RIB Whale Expedition: 2-Hour High-Speed Adventure
by Reykjavik Sailors · Whale watching · Boat tours · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
- Good with teenagers
- Eco-certified
- Skip the queue
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Reykjavik Sailors'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
2 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN
Departs
09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00 …
Minimum age
10
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Enjoy spectacular and personal whale watching experience with RIB speedboat, that allows us to approach very close and safe to the whales.
With 12 meters long rib speedboat we can get to the whales faster than any other boat and low position in the water gives you a close view experience, safe for whales and passengers.
On this tour during the summer we will visit puffin island Akurey to look at these incredibly beautiful and funny birds and on the way back we will take beautiful route along the Reykjavik coast.
By Reykjavik coast we will be able to see the Minke, Humpback and Killer whales to White Beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises and all the other aquatic species, all sorts of wildlife and at the same time enjoy the splendid scenery around the coast of Iceland.
RIB was custom built and has been equipped with suspension seating, for extra safety and comfort also on choppy ocean.
Please be aware that due to environmental reasons this trip will be delivered on a shared boat with our partners. At Reykjavik Sailors we are committed to ensuring the environment is kept pristine by making sure fewer boats are on the water during slower periods.
NOTE: You should schedule to be at our departure point the latest 30 minutes before scheduled departure.
Check-in is at our ticket office at Ægisgarður 5E, 101 Reykjavík. We kindly ask you to check in at least 30 min prior to departure. Everyone that arrives later than 15 min prior to departure can not be guaranteed to join the tour and Special Tours reserve the right to forfeit any refunds.
Disclaimer for pick ups :
Pick-ups must be booked with a minimum of one hour before the tour departure time, all pick-ups booked after that will be discarded.
Pickup service (round trip) fee applies to first boat tour, if due to lack of sightings tour is joined for free again, pickup service must be added and paid again.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Please note that you will be asked to read & sign a safety waiver from our ticket office before departure.
Please note that this tour is not recommended for pregnant women, people with back problems or severe heart conditions, children under 10 years or people under 140 cm.
We kindly ask you to arrive the latest 30 min prior to departure. Everyone that arrives later than 15 min prior to departure can not be guaranteed to join the tour and Special Tours reserve the right to forfeit any refunds.
All departures must have a minimum of 2 passengers booked to sail out. If there is only 1 passenger, we will reschedule you for another time/date or offer a full refund.
You will be asked to show a valid form of ID upon arrival for check-in.
Description from the operator, Reykjavik Sailors. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Special Tours
Included
- Warm overalls, life-vests, gloves and goggles provided
- Admission to the Whales of Iceland exhibition
- A visit to the Puffin Island in the summertime
- Scenic route along the Reykjavík coastline
- Suspension seats for extra comfort
- We get you extra close.
- Free ticket to join our Whale Watching Classic or Whale Watching Express tour if there are no sightings.
Not included
Please note: Hotel transfers are available for an additional cost.
Good to know
We recommend wearing good footwear and warm clothing. Don´t forget to bring your camera to take amazing photos.
Important information
- Please note that you will be asked to read & sign a safety waiver from our ticket office before departure.
- We kindly ask you to check in at least 30 min prior to departure. Everyone that arrives later than 15 min prior to departure can not be guaranteed to join the tour and Special Tours reserve the right to forfeit any refunds.
- All departures must have a minimum of 4 passengers booked to sail out. If there are fewer than 4 passengers, we will reschedule you for another time/date or offer a full refund.
- Admission to Whales of Iceland is included. Please note that the museum is open every day from 10am to 5pm and is about 15 min walking distance from the harbor.
- To participate, you must be in good physical health and able to fit into one of our overalls, available up to size 3XL.
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.
- 1Reykjavik Sailors 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 →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Húsavík Whale Museum Ticket from Húsavík Whale Museum is €19 — €156 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Reykjavik Sailors · €175 | Húsavík Whale Museum · €19 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 2 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Not stated |
| How hard it is | Moderate | Easy |
The €156 buys you 1 more hour 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
- Children under 10 cannot join this one.
Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.
Why we list it
Reykjavik Sailors 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 Reykjavik Sailors
Read all 215 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.
★★★★ · 2 months ago
We booked the whale watching and puffin watching tour package (whale watching boat followed by puffin watching boat) through Get Your Guide in late May. We did not see a single whale which isn't the fault of the tour guide, just something to consider when choosing tours late May. However, we saw more puffins on the puffin tour portion than we saw the entire time in Iceland. It was great. If going late May you'll definitely want your waterproof layers to stay warm. The company provides you with seasickness tablets if needed.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
We went whale watching in Reykjavik and had such a fantastic time! The guide was absolutely hilarious — the perfect mix of informative and funny, which made the whole trip even more enjoyable. And yes… “Banana” and “Apple” showed up so many times! 🐋🐳 It was so exciting every time we spotted them again. Seeing the whales surface so close to the boat was unforgettable, and the crew made sure everyone had a great view. The whole experience was well organized, fun, and memorable. If you’re in Reykjavik, don’t miss whale watching — especially if you get a guide like ours!
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Seeing humpback whales in Iceland was an unforgettable experience. I cried from joy. Since we went in December, we knew the chances could be slim, but that made it even more special when we spotted them. The tour wasn’t overcrowded, which made the experience feel more personal. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and even knew details about the individual whales, explaining how biologists study and track them. Warm oversuits were provided, which made the cold completely manageable, and they also offered anti-nausea medicine for anyone worried about seasickness. Even beyond the whales, the scenery was stunning. Between the views, the expertise of the guide, and the overall care taken by the crew, the tour was absolutely worth the cost. I can’t recommend it enough. (Mobile photos included. DSLR cameras allowed.)
★★★★★ · a month ago
We went whale watching, our guide was super helpful and friendly. We were super lucky we saw the humpback whales and dolphins and the dolphins decided to swim with the boat
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Your arrival afternoon in Reykjavík is for one thing, and it might be a napFood walk, whale watching or bed on the afternoon you land — which one survives a red-eye, which one wastes the day, and the combo we'd actually book.
- Boat tours in Iceland sort into five kinds, and only two of them are sightseeingWhale boats, aurora cruises, glacier-lagoon zodiacs, island ferries and sea angling. What each one actually is, what it costs, and which are worth a slot.
- Northern lights by bus, boat or super-jeep — the odds are the same, the night isn'tBus, boat and super-jeep lights hunts from Reykjavík compared on real odds, comfort and price, with the one we'd book first.
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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