The 15 Whale Watching in Akureyri That Earn Their Price

1.3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour by Ship

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,000 reviews · 3 hours · from $108Our pick

Search for humpback whales in Eyjafjord on a comfortable three-hour cruise from Akureyri, with guides, thermal suits, Wi-Fi, and a whale guarantee.

“A great excursion! Everything was on time, and the guide was so informative, sharing lots of information about our cetacean friends. Even though it was the last day of November, we sighted humpback whales several times, and a more elusive minke whale! The boat was comfortable, and the free flowing hot chocolate was much appreciated. Recommended!”

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2.Whale Watching Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,761 reviews · 3 hours · from $115

Cruise Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík on a traditional oak boat, watching whales, dolphins, seabirds, and enjoying cocoa with a cinnamon bun.

“Did a 3.45 hr ride fir a 2 hour booking due to some rare sightings of bottle-nosed dolphins and pilot whales which excited our guide and crew so much that they forgot about the time and simply jndulged all on board by chasing the pod of dolphins and school of whales for a full hour. Couldn’t have asked for more. It was simply fantastic…hats off to the crew for indulging us.”

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3.Traditional Whale Watching by Local Family Company

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,735 reviews · from $91

Sail Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík on a traditional oak boat, with warm gear, expert guides, and strong chances of seeing whales.

“Great! I decided to go even with the gloomy weather and it was still a great time! Staff were very polite and knowledgeable! A lot of passion behind all the employees as well. Made for a great tour during my trip!”

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4.Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 979 reviews · 2 hours · from $198

Race across Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík to see whales, dolphins, and summer puffins aboard a warm-suited 12-seat RIB boat.

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) We went on the Big Whales Island Speedboat Tour in Húsavík and had a wonderful experience! The guide was fantastic — very knowledgeable and passionate about the whales and the local nature. I really loved his explanations and the great vibes he created throughout the trip; it felt both educational and fun. What I liked the most was how close we could get to the whales while still respecting their space — it was truly unforgettable! The scenery around the island was breathtaking, and the speedboat made the whole experience exciting and dynamic. I highly recommended if you visit Húsavík!”

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5.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 973 reviews · from $159

See puffins, humpback whales, dolphins, and possibly blue whales on a fast, warm, small-group RIB tour from Húsavík.

“The activity was great despite bad weather, our trip was not canceled even though the weather was dodgy, our guide was very informative and kind and well as our captain. We got to see humpback whale up close. If you want to enjoy your experience just take sea sickness pills and you are good to go.”

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6.Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 971 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $104

Sail from downtown Akureyri into Eyjafjord for humpback whales, mountain views, warm gear, expert guides, and flexible viewing areas.

“I would highly recommend this. I have been whale watching a few times and in this one we saw by far the most ever. Amazing creatures and a great few hours!”

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7.Árskógssandur: Whale-Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 695 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $96

See humpback whales, dolphins, and seabirds from a traditional oak boat on a calm Eyjafjörður cruise from Árskógssandur.

“The area is breathtaking, host and guide very kind and caring. We have received interesting information on the tour about whales and the area. Boats from Akureyri were packed where as ours was very comfortable with a small group of people. Definitely recommend this spot! We were lucky and spotted one whale we followed for a good while, we nearly said 3 hours on the sea and the traditional boat mode it even more exciting! Loved every minute of it, thanks to the guide and captain 😍🤩 hot chocolate and bun was a nice supplement.”

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8.Family-Run and Guided Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 675 reviews · from $84Best value

Join a family-run whale tour from Húsavík on a traditional oak boat, with expert guides, puffins, dolphins, and a Whale Museum discount.

“Amazing experience, Marda is an excellent guide with lots of enthusiasm! We saw multiple whales and even a breach! Core memory forever.”

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9.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203Top rated

Review of Húsavík’s Big Whales and Puffins RIB tour, with practical advice on wildlife, cold weather, price, transport, and who should book.

“Amazing experience…saw numerous whales, including the elusive Northern Bottlenose whale. Our guide and captain were very informative and knowledgeable”

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10.2-Hour Whale Watching Express by RIB Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

Review of Akureyri’s 2-hour RIB whale tour, with humpbacks, fast boats, Arctic views, practical tips, costs, and who should book.

“amazing whale watching tour with a nice and funny guide, we saw many whales. The boat is comfortable”

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11.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Sail from Húsavík on a traditional oak boat to spot whales, dolphins, and puffins, with warm overalls, hot chocolate, and a cinnamon bun.

“It was great. We were lucky to have good weather and we saw not one, but two blue whales. And one did belly spins! We also saw a humpback whale and several smaller ones. Of course, don't expect to see whales jumping, you will see just what the whale wants to show you (belly, tail, finns...), but it is impressive to be in the presence of this great animal. The guide was terrific, very enthusiastic and giving us plenty of information. On a side note, the puffin colony can be seen only from afar, so not really worth it...better go to a colony like Borgarfjörður Eystri”

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12.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

Race across Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík by RIB to spot humpbacks, dolphins, and puffins with expert guides in a small group.

“Great tour! Our guide Nicoletta was fun and informative. We got to see both puffins and whales. A smart choice.”

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13.Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 389 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

Review of Húsavík’s traditional oak-boat whale tour, with practical advice on sightings, sea conditions, cost, comfort, and booking.

“We saw 4 individuals and so many above water activities of each of them. Awesome. Thanks to the warm suit we never were cold.”

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14.Traditional Oak Ship Whale Watching Tour From Husavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 366 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $118

Sail Husavik’s Skjálfandi Bay on a traditional oak ship for whales, dolphins, seabirds, expert commentary, warm suits, and hot chocolate.

“We were lucky to have perfect weather and a stunning experience of a pod of white beaked dolphins swimming and jumping alongside us for quite some time. We also saw a separate pod of the same species leaping out of the water and also blowing water. Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic.”

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15.From Dalvik: Arctic Whale Watching in Northern Iceland

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 327 reviews · 3 hours · from $94

Watch humpback, minke, dolphin, and possibly blue whales from Dalvík, with warm coveralls, fjord views, and a 98% sighting rate.

“Very cool experience! We had a very cold day, but we found the whales right away and it was beautiful to watch them.”

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