Sailing with Giants: Whale Watching from Reykjavik

by Your Friend in Reykjavik · Whale watching · Boat tours · Reykjavík

4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator
  • Fine on your own
  • Luxury
  • Couples
  • Eco-certified
  • Self-guided

from €79 per person

Next departure: Thu 22 Oct

Book Thu 22 Oct · €79Other dates
Sailing with Giants: Whale Watching from Reykjavik — Your Friend in Reykjavik
Inside of a luxurious yacht seating area
A google maps image of the tour meeting point
People sitting on deck of the Amelia Rose yacht
A whale leaping out of the sea
A staff member on board a whale watching vessel
An aerial shot of a yacht at sea
An aerial shot of a yacht with people onboard the deck
A massive whale leaping out of the ocean
Inside of a luxurious yacht with seating area and comfortable lodgings
People on board a yacht looking over at whales in the sea

1 / 11

  • Duration

    3 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Starts at

    Sea Trips Office

    Ægisgarður 5b, Reykjavík

  • Departs

    09:15, 13:15

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Experience whale watching in ultimate comfort aboard the luxurious Amelia Rose superyacht. Departing from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour, this small-group tour offers a unique way to witness Iceland’s incredible marine wildlife. Sail through Faxaflói Bay, past scenic islands and along the capital’s coastline, with breathtaking views of the city and Mount Esja.

Spot minke and humpback whales, dolphins, and porpoises, with the chance of seeing orcas and other rare species. The experienced crew ensures a memorable experience, providing expert insights into the wildlife and surroundings. With three panoramic decks, Amelia Rose offers exceptional views, sheltered seating, and a smooth, stable ride, reducing the chances of seasickness.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to whale watch in style. Check availability and book now for an unforgettable adventure at sea.

Description from the operator, Your Friend in Reykjavik. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Old Harbour
  2. Pass By: Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre
  3. Pass By: Faxaflói
  4. Pass By: Engey
  5. Pass By: Lundey
  6. Pass By: Videy Island

Included

  • 2.5 - 3 hours Whale Watching Cruise
  • Professional guides
  • Panoramic views
  • Warm blankets
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Drinks and snacks available for purchase
  • Restroom on board
  • Warm indoor sitting area onboard
  • Pickup is available for an extra charge

Good to know

We recommend all guests dress warmly in layers and good footwear it is always colder on the water and don´t forget your camera.

  • Infants must sit on your lap

Please check-in at the Old Harbour House at Aegisgardur 2, 101 Reykjavík 30 minutes before departure.

If you added pick-up service to your tour the car will be there 45 minutes before departure.

  • Weather is a big factor for the tour, we may have to cancel the tour due to unfavorable weather conditions.
  • The tour takes place in wild nature, sightings cannot be predicted or guaranteed. If there are no sightings on the tour, we do not offer refunds but instead, we offer our passengers a free return to join our tour depending on availability, valid for up to three years.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure; in winter this happens often. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Your Friend in Reykjavik decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Why we list it

Your Friend in Reykjavik is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Your Friend in Reykjavik

Read all 1,779 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Sanket Das

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Your Friend in Reykjavik is the best tour company in Reykjavik . I took Walk with a Viking Tour , Snaefellsnes Peninsula day tour and 6 days around Iceland Adventure tour . I spent 8 Nights in Iceland . I stayed 2 nights at Hotel Reykjavik Grand , 1 night at Hotel Geirland , 1 night at Hotel Hofn , 1 night at Wilderness Center , 1 night at Akureyri Berjaya Iceland Hotels , 1 night at Hotel Laugarbakki , 1 night at Hotel Keflavik . It was an amazing tour . My experience in Iceland was magical and heavenly . I also visited Blue Lagoon and it was a nice experience. I enjoyed my every second in Iceland . Iceland is one of the most beautiful country on our planet . I would keep visiting Iceland in the future . Thank you for making my Iceland journey special and memorable .

  • Wendy Uhlig

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had a great time on our Iceland Folklore tour. Our guide was Einar. He was a fantastic storyteller!! Hidden people/elves, trolls and ghost stories - and a lot of Icelandic history. Thank you Einar!!

  • Nanci Ritter

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Petra was an incredible guide. We asked her to show us as much as she could before taking our crazy family of 10 to the airport for our flights to three different cities ! First stop was the beautiful church in downtown Reykjavik that had just opened with an organ recital. Next stop a lovely spot and observation sight overlooking the city by the Pearl. Cold and wet she found us a lovely coffee shop with the best pastries for a welcome mid morning rest next to the sea. Back in the van we drove for a bit before having the opportunity to explore a geothermal field on our way to the airport. A perfect day and ending to our time in Iceland. Petra shared alot of history and information from the perspective of a local which we all appreciated and enjoyed!

  • Vincent Damas

    ★★★★★ · 4 months ago

    Nice walking trip in Reykjavik city centre with our local guide Hrafn, very friendly and knowledgeable. A good introduction to Iceland on the very first day of our 2 weeks road-trip around the island 👍

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Whale watching — questions people ask

When is the best time for whale watching in Iceland?

April to October, with June to August the most reliable. Humpbacks and minke whales feed in Faxaflói off Reykjavík and in the northern fjords all summer, and white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises turn up on most trips. Winter boats still sail from Reykjavík, but sightings drop and the sea is rougher. If whales are the point of your trip, come in summer and book an early departure; seas are usually calmer in the morning.

Can you see whales from Reykjavík in December?

Sometimes. Boats run from the Old Harbour all year, and winter trips do find whales, mostly humpbacks and the occasional orca. But December means short daylight, cold wind and a higher chance the operator cancels for weather. Sightings are noticeably less frequent than in summer. If you are here in winter, go anyway, but treat it as a sea trip with a chance of whales rather than a whale trip. Most operators offer a free second trip if nothing shows.

Is Húsavík or Reykjavík better for whale watching?

Húsavík, if you can get there. Skjálfandi Bay in the north sees humpbacks close to shore from May to September, and the small family-run boats like Friends of Moby Dick (/experience/752602/) keep group sizes down. Reykjavík is more convenient: boats leave the Old Harbour five minutes from most hotels and run all year. Akureyri and Dalvík in Eyjafjörður are also strong. If you are only in Reykjavík, go from Reykjavík and do not feel short-changed.

Will I get seasick on a whale watching tour?

You might. Faxaflói is open sea and the boats roll, especially in wind. Take a tablet an hour before departure, stay on deck in fresh air and watch the horizon rather than your phone. Morning trips tend to be calmer than afternoon ones. If you know you suffer badly, a two-hour RIB trip (/experience/155331/) is faster and bumpier but shorter, or pick a northern fjord like Eyjafjörður, which is more sheltered than the bay off Reykjavík.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €5 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

from

€79 per person

Book Thu 22 Oct · €79