Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company
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Akureyri, Iceland
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Watch for nimble humpbacks and massive blue whales on this whale watching adventure from Húsavík on a traditional Icelandic oak boat. Enjoy stunning views of the Skjálfandi Bay and Vík mountains as you explore the coastline, a thriving pilgrimage place for marine mammals in the summer season. Learn about Iceland’s wildlife and culture with live commentary from your experienced guide.
- Skjalfandi Bay whale watching tour
- Watch for wildlife with experienced nature guides
- Get views of the coast from the water
- Experience the bay in a traditional oak boat
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Live commentary on board
- Warm safety overalls, and rain jackets if needed
- Exclusive discounts with selected local partners in Húsavík
- Transportation to/from attractions (Tour departure is within walking distance from accommodations in Húsavík)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Gentle Giants - Husavik Whale WatchingGarðarsbraut, 640 Húsavík, Iceland
Departure Point: Gentle Giants Ticket Center Directions: Look for the big blue flags in Húsavík Please arrive at least 40 minutes before scheduled departure to Gentle Giants Ticket Center.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Gentle Giants Whale Watching
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Subject to favourable weather conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Please bring warm and waterproof clothing
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum number of passengers is required for all our tours. If the minimum number is not reached, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice. In such cases, customers are offered alternative options or full refund
- Unfortunately, if no whales or dolphins are sighted on the tour, passenger refunds are not permitted. However, customers can receive a voucher to join a traditional whale watching tour free of charge, depending on availability
- Please arrive at the Gentle Giants Ticket Center in Húsavík at least 40 minutes before departure
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 70 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Great experience, but if you’ve never been on a big boat with large waves, BEWARE! Come prepared with some sea sickness remedy. Several people were being sick over the sides for almost the entire trip. We had a successful trip with sightings of 4 whales which was amazing. Matteo and Nicola were great guides, thanks for the fun!
Reviews
4.4
based on 446 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
You may or may not see a whale but if you like being on a boat this is a nice venture. It was chilly but we were given protective waterproof suits. Bring your hat and gloves! The ocean was also very calm! Thanks to Gentle Giants we were given the option to switch days since the day we were booked for looked rough, so we did switch and glad of it! Great company!!
The crew was extremely knowledgeable and worked very hard to spot whales and make sure everyone was able to see them. Beautiful scenery!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the wonderful review, Michael! We are happy to hear how much you appreciated the knowledge and effort of our crew. Making sure everyone gets a good opportunity to see the whales while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Skjálfandi Bay is what we aim for on every tour. Greetings from our Gentle Giants teams in Húsavík, Fabio.
This is one of those experiences that is worth the money because you want to take a shot at what you could possibly see. But be weary of the uncertainty of depending on wild animals. We went on our tour the day after a big storm so it was no guaranteed that we would see anything. But we got lucky and saw a pod of dolphins and a humpback whale!! We also saw a ton of puffins swimming and diving for fish. The boat itself was very nice and very safe. The crew was kind and helpful as well as provided a warm suit and a big waterproof coat. Wearing an under layer and top layer is perfect to keep you warm. The waves weren't bad either because we stayed on the very edge of the cove, where it's not choppy. Plus the views from our there were beautiful!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Wonderful review, Madison, and congratulations again on the honeymoon! We are thrilled that the day after the storm brought you dolphins, a humpback whale and plenty of puffins. It sounds like you had a fantastic time, and we are glad you felt safe and comfortable with the crew and equipment. Thank you for choosing Gentle Giants for your Iceland adventure! Safe travels, Fabio
This was a very good tour. Boarding was quick and efficient, the crew was very nice and we had lots of time with the whales.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Wonderful review, Richard! All our team is very happy to know that everything ran smoothly in your tour, from boarding to the time spent with the whales. Having plenty of time to enjoy the animals and a friendly crew makes all the difference. Thank you for writing us, Fabio.
First Marine Biologist on their tours. Ours, Andre was knowledgeable professional and fun. There was a hitch due to my error...but Andre our guide arranged a ride to the port so we wouldn't miss our cruise ship! God Bless you and the gentleman in the blue truck!!! above and beyond!!! book with confidence saw whales galore even bubble feeding. magnificent
Response from Host, Sep 2026
We are so happy to read your review Carmen! Seeing whales bubble feeding must have been absolutely magnificent! We will make sure Andre hears your kind words. Safe travels, Fabio
Very special experience. We got to see a humpback and a minke whale. There were also masses of puffins, arctic terns and other birds near the whales.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi! Thank you for writing us such kind words! We're so happy you had such a special experience with us. Seeing both a humpback and a minke whale, surrounded by puffins, Arctic terns and other seabirds, makes for a truly memorable day in Skjálfandi Bay. Greetings from Gentle Giants Team, Fabio.
