Husavik Whale Watching Tour with Guide

Húsavík harbour and town

Húsavík is a small fishing town on the north coast of Iceland, on the eastern shore of Skjálfandi Bay. Its name means House Bay: according to the old Icelandic sagas, a Norse seafarer wintered here around the year 870 and built a house, making it one of the first places in Iceland to be settled. The harbour, lined with colourful timber buildings, is still the heart of the town, and above it stands Húsavík Church, a pretty wooden church from 1907.

Whale watching began here in 1995 and turned Húsavík into Iceland's best-known whale-watching town. Before or after your trip, the Húsavík Whale Museum, set in an old slaughterhouse by the harbour, is well worth an hour. How to get to Húsavík: it is about an hour and a quarter by road from Akureyri and around 45 minutes from Lake Mývatn, on the Arctic Coast Way.

Skjálfandi Bay

Skjálfandi, which means the trembling bay, takes its name from the earthquakes that sometimes shake this part of north Iceland. Two rivers, Skjálfandafljót and Laxá, flow into the bay and bring nutrients from the land, while cold Arctic water mixes with warmer currents. The result is a rich supply of plankton, krill and small fish that draws whales into the bay every summer to feed.

Across the water rise the steep, snow-streaked Kinnarfjöll and Víknafjöll mountains, a dramatic backdrop that makes this one of the most beautiful whale-watching settings in the world. Out in the bay you also pass the islands of Lundey, a puffin colony, and Flatey, a low island whose small community left in the 1960s. On calm days the surface is like glass, which makes spotting a blow much easier.

Whales, dolphins and seabirds of the bay

Humpback whales are the stars of Skjálfandi Bay: they are seen on most trips in summer and are famous for showing their tail flukes before deep dives and, now and then, leaping clear of the water. Minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises are also regular visitors. In spring and early summer, roughly May to July, blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, are sometimes seen, and fin whales and orcas appear from time to time.

Above the water you will see fulmars, gannets, Arctic terns and, from May to mid-August, puffins flying low between their nesting islands and fishing grounds. The guide explains how to tell species apart from the shape of the blow and the dorsal fin. Is Húsavík whale watching worth it? With a very high sighting rate in summer and a new trip offered if you see no whales, it is one of the most rewarding wildlife experiences in Iceland.

Sailing on a traditional Icelandic oak boat

This trip uses a traditional Icelandic oak boat, a type of wooden fishing vessel that once worked the waters of the north coast and has been carefully restored for passengers. These boats are known for their smooth, stable ride and quiet engines, which disturb the animals less, and their open decks give everyone space at the rails when a whale surfaces.

Before departure you are given warm overalls to wear over your clothes, essential because the wind on the bay is cold even in July. On the return leg the crew serves hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun, a much-loved Icelandic tradition on these boats. The best time to visit Húsavík for whale watching is June to August, when days are long and sightings most frequent, but tours also run in spring and autumn.