Akureyri Classic Whale Watching

by Elding Adventure at Sea · Whale watching · North Iceland

4.50(2,403) · operator on Google
Akureyri Classic Whale Watching — Elding Adventure at Sea

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More photos of Akureyri Classic Whale Watching

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  • Duration

    3 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Akureyri

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, DE, SV, IS, FR, PL, ES

  • Departs

    09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00 …

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

Get ready for an unforgettable adventure as we set sail from Akureyri, with the towering Súlur mountain watching over us, and head into the breathtaking Eyjafjord. As we speed past the stunning landscapes, with the island of Hrísey to the north and charming towns dotting the shores, keep your eyes peeled for the rich variety of birdlife that fills the skies. 

The real stars of the show are the majestic "Eyjafjord Humpback Whales", known for their spectacular breaches and tail slaps, which frequent these waters alongside other remarkable marine species such as minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises, to name a few. Our high speed, specially modified whale watching ship ensures you won’t miss a moment of the action, offering unparalleled views from our cinema-styled platforms. With expert marine biologist naturalist on hand to share their knowledge, this is your chance to experience the wild beauty of Iceland in a way few ever do.

Description from the operator, Elding Adventure at Sea. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Check-in and boarding
  2. Whale Watching from Akureyri
  3. Return to harbour

Included

  • 2,5-3 hr. whale watching tour
  • Use of warm overalls and blankets
  • Excellent live narration in English
  • Complimentary WiFi on board
  • Heated indoor saloon
  • Large viewing windows
  • Wildlife guarantee (or try again for free)
  • Pictures taken by crew (if any)

Not included

  • Pick up / Drop off (not available for this tour)
  • Refreshments (can be purchased on board)

Good to know

Dress warmly for our northern fjord. Bring warm outdoor clothing such as a wool / fleece sweater, a hat, gloves and sturdy shoes are recommended. Feel free to borrow our thermal overalls on board if needed.

Hólmasól is the first high speed whale watching ship in Iceland, equipped with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, lavatories and an on board bar & cafeteria. The specially designed viewing platform on the front of the ship is ideal for wildlife watching. *Depending on the conditions and booking status of the day, we may use one of three different sized vessels for this tour. Please check with our team on site.

Daily departures from the floating pier in front of Hof Cultural and Conference Centre in Akureyri each summer, in June and July. With plenty of car parking and within easy walk of any accommodation in town, this tour provides the perfect blend of convenience and adventure, offering you the chance to explore the wonders of the fjord's marine life in the ever glowing Midnight Sun.

Although our success rate is high, the cetacean abundance is unpredictable and varies with the food availability of our shores. In case no whales or dolphins make an appearance on the tour, we will offer you a complimentary ticket to try again within 2 years.

Please be aware that the weather can change rapidly in Iceland and therefore the captain could decide to alter or cancel the tour on short notice for safety reasons. In this case we will contact you as soon as possible with the contact information you provide in the booking process.

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. 1Elding Adventure at Sea 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 this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Húsavík Whale Museum Ticket from Húsavík Whale Museum is €19 — €85 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Elding Adventure at Sea · €104Húsavík Whale Museum · €19
How long it runs3 hours1 hour
Changing your mindFree until 24 h beforeNot stated

The €85 buys you 2 more hours out and free cancellation up to 24 h before. 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.

Why we list it

Elding Adventure at Sea 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 Elding Adventure at Sea

Read all 2,403 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.5/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Iola Wilson

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    We had an incredible sunset whale watching trip. From the beginning, every member of staff was attentive and helpful. Our guide shared lots of info on the wildlife we spotted - birds and whales. We were blessed with beautiful weather and the boat wasn't busy so we had room to move around and spot wildlife. Lots of tips on how to spot whales were shared. We saw a minke whale and then in the distance the sprays from several humpbacks.We made our way towards these and then stayed with one for ages - it was magical! The captain was very generous with time - because our encounter was quite far out, our trip was over 3.5 hours, we were not rushed back because time was running out! We saw lots of different bird species too. The sunset was stunning and we were able to enjoy this on the way back and also get some beautiful pictures of Reykjavik as we approached. We were also impressed with the way Elding respect the wildlife. Our 9 year old learned so much about whale spotting and ga been putting it to use on our cruise - spotting minkes and humpbacks from the ship! Thank you so much, Elding, for a truly memorable and magical evening!

  • Emily A

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    Our whale watching tour was so special. I will start with the whales: we definitely saw them! We found a couple of humpbacks busy feeding and out guide did a great job of pointing them out and describing the behaviors we were seeing. It was truly amazing. The crew has the skills and experience to find what’s in the area. Additionally, they provided us with pictures of the whales and a journal entry about our voyage. We heard from someone else on the boat that if you go out and do not see any wildlife, they will provide you with a voucher to come out again another time (this family was on their re-do but your mileage may vary as I didn’t hear or read about this.) But of course, one cannot control the outcome, and still I would recommend this trip. It was such a fun way to see the city of Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains. We had a beautiful day with a bit of wind and they provided motion-sickness tablets for free, but remaining outside I did not experience much malaise. I also want to say that the company was very accommodating. We had booked a morning tour that we couldn’t get to due to travel disruptions and they were very willing to honor our reservation at a later time slot.

  • Casey Phifer

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Booking excursions through Elding was seamless, and I really appreciated their ecological focus. I first took their free ferry to Viðey with my Reykjavík City Pass, then enjoyed the experience so much that I booked both their classic whale watching and puffin tours. Everything felt easy and well organized, from the cold weather gear to the books, wildlife guides, and knowledgeable experts who narrated the tours and answered questions along the way. These excursions gave me some of my favorite memories of Iceland while getting to learn. about the wildlife and explore Faxaflói Bay. Highly recommend!

  • Olivia Yip

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    Classic puffin tour was 1 of 2 pricier tourist attractions we did (other being Hvammsvík) and this one was SO WORTH THE MONEY. Cute puffins, fun boat tour, knowledgeable staff, binoculars provided, loved every second of it, you get even more pics from them after, and it was guaranteed you see puffins since they take you to an island with a whole colony!! Definitely recommend as a todo activity in Iceland! And it’s cheaper than driving down to the westman islands and taking the ferry and using up 9 hours of your day to see the puffin colony there!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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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

€104 per person

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