Recently Viewed
Whale Watching in Reykjavik: An Enterprising Encounter with Sea Mammals
4.6
2,239 Ratings
Reykjavík
Embark on an unforgettable whale watching adventure in Reykjavik. Encounter whales, dolphins, and porpoises in their natural habitat while supporting an environmentally friendly company.
Embark on an unforgettable whale watching adventure in Reykjavik. Encounter whales, dolphins, and porpoises in their natural habitat while supporting an environmentally friendly company.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Elding Whale Watching - Embark on a 2 to 3.5-hour cruise in Faxaflói Bay to spot whales and other wildlife. Enjoy breathtaking views and exceptional onboard services. Guests are welcome to use our overalls to stay warm on the outdoor deck.
The most frequently seen whales are humpback and minke whales, though other species occasionally visit the bay…
- Elding Whale Watching - Embark on a 2 to 3.5-hour cruise in Faxaflói Bay to spot whales and other wildlife. Enjoy breathtaking views and exceptional onboard services. Guests are welcome to use our overalls to stay warm on the outdoor deck.
The most frequently seen whales are humpback and minke whales, though other species occasionally visit the bay throughout the year. If no whales or dolphins are sighted during the tour, guests are invited to join another tour on a different day at no extra cost!
What's Included
- Complimentary on-board WiFi
- Live guide expertise
- Protective gear including overalls, raincoats, and blankets
- Included admission to the Wildlife Exhibition
- Complimentary on-board WiFi
- Live guide expertise
- Protective gear including overalls, raincoats, and blankets
- Included admission to the Wildlife Exhibition
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
Experience the thrill of observing whales, dolphins, porpoises, and birds on this cruise departing from Reykjavik, where you can witness wildlife in their natural environment along the capital’s coastline. Whales and dolphins are spotted on over 90% of our tours, regardless of the season! Should you not encounter a whale or dolphin, you will receive a…
Experience the thrill of observing whales, dolphins, porpoises, and birds on this cruise departing from Reykjavik, where you can witness wildlife in their natural environment along the capital’s coastline. Whales and dolphins are spotted on over 90% of our tours, regardless of the season! Should you not encounter a whale or dolphin, you will receive a complimentary ticket to join us on another day.
Elding is a globally recognized, environmentally conscious company known for its sustainability initiatives. Our mission is to reduce our operational impact on the environment while providing an unforgettable maritime adventure.
We adhere to a responsible whale watching code of conduct, ensuring our tours respect marine life by minimizing disturbances and maintaining a safe distance from the animals.
- Passengers with limited mobility are warmly welcome. However, please note that our boats are not fully accessible, as steep stairs and high thresholds may limit access to inside areas and toilet facilities.
- Wheelchair users are welcome to bring a light-weight chair on board our larger boats. If possible, please notify us of your arrival in advance, as assistance with boarding may be required.
- If conditions in Reykjavík are unfavourable, the tour may either be cancelled or depart from an alternative harbour, which could extend the duration by 1-2 hours.
- No whales or dolphins spotted on your tour? Join us again another day for FREE!
Location
Elding Whale Watching
Meet us in the ELDING ticket office located at Ægisgarður 5c by the Old Harbour district in Reykjavík. Once at the pier, simply follow the red colour to find us! Be sure to arrive at least 15 min. before departure to ensure enough time to check in and to board the boat.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(2239 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Cagirl1975
Jun 2, 2025
Whale watching - Excellent trip, lovely guides and we saw puffins and a humpback whale right next to the ship! Very relaxing, peaceful and fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Federico_o
Jun 2, 2025
Nice on board guide , the rest of the crew are NOT interested in helping - We had good luck seeing whales; the guide was very knowledgeable, the boarding was confusing with poor signs in how to get in to the boat , through another boat
Review provided by Viator
Dapeters-mn
May 29, 2025
Was a great afternoon. - Nice, friendly, helpful crew/ staff both on shore and on the boat. Boat was a bit crowded, owever, still able to get a good viewing spot. To get a bow spot, get there early. We had good weather. Had a few sightings but still enjoyed the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jonathan_l
May 29, 2025
A Whale Watching Experience - Above and Beyond! - Elding Whale Watching goes ABOVE and BEYOND! My wife and I joined a morning tour this past week on our last day in Reykjavik and were excited to get out on the water. The crew was fantastic and provided great guidance on what to look for as possible signs of wildlife. After heading out from the dock, we eventually found white-beaked dolphins, plenty of gulls, and a few puffins. Eventually we found a very curious and playful pod of dolphins and enjoyed following them for a while, but had to turn around without having spotted any whales.
