Most common are minke whales and whitebeaked dolphins, but killer whales are also frequently seen. Whaletrips orcas the best time and place to watch orcas. It is possible to see some species of whales and dolphins at other times of the year as migratory patterns vary between the species so winter sailings are still an option in some parts of the country. Iceland has a rich history with the giants of the sea, and while visitors to the country can sign up for a variety of whale watching tours, the only way to really take in the full scope and beauty. Reykjavik whale watching in iceland itsallbee travel blog. Several tour operators in iceland offer excursions on the water, from fishing trips and harbour excursions to puffin watching, some of which are shorter and less expensive than whalewatching.
May 06, 2020 whale watching iceland best time of the year. Guaranteed whale andor dolphin sightings all year round. The cool, clear north atlantic ocean encircling iceland is rich with food for whales of various sizes and species. Best time to visit iceland in 2020 northern lights. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around icelands coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. The whaleplanner january a whale watching infographic whaletrips.
Does anyone know how good the whale watching is out of reykjavik at that time of year. We only seat 12 passengers per boat, and each boat has a expert whale watching guide and captain on board. By far the best time of year for whale watching in iceland is during the summer months, from april through september, when over 20 species of cetaceaincluding the orca, minke, humpback, and blue whalecan be seen in the north atlantic and arctic oceans on either side of the island. Keep in mind that whales are lurking in the deep throughout the year. Note that elding, or other companies, offer occasional coupons especially in the offseason that maybring the price down. Mar 01, 2018 a beached whale was, in hard times, and there were often hard times in iceland, equivalent to a major lottery win. You can prepare yourself before visiting exhibition by downloading whales of. With this trip you will have the entrance to the whales of iceland exhibition, where you will check, in real, how big are these mammals, as they are real scale handmade models that will make you feel that you are swimming in the ocean with them, listening them singing under the water, and also you will see how do their filters and different parts of their bodies like. Migrating whales flock to this bay, and sighting success rates are the highest in iceland.
This is the time when the minke whales are at their most abundant, along with the whitebeaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and humpback whales, giving us the chance to enjoy and understand them in. Around 20 species of whale can be found in the sea surrounding the country but the most common are the beaked whale, the humpbacked whale, dolphins and a few others. Get app whales of iceland the largest whale exhibition in. We can provide our guests with whale watching tours, departing both from reykjavik harbor and various fishing towns in iceland, e. Daily tours depart from the old harbour in reykjavik, as well as from a few small towns in the north of iceland, especially from husavik, a sparsely populated. Akureyri grundarfjordur took 6 hours but the scenic drive was worth being stuck in the car all morning on a nice day. Other places for orca watching are ireland, scotland, greenland or faroe islands but, again, its not very likely to meet them there. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. Get a boat and sail into this new exciting adventure. The largest whale exhibition in europe, located at grandi district, about a 15minute walk from the town centre. Our birthplace is often considered as the whale watching capital of europe.
How to go whale watching in iceland whats on in iceland. Even in the winter time, iceland is one of the best places to watch whales. It is possible to see some species of whales and dolphins at other times of the year as migratory patterns vary between the species so winter sailings are still an option in. The most recent icelandic hvalreki event happened on 26 november 2015, when a beached whale appeared at seltjarnarnes, a lovely peninsula on the. The official northern lights season in iceland is from october till march. Whale watching season is from april to midoctober with a peak in june. At least one of the reykjavik whale watching operators publishes their trip diary on the web, so you can read their trip diary for last september and see just what it was like, how many trips were cancelled due to rough seas, how many whales they saw and of what kind. Everything about whale watching in iceland and whaling. See all 6 whales of iceland tickets and tours on tripadvisor. Hi, im thinking of visiting iceland in late september. Whale watching tours are a fun activity that can be enjoyed by travelers of all ages and group sizes. The high season for whale watching tours is from april to midoctober.
That being said, the winter months still regularly yield excellent results. On display at whales of iceland are 23 lifesize whale models of species found in icelandic waters. Apr 05, 2019 the best time for whale watching in iceland is the summer june, july, and august when the wildlife is at its peak and when whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. Summer season is great for whale watching, as the wildlife in the bay is at its highest peak.
