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Whale Watching in Reykjavik: An Enterprising Encounter with Sea Mammals
4.6
2,173 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
(2173 Ratings)
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N279aajoannew
Mar 20, 2025
Wonderful creaw & boat & so many orcas - Absolutely fantastic tour - the guides were lovely, boat so well equipped. It rained quite a lot but the thermal suits were excellent. We saw 10-12 orcas! Surpassed our expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katyd916
Mar 19, 2025
Great sightings and great crew - We were lucky with the weather in Iceland in March and the sea was calm. We were tied to the date (mid-March) as the trip was for a family birthday and as it was low season, I wasn't expecting to see much.
We got an email early morning to confirm that the 9am trip was going ahead - we arrived early and thought we would have to wait outside but there was a small museum and gift shop inside one of the boats which was great. Boarding and briefing was efficient and then we set off. The cafe had a good selection and there was plenty of inside seating but I chose to stand outside for the duration.
Sightings were better than I had expected - 2 different pods of beaked-nose dolphins including a small calf, a close sighting of a humpack diving and resurfacing, then a further humpback sighting at a distance on the way back. And stunning scenery and rainbows all around!
The crew were great - plenty of information about the wildlife seen and some other stories about the area. Kept us updated on the location around the boat of the various sightings.
And a lovely surprise was that by emailing after the trip we received a download of the photos and videos that had been taken by one of the crew during the trip...I wasn't expecting that and there are some different shots to the ones I took and brilliant for those who don't take photos themselves.
This was my 3rd whale watching trip in Iceland in the last year (others at Olafsvik and Husavik) and I will definitely be back and would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katy_d
Mar 19, 2025
Great sightings and crew - We were lucky with the weather in Iceland in March and the sea was calm. We were tied to the date (mid-March) as the trip was for a family birthday and as it was low season, I wasn't expecting to see much.
We got an email early morning to confirm that the 9am trip was going ahead - we arrived early and thought we would have to wait outside but there was a small museum and gift shop inside one of the boats which was great. Boarding and briefing was efficient and then we set off. The cafe had a good selection and there was plenty of inside seating but I chose to stand outside for the duration.
Sightings were better than I had expected - 2 different pods of beaked-nose dolphins including a small calf, a close sighting of a humpack diving and resurfacing, then a further humpback sighting at a distance on the way back. And stunning scenery and rainbows all around!
The crew were great - plenty of information about the wildlife seen and some other stories about the area. Kept us updated on the location around the boat of the various sightings.
And a lovely surprise was that by emailing after the trip we received a download of the photos and videos that had been taken by one of the crew during the trip...I wasn't expecting that and there are some different shots to the ones I took and brilliant for those who don't take photos themselves.
This was my 3rd whale watching trip in Iceland in the last year (others at Olafsvik and Husavik) and I will definitely be back and would highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Natalie_c
Mar 18, 2025
Great experience - Really well organised with great guides. We were so lucky to see a humpback whale and 6 orcas. Fantastic afternoon
Review provided by Viator
Disneyprincessamy
Mar 17, 2025
Nature’s beauty! - We went on the 9 AM excursion and are so happy that we did! We saw a ton of dolphins, even some teeny tiny little baby ones. Then we saw several humpback whales. Unfortunately, the whales didn’t do any sort of jumping so we didn’t see any tail flutes, but that’s not their fault. They gave a lot of nice details about the whales and dolphins and they ran a very tight ship.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bradreinhart
Mar 17, 2025
Saw a big humpback. - Amazing adventure. Saw a humpback within 30 feet of the boat. Also saw a dolphin a distance out. It was diving with the tail in the air. Crew was great. I would definitely recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Saakshiv2025
Mar 17, 2025
Cold breezy morning but an amazing experience! - Words can't describe the feelings we got when we had the sightings! We saw a humpback and 2 pods of dolphins - truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
The tour was perfectly timed and well-organized. Our guide, Pedro, kept us entertained with his humour and informative commentary!
The total tour lasts for around 3 hours - approx 45 minutes to an hour to reach the spot, about an hour spent observing the wildlife, and another hour to return to the harbour.
Thanks Team Elding for this unforgettable experience! 🐳🐬🛥️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_a
Mar 15, 2025
We did not see any whales... - We did not see any whales , but I still enjoyed the experience and they gave us a voucher for another tour for free !
Review provided by Viator
Sarah_b
Mar 18, 2025
Whale Watching - The tour was good, the staff friendly and they also give you anti sickess medication which unfortunately I needed! We were lucky to see 1 whale as the later tour saw none. They also provide photos that they capture of any animals too.
Review provided by Viator
Keith
Mar 16, 2025
Great crew, not great weather - The only reason it's not full marks, is we were unlucky with the weather (nothing could be done about that) & the coffee was awful, the other hot drinks were fine. Really professional crew, blankets to sit on were available to cover any wet seating. Plenty of crew on all decks, with one eye on us keeping us safe & one eye on the lookout for whales. Very good tour, lots of info provided by one of the crew over the P. A. system, definitely recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
