Whale Watching & Puffin Tour from Hauganes

by Whale Watching Hauganes · Whale watching · Puffins · Reykjavík

4.70(1,241) · operator on Google
Whale Watching & Puffin Tour from Hauganes — Whale Watching Hauganes

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Whale Watching Hauganes '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.

  • Duration

    3 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    May – Sep

  • Starts in

    Hauganes

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN

  • Departs

    09:00, 12:00, 13:30, 14:00 …

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

In the far north of Iceland, where snow-capped peaks meet the deep blue waters of Eyjafjörður, nature reveals itself in its purest form. Just 30 minutes from Akureyri, the charming harbor village of Hauganes offers front-row access to one of the country’s most spectacular wildlife experiences. This unforgettable 2–3 hour Whale & Puffin Tour combines dramatic fjord scenery with close encounters of Iceland’s most beloved marine life and seabirds. Operated by Whale Watching Hauganes — Iceland’s oldest whale watching company, established in 1993 — this tour blends decades of expertise with authentic adventure.

Set sail from the peaceful harbor of Hauganes aboard The Puffin, a modern vessel purpose-built for comfort, stability, and exceptional wildlife viewing. As you glide into the calm, sheltered waters of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland, towering mountains frame the horizon while seabirds circle overhead — a dramatic backdrop for the adventure ahead.

Eyjafjörður is renowned for its rich feeding grounds, making it one of Iceland’s most reliable whale watching destinations. Humpback whales are the true stars of the fjord, frequently spotted breaching, tail-slapping, or gracefully diving beneath the surface. In addition, sightings often include minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises, and occasionally other visiting species. With experienced local captains and knowledgeable guides on board, guests gain fascinating insight into the behavior, ecology, and conservation of these magnificent marine mammals.

The journey also includes a scenic 20-minute sail to Hrísey, a picturesque island known for its vibrant puffin colonies during nesting season. Watching these charming seabirds — often called the “clowns of the sea” — as they nest along grassy cliffs and dart across the water is a highlight for photographers and nature lovers alike.

Owned and operated by Whale Watching Hauganes, proudly leading whale watching in Iceland since 1993, this tour reflects decades of maritime expertise and deep respect for the surrounding environment. Combining comfort, authenticity, and outstanding wildlife encounters, the Whale & Puffin Tour from Hauganes offers an intimate and memorable way to experience North Iceland’s extraordinary coastal wonders.

Description from the operator, Whale Watching Hauganes . Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Light refreshments
  • Local guide
  • Live commentary on board
  • Coveralls

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. 1Whale Watching Hauganes 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 — €74 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Whale Watching Hauganes · €93Húsavík Whale Museum · €19
How long it runs3 hours1 hour
Changing your mindFree until 24 h beforeNot stated

The €74 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.

Who this is not for

  • Not available in winter; the operator runs it roughly May to September.

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

Why we list it

Whale Watching Hauganes 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 Whale Watching Hauganes

Read all 1,241 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Tim Orel

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Well organized tour company to go watch whales. Two ships to share spotting information and we saw three Humpback whales close up and two or three Minke whales from a distance. The information narrative had good stuff about the whales identification as well. They also had hot cocoa and coffee and some cookies after the whale excitement died down.

  • Ave Summerfield

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Wow! Just had the most amazing afternoon with these guys! Lovely boat, fantastic staff and just overall an not to be missed experience! We got to see 2 humpbacks whales, which was amazing! The captain knew all the best spots and there was just so much to see! We was travelling with a 2 & 4 year old was no problem at all, was every easy to keep them safe and they got to enjoy a hot chocolate and a lovely cinnamon biscuit! Thank you, we had the best time!

  • Julia L

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    Amazing Tour for whale watching. We booked really spontaneously, because we had to cancel the tour we booked first due to a snow storm. They were super nice and helpful, cancellation was possible until a day before the trip. Two days later we made it to the north and had a great time. Before the tour everyone received a warm overall. The tour guide was very nice, we saw a humpback whale. The provided hot chocolate/ hot coffee made the trip perfect!

  • Debbie Booth

    ★★★★★ · 6 months ago

    Just the best experience! We thoroughly enjoyed our whale watching trip learning from the expert knowledge of local family business. Everyone was so kind and helpful which made us feel ever so welcome! Thank you so much!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 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.

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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Pairs well with

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from

€93 per person

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