Whale watching husavik iceland husavik original whale watching. Throughout your cruise, listen to the knowledgeable guides insightful commentary, and have your camera ready to. Statement regarding hvalur hfs killing of a rare hybrid whale. The species that frequent icelands waters most regularly are minke and humpback whales, whitebeaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises. On a whale watching tour from reykjavik with special tours wildlife adventures you will be able to experience some of icelands rich and thriving bird life, as well as visit our large variety of sealife, including minke whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoises and whitebeaked dolphins among other whale species. In iceland, orcas can be observed both during summer and winter but chances are not as reliable as in norway and north america.
Ecofriendly whale watching carbonneutral tour enjoy a silent sailing onboard andvari, our silent and electric, ecofriendly whale watching boat. Nowadays, every so often news reports will carry stories about a beached whale. The much anticipated 2016 whale watching season commences in may 15th, just short of two weeks from today. Get the ultimate whale watching experience during the peak season from april through october, when over 20 kinds of whale flock to the north atlantic.
However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. Whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. Cetaceans often sighted are minke whales, humpback. Are different whales sighted or do certain types have more likelihood of sightings during different times of year. Whales in iceland got a reprieve from hunters last year the. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you need.
Set off in search of minke whales, humpbacks and more on this whalewatching cruise from reykjavik. Weve been preparing our two boats, niels jonsson and sandvikin, the last couple of weeks after the now finished winter fishing season. Ecofriendly whale watching with north sailing carbon. Gg1 whale watching experience the mammals of the ocean. With over 90% viewing success the chances of seeing some rich variety of large sealife including minke and humpback whales, harbour porpoises and whitebeaked dolphins.
The countrys two commercial whaling companies opted to skip the hunting season. Whales are drawn by fish and so every selfrespecting tourist is there to see the miracle. Whale watching season whale watching iceland tours. Iceland orca whale watching on snaefellsnes killer whales west. Is it possible to go whale watching in iceland in march. The success rate of the summer tours is over 95%, in the north, this is even higher at 98%. Iceland the best tips for whale watching in iceland whaletrips. Regal humpbacks are the most common sighting 9396%, followed by the eerily beautiful minkes 3035%, incredible whitebeaked dolphins 3050% and playful harbor porpoises 3050%. Orcas, also known as killer whales, and sperm whales. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around iceland s coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. Whale watching reykjavik tours, iceland special tours. From april to october, the city of husavik turns into heaven for whale loversthe coastal area is so full of them. The exhibition displays 23 manmade, life size models of the whales that are found around iceland. Whale watching boat tours depart mostly from reykjavik south west and akureyri or husavik in the north.
Summer is the peak season for whalewatching, as it is the prime feeding time for the whales and migratory seabirds such as puffins can be seen. Our whale watching boat, rosin the rose, offers an absolute innovation in whale watching adventures in iceland, it is fast and a luxurious whale watching boat, one of its kind in iceland, providing security and luxury for all. The high peak season for whale watching is from april to october, but of course the ocean is always full of adventures. Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. Whales of iceland reykjavik, iceland atlas obscura.
And the norwegian and icelandic fjords are full of whales, too. It turns out that iceland is a great place to see whales, one of the best destinations in europe in fact. Another very good option is the street of gibraltar during summer. The best season for whale watching in most parts of iceland is therefore between april and october. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with iceland s peak tourist season. On this whale watching excursion you will be able to get up close to some of icelands amazing wildlife. But with almost everything else in the animal kingdom, there are seasons for everything and your best chances to get a glimpse on these majestic animals is from april to october. Its really special experience to head out to see a whale move greacefully through gentle fjord waters or out across a bay, relatively close to the shore. Apr 14, 2017 the colorful whalewatching town of husavik winter is generally the worst season to go whale watching. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters. Whales of iceland is the largest whales exhibition of its kind in the world. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages. With our speedboats we can offer our passengers more area to cover in search for the gentle giants.
