Our birthplace is often considered as the whale watching capital of europe. 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. Does anyone know how good the whale watching is out of reykjavik at that time of year. The declining demand for both minke and fin whale meat has forced hvalur hf to dispose of excess whale meat creatively. Our specially made rib boats are made to get close to the whales, dolphins and puffins of the faxafloi bay. The catalogue has been sent to researchers and whale watching companies in. 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. Since iceland resumed whaling in 2003 first under the guise of scientific whaling, later as commercial whaling greenpeace has worked to stop whaling in iceland, shares norman. 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. The ocean around iceland and in eyjafjordur has a variety of quality fish and we, as experienced fishermen, can almost guarantee that youll get a catch if you try. Whaling in iceland began with speardrift hunting as early as the 12th century, and continued in.
The official humpback season in costa rica is december to march and. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters. A rib is faster than the wind and makes it therefore more likely for us to find the big whales. Whale watching tours are a fun activity that can be enjoyed by travelers of all ages and group sizes. You can also borrow one of our warm blankets and overalls. Featured are 23 lifesize models of the species found in icelandic waters. The whaleplanner december a whale watching infographic. 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. We zoomed around on a speedboat to get close to the whales and at one point. The whaleplanner january a whale watching infographic whaletrips.
Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around iceland s coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. How to go whale watching in iceland whats on in iceland. See all 6 whales of iceland tickets and tours on tripadvisor. A beached whale was, in hard times, and there were often hard times in iceland, equivalent to a major lottery win. The old harbor is conveniently located in the city center, with various cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops in the area. Whale watching in iceland ultimate guide extreme iceland. 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. 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. The official northern lights season in iceland is from october till march. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you. We only seat 12 passengers per boat, and each boat has a expert whale watching guide and captain on board. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and. Whales of iceland exhibition is just 15 min walk from city center and can be. 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.
And the norwegian and icelandic fjords are full of whales, too. 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. Whale watching in reykjavik iceland on the go tours us. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with icelands peak tourist season.
This is the original whale watching tour from reykjavik and one of the most popular attractions in iceland. The high peak season for whale watching is from april to october, but of course the ocean is always full of adventures. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around icelands coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober. You can see whales all along the pacific coast of costa rica during those months.
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. We zoomed around on a speedboat to get close to the whales and at one point we were surrounded by humpback whales that were. The most recent icelandic hvalreki event happened on 26 november 2015, when a beached whale appeared at seltjarnarnes, a lovely peninsula on the. Our travel experts will quickly get back you with information on availability and assist you in. With our speedboats we can offer our passengers more area to cover in search for the gentle giants. 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. Most common are minke whales and whitebeaked dolphins, but killer whales are also frequently seen.
Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. It is a unique adventure at sea watching the wonders of nature in the beautiful surroundings of skjalfandi bay, sheltered by the stunning mountains of vik. These range from one of the smallest marine mammals, the harbour porpoise, all the way up to the gigantic blue whale. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with iceland s peak tourist season. 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. 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. Please be at the meeting point at least 30 minutes before departure.
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. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. Iceland on the web can plan you a very friendly and inexpensive package for whale watching in reykjavik. See more ideas about whale watching, whale and iceland. As a disclaimer i havent been there myself but i guess it should be ok because its off route 1 which gets plowed year round. Whales of iceland is the largest whales exhibition of its kind in the world. The much anticipated 2016 whale watching season commences in may 15th, just short of two weeks from today. The official northern lights season in iceland is from. The good old whale watching tour with a little sea angling at the end of the tour.
Best value whale watching trip from reykjavik guide to iceland. Elding is the original whale watching tour operator in reykjavik iceland, offering also sea angling, puffing watching and northern lights tours. The success rate of the summer tours is over 95%, in the north, this is even higher at 98%. 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. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place. Husavik and dalvik, plus akureyri in the north and olafsvik on the west coast. Whale watching reykjavik tours, iceland special tours.
Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling. Icelandic nationalist discourse and the whaling issue. Jul 15, 2014 whale watching on a tour with gentle giants out of husavik in iceland. 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. It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter. Whale watching sea angling tours in north iceland whales. The focus is naturally on the giants of the sea and we hope to see minke and humpback whales. Weather at sea is always colder than on land and therefore we recommend dressing appropriately, by wearing warm clothing and good sturdy shoes. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you need. Everything about whale watching in iceland and whaling. Just 10 minutes north of hauganes is the scenic village of dalvik, at the mouth of svarfa. Cetaceans often sighted are minke whales, humpback. Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. Whale watching hauganes in north iceland whale watching.
Whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. Join us for a chance to encounter the incredible whales and dolphins of faxafloi bay. Iceland the best tips for whale watching in iceland whaletrips. 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. 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. Join our tour this summer and get a 10% online booking discount when booking. There are two types of boat trips offered, the classic whale watching tour or express rib boat tour. Whale watching season whale watching iceland tours. Below you can download the catalogue and read about our icelandic orca. Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. At least one of the reykjavik whalewatching 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.
Keep in mind that whales are lurking in the deep throughout the year. Rib express whale wathing this is a once in a lifetime boat experience. You can prepare yourself before visiting exhibition by downloading whales of. Get app whales of iceland the largest whale exhibition in. Apr 29, 2019 the best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september.
The high season for whale watching tours is from april to midoctober. They are lurking around all year round though, i would very much like to point that out. If there are no sightings on the tour, you can use your ticket number to reschedule your reservation and join another tour for free. The best season for whale watching in most parts of iceland is therefore between april and october. Migrating whales flock to this bay, and sighting success rates are the highest in iceland. You can find the exhibition in reykjavik, icelands capital city. The laugavegur hiking trail already sold out the entire summer of 20. We can provide our guests with whale watching tours, departing both from reykjavik harbor and various fishing towns in iceland, e. However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. The cool, clear north atlantic ocean encircling iceland is rich with food for whales of various sizes and species.
The best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september. Whale watching season is from april to midoctober with a peak in june. This is when they come to breed and raise their young and is the best time to go on a costa rica whale watching tour. On this whale watching excursion you will be able to get up close to some of icelands amazing wildlife. Therefore it is quite easy to include this activity in your wider tour. If you like it more crisp and winterly, norway and iceland are the perfect options. 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. Nowadays, every so often news reports will carry stories about a beached whale. Whales of iceland can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Whale watching tours are available from reykjaviks old harbour every day. Weve been preparing our two boats, niels jonsson and sandvikin, the last couple of weeks after the now finished winter fishing season. Gg1 whale watching experience the mammals of the ocean. Whales of iceland partners with several whale watching companies around iceland. Whale watching on a tour with gentle giants out of husavik in iceland.