Had a good time on this 5 pm tour. We saw a humpback whale and followed him for about 30 minutes. The whale jumped all the way out of the water! My 2 kiddos got seasick so I would recommend taking some seasick meds before the ride. The oak boat is very jumpy. The guide was great and very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review James! We are happy you enjoyed your whale watching tour in Husavik and got to witness a humpback breaching, such a memorable sight in Skjalfandi Bay. Thank you as well for your kind words about our guide. We hope your family made some wonderful memories despite the seasickness. Best regards, Fabio
Everyone involved in this whale watching tour was extremely professional and helpful. My family and I were driving from Hofn (5 hours) to get on the 1:15 p.m. boat. We had car trouble and I kept in touch with a very nice woman from the tour. I told her our problem and she said they will try to wait for us as long as they could. As I go closer, I told here we were there and she told me to go straight to the ticket office, they were waiting for us. The tour itself was terrific. We saw 3 whales, 2 stayed together and the third was by himself. We had beautiful weather and enjoyed our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the whales and even told us the names of the 3 whales that we saw. If you ever get to Iceland, I suggest that you take this whale watching tour, you won't regret it. If my family and I ever get back to Iceland, we will definitely take this tour again.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re really happy we could accommodate you despite the travel delays, and that everything worked out in the end. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed the tour, the whales, and the guide’s knowledge. We truly appreciate your kind recommendation and hope to welcome you and your family again in Húsavík! Regards, Fiona
It was such a great adventure and we managed to see humpback whales! The sea was very choppy this morning and some of the guests had very bad seasickness but nevertheless the guides were very professional and constantly looking after us. The guide was also very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the sea life in Iceland from him.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so happy you got to see humpback whales and enjoyed the adventure despite the choppy sea. Our crew always does their very best to keep everyone safe and comfortable, and we’re glad their care and knowledge made a positive impact. We hope to welcome you onboard again for another Icelandic wildlife adventure! Regards, Fiona
This was amazing! We loved our tour and lucked out with the weather. We saw so many whales and puffins! It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We are very pleased to hear that you had an amazing experience whale watching with Gentle Giants and that the weather conditions allowed for such great sightings. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback, and we are glad to have been part of a memorable moment during your trip. Regards, Fiona
It was interesting and got information and opportunities to take video and photo. As a solo visually impaired person I knew I may have had little to no chance of seeing anything. I don’t think I ca
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience. We are glad you found the tour interesting and had the chance to capture photos and videos. Your feedback as a solo visually impaired traveler is truly appreciated, and we hope the experience was enjoyable and meaningful for you. Regards, Fiona
Amazing trip! Saw 3 different whales come to the surface about 30 times. Guide did a great job spotting the whales and explaining all about them. Would highly recommend this trip.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your review! It sounds like you had an unforgettable experience with some incredible whale sightings. We are pleased to hear our guide helped make the trip even more enjoyable with great spotting and interesting insights. Thank you for choosing Gentle Giants for your whale watching experience! Regards, Fiona
It was easy to find the check-in office but it was not clear what was happening next. Some people were putting on coveralls before going to boarding area but we were told to just go to boarding area. Our ticket stated we would be in jet boats but we ended up on an older vessel with very few seats.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're glad you found the check-in office easily, though we're sorry to hear there was some confusion around the boarding process. We have looked into this matter as to avoid it happening again in the future. We hope that, despite being on a different boat, you still manage to enjoy the tour and see some whales! Thanks again for your feedback. Regards, Fiona
Overall great experience. The boat was extremely full which made it slightly difficult to move around to see the whales.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your review! We are happy you managed to see whales on you whale watching tour with Gentle Giants! Regards, Fiona
Great experience. We saw two whales that put on a show for about an hour. Fabio and his team did a great job pointing out where to find the whales and explaining the basics of these beautiful creatures.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your review. We are pleased that you had a great experience whale watching from Húsavík with Gentle Giants! It sounds like you had a wonderful trip with two whales putting on a show. We have passed on your thanks to Fabio! Regards, Fiona
The crew was fantastic, friendly, and knowledgeable. They provide foul weather gear. So no worries. WORTH IT!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your kind review. We are glad you appreciated the crew and the warm overalls! Thank you for choosing Gentle Giants for your whale watching experience in Húsavík! Regards, Fiona
We did see a whale from many sides, but overall it wasn’t the optimal experience to do the 3hr whale watching tour on the bigger boat. The smaller boat 2hrs seems to be a way better option - it’s a shorter tour because the boat is much faster.
For the 3 hour tour, it takes an 1.25 hours to just get out there, another 1.25 hours back. So you have just 30 minutes to spot some whales and fight the crowd to do so (you’ll have to navigate around the rocky boat to see the whale).
Also while the guides were pleasant, there wasn’t much info about whales or Husavik given - even though there were 2.5 hours plain travel time.
The boat is also very uncomfortable - not a pleasant sail.
Since 75% of our time was spent just being uncomfortable - I don’t think this is the best pick unless your only objective is to see a whale (whatever the angle).
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your honest feedback on the GG1 whale watching tour you took on our old oak boat. Whilst the RIB speedboats do cover a larger distance in a shorter time, it is a nice experience for people who want a slower pace to go on the oak boats. If the whales are not as far out in Skjálfandi Bay, then it takes less time to get to them. As they are wild mammals, we can never predict how long it will take to get to them. We are pleased you still managed to see whales on your tour! Regards, Fiona
Such an amazing experience! We were lucky to see a few humpbacks and a couple of puffins. The Gentle Giant team is very knowledgeable and friendly. Thank you!
Response from Host, May 2025
Dear Victoria,
many thanks for the great rating and your kind words!
We are thrilled to read that you had an amazing experience at sea with us, enjoying views of whales and puffins!
Thank you also for the compliments to our team!
Best regards, Sarah
Great experience, but if you’ve never been on a big boat with large waves, BEWARE! Come prepared with some sea sickness remedy. Several people were being sick over the sides for almost the entire trip. We had a successful trip with sightings of 4 whales which was amazing. Matteo and Nicola were great guides, thanks for the fun!
Response from Host, May 2025
Dear Jennifer,
thank you so much for the great rating and for taking the time to write us a feedback!
I am happy to read you managed to spot four whales during your whale watching tour - what a success early in the season!
As you say, it can indeed be advisable to take precautions against sea sickness, especially when one is sensitive to motion sickness or unexperienced with boat rides.
Thank you also for these nice words towards the guides Matteo and Nikolina - I will make sure to forward them to both!
Many thanks once again!
Best wishes, Sarah
Amazing hosts! The tour was an exceptional experience. We loved the boat ride, getting splashed and all. And we were lucky enough to see 6 whales!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you Robert for your comment. We are very happy you enjoyed the tour so much. what a luck to see so many whales ! We hope we will see you again in the futur whale watching with us. Thank you for joining us. All the best, Joséphine.
Fantastic tour with a wonderful and informative guide. The entire Gentle Giants crew was lovely. Would highly recommend this experience
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you so much Liana for your review. We are glad you enjoyed whale watching with us! Thank you for joining! All the best, Joséphine.
Perfect weather. We saw a few whales ! The warm overalls provided are great because it gets cold at sea.! Great experience :)
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you for your review! We are glad to hear that the overalls kept you nice and warm and that you had a great experience with us, managing to see a few whales! Regards, Fiona
Fantastic experience, with a very nice and helpful crew.
Maybe the boat a little too packed formy taste, but overall impressive encounter with the whales.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hello, Great to hear you had a fantastic experience with us to view the whales. It is lovely to hear your feedback about our crew being friendly and that you had an impressive encounter with the whales. Regards, Fiona
We saw a lot of dolphins and 2 humpbacks!! Very good tour and nice crew. I would recommend it to everybody!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Sylvia, It is great that you managed to see dolphins and humpback whales on your whales watching tour out of Húsavík Harbour. Thank you for your review. Regards, Fiona
We had a beautiful day and saw two whales with nice information from our guide. There was only our boat around the whales so we could get very close to them
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Jorge, Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that you managed to get good looks at two whales and that our crew gave some nice information. Regards, Fiona
The crew were fantastic! They were knowledgeable, kind, and extra helpful. It was an amazing day although very choppy with several sightings of humpback whales, one breached 3 times! Truly an experience we will all remember.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Kathryn, We are happy to hear that you had an amazing day, despite the very choppy sea! It is so lucky that you managed to see a humpback breaching, as it does not happen often, here in Húsavík! Thank you for taking time to write a review. Regards, Fiona
It was a whale tour, but we saw not only whales but puffins also. Guide was very knowledgeable. It was a fun experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Jody, Thank you for taking time to share your experience. We are glad you had sightings of both puffins and whales and had a fun trip! Regards, Fiona
We went in June 2024. We didn’t get to see any whales, just a couple of puffins. I understand that they are wild animals and sometimes hard to find. The guides pointed out that they didn’t use any electronic equipment to find them. This seems stupid to me if you are running whale watching boat rides. Use a drone, use underwater sensors. Or refund people’s money when you offer to take them to see whales and don’t find any. I wouldn’t use this tour group next time.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Lance, Thank you for your honest review. I understand it is disappointing to not see any whales on a whale watching trip. As you have said, they are wild animals, so sightings are not guaranteed. Drones are actually a disturbance to whales so should not be used to locate them and sonar systems are less accurate than spotting whales by sight, so you will find that most whale watching companies do not use this equipment. Hope this helps to explain why we do things this way. Regards, Fiona
We saw 4 individuals and so many above water activities of each of them. Awesome.
Thanks to the warm suit we never were cold.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Hi Maria, Thank you for your review. How lucky you were that you managed to see four whales! We are pleased the overalls kept you nice and warm. Regards, Fiona
Excellent experience! We saw 2 types of whales. Nice explanation. The only thing ai would recommend is make it a little bit shorter, Intji knit was too much time waiting for the same whale to come out again and again.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you Claudia for your review, we are glad you spend a good time whales watching with us. We take note about the timing ! All the best, Joséphine.
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per personWas $98.49(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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