Which Húsavík Whale Watching Tour Is Right for You?
| Tour | Duration | Group size | Best for | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Húsavík: Silent Whale Watching on an Electric Oak Boat | 3 hrs | Small group | Eco-conscious travellers, authentic wooden vessel experience | 4.5 | $131 | Check → |
| Húsavík: Traditional Whale Watching with a Family Company | 3 hrs | Standard group | First-timers wanting proven track record and classic boat | 4.6 | $94 | Check → |
| Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Guide | 3 hrs | Standard group | Wildlife enthusiasts who want deep naturalist commentary | 4.6 | $114 | Check → |
| Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Heated Indoor Seating | 3 hrs | Small-medium group | Families, cold-weather visits, budget-conscious travellers | 4.6 | $95 | Check → |
| Húsavík: Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat | 2 hrs | Small group (RIB) | Birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, covering the most water | 4.7 | $176 | Check → |
How much is whale watching in Húsavík?
Whale watching in Húsavík costs ISK 11,990 to 12,990 (about $97 to $106) for an adult on a 3-hour boat bought from the operator, and $94 to $176 on the tours you can book on this page. Children aged 7-15 pay about half and under-7s ride free on the classic boats. A RIB speedboat with puffins costs about ISK 22,990 (about $187).
Adult prices for Húsavík whale watching, from operators' own sites and the tours on this page. Krónur are converted at 1 USD = 123 ISK.
| Trip | Adult price | Child price | Length and boat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional tour with a family company | from $94 | see listing | 3 hours, classic boat |
| Friends of Moby Dick, indoor seats | from $95 | see listing | 2.5-3 hours, heated cabin |
| Friends of Moby Dick direct | ISK 11,990 (about $97) | ISK 5,995 (ages 7-15), free 0-6 | 2.5-3 hours, oak boat or Vinur |
| North Sailing Original, direct | ISK 12,990 (about $106) | ISK 6,990 (ages 7-15), free under 7 | about 3 hours, oak boat, cocoa and cookies |
| Whale watching tour with guide | from $114 | see listing | 3 hours |
| Silent whale watching, electric oak boat | from $131 | see listing | 3 hours, electric boat |
| Big Whale Safari and puffins by RIB | from $176 | see listing | 2 hours, RIB speedboat |
| Húsavík Adventures RIB, direct | ISK 22,990 (about $187) | not listed | RIB, max 12 passengers, April-October |
Source: North Sailing, Friends of Moby Dick, Húsavík Adventures.
When do Húsavík whale watching tours run, and at what time?
Húsavík whale watching tours run from March to December: North Sailing sails daily from 1 March to 30 November, and Friends of Moby Dick keeps one departure a day through November and December. In summer the boats leave every few hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and in winter there is one late-morning trip.
Friends of Moby Dick departure times by month, a fair guide to how the harbour runs through the year:
| Month | Departures |
|---|---|
| March (from the 20th) | 11:00 |
| April | 9:30, 13:30 |
| May | 9:00, 13:00 |
| June | 9:00, 13:00, 17:00 |
| July and August | 8:00, 9:00, 12:00, 13:00, 16:00, 17:00 |
| September | 8:00, 9:00, 12:00, 13:00, 16:00 (16:00 until the 15th) |
| October | 9:00, 13:00 |
| November | 10:30 |
| December | 11:00 |
Blue and fin whales come into the bay mostly from mid-June to mid-July, and late June and July also bring the midnight sun departures. Across Iceland, Guide to Iceland's booking data shows whale tours cancelled for weather on 10.4 percent of bookings, most often in March (17.7 percent) and least in May (6.7 percent), so keep a spare day early in the season.
Source: Friends of Moby Dick, North Sailing, Gentle Giants, Guide to Iceland.
How likely are you to see whales in Húsavík?
You are very likely to see whales in Húsavík: North Sailing reports an average success rate over 97 percent across three decades, Gentle Giants 97-99 percent in recent years and Húsavík Adventures over 98 percent. Humpbacks and minke whales are the usual sightings, with white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises often on the same trip.
Source: North Sailing, Gentle Giants, Húsavík Adventures.
Oak boat or RIB speedboat: which Húsavík tour should you book?
Book an oak boat if you want a steady, warm 3-hour trip at the lowest price, and a RIB if you want speed, a puffin stop and a small group. The traditional oak boats carry hot chocolate and cookies on North Sailing's tour and lend warm overalls, and Friends of Moby Dick's newer boat Vinur adds a heated indoor area and two toilets. RIBs cost about twice as much, take at most 12 passengers with Húsavík Adventures, cover more of the bay and stop at Lundey Island, where puffins nest from May through August. Húsavík Adventures runs its RIBs from April to October.
