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Whale Watching

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Cruises & Sailing

38 Tours & Activities

How to Spend 2 Days in Akureyri

10 Tours & Activities

Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

119 Reviews

Akureyri, Iceland

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From $89.00

Lowest Price Guarantee

Select Date and Travelers

Number of travelers

Free Cancellation

up to 24 hours in advance

3 hours (Approx.)

Mobile ticket

Offered in: English

Good for avoiding crowds

Keeping you safe during COVID-19

What you can expect during your visit

Face masks required for travelers in public areas

Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff

Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas

Gear/equipment sanitized between use

Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized

Guides required to regularly wash hands

Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

Overview

Maximize your chances of seeing humpback whales on this Eyjafjord whale watching cruise from Akureyri. Iceland’s longest fjord is known for attracting these massive mammals for summer feeding. Board a high-speed, specially adapted ship capable of covering all the likely viewing areas, and watch for whales from the viewing platforms and decks. Choose from several departures, including a late-night cruise (June to August), with use of thermal coveralls, raincoats, or blankets included.

Sail into Eyjafjord to look for summertime humpback whales
Watch for the humpbacks from cinema-style viewing platforms
Thermal coveralls, raincoats, and blankets provided
Indoor and outdoor seating, plus café and bar on board

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From $89.00

Lowest Price Guarantee

What's Included

Warm overalls, raincoats or blankets on board

Professional guide

Overalls and blankets available to lend

Food and drinks

Gratuities

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Departure & Return

Departure Point

Elding Whale Watching Akureyri, Oddeyrarbót 2, 600 Akureyri, Iceland

Return Details

Returns to original departure point

What To Expect

Book your desired boat departure time, and make your own way to the harbor in downtown Akureyri.

Then, board your spacious ship, Iceland’s only high-speed, specially modified whale watching vessel, and make use of the provided thermal overalls, raincoats, or blankets. The ship accommodates up to 200 passengers and provides unobstructed views of the seas from cinema-style viewing platforms.

As your ship sails, admire the rugged coastline of Eyjafjord, Iceland’s longest fjord. Drink in the surrounding, snow-capped mountains, and chat to the whale watching guides to learn about the humpbacks that visit the area. The summer sun brings a cornucopia of marine food into the fjord, triggering a feeding frenzy from these larger-than-life mammals.

Learn about the lifecycles of the humpbacks as your ship uses its speed to reach far and deep parts of the fjord, leaving no likely viewing area unexplored.

Scan the seas for whales, and with luck, enjoy some sightings of the mammals as they swim and breach in the waters. You’ll find ample indoor and outdoor seating for viewing the sea in comfort, plus a bar and café for refreshments (own expense).

Your cruise ends when you disembark at Akureyri.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Please note that weather in Iceland is unpredictable and that the tour can be cancelled due to rough seas.
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 190 travelers
OPERATED BY Elding Whale Watching

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri?

The policy on face masks and attendee health is:

Face masks required for travelers in public areas

See all safety measures taken by Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri.

What is the policy on sanitization during Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri?

The policies on sanitization are:

Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized

See all safety measures taken by Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri.

What is the social distancing policy during Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri?

The policy on social distancing is:

Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

See all safety measures taken by Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri.

What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri?

The policy on staff health & safety is:

Guides required to regularly wash hands

See all safety measures taken by Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri.

What is the maximum group size during Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri?

This activity will have a maximum of 190 travelers.

See all safety measures taken by Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri.

Traveler Tips

"They did offer free tickets to anyone who wanted them for Akureyri (or their place in Reykjavik) that were good for a year (I think)." See review

Reviews

4.5

119 Reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

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1 star

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 119 reviews

Brief encounter with a whale

Liisi

, Aug 2020

The experience was memorable. We saw a humpback, and it seemed really relaxed while swimming only a few meters away from our boat. Unlike in Husavik's whale-watching boats, ours had some inside space to hide from the cold winds at the ocean. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were also provided, which was nice. The staff was very friendly and knew a lot about humpback whales. The reason I am giving this only four stars as a rating is because most of those three hours were spent on getting out of the bay to open ocean, where whales are, and back. I would personally recommend picking a boarding place closer to the ocean, so the chance of seeing more whales would be bigger.

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Enjoyable experience

Leticia_T

, Feb 2020

Weather was really bad but the crew made a huge effort to take us to the whales and we had a great experience!

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Overrated attraction

KenAbela

, Sep 2019

I had been hearing lots about this attraction but unfortunately both my wife as well as I, felt that the experience was a bit overrated. We managed to see a whale from a distance of about 200m a few times and it’s good to hear such a massive mammal hiss so not a disappointing experience. The guide on Elder was very knowledgeable. Overall not a bad experience

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Not a fun morning!

am9182015

, Sep 2019

To be fair, the weather was awful - cold & rainy. However, it seemed that too many tickets were sold. It was difficult to find a seat. The promised 'narration' was minimal at best. The sea was rough and we spent the entire time waiting to get off! Supposedly one whale was seen in the very beginning of the cruise. They did offer free tickets to anyone who wanted them for Akureyri (or their place in Reykjavik) that were good for a year (I think).

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Quick trip to view hump back whales.

Roam18821784647

, Aug 2019

Got to see a couple of young whales. Unfortunately about 100 meters away. Would try a smaller more nimble boat next time.

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Whale Watching

golfdad111

, Aug 2019

This attraction turned out to be very enjoyable! What else can you say when it wasn't too long before we saw a Humpback Whale!! Then we moved to another area and saw another! Also, the weather co-operated by giving us calm waters and little wind! What else can you ask for! The only thing we missed was a breaching whale. Can't have everything!

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Whales are existing!!

80uwe

, Aug 2019

Well organized, excellant explanations on Board, warm clothes were available in a good shape and in every size, boot was fast, we saw several whales!!!!!!

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Rainy day and should have been canceled.

Passenger10805

, Aug 2019

This trip should have been canceled but since they had a full boat, they decided to go anyway. The wind was blowing strong and it was raining on and off. The harbor was rough so sighting any whales was going to be tough. Their offer of a free replacement whale watch "if" we are back in the next two years was meaningless to most on board.

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We saw barely nothing

Samantha A

, Jul 2019

In 3 hours we saw one whale very far away , when we went whale watching in Alaska it was fantastic but in Iceland very poor excursion and cost alot

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No whales...twice! Iceland is not the place to whalewatch.

emailjaydykstra

, Jul 2019

On the first tour (in Akureyri), a staffer told me the whales are usually too far north to be found, which means they basically are taking your money knowing you're unlikely to see anything. We didn't see any whales. They give you a voucher to get you on another tour for free, which very few people have the additional time in Iceland to take advantage of. But I did two days later, this time in Reykjavik. Again, no whales, and the guide didn't even seem to care, admitting the tour before us had no luck either. I understand the unpredictability of the whales, but I've been on two other whalewatching tours in California and Alaska, both of which were amazing. When a company knows the whales are too far out and has numerous unsuccessful tours like this, it's a scam more than anything. Go whalewatching somewhere else; there are much better uses for your money in Iceland.

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