Winter Whale Watching and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

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Reykjavik, Iceland

5 hours (approx.)
Offered in: English

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Overview

Combine two exciting Icelandic activities into one day on a tour from Reykjavik. Your first activity is a whale-watching tour in Faxafloi Bay where you have the opportunity to see humpback and minke whales as well as dolphins and porpoises. Then, in the evening, board your vessel again for a northern lights tour that takes you away from the bright city lights.

Sightings are guaranteed or you can come again free of charge
Upgrade to include pickups and drop-offs in the Reykjavik area
Learn about the local wildlife as well as the aurora from your guide
Hunt for the northern lights on a boat rather than on land

What's Included

Two separate tours (3 hr. whale watching & 2 hr. northern lights cruise)
Sighting guarantee - or try again for FREE
Access to Wildlife Exhibition
Excellent Live Commentary in English
Pictures taken by crew (if any)
Use of Warm Overalls and Blankets

Food / Drinks (available for purchase on board)
Pick up / Drop off (can be arranged with operator directly for a fee)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Elding Whale Watching
Ægisgarður 5c, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Meet us in the ELDING ticket office located at Ægisgarður 5c by the Old Harbour district in Reykjavík. Once at the pier, simply follow the red colour to find us! Be sure to arrive at least 15 min. before departure to ensure enough time to check in and to board the boat.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Ticket Redemption Point

Elding Whale Watching, Ægisgarður 5c, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

What To Expect

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
Children under 13 years of age are required by law to wear life-vests for the duration of the tour.
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 advise our office prior to departure as we may need to assist with boarding.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

David_D

We set off on 3hr whale watching trip and we managed to spot a whale not far from the harbour. We spent about an hour watching the whale dive and surface and it was fantastic to experience the sighting in the whale’s nature environment. unfortunately the northern lights evening excursion was cancelled due to bad weather. Highly recommend this operator for a whale watching excursion ❤️

Reviews

4.6

based on 25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

This tour comes in two...

Margaret_W, Oct 2025

This tour comes in two parts - a morning whale-watching cruise and an evening Northern Lights viewing. The ship is comfortable with an inside lounge and ample viewing area outside. They provided warm coveralls for us to wear over our clothes. We were fortunate to have a clear evening with a very active display of lights. It was a wonderful experience.

Amazing experience absolutely recommend 🤩

Nelly_M, Feb 2025

Amazing experience to see the whales breaching and do fluke dives 🐋🌊 The crew are so knowledgeable and helpful 👌🏼 The northern lights got rescheduled which we so happy about as got to see them so amazingly 🤩

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Dear Nelly_M, Thank you for your review! Seeing whales breach and perform fluke dives is always a breathtaking experience, and we’re so happy you got to witness it. We appreciate your kind words about our knowledgeable and helpful crew. It’s also great to hear that you were able to see the northern lights after your tour was rescheduled. We’re delighted you had such an amazing experience and truly appreciate your recommendation! All the best, The Elding team

Very cool experience, got...

Orion_M, Feb 2025

Very cool experience, got to watch humpback whales feeding. We didn’t catch the Aurora this time around but if you don’t see it they give you a voucher gift next time!

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Dear Orion_M, We’re so glad you had a great time whale watching and got to see humpback whales feeding - it’s always a spectacular sight! Sorry to hear that the aurora didn’t appear this time, but we’re happy you were able to take advantage of our return voucher for another chance to see them. We appreciate your review and hope to welcome you back soon! All the best, The Elding team

We saw a whale 👏👏

David_D, Jan 2025

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Dear David_D, We appreciate your review! Watching a whale so close to the harbour must have been an incredible experience, and we’re happy to hear you enjoyed it. We’re sorry the Northern Lights tour had to be cancelled due to the weather, but we truly appreciate your recommendation. All the best, The Elding team

The combo experience was not clear and I missed seeing whales

Karimah_L, Oct 2024

It was a bit cold and rainy when we went, but I love the water so it was nice to be out. The whale watcher was very knowledgeable, and shared a few facts that I will remember. While I did not get to see any whales, watching the dolphins were nice. I wouldn’t recommend unless you just needed to fill time. Also, the ladies at the front desk were not clear with what would happen to my tour since weather cancelled the northern lights portion of the tour, and I missed the first boat going out. I was rebooked for 4 hours later, but I would’ve preferred a refund.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Karimah_L, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry to hear about any confusion regarding the combo tour. Although we are unable to offer refunds due to missed tours, communicating options for your cancelled Northern Lights Cruise should have been clearer. While dolphins are a delight, we can understand that you had of course hoped to see whales on the Whale Watching tour. We're however glad to hear that you enjoyed being out on the water and found our guide’s information memorable. All the best, The Elding team

Lovely tours

Erika_F, Sep 2024

We did the combo whale watching and northern lights cruise. Both were amazing. They provide warm coveralls so that you’re comfortable throughout the entirety of the trip. We saw one green streak of the northern lights, and even though we did have a sighting, they still offered a free return. As for the whale tour, we saw humpbacks and minke whales. Well worth the time to go on a tour.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Dear Erika_F, Thank you for sharing your lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed both the whale watching and northern lights cruise. It’s great to hear that you found the provided warm coveralls useful and we agree that it’s important to stay comfortable! Spotting that green streak of the northern lights is always a special moment, and we’re thrilled you got to experience it! All the best, The Elding team

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