Húsavík: Small-Family Run, Responsible Whale Watching
by Friends of Moby Dick · Whale watching · Family & kids · North Iceland
- Fine on your own
- Couples
- Suits older travellers
- Good with teenagers
- Eco-certified
Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Friends of Moby Dick'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 Húsavík: Small-Family Run, Responsible Whale Watching
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Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Húsavík
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN
Departs
08:00, 09:00, 09:30, 10:30 …
Cancellation
Free until 24h before
About this experience
Join us for a friendly, family-run whale watching tour in the whale watching capital of Europe. Our daily tours will provide you with a personal experience, whether you're a first-time adventurer or a seasoned wildlife enthusiast.
You will have the chance to see whales like Humpback whales, Minke whales, Blue Whales, Sei Whales, Fin Whales, Sperm Whales, Killer whales, Northern Bottlenose whales, Pilot Whales, or White-beaked dolphins in their natural environment. Along the way, we’ll share fascinating facts about these incredible animals and the ecosystem they call home.
Why choose us? We’re a small, local team that will go an extra mile for your personal, unforgettable experience. Our tours prioritise sfaety of our passengers with equal respect to the whales and we're proud ambassadors of the Code of Conduct - we follow and advocate for strict guidelines to ensure minimal disturbance and interference with the whales’ natural behaviour.
We invite our guests to join us and learn about these incredible animals, proving that responsible tourism can go hand in hand with creating unforgettable experiences. We're known for giving more than just a boat ride - it’s a chance to connect with nature in a relaxed, enjoyable and sustainable way.
Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or as a family, our experienced crew will truly want to show you the beauty of Iceland’s most precious marine wildlife.
About our boatsWe operate our tours on two different boats, and you can select your boat based on the departure time and our seasonal schedule:
Vinur - a stable, ferry-style whale-watching boat with a heated indoor area, large windows, and multiple outdoor viewing platforms. Vinur is ideal for colder days, winter tours, families with children, and guests who prefer the option to warm up between sightings.
Vinur operates from March til December as our main boat in March, April, May, June, October, November, and December on all of our tours. In July, August & September, it sails on tours at 9:00, 13:00, and 17:00Moby Dick - the most classic, beautifully restored traditional Icelandic oak boat with a wide open deck, offering excellent visibility and superb conditions for photography with unobstructed wildlife viewing.
Moby Dick operates in July, August & September as our seasonal vessel and upon request outside of the peak season. In July, August & September, it sails on tours at 8:00, 12:00, and 16:00*Read more about our boats here: https://www.friendsofmobydick.is/our-boats
Safety and animal well-being are at the heart of everything we do. We follow responsible whale-watching guidelines, operate at respectful distances, and prioritize calm, predictable behavior around wildlife. Our approach is sustainable, educational, and respectful, ensuring that whales and dolphins are never disturbed for the sake of sightings.
Tour details- Duration: approx. 2.5 - 3 hours
- Location: Húsavík, North Iceland
- Season: March-December
- Boats: Vinur or Moby Dick (choose by schedule)
- Included: warm overalls, professional guide, family-friendly service
If you’re looking for a genuine, small-scale whale-watching experience led by people who truly care about the ocean, Friends of Moby Dick offers a warm welcome, unforgettable encounters, and memories that last long after you return to shore.
Meeting Point:
- Please note that departures may take place from an alternative harbour if weather conditions require it. In such cases, we will contact you directly with updated information. We kindly ask all guests to arrive at our meeting point at least 20 minutes prior to departure.
Our ticket office in Húsavík harbour - Friends of Moby Dick
Hafnarstétt 23, 640 Húsavík
North Iceland
Description from the operator, Friends of Moby Dick. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Whale watching Húsavík with Friends of Moby Dick
Included
- FLOATATION SUITS - windproof, waterproof & safe
- EXCELLENT GUIDANCE - by highly qualified guides
- 20% DISCOUNT ON WHALE MUSEUM ENTRANCE , 10% discount for Geosea, 10% Salka restaurant, 5% discount Fisn N chips by showing your booking confirmation at the entrance.
