Husavi's guide to whale watching in Iceland: the best place to watch whales in Iceland

If you want to go to Iceland to watch whales, you can go to the following places. The following small series will introduce in detail where you can see it and some things you need to pay attention to when watching it. Please pay attention when you go.

The most common whale in Iceland

Iceland's superior natural environment provides a perfect habitat for whales. About 23 kinds of whales live in Icelandic waters. From giant sperm whales to dolphins, there is everything here.

When you come to Iceland to watch whales, the most common one is minke whales, which can be seen almost every time you go out to sea. In addition to minke whales, gregarious humpback whales, shy harbor porpoises, white-nosed striped dolphins who like to play on the water and elusive killer whales are all common whale species.

In addition to the above-mentioned common whales, you can also see sperm whales, beluga whales, narwhals, beaked whales and pilot whales in Iceland. If you are lucky, maybe you can see the two largest creatures in the world in summer, the blue whale and the fin whale.

Whale-watching area in Iceland

As can be seen from the whale watching map of Iceland above, the whale watching areas at sea are mainly concentrated in the capital, north and west, and there are also many whale watching places. You can see different kinds of whales in different places. Next, let's introduce the main whale watching places in Iceland:

The capital Reykjavik

Whale watching in Reykjavik's old port is the most convenient and quick choice. Whales can be watched here all year round. The old port is close to all the hotels in the city and convenient to reach, which provides great convenience for tourists who only stay in Iceland for a short time.

The whale watching in Reykjavik is mainly in Faxar Froy Bay, where the scenery is pleasant and the whale species are very rich. White-striped dolphins, harbor porpoises and minke whales can be seen almost all year round, and humpback whales can also be observed in summer. Besides whales, we can also see lovely puffins on Iceland's internet celebrities Lundi Island and Akurei Island.

Northern Iceland

Curry, the capital of the north, and Savage, a whale-watching resort, are both in the north. The success rate of whale watching in these two places is extremely high, even reaching 100% in summer, which is really "glad you came". The most common whales in northern summer are humpback whales, rare blue whales, fin whales, sword-nosed whales, narwhals and beluga whales, as well as harbor porpoises and white-nosed dolphins widely distributed in Icelandic waters. Whale watching in the north in summer is a good choice.

Mount Sinai peninsula

Although whale watching in Sinai Peninsula is not as famous as that in the north and Reykjavik, if you want to enjoy killer whales, sperm whales and pilot whales, you should still come to Sinai Peninsula.

Black whales are distributed all over Iceland, but they migrate according to their food location and will not stay in the same place for long, so it is difficult for whale watching groups to see killer whales. Black whales are common in Sinai Peninsula in winter, and summer is the best place to watch sperm whales and pilot whales.

A guide to whale watching in Husavic, Iceland

Although Iceland has many places to choose from for whale watching, if you want to choose the most convenient and quick whale watching group that you can join all year round, go to Reykjavik for whale watching.

Overview of whale watching in Reykjavik

As mentioned earlier, Reykjavik whale watching group is the most convenient activity in Iceland all year round. Whether driving by car or with a group, old people or children can sign up. Whale watching groups can choose to go out to sea many times a day, especially in summer, and the sailing time can reach 5-6 times a day.

The old port is close to the center of Reykjavik, and most hotels in this area are within walking distance of the port, saving traffic costs. The whale watching group in Laogang will go to Faxaflo Bay to watch, and minke whales, white-nosed striped dolphins and harbor porpoises can be seen all year round. Humpback whales can also be seen in summer. If you are lucky, you can also see fin whales, killer whales, pilot whales and basking sharks. There are many kinds of whales.

The success rate of whale watching in Reykjavik is not as good as that in northern areas such as Husavic, but it is 95% higher. The ships commonly used by Reykjavik whale watching group are large whale watching boats, which are larger and more comfortable than other boats and speedboats, but they can't get close to whales, so each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Dress guide

1. Windproof and waterproof underwear: Although the general whale watching group will provide one-piece warm clothes, it is not too much to do several layers of protection because of the heavy waves at sea.

2. hats, gloves and scarves: it is recommended to wear warm and windproof hats. Arm yourself from head to toe.

3. Camera: Choose a camera with a telephoto lens. Even if the whale is far away, it can't escape your camera.

4. seasickness medicine: the operator of the whale watching group will provide seasickness medicine, which can be obtained from the staff when changing tickets at the port. If you are a tourist who often gets seasick, you can also bring your own commonly used drugs.

Reykjavik whale watching group

According to the different hulls, Reykjavik's whale watching group can be roughly divided into the following categories:

1. Large whale-watching boat: operated all year round. The hull is large and the inner cabin is luxurious. There are usually coffee shops or bars that serve drinks. Information about whales will also be displayed inside the hull. However, the speed is slow, and the time to reach the whale watching site is shorter than that of the ship, so it is impossible to get in close contact with whales.

2. Small whale watching boat: only operated in summer. Moreover, the inner cabin of the ship is smaller, but it is faster, so it can reach the whale watching site in a short time, and the whale watching time is more abundant.

3. Rib speedboat: only operated from April to 10. The speedboat has fewer seats, is more bumpy and has no other configuration. But it is fast and flexible, which allows tourists to watch whales and puffins at close range and even get in close contact with them, which other ships can't do.

4. Luxury yacht: operated all year round. The hull is large and luxurious, equipped with cafes and bars to provide drinks, and the observation deck has plenty of space and a wide view. Experience a more comfortable boat ride and minimize seasickness. But the speed is slow, and it is impossible to watch and contact whales at close range.

Most whale watching programs last 2-3 hours, because going out to sea depends on the weather, so whether the whale watching group can set off depends on the weather at that time. If the weather is not ideal that day, the operator will contact you in advance to inform the tour group to change or cancel, reschedule or refund the ticket.