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Go on a magical half-day search for Iceland’s magnificent whales! You’ll have the chance to see sperm whales, orcas, humpback whales, harbor porpoises and other incredible marine species, like puffins and seals. This tour is perfect for people who love wildlife and the great outdoors.
Your whale watching trip begins in the fishing town of Olafsvik. We’ll meet at the town harbor and board a traditional Icelandic boat. From there, we’ll sail out into the open ocean and towards the iconic Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Along the way, we’ll search for the whales that reside in Iceland’s waters.
We can’t tell you exactly where we’ll go. Our knowledgeable local captains will take you to that day’s best whale watching spot, based on the season and sea conditions. This flexibility maximizes your chance of spotting a whale.
Your captain will tell you all about the whales and their important place in Icelandic culture. Unfortunately, whale watching is not a precise science, so we can’t 100% guarantee that you’ll see something. However, our captains have been sailing the Icelandic seas for years and will do everything possible to make sure you see whales. Thanks to their expertise, our whale watching tours in Olafsvik have over a 90% success rate!
Arctic Adventures is part of the IceWhale Program. That means we’re committed to providing sustainable whale watching experiences that don’t interfere with the whales’ habitat. Our expert captains keep a safe distance from the gentle giants and make sure not to disturb them.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula is famous for the toothed-whales that visit its waters, such as orcas, sperm whales, and pilot whales. These whales can be seen throughout the year. However, whale sightings are more frequent during the winter and early summer, with the best time to see them between April and June. Humpbacks, minke whales, and white-beaked dolphins are also spotted throughout the year.
Among the whales that visit Iceland’s waters is the orca, who sits at the top of the Icelandic food chain. Iceland’s killer whales are fish eaters. If you’re lucky, you’ll see them use ultrasonic frequencies to trap herring near the water’s surface before they enjoy a fishy feast.
You’ll also have the chance to see sperm whales. These enormous beasts measure up to 65 ft and are the largest predators in the world. Because of this notoriety, books like Moby Dick have painted sperm whales as animals that should be feared. In reality, humans are in no danger from sperm whales, who prefer to eat squid and other cephalopods. Keep an eye out to see these creatures frolic in the waves and throw streams of water into the air!
We might also see humpback whales, playful dolphins, curious seals, adorable puffins and a host of other wildlife. If you love wildlife and want to see it to the spectacular backdrop of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, then be sure to join this whale watching tour.
This is a meet on location tour. Please arrive at Ólafsvík Harbour on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula at least 15 minutes before the tour is scheduled to depart.
This tour takes you to see whales in the wild, so we can’t 100% guarantee that you’ll make a sighting. However, our whale watching tours have a success rate of over 90%.
This is a great question. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated. This is because you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the start time that you chose when booking the tour.
Here you should wait for your guide.
Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.
View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.
Before and during activities on the multi-day tours consumption of alcohol is prohibited. If we suspect that a participant is intoxicated, we will prohibit them from joining the activity.
After the activities of the day are finished, you are welcome to have a drink and relax.
Yes, we do. Langjökull Ice Cave is a magical experience, the tour has no minimum age and is a wonderful option for the whole family. Whale Watching with our partner company Elding has been a favourite with families traveling with young children, these guys have a great success rate in seeing whales (upwards of 98% in the summertime).
Another option would be the Landmannalaugar Safari on this tour you get to explore parts of the Icelandic highlands and bathe in natural hot springs. Most of our super jeep tours are also suitable for children over the age of 6 years old. If you would like a nice and relaxing experience we would also recommend the Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour.
Your safety is our number one priority! Keeping this in mind, Arctic Adventures reserves the right to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Please read more information in our cancellation policy.
Yes, there is a specially trained and certified guide on each of our tours. The only exception to this is for our self-drive tours.
All of our tours are guided in English.
No, for all your questions and concerns you would need to contact our customer service.
The standard in Iceland is 230V and 50Hz and we use F-type power sockets and plugs, so you might have to bring an adaptor if you are visiting from UK, USA, Canada or other countries using a different voltage, Hz or plugs.
Our tours are split into four different categories that help participants to understand what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. Each tour is rated making it easier to find tours that suit you.
For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.
We’ve partnered with the Kolviður Fund in a new carbon offsetting program, which passengers can select to participate in at the time of booking.
The Kolviður Fund is the oldest, most respected carbon offsetting program in Iceland. With your support, one tree will be planted in special Kolviður forests in Iceland to carbon offset your tour with us.
Kolviður forests are strategically planted to absorb the maximum amount of CO2 and the forests are protected for a minimum of 60 years. During their lifetime the trees absorb carbon and store it in their root system, trunk, and branches. Trees also prevent soil erosion and maintain storage of carbon in the soil.
