RIB Whale Watching Small-Group Boat Tour from Reykjavik
Recommended by 93% of travelers
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Reykjavik, Iceland
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Reykjavik is an ideal destination for whale-watching, but large boats can’t get close to the action, meaning you might spend longer squinting through a pair of binoculars than actually spotting wildlife. On this small-group cruise through Faxaflói Bay, cut through the water in a rigid inflatable boat (RIB), which lets you maneuver easily and follow humpback whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Admire city views along the way.
- Small-group tour ensures a personalized experience
- See puffins on the islands near Reykjavik Old Harbour
- Cover a large search area looking for whales, dolphins, and birds
- Small speedboat lets you get closer to the wildlife action
What's Included
- Professional marine biologist guide
- Use of coveralls
- All necessary safety equipment
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Ægisgarður 5d, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Our ticket office is located at Ægisgarður 5d in 101 Reykjavík at the corner of the Old Harbour in downtown Reykjavík.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Ægisgarður 5d
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Akurey
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Faxafloi Bay
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Sun Voyager (Pass By)
4
Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Whale Safari
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Dress warmly: Wool or fleece seater, Hat, gloves and sturdy footwear are recommended
- In the case of no sightings you will get a ticket for an alternative tour
- Children must be over the age of 10 and over 145 centimeters tall
- Not recommended for travellers with knee problems
- Not recommended for young children
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 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
Caroline_R
Wow, what a great way to stay awake on our first day in Iceland after an overnight flight! Our guide was fantastic and very patient/helpful. After a very long (maybe 30 min one way?) and extremely choppy ride way out off shore, we finally had our first whale sightings, and they just kept coming! We even saw two whales breach at the same time —awe-inspiring! I highly recommend this tour but will say the choppy/rough ride is something to consider (as they warn) if you have older people in your party. But we are so glad we did it!!
Reviews
4.7
based on 241 reviews
Katie_M, Oct 2025
Wow what an adventure.
So much fun. Highly recommend the RIB experience if you can it is so much more personable. We had an amazing few hours with Whale Safari and managed to see four Humpbacks, a Minkie and a Porpoise. An unforgettable experience.
Cody_V, Oct 2025
Really fun experience, the whales were fun and the ride was a blast! Great guides and worthwhile experience.
Caroline_R, Sep 2025
Wow, what a great way to stay awake on our first day in Iceland after an overnight flight! Our guide was fantastic and very patient/helpful. After a very long (maybe 30 min one way?) and extremely choppy ride way out off shore, we finally had our first whale sightings, and they just kept coming! We even saw two whales breach at the same time —awe-inspiring! I highly recommend this tour but will say the choppy/rough ride is something to consider (as they warn) if you have older people in your party. But we are so glad we did it!!
Heather_F, Sep 2025
Absolutely breathtaking experience!! We spent so much time watching the whales. And then…a DOUBLE humpback whale breach!! I swear it was a coordinated effort to impress us. Unforgettable trip and our guides were incredible. Worth every penny ❤️
Lisa_D, Sep 2025
Saw whales for the first time, guides were very friendly and knowledgable, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Diane_B, Aug 2025
Such a good time. Guys are great and the get you prepared in nice warm jumper suits. We got to see whales!!! Three of them came under the boat what an awesome experience! If you get seasick like I do don’t worry about it, it’s not rough!! Highly recommend.
gzjones6, Aug 2025
Great RIB trip to see puffins and whales. Amazing trip, staff were very informative and saw lots of whales from humpback to minkes
c6n4shywj2, Aug 2025
Despite the weather was not the best, the experience itself left me wordless, we saw minke whale and humpback whales, the guide was very professional, explained a lot about them. She knew not only about whales but also how to handle people with a sea sick on the board.
Denise_N, Aug 2025
Great 10am trip with so many whales I stopped taking photos. 5 humpbacks, two right by our boat!. They aren’t kidding about not doing this if you have back or knee problems - the ride back was rough but for us so worth it!
Kelly_S, Aug 2025
The trip was incredible! The staff was so enthusiastic and informative. The trip itself was exceptional. The boat ride was exhilarating. We were able to see a whale breach 4 times!
