Whale Watching and Marine Life Tour in Faxafloi
by Iceland Discover · Whale watching · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Iceland Discover'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.
More photos of Whale Watching and Marine Life Tour in Faxafloi
27 photos from Iceland Discover. Tap any one for the full-size original.
Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Languages
EN
Departs
09:15, 10:30, 13:15, 17:00
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
Our take on this one
The straightforward Faxaflói whale trip: three hours out of the Old Harbour, running all year, with heated space below, an observation deck, a bar and wifi. Iceland Discover usually sail the Sailor, but if fewer than twelve people book they switch to a smaller yacht, which quietly makes a quiet day better. Minke and humpback whales, dolphins and porpoises are the regulars; orcas happen. Nobody can promise a sighting, and this operator gives no refund when the sea is empty — they hand you a free ticket for another day instead, which is only useful if you have another day. Check in 30 minutes before at Ægisgarður 2. Four departures from 09:15. At €82 it is among the cheapest boats here.
- Book it if
- First-time whale watchers who want the cheapest honest way onto Faxaflói, in winter as well as summer.
- Skip it if
- Blank days are common and there is no refund for one, just a rebooking — if this is your last day in Reykjavík, that is a risk you cannot cash in.
Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.
About this experience
*Normally we will sail on the Sailor. However, if there are fewer than 12 passengers booked for a voyage, then we may take our smaller yacht instead. It helps us to reduce our impact on the environment for smaller parties.
Please note
Since this is a wildlife tour we can never predict or guarantee sightings of any kind. In the event that we don't encounter any whales and dolphins, we do not offer refunds, but instead, give our passengers a complimentary ticket to use another day.
Additional Information
We also offer private yacht rental in Reykjavík. Whether it’s a romantic cruise or an evening sailing adventure for all your friends, we’ve got you covered.
For a private tour, please contact us.
Description from the operator, Iceland Discover. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Whale Watching from Downtown Reykjavik
Included
- Guided language in english
- Panoramic views
- Free WiFi
- Drinks and snacks are available for purchase
- Professional guides
- Spacious observation decks
- Restroom on board
Not included
Good to know
We recommend all guests dress warmly in layers and good footwear it is always colder on the water and don´t forget your camera.
- Please check-in at Old Harbour House at Aegisgardur 2, 101 Reykjavík 30 minutes before departure.
- Weather is a big factor for the tour, we may have to cancel the tour due to unfavorable weather conditions.
- The tour takes place in wild nature, sightings cannot be predicted or guaranteed. If there are no sightings on the tour, we do not offer refunds but instead, we offer our passengers a free return to join our tour depending on availability, valid for up to three years.
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.
- 1Iceland Discover 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 — €63 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Iceland Discover · €82 | Húsavík Whale Museum · €19 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 3 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Not stated |
The €63 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
Iceland Discover 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 Iceland Discover
Read all 17 reviews on Google →Operator rating 4.4/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · a year ago
We booked the whale watching tour on the Amelia Rose. The boat was comfortable with a warm cabin on two levels. It was not possible to see much from inside, so be prepared to be on the outdoor decks (very cold in December). The crew was skilled, and we saw several humpback whales not far out of the harbour in Reykjavik. The check in process was a little confusing, with kiosks inside a crowded pub and staff only intermittently available to advise on how/when to board the boats (proceed through the back door of the restaurant or around to the back from the entrance to the docks as soon as you have your ticket from the kiosk). We did not purchase anything from the bar, but it was available. There were bathrooms on board. There was WiFi, but I never found the password posted. The views looking back at Reykjavik and of the mountains in the bay were striking.
★★★★★ · 10 months ago
I went on the whale watching tour on the Amelia Rose in August this year. Our guide, Julian is a marine biologist so he gave very useful, detailed information about not only the whales and but also the other sea life and birds during our tour. We were very lucky because despite the very cold, grey, rainy weather, we saw some whales, among them minke whales. I enjoyed the tour very much.
★ · 8 months ago
This was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had in all my years of traveling around the world. It’s not really a whale watching tour at all. In reality, it consists of going out in a boat that never gets far from the harbor and then chasing poor whales, disturbing their peace. Every time a tail or even the smallest water spout appears, the boat rushes toward the unfortunate whale, which of course gets scared and swims away. In 2026, activities like this should be banned. Neither my family nor I would ever have joined had we known it was something so barbaric. I strongly suggest the company rename it to what it truly is: “Join us and go to bother the whales.” Stay away, this is a complete waste of money.
★★★★★ · 2 years ago
The whale-watching tour will remain an unforgettable experience. We saw several minke whales and puffins. Sometimes just a few meters from the ship. The guide was very professional and accurately announced where the whales could be seen. The captain did everything he could to keep track of the whales and allow for multiple sightings. There is enough space on the ship and people don't get in each other's way. However, the tour was only twenty percent booked at 9:15 that Monday morning. Indoor decks, warm blankets, and a bar are available. I can fully recommend this tour. I would book it again. Vouchers must be redeemed for a boarding pass at the Old Harbor House at Ægisgarður 2, 101 Reykjavík. From there it is only about a hundred meters to the ship's dock. Many thanks again to the Crew for this nice and unforgettable trip.
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Whale watching in Iceland month by month, including January and NovemberWhich harbours sail in which months, what you can realistically expect to see in winter, how the free retry ticket works, and honest sighting odds.
- 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.
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.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
153 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
Pairs well with
Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.
2 days and 6 hoursElding Adventure at Sea
Whale Watching from Reykjavík & Akureyri
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Family friendly
- Free cancellation 24 h
- Meet on location
from
€180 per person
32% above the €136 typical
3-day packageMay – SepArctic Adventures
Hidden Highlands: 3-Day Landmannalaugar & Grænihryggur Hiking Tour
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Age 10+
- Hotel pickup
- Gear included
from
€1,146 per person
3 hoursReykjavik Sailors
Whale Watching tour from Reykjavik
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Family friendly
- Free cancellation 24 h
- Meet on location
from
€97 per person
29% below the €136 typical
3 hoursReykjavik Sailors
Best Value Whale Watching tour from Reykjavik
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Family friendly
- Free cancellation 24 h
- Meet on location
from
€97 per person
29% below the €136 typical
6 hoursSep – AprElding Adventure at Sea
Reykjavík Whales & Northern Lights
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Hotel pickup
- Family friendly
- Free cancellation 24 h
from
€180 per person
32% above the €136 typical
45 minutesRide Iceland
Keflavik Airport : Private Transfer TO/FROM Reykjavik
Leaves from Reykjavík
- Hotel pickup
- Food included
- Wheelchair access
from
€238 per person