Whale Watching
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Port
Husavik, Iceland
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$150
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Your tour begins with a short walk across the harbour at Husavik, where you will board a traditional Icelandic wooden fishing boat for a three-hour cruise on the waters of Skjalfandi Bay. The boat you will be travelling on, which is constructed of oak, has been carefully restored and adapted to its new role without compromising its original character.
Skjalfandi Bay is renowned for the opportunities it provides to observe several species of whale, dolphin, and seabird in their natural habitat. Heading north from Husavik, your cruise will circumnavigate Lundey Island, a small, uninhabited, grass-covered island with a high point at its southern end that rises more than 100 ft above sea level. During the summer months, Lundey is home to almost 40,000 pairs of Atlantic Puffin, a species that nests within burrows hidden amongst the lush vegetation that carpets the island.
Meanwhile, your captain will be watching out for some of the other wildlife that frequents this area, with Skjalfandi Bay being one of the best places in the world to see the minke whale. The smallest of the ten baleen whales that make up the family Balaenopteridae, otherwise known as the rorquals, the species can often approach small boats, appearing to have a curious nature. Boisterous white-beaked dolphins and smaller harbor porpoises frequently show up, and sometimes humpback and other large whales are also seen. The more pairs of eyes that scan the water, the better!
After a memorable cruise, it will be time to return to the harbour at Husavik, concluding your tour. From here, it is but a short walk back to your ship.
Please note: This is a scheduled tour and not a private boat. There is a walk of 400 - 800 yards each way from the ship to the whale watching boat. Stepping onto the boat can be slippery, and the deck of the boat can also be slippery. For this reason, guests are advised to take care when moving around the boat and to wear sturdy, non-skid walking shoes. It is essential that you wear very warm, layered clothing to fully enjoy and participate in this excursion. Your outer layer should be waterproof and windproof, and you are advised to bring gloves, a warm hat, and a scarf. Views are weather permitting, and whilst wildlife sightings are likely, they are not guaranteed.