- SAFETY EQUIPMENT ONBOARD (incl. Life Jackets)
- All taxes & fees
Not included
- Food & Drinks - we don’t have bar/kitchen service on board but you are welcome to take food and water if you want.
- Shoes - for your safety and comfort, we recommend wearing closed-toe shoes.
- Sun Glasses - the sun's reflection in the sea can be very strong, we recommend having lenses with a good UV filter.
- We do not offer pick-up service / the meeting point is our ticket office:)
Good to know
- Take your camera or phone - you will want to capture these views.
- Warm clothes - we offer safety overalls free of charge but it’s good to have layers, hats, gloves, and good shoes. It’s always colder at sea than on land.
- Sunglasses / Ski goggles - good UV protection is a great idea.
- Optional - strap to hold your camera or phone - a waterproof case may not be necessary, but it's a good idea to secure your camera or phone with a strap. It can get rocky on board and you may want to have your hands free and not drop your belongings - our safety overalls have great pockets too.
- NO AGE LIMIT - everyone is welcome on board, from 0-100 years old.
- Our boat is NOT wheelchair accessible.
- Infant seats are unavailable.
- Smoking on board is strictly forbidden.
DEPARTURES & BOATS
- Please note that departures may take place from an alternative harbour if weather conditions require it. In such cases, we will contact you directly with updated information. We kindly ask all guests to arrive at our meeting point at least 20 minutes prior to departure.
- We operate our tours on two boats - Moby Dick & Vinur*
*Read more about our boats here: https://www.friendsofmobydick.is/our-boats
Whale and Dolphin Sightings Policy.
At Friends of Moby Dick, we appreciate the inherent unpredictability of natural wildlife encounters. Although our expeditions have had over 98% success with whales and dolphins, sightings cannot be guaranteed. In case of a no sighting tours, we do not offer a refund. Nevertheless, we extend an offer to our guests to partake in an alternative departure, subject to availability. We are dedicated to ensuring a memorable experience for all our patrons, regardless of the whims of nature.
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.
- 1Friends of Moby Dick 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 — €67 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Friends of Moby Dick · €86 | Húsavík Whale Museum · €19 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 3 hours | 1 hour |
| Changing your mind | Free until 24 h before | Not stated |
The €67 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
Friends of Moby Dick 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 Friends of Moby Dick
Read all 348 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.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Loved their whale watching tour, very good guide, very nice boat. Saw a lot - two species of whales (humpbacks and minke whales) on severeal occasions, several dolphins and a lot of puffins, some quite close. Also a lot of other seabirds. Advisable to bring binoculars, if you have! The provided overalls are waterproof and very warm!
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Great whale watching experience! Saw Humpback whales feeding and was given lots of information about the whales during the tour. Our deck hand Maya (spelling?) Was incredible as my wife did not feel well but was checked in on multiple times. Really enjoyed this tour and suggest everyone to try them if interested in Husavik whale watching!
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Wonderful afternoon out at the sea doing some whale watching! The guides are friendly and possess a lot of knowledge about the whales, so I was never bored on board even when the whales are shy 😂 The weather is fantastic today and we saw A LOT of whales like more than I imagined. 10/10!
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
Had the best experience. We were incredibly lucky on our morning trip! We saw 6 (!!!) blue whales and one of them were a calf. Also, the guides were great — and we felt they genuinely cared for the animals. The boat approached the whales, but always kept a good distance not to stress them. All in all, a great experience, great guides and a great company.
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Húsavík for the whales, Eyjafjörður for the easy morningWhale watching from Húsavík's Skjálfandi Bay versus boats leaving Akureyri or Dalvík on Eyjafjörður — which bay to book from and why.
- Whale Watching in Iceland: Reykjavík Harbour vs. Húsavík — Which Should You Actually Pick?An honest comparison of whale watching from Reykjavík's Old Harbour and from Húsavík in the north — and which one fits your trip.
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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