Whales & Horses

by Special Tours · Whale watching · Horse riding · Reykjavík

4.30(1,460) · operator on Google
Whales & Horses — Special Tours

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Special Tours's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

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  • Duration

    5 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Very easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Languages

    EN, IS

  • Departs

    10:00

  • Minimum age

    8

  • Cancellation

    No refund once booked

About this experience

You will get to visit Iceland's most popular animals both on land and at sea. You will get a chance to ride the renowned Icelandic horse through the lava landscape and observe the beautiful nature that Iceland has to offer. After that, just couple of hours later you will be at sea breathing in the fresh air and watching some of the largest mammals on earth with the city skyline and mountains in the background.

Begin with your horseback riding tour with Íshestar. If you would like to select the optional hotel pick-up, Íshestar will pick you up starting at 9:00. If you are self-driving we kindly ask that you arrive to the stables at least 30 minutes before your departure time at 10:00. Íshestar's stables are roughly a 20 minute drive from the city center. Learn about the friendly Icelandic horses with your experienced guide before heading out to ride through the beautiful Icelandic nature, from lava fields to hillsides. 

After the horseback riding tour is finished you will head back to the heart of Reykjavík for your Whale Watching tour, sailing at 13:00. Drop-off to the Special Tours ticket office is included if you have selected hotel transfers, otherwise there is plenty of parking around the Old Harbour area. Your Classic Whale Watching tour sails out to beautiful Faxaflói Bay, where you will search for cetaceans with your expert guide. The four most common species we encounter are minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises. Learn all about the wildlife and surroundings during your 3-3.5 hour cruise. Finish back in the Old Harbour, just a few steps away from the lively city center. Drop-off to your hotel is available to book in our ticket office for an additional cost if needed. This is a day full of stunning nature, wildlife, fun & fresh air.

 **You can also join our whale watching express tour at 14:00 (seasonal) if you want to have lunch and relax at the harbour first - please check for availability at info@specialtours.is

NEW

Special Tours Iceland app with 5 languages (English, German, French, Spanish and simplified Chinese) available for Android and Apple. It is available for all clients to download during their tour, with both text and audio information. The app is as close to an audio guided wildlife adventure as possible

Description from the operator, Special Tours. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Horseback Riding

  • Riding helmets, rubber boots, and rainwear/warm clothing during the ride
  • Trained guides who speak multiple languages (English, Scandinavian, German)
  • 1.5-2 hours of horseback riding
  • Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate after the tour

Whale Watching

  • Guided boat tour (3-3.5 hours)
  • Experienced guide (English year-round, German available during the summer months or on request)
  • Warm overalls
  • Cafe, souvenir shop & restrooms on board
  • Free WiFI
  • Free ticket to try again if nothing is seen on your tour.

Not included

  • Hotel transfers (available for an additional cost)

Good to know

We recommend warm clothes, sturdy shoes, and sunscreen.

Please note that you cannot take bags or backpacks on your horseback riding tour. Lockers are available at the stables.

Availability: Daily departures all year round.

Whale Watching: English year-round & German available during the summer months

Horse Riding: English, German, and Scandinavian

Cancellation for this tour

No refund once booked. 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. 1Special Tours 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 the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

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

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Húsavík Whale Museum Ticket from Húsavík Whale Museum is €19 — €215 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Special Tours · €234Húsavík Whale Museum · €19
How long it runs5.5 hours1 hour
Changing your mindNo free cancellationNot stated
How hard it isVery easyEasy

The €215 buys you 4.5 more hours out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Children under 8 cannot join this one.
  • Not the one to book if your dates might move: this operator does not refund once booked.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Special Tours is one of 154 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 Special Tours

Read all 1,460 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.3/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Natalia Solovyeva

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Amazing experience with Special Tours! This was one of the highlights of our trip to Iceland. We were fortunate enough to see seven humpback whales and many puffins, which exceeded all our expectations. A very special thank you to Alessio, who made the experience truly memorable. He was exceptionally knowledgeable, professional, and engaging. His explanations about whale behavior, puffins, and Icelandic marine life were fascinating and easy to understand. He was constantly helping passengers spot wildlife and making sure everyone had a chance to enjoy the sightings. Seeing seven humpback whales in their natural habitat was absolutely breathtaking, and Alessio’s enthusiasm and expertise made the experience even more special. The entire tour was perfectly organized, the crew was friendly and professional, and the atmosphere on board was excellent. We highly recommend Special Tours, and if you are lucky enough to have Alessio as your guide, you are in for a fantastic experience.

  • Tatum McNamara

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Tour was great! Learned lots about puffins and their funny little quirks. Alessio was a great tour guide! He was very knowledgeable on puffins and other wildlife in the area. Very engaging and funny. Alessio also gave awesome recommendations on where to visit next. The captain Patrick was a man of few words but they were wise and he captained the ship well. He also had a funny little hat.

  • Ali Good

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    We did 2 tours with Special Tours. The first tour was sea angling. Captain Bishop and the crew were great and so helpful. We caught several fish and they grilled them on board. It was delicious. The only thing I would suggest is sitting on the water for a few minutes to eat before heading back to shore because several people got motion sickness while trying to eat. The water was rocky so not sure if that would have helped or not. The second tour we did was the RIB whale watching which was my favorite. We were able to get so close to the whales. The captain handled the boat well getting us quickly to the whales. We were so close we could smell their breath! The guide Alex was very informative and kind. They were a great team and we had a wonderful experience. They gave us suits to wear over our clothes that kept us warm and dry. The only things I would do different next time is sit closer to the front instead of the back (my own fear of boats I chose a seat in the back but the middle or front looks more exciting) and I would bring a second pair of gloves to change into as my first pair felt to wet as it was raining some during our trip.

  • Piotr Kuszewski

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Puffins Express is outstanding experience. The boat is REALLY close to the puffins, way closer than I expected. Puffins are really small but you can see that it’s possible to take a picture with just regular camera. Our guide was really friendly is energetic and Captain Patrick navigated us safely and showed us some puffin noises. It was incredible experience. Boat is small and might feel crowded at first but once you reach the puffin island everybody can see the puffins freely. Binoculars on the deck are a nice touch too. Highly recommend for everyone. Just make sure to use Special Tours as they have they special boat, other companies don’t have it.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

Read before you book

Reviews from our travellers

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No reviews yet from our travellers on 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.

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from

€234 per person

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