Right as we were approaching the buoy marking our return to harbor, the captain completely turned around and headed back out to sea. Mind you, we were roughly 10 minutes from the end of our three-hour tour. Our guide came back out to explain that they had received a very credible rumor of a whale from another one of the tour boats. Instead of mailing it in and ending the tour as scheduled, they were determined to find a whale! I have never been on a tour with such determination to deliver an unforgettable experience. After heading very far back out to sea, we were able to spot a humpback whale!
In addition to an incredible trip, they also provide you with pictures from your trip if you send them an email after returning. If you're looking to go whale watching in Reykjavik, look no further than Elding!
Review provided by Viator
Jet2gether
May 29, 2025
A Whale Watching Experience - Above and Beyond! - Elding Whale Watching goes ABOVE and BEYOND! My wife and I joined a morning tour this past week on our last day in Reykjavik and were excited to get out on the water. The crew was fantastic and provided great guidance on what to look for as possible signs of wildlife. After heading out from the dock, we eventually found white-beaked dolphins, plenty of gulls, and a few puffins. Eventually we found a very curious and playful pod of dolphins and enjoyed following them for a while, but had to turn around without having spotted any whales.
Right as we were approaching the buoy marking our return to harbor, the captain completely turned around and headed back out to sea. Mind you, we were roughly 10 minutes from the end of our three-hour tour. Our guide came back out to explain that they had received a very credible rumor of a whale from another one of the tour boats. Instead of mailing it in and ending the tour as scheduled, they were determined to find a whale! I have never been on a tour with such determination to deliver an unforgettable experience. After heading very far back out to sea, we were able to spot a humpback whale!
In addition to an incredible trip, they also provide you with pictures from your trip if you send them an email after returning. If you're looking to go whale watching in Reykjavik, look no further than Elding!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jasmine_l
May 29, 2025
Fantastic Voyage - We really enjoyed our trip! It was a beautiful day and we were able to see a few different whales and puffins. The crew did an awesome job giving information and accommodating the guests on board. When my daughter got motion sickness, they were very helpful and checked on us often. The boat was comfortable and spacious and had good options for snacks and beverages. Highly recommended
Review provided by Viator
A5266fyjonathanb
May 29, 2025
Whale watching experience - An excellent trip. The crew were very good and very informative. Thankyou for sending me the photos the crew sent. Well done.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jacksonvilleprincess
May 27, 2025
Amazing Captain…AND UNBELIEVABLE DEDICATION - Walked off the Celebrity Eclipse today and to the Elding docks (find on google maps) and bought two tickets for whale watching. The vessel is spotless and the crew very friendly….initially saw quite a few white-beaked dolphins (no whales) and headed back to shore with lots of apologies from the captain….but the ocean was FLAT and the weather was so warm and no wind, so who cares? We made it all the way back to the sea buoy close to the harbor and the captain did a 180….because he got word there were humpback whales in the area….HE TURNED THE BOAT AROUND and went back out to sea to spot the whales….been on LOTS OF WHALE WATCHING trips and NEVER had someone add almost two hours to the trip to please his customers…….DO NOT HESITATE TO USE THIS COMPANY1
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oliviadi9920tf
May 27, 2025
Great time on the water! - My husband and I were on a 3-day stopover in Iceland and were excited to get out on the water and see some whales! The morning started off foggy but cleared up shortly after departing from the dock and we were able to see a humpback whale, harbour porpoises, and white-beaked dolphins! The experience was very relaxed and fun! If you email the company after your tour noting your tour date and time, they will even send you good quality pictures of everything you saw in addition to a report breaking everything down. If you are traveling to Reykjavik, highly recommend Elding Whale Watching!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cjoc94
May 30, 2025
A great experience but could be improved - We did the classic whale watching tour, which went around the bay and lasted about 3 hours in total. We were fortunate enough to see a humpback whale on our trip, which we were able to watch from a very reasonable distance (along with a couple of other boats) for about 15-20 minutes. Lots of people crowding around the front of the top deck, but we managed to get a great view from the bow. After this, the crew realised other boats were coming and told us they didn’t want to stress the whale out - we appreciated animal welfare being considered like this.
Some improvements would be:
- A very short safety briefing was given, but only about 10 minutes after we left the harbour - surely this should be given before leaving (especially when announcing about buoyancy aids and cold weather suits).
- A crew member made some short infrequent announcements or told us information about the wildlife - we thought this should have been longer and/or more frequent.
- Very little seating on the top deck, although plenty of standing room if wanted.
- When watching the whale, it was only visible from one side of the boat, which encouraged people to crowd on one side - appreciate it’s probably not in the animal’s best interest though!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator
