Whale watching in Iceland is definitely once in a lifetime experience. Sailing in the middle of an ocean, surrounded by wild nature and driven by waves: it is unforgettable, even when it rains!
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How and Where to see whales in Iceland
Is it worth going whale watching in Iceland?
Whale watching in Iceland should be on everyone’s bucket list – it was the highlight of my Iceland itinerary. It’s a surreal experience you should have at least once in your lifetime! I was incredibly excited for this, and we had our whale-watching tour booked well in advance. The weather was supposed to be fine, but suddenly, it started raining. I honestly thought our tour would be canceled. But this is Iceland—no one cares about the weather! Life goes on as usual, no matter the conditions. When planning your whale-watching trip in Iceland, keep in mind that the weather is highly unpredictable. You need to be prepared for rain, sun, snow, and wind, even during the peak summer season. So, be sure to plan wisely and pack accordingly for Iceland.
For those wondering, “Is whale watching in Iceland possible in the rain?” – Absolutely!
Top Whale Watching Tours in Iceland
Most of the whale watching tours in Iceland depart from Husavik, Akureyri, or Reykjavik. We decided to book the one in Husavik, as I was excited to have this experience in the less-touristy northern part of the island. Here a few top-rated tour you can not miss:
- From Húsavík: Traditional Whale Watching Tour (check availability)
- Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Guide (check availability)
- Húsavík: Family-Run and Guided Whale Watching Tour (check availability)
- Akureyri: 3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour (check availability)
- Reykjavík: Whale Watching and Marine Life Cruise (check availability)
- Reykjavik: Whale Watching by RIB Speedboat (check availability)
- Reykjavík: Whale Watching Cruise on the Amelia Rose Yacht (check availability)
- Árskógssandur: Whale-Watching Boat Trip (check availability)
Whale Watching in the rain
Apparently, when the ocean is calm enough, the weather isn’t much of a concern in Iceland. Whale watching in the rain? I honestly thought we’d freeze on the boat, with no shelter from the wind and raindrops. The tour lasted 3 hours, which seemed like more than enough time to get cold and end up spending the rest of the vacation in bed. We were told the company would provide something to wear, but I didn’t expect it to be so intense. In addition to a special water-resistant suit, I received a really good raincoat, and you wear everything over your regular clothes (including your winter jacket). It’s best to have waterproof boots, as your feet are the only part that might still get cold. No Instagram-worthy photos, though – I looked like a giant red snowman!
How likely is it to see whales in Iceland?
If you’re planning to book a whale watching tour in Iceland, it’s important to understand that no company can guarantee you’ll see whales. Remember, these are wild animals that roam freely and can cover vast distances in a short time. However, all of my friends who went on a whale watching tour in Húsavík saw whales, which is also why I chose a tour there over Reykjavík. There’s always an element of surprise, as you never know which marine species you might encounter. We were lucky enough to see dolphins – one even approached the boat before they disappeared.
Tips for spotting whales
The key to spotting whales on a tour is to look for their blow at the surface. However, if you see something staying in the same spot for a while, it’s probably not a whale, as they tend to move around. If you’re lucky enough to see a tail, the whale is likely diving, and it will typically stay underwater for up to 10 minutes. You never know when or where they’ll resurface. We saw plenty of whale blows in the area, though our boat always kept a respectful distance. The guide mentioned that there have been some scary incidents where whales surfaced unexpectedly close to boats. I secretly hoped a whale would appear near our boat, but it didn’t happen – we only saw them from at least 60 meters away. Still, sailing near a humpback whale (12-16 meters long and weighing up to 36,000 kg) was a truly humbling experience.
On the boat
On the boat, we used a clock system: we imagined the boat as a giant clock, and whenever our guide spotted something, she’d call out an hour, and everyone would look in that direction. The only downside of the experience was that taking pictures was difficult due to the rain. My GoPro didn’t have enough zoom, and trying to keep the Canon camera dry inside my many layers meant it took too long to pull it out. With whale watching, every second counts. While the experience wasn’t just about taking photos for me, I really wish I had a way to capture and revisit those unique moments. Only after our whale watching tour I got a decent rain-cover for the camera and planning to buy new zoom lens. Also, a good pair of binoculars might be handy.
