Classic Whale Watching from Dalvík
by Arctic Sea Tours · Whale watching · North Iceland
- Fine on your own
- Self-guided
from €80 per person
Next departure: Thu 22 Oct
1 / 16
Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Very easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Dalvík
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Hafnarbraut 22, Dalvík
Departs
08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 10:30 …
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before
About this experience
Classic Whale Watching from Dalvík – Near Akureyri
Experience an unforgettable whale watching adventure in North Iceland with Arctic Sea Tours. Departing from the charming harbor of Dalvík, just a short drive from Akureyri, this tour combines breathtaking scenery with incredible wildlife encounters.
Sail through the stunning Eyjafjörður, surrounded by the dramatic mountains of Tröllaskagi, located just below the Arctic Circle. This unique setting offers not only spectacular views but also one of the best whale watching locations in Iceland.
Our tours are known for their high success rate and consistently excellent guest reviews. With a 99% sighting success, you have an outstanding chance to encounter whales and dolphins in their natural habitat.
The most commonly seen species include:
- Humpback whales
- White-beaked dolphins
- Minke whales
- Harbor porpoises
On special occasions, you may also spot:
- Blue whales
- Fin whales
- Killer whales (orcas)
If no whales or dolphins are seen (which happens very rarely), we offer you a complimentary return ticket, so you don’t miss out on the experience.
Whale watching in Dalvík is a must-do activity when visiting North Iceland — a perfect mix of adventure, nature, and unforgettable moments at sea.
Description from the operator, Arctic Sea Tours. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
Whale watching tour (99% success 2011-2026) Bird watching, Hot drink and Icelandic refreshment. Flotation overalls from Regatta
Good to know
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.
- 1Arctic Sea 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.
- 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.
- 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 →
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
Arctic Sea Tours 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 Arctic Sea Tours
Read all 759 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · a month ago
Absolute magic! 5 stars aren't enough! From the moment we entered the ticket office, the welcome was incredibly warm and attentive. You can truly tell that the team loves what they do and deeply cares about the well-being of both the people and the whales. This was my second whale watching tour ever—my first one was in Vesterålen, Norway. This trip out of Dalvík on September 2nd was just mind-blowing. The boat was fantastic, and the opportunities we had to get so close to the humpback whales were unreal. A huge thank you to the guys at Arctic Sea Tours Dalvík! This trip will remain unforgettable for me. The whales were over 10 meters long and came so close to the boat that I actually had to turn off my camera's zoom just to fit all three whales into a single frame! I would easily give 10 points if I could, but I can only give 5 stars here. You do what you love, and that passion shines through on the boat, in how you interact with guests, and in your respectful approach to the whales. I will definitely be back!💚💚💚💚
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Great experience, the crew was professional and friendly. We seen 4 different Humbaks and some packs of dolphins. It was our second experience with whale watching and I found it satisfying. Seen the wildlife from a close distance. The ship takes around 70ppl, our ride was around 55/60 - it wasn’t very crowded and it was something I was worried about. Also enough place to sit. We didn’t book much up front, we decided the same day and found a spot easily. It was end of July.
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
We had a fun time. Weather was freezing but we were prepared and bundled up. We went in an express - so no hiding from the weather. They did a great job trying to locate whales - we did see a few spout sightings and then 2 whale tales!
★★ · 3 months ago
We had a 1:00 p.m. reservation. The night before, we received a message asking if we could move it to noon because we were the only reservation at 1:00. We already had our entire day planned around the original time. After a little back and forth, we told them we'd do our best to get there around 12:30. The next morning, they messaged us again saying we needed to be there by noon. We had already started our day earlier than planned to try to make 12:30, but we changed our plans once again and arrived at 11:55 to accommodate them. Unfortunately, from the moment we walked in, the staff wasn't welcoming. They rushed us through check-in, and when my son's suit didn't fit, the employee seemed annoyed that she had to exchange it for the correct size. The entire experience made us feel like we were late and inconveniencing them, when in reality we had gone out of our way to accommodate their scheduling request. The only reason this isn't a one-star review is because we were fortunate enough to see a humpback whale in its natural habitat. Watching it play and then encountering another whale made the trip worthwhile despite the customer service. Before boarding, I politely expressed my disappointment to one of the tour guides. She clearly wasn't happy with my feedback. During the tour, she even told the captain that I was being unreasonable, not realizing I could overhear their conversation. That was disappointing and unprofessional. There are plenty of other whale-watching companies to choose from. If you value good customer service and want to feel appreciated when you're the one making accommodations for the company, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. If your only concern is getting out on the water to see whales, then this company will get the job done.
Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026
Read before you book
- Húsavík or Eyjafjörður for whale watching?Whale watching from Húsavík's Skjálfandi Bay versus boats leaving Akureyri or Dalvík on Eyjafjörður — which bay to book from and why.
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
Places to stay near Dalvík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
Pairs well with
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Your Transfer ehf
Transfer from KEF to Akureyri / Akureyri to KEF
pickup included
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