From Reykjavik: Whales and Northern Lights Boat Tour

The best part of this two-part boat tour is its contrast. In daylight, Faxaflói Bay gives you whales, seabirds, Reykjavik, and distant mountains. At night, the same water becomes a dark viewing platform for the Northern Lights. You get two very different Iceland experiences without arranging separate transport.

I like the warm indoor seating and provided overalls, especially because wind and spray can make a calm-looking day feel cold. I also like that the guide stays involved, helping you find animals rather than leaving you to scan the water alone. The drawback is simple: nature sets the schedule. Rough seas can make the whale trip uncomfortable, and clouds or bad weather can cancel the aurora cruise.

Key points to know before booking

• Two cruises in one day: Spend roughly three hours whale watching, then return in the evening for a Northern Lights boat trip.
• Faxaflói Bay wildlife: Keep watch for minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises.
• Good onboard shelter: Heated indoor seating, warm overalls in children’s sizes, and an onboard bar help with Iceland’s cold weather.
• Strong guide support: Guides explain the marine life and help point out movement in the water. Rebekka received especially strong praise for spotting whales and explaining ocean life.
• Aurora retry option: If you do not see the Northern Lights, you receive a free ticket to try again.
• Old Harbour departure: You must reach the Special Tours office yourself. Hotel pickup and parking at the office are not included.

Two sides of Faxaflói Bay in one day

This experience makes sense if you have limited time in Reykjavik and want to pair two famous Iceland sights. The whale cruise runs during the day, and the Northern Lights trip takes place later, giving you a full seven-hour activity with a long break between the two outings.

That break matters. You are not trapped on a boat all day. You can return to Reykjavik, eat, warm up, and come back to the Old Harbour for the evening sailing. Check the exact schedule when booking, since departure times vary.

The tour begins at the Special Tours office near Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. Look for the large dark-gray building with blue signs and the company logo. If you drive, allow an extra 15 minutes to find nearby parking. Parking is not available at the tour office, and hotel pickup is not provided.

The morning whale watch from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

The first cruise lasts about three hours. You leave central Reykjavik and spend roughly 30 to 45 minutes reaching the main whale-watching area. That opening stretch is not dead time. It gives you broad views of Reykjavik, the surrounding mountains, and Faxaflói Bay.

On a clear day, you may see as far as Snæfells Glacier to the west. The view alone makes it worth keeping your camera ready as the boat clears the harbor. The city looks different from the water, and you get a useful sense of how Reykjavik sits between the sea and the mountains.

Once the boat reaches the wildlife area, the guide explains what to look for and where to watch. This is important because whales rarely appear on cue. A fin, a dark back, or a sudden puff can show up anywhere around the boat, and a good guide helps you react before the moment disappears.

The main possibilities include minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Humpback whales can offer the most dramatic sightings, but smaller animals still make the trip worthwhile. A porpoise may surface quickly and vanish, while dolphins can move in groups near the boat.

One strong point of this operation is the guide work. Rebekka was singled out for calling out whale positions and explaining ocean life, while another guide earned praise for explaining the animals and helping the group see several humpback whales. You should still expect nature to be unpredictable, but active guiding makes a real difference when the water is wide and the wildlife is mobile.

What whale watching feels like on the water

The boat has heated indoor seating, but you can also move outside for a clearer view and better photographs. I would treat the indoor cabin as your warm-up base, not your permanent seat. The most useful pattern is to spend some time outside when the guide spots activity, then return indoors when the wind becomes too sharp.

The boat ride can be rough. One booking included sea-sickness tablets before departure, but you should not count on comfort simply because the boat is well maintained. If you are prone to motion sickness, sit where you feel most stable and use the indoor area when needed. The supplied overalls help with cold and wet conditions, but they do not remove the need for warm layers underneath.

Keep your expectations realistic. A whale tour is not a zoo visit, and no sighting can be guaranteed. The best day might bring close humpback encounters. Another may offer distant blows or brief porpoise sightings. The value lies partly in the setting and the chance to watch wild animals in open water, not only in collecting a perfect photograph.

An evening cruise for the Northern Lights

You return to the same general meeting point in the evening for the aurora portion. The boat heads just outside Reykjavik’s city center, where there is less artificial light than on land. That darker setting helps, although the lights still depend on clear skies and aurora activity.

The evening cruise gives you a different view of Faxaflói Bay. During the day, you watch the water and horizon. At night, you spend more time looking upward, with the sea adding a quiet foreground to the sky. If the aurora appears strongly, being on the water can make the experience feel spacious and removed from city glare.

You can move between the heated cabin and outdoor viewing areas. The bar stays open for drinks, which is useful during a long cold evening. Free Wi-Fi is also available, so you can stay connected between sightings, though I would keep your attention on the sky when conditions look promising.