One way or another, there are experiences that pictures simply can’t capture, especially something like whale watching in Iceland. The sense of inner peace you feel after sailing in the middle of the ocean, despite the rain, wind, and cold, is indescribable. On a small boat, nearly out of sight of the shore and surrounded by marine giants – this is when you truly feel the power of Icelandic landscapes and realize how small a place you occupy in this vast, incredible world.
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I love your honesty and perspective! We go whale watching in the San Juan Islands, Washington but luckily the weather is not as cold when they are frequent there! Iceland is on my list and I never thought to try to see whales there – thanks for sharing and cheers from Copenhagen! Erin #WeekendWanderlust
Thanks for your comment, Erin!
Ahhhhh, watching humpback whales …. Iceland …. I just had to read your story! I was lucky enough to see humpbacks in Australia so my experience was a lot warmer and they are such amazing creates to see aren’t they. At the time, I had a 35mm camera so not a digi and I ran out of film just as they were breaching over and over and over again so I know what it feels like to miss those crucial photos, but those memories will never fade. As for Iceland brrrrrr when it’s cold it’s biting isn’t it! We were there for Christmas and it sort of rained and snowed at the same time and it was almost as if it was coming at us sideways and from down below! But, once again, amazing memories, and we don’t end up caring about the weather, just the fantastic experiences 🙂
Exactly, the memories make up for the weather!
And yes, Iceland was cold – and I was there in August!!! 😉
Your story and photos remind me a lot of my whale watching experience down near Keflavik. The huge suit, average weather and difficulty getting a good shot. We had the same system for spotting them too. Didn’t see any dolphins though, lucky you! Definitely think it’s a great activity to do in Iceland. Never reached Husavik but hope to next time. #WeekendWanderlust
Thank you, David!
A pity about the rain but wow what an awesome experience! I’ve never been whale watching but they are such majestic creatures I would love to observe them myself one day! That’s a pain about not being able to zoom too much with your GoPro – that’s a very good reminder for whale watchers to make sure they bring a zoom lens on their camera!
Thanks, Juliette!
Whale watching in Iceland! Definitely a yes, I come from a country where when it’s sunny, it’s really sunny , the land from down under. So, this would be a whole new experience for me. Glad you still went ahead see the whales even when it’s raining, Will definitely include whale watching in my to-do list should I visit Iceland one of these days. Great read!
I also live in sunny Spain, so I know what you mean! Iceland was so different from any other place I´ve ever been to, and whale watching tour was such a unique moment! Hope you get to visit and experience it all for yourself soon!
Absolutely love this sentiment! There is much about travel that pictures fail to show, and realizing “what a tiny place we occupy in this huge wonderful world” is a BIG one. I like that you wrote about an experience that wasn’t picture perfect (or perfect weather) but was memorable and worthwhile nonetheless. #feetdotravel
What a great experience, Anna! Even with the rain… you’ll never forget it, even if you don’t have that perfect picture. Thanks for sharing it with us.
What a lovely day — even though it was raining! I appreciate your approach to this post — you can tour and have a fabulous experience in spite of rain. When we travel, it’s inevitable that we’ll deal with rainy days. Keep going and enjoy anyway, right?!
Whale watching is high on our Bucket List, so we’d probably brave the cold and rain, too! Glad you got to see some – I hope we have the same luck if/when we ever get the chance in Iceland (or anywhere). Thanks for sharing!
It’s difficult to express how exhilarating see whales in their natural environment actually is, regardless of the weather. I can so relate to not getting great images but agree, it’s about the experience. I put my camera down in Alaska when we were surprised by a family of orcas. Wow! And recently in Sri Lanka, seeing blue whales was amazing. This article has me so excited. Even if it was raining and cold. LOL. 😀