

Akureyri whale watching by RIB speedboat gets you close to humpback and minke whales in the Eyjafjord, with warm gear included.

“Even in less than ideal weather, it was a great excursion. We saw 4 whales on our trip. Please note they will provide you a full outer layer--they call it overalls but it's like a protective suit and perfect on cold days.”

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10.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

3 hours on a traditional oak boat from Húsavík in Skjálfandi Bay, warm overalls, hot chocolate, whales and puffins.

“I would have given it a 4 star to be honest with you, neither of us were too impressed with the puffin tour. We didn't imagine what that part of it would be like, and I think I expected more from that, though in hindsight I can see why a) we couldn't get closer to the colony and b) the rocking boat didn't make using binoculars easy with the potential for motion sickness with continued use. And therefore, again, with hindsight, we wouldn't have taken the puffin tour option. With regards the whales - I believe we struck lucky with decent weather, plenty of sightings to get excited about. It…”

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11.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

RIB speedboat whale and puffin safari from Húsavík with expert guides, warm suits, and a 2-hour Skjálfandi Bay chase for giants.

“Fabulous day with an expert crew. We saw several whales and dolphins that were close to the boat. It was a truly magical experience. The size and maneuverability of the rib boats sets it apart from any other experience. Highly recommend!”

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12.Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 389 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

Traditional oak-boat whale watching from Húsavík in Skjálfandi Bay, guided in English for about 3 hours with warm gear.

“The crew were fantastic! They were knowledgeable, kind, and extra helpful. It was an amazing day although very choppy with several sightings of humpback whales, one breached 3 times! Truly an experience we will all remember.”

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13.Traditional Oak Ship Whale Watching Tour From Husavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 366 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $118

Husavík whale watching on a traditional oak ship in Skjálfandi Bay, with expert onboard commentary, warm overalls, and light snacks.

“Saw many whales and it was awesome. Crew was great and hot chocolate was good on this trip. Weather in the sea was better then on land.”

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14.100% Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 273 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90Best value

Whale watching from Hauganes on Eyjafjordur, with warm coveralls, live guide talk, hot drinks, and chances at humpbacks and more.

“Incredible experience. A beautiful small harbour to set off from, an old traditional boat, excellent knowledge and most importantly we saw whales! Feeding, swimming and saw the tails a few times. The biscuits onboard were delicious! Felt very safe the whole time with our 3 year old. An incredible experience.”

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15.Whale Watching on a Carbon Neutral Oak Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 208 reviews · 3 hours · from $132

A 3-hour, carbon-neutral Húsavík whale watching cruise on a traditional oak boat, with warm overalls, hot cocoa, and wildlife sightings.

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