Whale Watching & Northern lights Combo Cruise from Reykjavik
by Reykjavik Sailors · Whale watching · Northern lights · Boat tours · Reykjavík
- Fine on your own
- Suits older travellers
- Good with teenagers
- Eco-certified
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.
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Duration
6 hours
Difficulty
Very easy
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Reykjavík
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN
Departs
09:00, 13:00
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Whale Watching tour starts at 9am / 1pm and will last for 2,5-3,5 hours.
We sail into Faxaflói bay in search of Minke and Humpback whales, Dolphins, Harbour porpoises and Killer whales (a rare sighting). On this tour you will also experience the spectacular views of the mountains and islands around Reykjavik as well as the wonderful bird life. On board we have warm overalls, heated spacious indoor cabins, a nice bar and free WiFi. After that you’ll have time ashore to get yourself ready for the Northern Lights frenzy.
Need assistance? Browse our FAQ for answers.
The second part starts at 9pm / 10pm and lasts 2-3 hours. Experience the Northern Lights Like Never Before. You would like to head out on an adventure that will leave you feeling breathless, and we want to give you the opportunity to do just that. We would like to take you on an experience that you will remember forever, guiding you on a Northern Lights tour by sea in Iceland.
It’s a unique experience to see the Northern lights from sea. You can relax in a nice atmosphere in our warm overalls and enjoy snacks and refreshments available on board. Magnify your experience with a combo tour.
Find exciting stories and useful insights on our blog.
NOTE: You should schedule to be at our departure point at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure.
Please be aware that due to environmental reasons during certain times of the year our trips may be delivered on a shared boat with one of our partners. At Reykjavik Sailors, we are committed to ensuring the environment is kept pristine by making sure fewer boats are on the water.
Please note: Whale Watching and Northern Lights are natural activity governed by the laws of the weather. If the trip is cancelled due to bad weather, the Combo ticket is refunded, if following tour was not joined before or you can change your reservation to next available day.
If any tour (part of combo) is cancelled on our behalf but purchased ticket was used for one of the tours, full price for the following admission will be charged and difference in prices will be refunded.
Please, check our DAILY DIARY before you come for the tour. All the important daily information of all our tours will be notified on our website.
If you don't see a whale or northern lights, you have the option to take the tour again for free.
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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 (Combo tour round trip, must be chosen for which tour passengers would like to be picked up and after which tour to be dropped off). If due to lack of sightings tour is joined for free again, pickup service must be added and paid again.
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ADDRESS
We start at Geirsgata 11 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/DatKA6eiZ5sXyxTW7)
Get there 30 minutes early to join the excitement.
Reach out to us for support and inquiries.
See you soon.
Description from the operator, Reykjavik Sailors. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Whale Watching & Northern lights Combo Cruise from Reykjavik
Included
2–3 hours Northern Lights viewing tour
2.5–3.5 hours Whale Watching tour
Expert and professional guides providing an informative experience
Complimentary return ticket if no northern lights or whales are seen
Warm flotation suits/overalls for comfort and safety
Heated indoor cabins with onboard restroom facilities
Free onboard WiFi
Complimentary seasickness tablets available on board
Not included
Snacks and beverages, available for purchase on board and pickup service, offered at an extra charge.
Good to know
Here's a friendly recommendation for your comfort and enjoyment:
We suggest wearing sturdy footwear and warm clothing to stay cozy during the tour.
Don't forget to bring your camera to capture amazing photos of your Whale Watching adventure.
Prepare for an unforgettable experience and make lasting memories with these handy tips.
Some of our boats are wheelchair accessible, but please contact our team in advance for more information and assistance.
Before your arrival, kindly check the tour status on our homepage in the Daily Diary.
Please meet us directly at Geirsgata 11, Special Tours ticket office in Reykjavik Old Harbour pier, 30 minutes before departure.
Whale Watching Adventure:
Begin your day with an unforgettable Whale Watching tour from Reykjavík Old Harbour. Board our vessel equipped with warm overalls and relax in the heated indoor cabins as we sail into beautiful Faxaflói Bay.
Keep an eye out for Humpback whales, Minke whales, Dolphins, Harbour porpoises, and other incredible marine wildlife while enjoying spectacular views of Reykjavík’s mountains, islands, and vibrant bird life.
The Whale Watching tour lasts approximately 2.5–3.5 hours.
Break Between Tours:
After returning to Reykjavík Old Harbour, you will have time ashore to relax, explore Reykjavík, enjoy dinner, and prepare for your evening adventure.
Northern Lights Cruise:
After dark, the second part of your experience begins with a magical Northern Lights Cruise.
Sail away from the city lights and into Faxaflói Bay for the best opportunity to witness the breathtaking Aurora Borealis dancing across the Arctic sky.
The Northern Lights Cruise lasts approximately 2–3 hours.
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 — €150 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Reykjavik Sailors · €169 | Húsavík Whale Museum · €19 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 6 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Not stated |
| How hard it is | Very easy | Easy |
The €150 buys you 5 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 summer; the operator runs it roughly September to April.
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
- Whale watching in winter from Reykjavík is worth it, with three honest warningsWinter whale trips from the Old Harbour — what you're likely to see, how cold and rough it gets, why cancellations rise, and the combo that softens the 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.
- 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.
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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