Whale-watching in Iceland

Iceland’s pristine waters are among the best places in the world to spot wild whales. Tour boats take you out into the North Atlantic to see these gentle giants as they pass Iceland on their annual north–south migration, especially the main feeding and breeding season from May to November.

Humpback and minke are the most commonly sighted, but with luck you might also see sei, fin and, very occasionally, blue whales. Humpbacks – the most curious and playful of all the whales, so the best for whale watching – congregate in the far northern fjord of Eyjafjord.

The town of Husavik is the main base for whale watching, although it’s also possible to take tours from nearby Akureyri. Tours from Reykjavik head to wildlife-filled Faxafloi Bay, where dolphins, porpoises and puffins are also regularly sighted.

The tours guarantee sightings (or you get a free trip) and it’s common to see the whales up close. If you’re really lucky, you’ll be treated to a breach – an unforgettable display of whale acrobatics, in which the animals leap from the water before smashing back down in an explosion of spray.