The free retry ticket is one of the most useful protections included. If you see no Northern Lights, you can try again on a future outing. It does not guarantee that the next night will be better, but it recognizes the central risk of aurora hunting: clouds and solar conditions are beyond the operator’s control.

Bad weather can also cancel the evening trip. One reported outing had the Northern Lights cruise canceled because of poor conditions, and rescheduling did not work with that person’s schedule. That is a reminder to book this activity early enough in your Iceland stay to leave room for another attempt.

Warm clothing, cabin comfort, and the practical details

Warm overalls are included, with children’s sizes available. You should still wear proper layers, since you may spend time outside and the weather can turn cold, wet, and windy. Gloves, a hat, and sturdy footwear remain sensible choices.

The heated seating is a real advantage for families and anyone who does not want to stand outside for three hours. You get the option to watch from indoors, then step outside when the guide calls out an animal or when the sky begins to brighten.

The onboard Wi-Fi is free, and the bar is open throughout the evening cruise. The tour also offers an app in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese, while the live guide service is in English. If you need a non-English-speaking live tour, this is not the right assumption to make from the app languages.

The experience ends back at the Old Harbour meeting point. Since there is no hotel pickup or drop-off, you need to plan your own route to and from the office. Arriving early is wise, particularly if you are driving and must find nearby parking.

Is $182 a fair price?

At $182 per person, this is not a cheap boat ride. It becomes more useful when you value the convenience of pairing two major activities with one operator and one central departure point.

The price includes both cruises, experienced guides, warm overalls, heated indoor seating, Wi-Fi, and the free retry option if the Northern Lights do not appear. You are paying for a full day built around two difficult-to-arrange natural events, not simply for transport across the bay.

The value is strongest when you see good whale activity and have a clear evening. A close humpback sighting followed by bright aurora would make the price easier to justify. The value is weaker if rough seas spoil the whale cruise or bad weather cancels the evening trip, though the free retry ticket helps with an unsuccessful aurora search.

I would compare this with the cost and effort of booking separate whale and aurora outings. If you already plan to do both, the combined format saves planning time. If you only care about one of the two, a single-purpose tour may be better value and leave your schedule more flexible.

Who should book this combined tour?

This suits you if you want a full natural-sights day from Reykjavik and do not want to arrange separate operators. It is also a good match for families, since the boat has warm seating and children’s overalls, and for first-time Iceland visitors who want a straightforward introduction to the bay.

The format works well for people who enjoy being outdoors but appreciate a warm place to retreat. You can take photographs from outside, listen to the guide, and step back into the cabin when the weather gets unpleasant.

You should think twice if you dislike boats, suffer badly from motion sickness, or have only one free evening in Iceland. The whale cruise may be rough, and the Northern Lights cruise depends on weather. A one-night aurora plan gives you little room to try again if conditions fail.

This is also not a hotel-to-hotel excursion. You must get to the Old Harbour office on your own and return there after the evening cruise. That is easy enough from central Reykjavik, but it matters if you are staying farther out or relying on a tight transport schedule.

Booking and cancellation advice

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately, which is useful while you are still adjusting your Iceland plans.

I would avoid placing this tour on the final possible day of your trip. The free aurora retry is only helpful if you still have time to use it, and a weather cancellation can otherwise leave you with no second chance.

Check availability for the exact starting times before booking. The total activity lasts about seven hours, but the whale and Northern Lights portions are separated by the daytime and evening schedule rather than running continuously.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want whales by day and the Northern Lights by night, with one operator handling the boats, guides, warm clothing, and indoor shelter. The strongest reasons are the active wildlife guidance, the good chance of seeing humpback whales, and the free aurora retry when the sky stays dark.

Skip it if you need guaranteed wildlife, guaranteed aurora, or perfectly calm water. Nature does not make those promises. For the right traveler, though, this is a practical way to give two of Iceland’s biggest sights a serious try in one Reykjavik-based day.

FAQ

How long does the combined tour last?

The full activity lasts about seven hours. It includes an approximately three-hour whale-watching cruise during the day and a Northern Lights boat cruise in the evening.

Where does the tour begin?

You meet at the Special Tours office by Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. The building is large and dark gray, with blue signs showing the company name and logo.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You must make your own way to the Old Harbour meeting point, and the activity ends there as well.

What animals might I see?

The possible wildlife includes minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises.

Are warm clothes provided?

Warm overalls are provided, including children’s sizes. The boat also has heated indoor seating, but you should still dress warmly because the outdoor areas can be cold and wet.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

You receive a free ticket to try the Northern Lights tour again if nothing is seen on your outing.

Is the tour available in languages other than English?

The live tour guide is in English. The onboard app is available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese.