Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Akureyri, Iceland
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Maximize your chances of seeing whales in the wild on this half-day boat cruise from Akureyri. Iceland’s longest fjord is known for attracting humpback whales; travel aboard a specially adapted ship that covers all the likely viewing areas to increase the odds of seeing them. Choose from several departure times to fit your schedule, and stay cozy on board with thermal overalls, and raincoats or blankets.
- Choose between multiple indoor or outdoor viewing areas
- Increase your odds of seeing whales thanks to your captain's expertise
- Opt to purchase refreshments from the on-board café
- Stay connected and share photos with on-board Wi-Fi
What's Included
- Warm overalls, raincoats or blankets on board
- Professional guide
- Overalls and blankets available to lend
- Complimentary WiFi
- Large veiwing windows
- Multiple viewing platforms
- Food and drinks can be purchased on board
- Hotel pickup and drop-off is not available
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Elding Whale Watching AkureyriOddeyrarbót 2, 600 Akureyri, Iceland
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Book your desired boat departure time, and make your own way to the harbor in downtown Akureyri.
There, board your spacious ship, a specially modified whale-watching vessel. Make use of the provided thermal overalls, raincoats, or blankets, and choose from a range of indoor or outdoor viewing areas.
As your ship sails, admire the rugged coastline of Eyjafjord, Iceland’s longest fjord. View the surrounding snow-capped mountains, and learn more about the humpbacks that visit the area from your guides.
Head far and deep into the fjord, leaving no likely viewing area unexplored. Scan the seas for whales, and, with luck, enjoy some sightings as they swim and breach in the waters.
Your half-day cruise ends when you disembark at Akureyri.
There, board your spacious ship, a specially modified whale-watching vessel. Make use of the provided thermal overalls, raincoats, or blankets, and choose from a range of indoor or outdoor viewing areas.
As your ship sails, admire the rugged coastline of Eyjafjord, Iceland’s longest fjord. View the surrounding snow-capped mountains, and learn more about the humpbacks that visit the area from your guides.
Head far and deep into the fjord, leaving no likely viewing area unexplored. Scan the seas for whales, and, with luck, enjoy some sightings as they swim and breach in the waters.
Your half-day cruise ends when you disembark at Akureyri.
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Elding Whale Watching Akureyri
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note that weather in Iceland is unpredictable and that the tour can be cancelled on short notice due to unfavourable conditions at sea.
- This is a wildlife tour and therefore sightings cannot be guaranteed. In case of no sightings, we offer the opportunity to try again for free in either Reykjavík or Akureyri..
- We abide by a code of conduct for responsible whale watching, which means that all sightings are on the wildlife's terms. We can therefore never guarantee up close encounters.
- Please note that our fleet is not completely wheelchair accessible as there are steep stairs between lower and upper decks and high thresholds to get from the decks into the saloon as well as from the saloon to the toilets.
- Wheelchair users are welcome to bring a foldable chair onboard our bigger boats, but if possible, please contact us well in advance as we may need to assist with boarding.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 190 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
Kirandeep_K
The tour check in process was very easy. We checked in a little early. Akureyri is a beautiful town . We got to see a lot of Whales (3 different types I believe) . Towards the end of the tour we were greeted by a Humpback Whale jumping out the water multiple times. That made our day and was the best part. Nice and friendly staff.
Reviews
4.6
based on 1,013 reviews
Nikerob, Jun 2026
It was a great experience. The guide really knew her business and was very informative. Whales were very cooperative, and appeared as promised.
Sam_G, Jun 2026
I wasn't sure what to expect with a whale watching tour as you hear about good & bad (non) experiences but this was really good. The departure point was very close to the cruise ship dock (5 mins walk) as explained by member of staff in the little hut as you disembarked, who also spoke excellent English. The boat went back up the Fjord & not into the open ocean & the weather was fantastic, making for a smooth trip. We saw what turned out to be the same humpback whale multiple times, & there was a real feeling of consideration for the whale when it was explained that the time observing the whale was up.
My only disappointment was the 'speaker' on deck. Unfortunately the commentary was just a distorted noise. But Jacob shouting 11 o'clock! Or 7 o' clock! Was great for knowing where to look. And hopefully the speaker will have been replaced by the time you enjoy whale watching 😀
drew, Jun 2026
This was absolutely superb. Great little ship, wonderful knowledgeable and friendly crew. Saw some whales, which were impressive. Also the ecological aspect was great. They cared.
Even the rain couldn't dampen our spirits. Great whale chocolate. Thank you.
penelope_H, Jun 2026
Only needed to go to the start of the fjord before we saw whales - 2 minke, one humpback and 2 dolphins. Guide gave a good commentary telling us about them and where to look. Great trip
Thomas_H, Jun 2026
Great tour they know where to locate whales and infirm you when they sight any. Toilets and tea or coffee available free.
Rob_F, Jun 2026
Set off on the boat trip a little early which was a bonus. The boat was well equipped with 3 different deck heights to choose from with plenty of room for everyone to see. The first hour passed by and we hadn’t seen anything and was beginning to think that we were going to be unlucky. Thankfully ‘Dizzy’ the humpback whale showed to make the trip very worthwhile. She broke the surface several times and gave us a great view and a tail wave each time before diving back into the deep. She didn’t jump out completely but gave us a great show regardless. Highly recommended
Minnette_E, Jun 2026
Great experience.
Crew did their best to make sure we saw whales and was always ready to assist.
Very informative.
Shirley_R, Jun 2026
A truly breathtaking experience. Fabulous commentary. Saw humpback and minke whales Wonderful scenery 😃
Ken_C, Jun 2026
Great experience. Plenty of photo ops of humpback whales. Views of the fjord are spectacular. It was cold and windy and rained some so dress in layers and rain gear. Overalls are provided for warmth. Staff was great and knowledgeable. They did an excellent job searching and finding the whales. It was about 1.5 hours into the trip before seeing the first whale, but then we saw a bunch.
J_S, Jun 2026
Great fun and plenty of whales spotted, highly informative commetary on board. Do bring medication if you are prone to seasickness
Miguel_F, May 2026
Bundle up. It gets cold. Be patient we were treated to seeing several humpback whales feeding. It was an incredible sight to behold.
Linda_A, May 2026
Late December out on fjord is not for the faint hearted but this experience is unique and exciting.
We met the small boat at the dock and were boarded upon showing our tickets. The boat was comfortable with a downstairs seating area and upper area with outside access and better views. You can also have access to the crows nest if you want.
In December it is cold. Very cold. There is no getting away from that. We had layers upon layers and waterproofs and snow boots and we’re still incredibly cold. But we did see whales which made the trip worthwhile.
We travelled for around an hour along the fjord to reach the feeding grounds of the whales but unfortunately didn’t see anything for about another hour. The fjord became very rough at one point and we got soaked as the waves hit the boat. A lot of people were feeling queasy.
Of course this is a wild animal spotting expedition so sightings off the
Whales are not guaranteed. After being out for about two hours the pilot decided to head back, it was then that a tail was spotted out on the water and we were lucky enough to spend the next 45 minutes or so being treated to a wonderful display from various whales, some coming really close to the boat. The experience was almost spiritual and we quickly forget about the harsh conditions.
The journey back to the dock seemed to pass quicker and once we were back on dry land we headed back to our accommodation to warm up.
We were lucky to see the whales which made what could have felt like an endurance test into a memorable, enjoyable experience.
Art_Y, May 2026
Excellent commentary about whales and other wildlife! We saw a humpback whale 6 times in various positions.
Rochelle_R, May 2026
It was canceled which wasn’t communicated to us until be arrived to go on the whale watching tour. Refund is expected asap please
Lynne_C, Mar 2026
Not very happy with the whole experience.. Underwhelmed is the right word and not worth the price!!!.. The staff were not very friendly and trying to see the whale the very few times it appeared was near on impossible with the weather being so bad!!
Amanda_L, Mar 2026
Great experience but it’s a little short, would be great if we can see or find the whales a little longer
dean_e, Feb 2026
The weather was awful and very cold we all stood watch to see who could spot the whales first after a good hour and quarter nothing was to be seen but our captain was having none of it this man was finding us some whale and the guy did just that and what an experience .we had plenty of time watching these great spieces before we returned
Denise_P, Feb 2026
Even on a fine day, make sure you wear warm clothes! It was a great experience - we saw a young humpback whale and two orcas. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot. Expensive, but good value!
Noel_B, Feb 2026
Lovely scenery and knowledgeable staff on the boat. We saw 2 humpback whales on the trip, close to the boat for quite a while.
Craig_B, Jan 2026
Very well organised from start to finish. Experienced Captain who knew where to look and we were rewarded with 3 different whale sightings. Patience is the key. Free warm drunks was a much welcomed bonus
Lynda_W, Jan 2026
Fantastic trip with a great crew and very well set up boat. They genuinely care about protecting the sea life and really wanted to make sure we saw some whales. We were fortunate enough to see three humpback whales on our trip. Highly recommended!
aaron_m, Dec 2025
We did the Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri tour and honestly couldn’t fault it. It was a great price, the staff were genuinely friendly, and the whole trip felt really well looked after from start to finish.
We were lucky and saw loads of wildlife, and what I really appreciated was that they ran the tour over the allotted time because we kept spotting more on the way back, it didn’t feel rushed at all. They also offered free hot drinks throughout, which was perfect for staying warm out on the water.
A really nice touch was that the spotter took photos and they offered free copies of the images, which we weren’t expecting. Plus, being so close to the waterline and the whales made the experience feel even more special.
Would definitely go again and would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Akureyri.
Lesley_H, Dec 2025
Informative & focussed on enjoying everythig we did see rather than on what might have been possible to see. All comforts accommodated....
Unltd coffee but no milk!!
Denine_F, Nov 2025
Saw quite lots of whales in few hours and amazing close to see whales! Highly recommended to booking whales watching!
Nicky_A, Nov 2025
Absolutely amazing trip
Saw alot of Humpback whales
Friendly crew
Worth the trip
Will definitely visit again and recommend
Was given advice about my motionsickness and was absolutely fine for the entire trip
Adam_H, Nov 2025
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!
Lindsay_M, Nov 2025
Easy to book and clear directions to meeting point, friendly staff and well organised. Saw around 12 humpback whales (identified by the guides) and spent a good amount of time watching them, was a great experience and good value for money.
Shelley_M, Nov 2025
Easy to find, down at the harbour, very friendly staff. Children have to wear a life jacket, which honestly made me feel better, even if child wasn't impressed. You can sit inside the boat and be warmer or step outside on to the dexk at either the front or back of the boat. We went out down the fjord and then stopped, one of the staff members, I didn't get their name, but was talking about the whale and other mammals that frequent the area. Also pointed out where to look when the whales came by. Such an amazing experience, absolutely loved seeing the whales.
It is cold out in the fjord but they do provide thermal suits, waterproof coats and warm drinks on board, read the side of the paper cups for the must-do check list whilst in Akureyri
Kieran_N, Nov 2025
Our whale-watching experience in Akureyri was fantastic. The tour was very well organized, and cruising through the fjord offered stunning views even before we spotted any wildlife. We were incredibly lucky to see five humpback whales, and the crew made the experience even better; professional, friendly, and full of interesting information about the whales and the area.
We felt truly grateful for the chance to watch these amazing animals up close. The tour was also great value for the price, especially considering the length of the trip and the wonderful photos we received afterward. Highly recommend!
Susan_F, Nov 2025
Easy to find, very clean boat, that was very equipped. Staff were fab, very knowledgeable and found the whales, perfect time to go in Nov as weather still good but less tourists.
From $104.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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