Description

Summary

Tour starts

Húsavík

Duration

2 hours

Difficulty

Easy

Languages

English

Available

Apr. - Oct.

Minimum age

8 years old

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Description

See the giants of the deep and the world’s most adorable bird on this boat trip from the whale watching capital of Europe. Those with a passion for wildlife should make every effort to join this unbelievable tour.

You will find your RIB speedboat at the harbour in the charming northern town of Húsavík. You’ll notice that it is much closer to the water, and with far fewer seats, than the larger vessels, which will allow you to have very intimate encounters with every creature you see.

When everyone is in their overalls and life jackets and has boarded, your boat will zip out into Skjálfandi Bay. It will not take long at all before the whales and dolphins of these arctic waters begin to show. Thanks to the speed the boat can cover a larger area and therefore a higher chance of spotting whales.

The two most common species of cetacean here are both surface performers and acrobatics, making almost every sighting with them breathtaking. These are the mighty humpback whale and the gregarious white-beaked dolphins. The next most common species, minke whales and harbour porpoises, are very charming, if a little less exciting.

These, however, are not the only marine mammals you may see. Húsavík is the whale watching capital of Europe largely because of its incredible diversity; you have a decent chance of seeing blue, fin, and pilot whales as well as orcas.

The puffins are likely to be numerous. You may see them flapping wildly overhead, diving for fish, or just relaxing on the surface of the water. Your boat is small enough to approach their nesting islands where you can see them protecting their burrows in lifelong pairs. The puffin season is from April 15th – August 15th approximately.

These islands, and the surrounding landscapes, are beautiful and dramatic, so any time where you are not marvelling over the animals, you can appreciate the stunning views.

After you have seen what is likely to be a huge wealth of life, you will return to Húsavík’s harbour.

Witness Iceland’s incredible animals on this once-in-a-lifetime tour. Check availability by choosing a date.

Attractions

North Iceland

Húsavík

Lundey

Good to know

Weather and sea conditions

Tours are dependent on weather and sea conditions. For your safety and comfort, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice, should weather or other conditions change. In case of cancellations due to weather, customers receive a full refund or can change their departure depending on availability.

Whale sightings

Our whale watching tours take place in wild nature, which is very unpredictable. The chances of seeing whales are up to 98%, but sightings cannot be guaranteed. If no whales (dolphins included) are seen on the tour, passengers are welcome to join a GG1 Whale Watching tour on traditional oak boats free of charge, depending on availability. Passengers can get a voucher for a free GG1 Whale Watching tour that is valid for the passengers of the original booking. The voucher is valid on tours where availability and bookings in advance cannot be made. The voucher is valid unlimited. We do not refund tickets if no whales (dolphins included) are seen on the tour.

RIB speedboat tours

The tour is on RIB speedboats and is not allowed for passengers with heart- or back problems or pregnant women. Minimum age is 8 years and minimum height 130 cm.

Puffin season

The puffin season is from April 15th – August 15th approximately, outside that time period more focus is on whales.

Minimum number of passengers

A minimum number of passengers is required for all our tours. If the minimum number is not reached, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice. In such cases, customers are offered alternative options or a full refund.