Staying in Akureyri or arriving by cruise ship? Akureyri's own whale watching boats leave from the town centre next to the cruise port, which saves the 75 km drive to Húsavík: see Akureyri whale watching tours.
Source: North Sailing, Friends of Moby Dick, Húsavík Adventures.
Whale Species & Best Months in Húsavík
| Species | January–March | April–June | July–September | October–December | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback Whale | — | Arriving | Peak | Departing | ~95% Jun–Sep |
| Minke Whale | — | Present | Common | Rare | ~50% May–Sep |
| Blue Whale | — | Occasional | Occasional | — | Mostly mid-June to mid-July |
| White-beaked Dolphin | — | Present | Common | Occasional | Moderate |
| Atlantic Puffin | — | Nesting | Present | — | High May–Aug (puffin RIB tour) |
What to Expect on the Day
Depart Húsavík Harbour
Húsavík's small fishing harbour is the centrepiece of this compact town. Every operator departs from the same quay, a 2-minute walk from the iconic white wooden Húsavíkurkirkja church and the town's restaurants and cafés. Arrive 20–30 minutes before departure to check in and collect any thermal overalls provided. The harbour gives the first views of Skjálfandi Bay, often with whale spouts visible before the boat even leaves the dock.
Into Skjálfandi Bay
Skjálfandi Bay is 35 km wide and relatively shallow, conditions that concentrate capelin and herring in upwellings that humpback whales can feed on for weeks at a time. The journey from harbour to first whale encounter is typically 10–20 minutes. On clear days, the snow-capped Kinnarfjöll mountains and the distant Vatnajökull glacier (Iceland's largest) are visible across the bay.
Humpback whale feeding
Húsavík humpbacks are feeding whales, not the breeding or nursing whales of Cabo and Puerto Vallarta. Feeding humpbacks are less acrobatic but behaviourally rich: bubble-net feeding (coordinated group feeding where whales herd fish to the surface), lunge feeding (the whale's entire body breaks the surface), and long diving sequences. Fluking (raising the tail before a deep dive) is very common and the primary photography moment.
Blue whale possibility
Blue whales, the largest animals ever to have lived, visit Skjálfandi Bay mostly from mid-June to mid-July. A blue whale near the boat is one of the great wildlife moments anywhere in the world, and when one is in the bay the operators head for it. Its blow rises about 9 metres and shows from several kilometres away.
Lundey Island puffin colony (puffin RIB tour only)
The <a href="#tour-5">whale and puffins RIB tour</a> includes a stop at Lundey Island, a flat grassy island 30 minutes from the harbour that hosts tens of thousands of Atlantic puffins from May through August. Puffins nest in burrows on the island's clifftops and can be approached to within a few metres from the water. Their orange beaks and comical waddling gait make them exceptionally photogenic. Other seabirds on Lundey include Arctic terns, razorbills, and guillemots.
Watch: Humpback Whales in Húsavík
The Original Whale Watching on Traditional Oak Boats from Húsavík, Iceland
What to Bring and What to Leave at Home
✓ Bring
- Warm, windproof layers: Skjálfandi Bay is cold even in July
- Waterproof outer jacket (spray on deck is common)
- Warm hat and gloves (essential, including in summer)
- Seasickness tablets if prone
- Camera with telephoto: humpbacks can be 50–200m from the boat
- Binoculars for puffin watching (Lundey Island tour)
✗ Leave at home
- Light summer clothes without layers: north Iceland is colder than Reykjavík
- Pets
Where Tours Depart From
| Port / Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Húsavík Harbour | Hafnarbraut 4, 640 Húsavík, Iceland. Every operator departs from the same working harbour in the centre of town. 2-minute walk from Húsavíkurkirkja church and the main restaurants. Free parking in the town centre. The GeoSea geothermal sea baths are a 10-minute drive from the harbour, a popular post-whale-watching activity. |
How to Choose an Ethical Tour
What ethical operators do
- Choose an operator that follows the IceWhale code of conduct for responsible whale watching
- Maintain 100-metre minimum from cetaceans (Icelandic law)
- Never attempt to hand-feed or touch any whale or dolphin
- Report blue whale sightings to the Húsavík Whale Museum research team
Red flags to avoid
- Boats that accelerate toward surfacing blue whales
- Any attempt to swim toward or from the boat toward a whale
- Using underwater drones near cetaceans without research permits