However, it is not unheard of to see other creatures, such as orcas, pilot whales, fin and sei whales and the great blue whale although rare in our waters. However, more sightings are reported between april and september. Close to downtown, this is truly an otherworldly venue. Whales of iceland can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Therefore it is quite easy to include this activity in your wider tour. Oct 11, 2017 by far the best time of year for whale watching in iceland is during the summer months, from april through september, when over 20 species of cetaceaincluding the orca, minke, humpback, and blue whalecan be seen in the north atlantic and arctic oceans on either side of the island. Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling. Join us for a chance to encounter the incredible whales and dolphins of faxafloi bay. But you really cant go wrong with any tour from any city. A beached whale was, in hard times, and there were often hard times in iceland, equivalent to a major lottery win. About whales of iceland open since 2014 lifesized models. Oct 26, 2016 we have added a new whale watching boat to our fleet, gunnar hamundarson gk 357, a beautiful oak boat built in iceland in 1954. Iceland, dalvik watching crazy humpback whale from the rhib.
Whale watching in iceland the whales of akureyri is a short video of some whale watching in iceland that is enjoyable to watch. For 2015, icelands fisheries ministry has given the whalers a quota of 154 fin whales the second largest mammal after the blue whale and 229 minke whales. They were too worried about getting seasick on the 4 hour ride. All the year around youll be able to see a variety of whales by the coast, from the minke, humpback and killer whales to whitebeaked dolphins and harbor porpoises. Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. Aug 22, 2017 this is a part of our journey to iceland contains shots from the whale watching tour organized by arctic sea tours from dalvik.
Husavik and dalvik, plus akureyri in the north and olafsvik on the west coast. Best time to visit iceland in 2020 northern lights, scenery. The whales of iceland exhibition is wheelchair accessible. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with icelands peak tourist season. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you. Starting in reykjaviks old harbour, your whale watching adventure is located right in the city centre. Whaling in iceland began with speardrift hunting as early as the 12th century, and continued in a vestigial form until the late 19th century, when other countries introduced modern commercial practices. Cruise the harbor in comfort and style, enjoy access to an indoor saloon stocked with snacks and drinks sold on board, and spot icelands diverse aquatic species with help from the. Whale watching in reykjavik iceland on the go tours us. We have added a new whale watching boat to our fleet, gunnar hamundarson gk 357, a beautiful oak boat built in iceland in 1954. A rib is faster than the wind and makes it therefore more likely for us to find the big whales. Our travel experts will quickly get back you with information on availability and assist you in.
The best time for whale watching in iceland is the summer june, july, and august when the wildlife is at its peak and when whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. We are planning a 7 days trip to iceland in mid october and are very interested in whalewatching. These range from one of the smallest marine mammals, the harbour porpoise, all the way up to the gigantic blue whale. Reykjavik sailors also offers a creatures of the sea trip, which includes both whale watching as well as fishing and eating the fish. The focus is naturally on the giants of the sea and we hope to see minke and humpback whales. Is it possible to see the humpback whales and where would it be the best spots for. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober. We will restore gunnar fully during this winter and have him ready for our next season alongside our every trusty oak boat niels jonsson ea 106. The orcas are apex predators, which mean that no other animal feeds on them, while the majestic sperm whale is. You can book our whale watching tours through our online booking system booking by email send an email to our travel help team with basic information about the tour youre interested in, what date you are thinking of and then something about you or those going on the tour. Whale watching in iceland ultimate guide extreme iceland.
Jun 29, 2015 for 2015, icelands fisheries ministry has given the whalers a quota of 154 fin whales the second largest mammal after the blue whale and 229 minke whales. Featured are 23 lifesize models of the species found in icelandic waters. Whale watching in iceland tips and tricks for families. The laugavegur hiking trail already sold out the entire summer of 20.
The area around akureyri is known for its humpback whale watching and draws tourists from all over the world to see these magnificent creatures. Does whale watching from reykjavik make sense at this time. Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object clarification needed to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling commission in 1986, and that still. Whale watching in september iceland lonely planet forum.
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