Trips sail all year from the Old Harbour, with April to October as high season, and a classic tour costs ISK 12,998 to 14,500. Boats work the southern part of Faxaflói Bay, a short sail out.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: in season | December: in season |
| Minke whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: in season | December: in season |
| White-beaked dolphin | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: in season | December: in season |
| Harbour porpoise | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: in season | December: in season |
Peak In season
From specialtours.is. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whale Watching ReykjavíkIncludes Guided boat tour, Free re-try ticket, Warm floatable overalls, Wi-Fi, café and toilets on board, Discount on Whales of Iceland exhibition |
ISK 12,998 per adult |
2.5 to 3.5 hours |
All ages; 0 to 6 free | Andrea, described by the operator as one of Iceland's largest whale watching boats, with large outside decks | Free ticket to try again if there are no sightings | Full refund if cancelled 24 hours before departure; weather cancellations get rebooking or a full refund. | Check dates | ||
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching |
ISK 14,500 per adult |
2 to 3.5 hours |
All ages; under 13 must be with an adult and wear a life vest | Free Classic tour ticket (valid at least 2 years) if no whales or dolphins are seen | 100% fee if cancelled within 24 hours; weather cancellations by Elding get a full refund or a new date. | Check dates | |||
RIB ExpressIncludes Warm overalls, life vest, gloves and goggles, Free buff, Whales of Iceland museum admission, Puffin Island (Akurey) visit in summer |
ISK 23,800 per adult |
2 hours |
Not recommended under 10 years or under 140 cm | 12 m custom-built RIB with shock-absorbing seats, cruising speed 32 knots | Free ticket on a Classic or Express whale tour if there are no sightings | Full refund if cancelled 24 hours before; minimum 4 passengers or rebooking or refund offered. | Check dates | ||
Reykjavík Premium Whale WatchingIncludes Specially trained wildlife guide |
ISK 24,900 per adult |
2 hours |
12 people per boat |
Child price listed for ages 10 to 15; no younger band listed | RIB, 12 passengers | Free Classic tour ticket if no whales or dolphins are seen | 100% fee if cancelled within 24 hours; weather cancellations by Elding get a full refund or a new date. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Both companies sail from Reykjavík's Old Harbour. Elding's office and boats are at Ægisgarður 5c, and it asks passengers to arrive 15 to 30 minutes before departure. Special Tours checks guests in at its ticket office at Geirsgata 11 and wants them there at least 30 minutes early. Its RIB Express uses a separate ticket office at Ægisgarður 5E.
Special Tours points drivers to a free whale watching parking area about a 5-minute walk away, and its hotel pickups start an hour before departure. Elding charges ISK 3,750 extra for hotel pickup. Its classic tour concentrates on the southern part of Faxaflói Bay, close to the harbor, and its Premium RIB covers similar water faster. Special Tours says whales are sometimes right beside the boat and sometimes farther out.
Minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises are the regular sightings, and both operators say whales stay in Faxaflói Bay all year. Special Tours calls April to October the high season, and Elding says summer brings the most wildlife and the most departures. Orcas, fin and sei whales and basking sharks turn up occasionally, according to Elding, which puts its sighting rate at about 90 percent in recent years.
Puffins breed on islands just off Reykjavík in summer. Elding gives May to August, and its Premium RIB stops at a puffin island in that season. Special Tours runs a separate Puffin Express from May 1 to August 20, and its RIB Express calls at Akurey. From September 1 to April 15, Special Tours also sells northern lights trips by boat, and Elding runs a Northern Lights Cruise.
Both operators give out free seasickness tablets. Elding hands out Postafen and ginger tablets, and Special Tours keeps complimentary tablets at its ticket office and on board. Elding's advice is to stand at the back of the boat, where the motion is smaller, face the waves, watch the horizon, eat lightly beforehand and drink plenty of water. Special Tours posts each day's sea state as good, rough, very rough or cancelled.
Weather calls can come late: Elding may cancel as little as 2 hours before departure. Both companies lend warm overalls on their classic boats, and Elding adds raincoats and blankets; bring a hat, gloves, sturdy shoes and sunglasses. The classic boats have toilets and a heated saloon or café, the RIBs have neither, and Elding's Premium passengers must wear the supplied suits and goggles.
Special Tours' classic trip costs ISK 12,998 per adult and Elding's ISK 14,500; on both, children 7 to 15 pay about half and under 7s ride free. Special Tours sails on Andrea, which it calls one of Iceland's largest whale watching boats, with big outside decks, Wi-Fi and a café. Its re-try ticket after a trip with no sightings never expires. Elding's lasts at least 2 years and works only on a later classic tour.
Both companies also sell 2-hour RIB rides. Elding's Premium, run by its sister company Whale Safari from April 1 to October 31, takes 12 per boat with a wildlife guide for ISK 24,900, and children 10 to 15 pay the same. Special Tours' RIB Express costs ISK 23,800 on a 12 m boat that cruises at 32 knots, for ages 10 and up, and includes entry to the Whales of Iceland museum.
Classic tours run all year. Elding keeps a 1 pm sailing in every month and adds up to six a day in summer, while Special Tours runs a single 1 pm trip from December to February. From mid-June to August, Special Tours adds a shorter Whale Watching Express (ISK 12,490, 2 to 2.5 hours) on Lilja or Rósin. Elding also pairs whale watching with puffins, northern lights, the Lava Show or FlyOver Iceland.
from ISK 12,998 per adult
Whale Watching Reykjavík and 1 more option
Classic tour runs year-round; one 13:00 departure December to February
from ISK 14,500 per adult
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching and 1 more option
Classic tour runs all year (13:00 departure every month), with up to six departures a day in summer
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.