Sarah_M, Jul 2025
Best time for whales! Staff was wonderful. Provided suits, gloves, hats, and googles. Even saw a basking shark.
Bethany_N, Jul 2025
Great operator. Seats were very comfortable- especially when it got bumpy out there. Guide was a marine biologist and very knowledgeable. We saw lots of whales and puffins. Also the protective suits were warm
Ben_S, Jul 2025
Definitely worth the extra money for the small group experience. The rib boat ride was exhilarating and we saw lots of puffins and whales. One humpback surfaced right in front of us. Our guide even provided photos she took during our outing.
John_M, Jul 2025
Very friendly and knowledgeable crew. Coveralls provided were comfortable and dry. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the whales.
Michelle_S, Jul 2025
Absolutely loved the tour! The boat ride was fun, so many whales, dolphins and puffins were found. We’ve done several whale watching adventures this by far was the best and we saw the most! To top it off our guide Maria and driver Emily were the best! They both truly have a passion for what they do. It made me smile just listening to their excitement!
Tim_T, Jul 2025
Spectacular harbor tour with viewings of puffins on an island (and in the harbor), minke and humpback whales, as well as white-beaked dolphins. Sam was great as our knowledgable guide. Highly recommended.
Stacy_P, Jul 2025
We had an amazing experience. We saw about 15 whales and several dolphins. On our way back to the pier we stopped and saw puffins. Our tour guides were amazing. We loved having our small boat with just our family and 3 others. You definitely need to check out this company.
Mary_L, Jul 2025
Fantastic experience, saw humpback and minki whales. Also had the pleasure of some playful dolphins playing alongside the boat.
Pamela_S, Jun 2025
The crew was professional as well as very personable. The coverall was waterproof and warm. Saw so many whales and puffins, it was crazy! And crew member, Lefterius shared pics and videos of our sightings afterward. I can't wait to do it again!
Natasha_P, Jun 2025
Got to see puffins, humpbacks, porpoises and minky whales. Was very happy with the tour and the guide. They took photos for the group, so we all could really focus on the whales.
Kevin_F, Jun 2025
What an amazing experience! Even in the rainy weather, we were bundled up and relatively warm and dry with the supplied gear. The ride was relatively smooth with the unique shock absorbing seats. We were able to see a half dozen humpback, one shy minke, and countless puffins
catherine_e, Jun 2025
Tour cancelled because of weather but only was informed 1:30 h before our trip. Then they booked us on the classic tour. Departure was 1h late because of engine failure. We saw no whales.
Sydney_B, Oct 2024
Ann and crew made the experience unforgettable . We were able to see a multiple of humpback whales and dolphins
Jaidy_P, Oct 2024
Milán and Pedro were amazing, super friendly and helpful!!! Highly recommend, great experience, I totally do it again.
Daniel_F, Sep 2024
The tour was great, the guides did an excellent job of spotting the whales and filling the time when we were waiting.
Jacob_A, Sep 2024
Trip was cancelled because of high winds and offered a ride in a bigger boat which was quite rough given the high winds and then we saw NO whales.
Sheri_B, Sep 2024
This was one of the highlights of our trip! Being near water level and not sharing space with a lot of other people trying to see the same things made a tremendous difference when compared to whale watches we have done in other places. Watching whales breach from the 12 person boat is magical! And as a bonus, the RIB boat ride is fun on its own!
James_M, Aug 2024
We wanted to do a rib boat instead of the standard big boat whale watching excursion. We were NOT disappointed. The crew is very professional and thorough. Our guide was excellent, and found us 2 humpbacks and a milky whale . It was very fun 2 hours.
Hans_K, Aug 2024
Best guide ever. Thanks for an amazing experience. Perfect day with multiple whales.
Would recommend to anyone
Amy_B, Aug 2024
If I could give this 6 stars I would. The ladies at check, our boat captain, our tour guide, were all great! Super friendly and helpful. The experience I will cherish forever! We saw Minke whales (2) and three different humpback whales multiple times. It far exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend!
From $206.24
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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