Whale Watching in Reykjavik: An Enterprising Encounter with Sea Mammals

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…
What's Included
  • 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
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…

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.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(2409 Ratings)
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Curious23837489508
Aug 15, 2025
Whales, Puffins, and Pure Magic on the Water - My whale watching tour with Elding was a huge highlight of my trip. We saw around 12 humpback whales, puffins, and countless seabirds. The crew and guide were fantastic — super knowledgeable and clearly passionate about conservation, which Elding actively supports. The boat had snacks, drinks, bathrooms, and even motion sickness medicine on board. Be sure to dress warmly and in layers — once you’re out on the water, the wind is cold. Whales popped up on all sides of the boat, so be ready to move around quickly. Elding also takes professional photos during the trip and sends them afterward — we got nearly 1,300 shots, which was such a treat compared to my phone pics. The tour ran closer to 4 hours because there was so much whale activity, so build in some buffer time after. If you want a top-deck seat, arrive early — as a solo traveler I could squeeze in, but pairs or groups might need to sit inside if you arrive right before departure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Al_v
Aug 13, 2025
Professional and well done. - Great tour. The operator provide the best pictures so you can focus on the experience. Can get colder on water so bundle up and waterproof everything.
Review provided by Viator
Deya445
Aug 12, 2025
Recommended - Very nice experience! The sea was pretty rough, but they have the courtesy to give you dizziness pills so no problem with that. We saw humpback whales and different kinds of dolphins. I highly recommend this activity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jacqueline_t
Aug 12, 2025
Would definitely recommend! - We saw multiple humpback whales and minke whales and it was an AMAZING experience!!! It was an August tour that started at 11 am. Wonderful weather and the boat was not crowded at all. All of the staff on board were so knowledgeable, helpful and kind. I couldn’t have asked for a better outing for my family and all of our little ones. Thank you Elding for such a fun day!
Review provided by Viator
Saba_a
Aug 11, 2025
Davey Jones Stole the Show - This tour was amazing! We saw so many whales and dolphins. We were lucky because it was sunny during most of the seafari, and Davey Jones gave us a fantastic show. The tour guide Samantha was great, so informative and energetic. Loved this for our first day in Iceland!
Review provided by Viator
Ellinas12017
Aug 11, 2025
Great experience - Excellent! The guide was so informative and we saw a lot of whales! We've done whale watching before on Maui but this was a different and great experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diego_m
Aug 11, 2025
Great trip. Saw 8... - Great trip. Saw 8 Humpbacks around the boat doing bubble nets and feeding. Highly recommended. Guide was very good.
Review provided by Viator
Annikadb
Aug 8, 2025
Fun EN informative getaway! - Very friendly EN friendly and enthusiastic staff. Got a lot of explanation EN and seen whales. DE humpback whale EN DE blue whale this was very rare. Very much enjoyed everything. Also had plenty of time to enjoy everything!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ncwahoos
Aug 16, 2025
Potential was great; excess of inexperienced passengers ruined the vibe - Might have been an unusual situation with this trip and the makeup of the passengers, but at least half of the passengers on the boat were vomiting or caring for someone who was. This had nothing to do with the boat crew but rather seemed to be caused by an excess of folks who had never been on the water trying to prime themselves with a three hour trip on standard rough ocean water conditions in this part of the world. That said, our family spent about $600 to watch people vomiting all around us for 3 hours and to see a few marginal whale sightings. The crew bringing out the barf bags and putting up with all of the craziness was phenomenal. No photos posted for obvious reasons.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
414laureny
Aug 14, 2025
We wanted to love it - We wanted to love this trip. It was a beautiful day in Iceland. There were a few whale sightings, however the captain kept turning the boat so only the people in the front of the boat could see. Even when there was a whale on our side, he would turn the boat so we couldn’t see. We kept moving hoping to catch a glimpse but unless you were the folks fighting to get to the front of the boat, you unfortunately weren’t seeing much of anything. We were disappointed. We saw The other boat turned so spectators on the side could see but not our boat. Pretty disappointed. Wish we would have done something else.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $105
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).