Iceland Whale Watching Tours
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Soft midnight light over a calm sea under streaked clouds, Iceland, June.

Best time for whale watching

April to September for most of the country, with the months port by port and whale by whale, and what winter changes.

All whale watching toursSee the months

From
€50
Duration
2 to 6 h
Best season
Apr to Sept
Tours compared
30

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When is the best time to go whale watching in Iceland?

April to September, says Visit Iceland. Some boats sail all year.

Reykjavik

  1. January: tours run
  2. February: tours run
  3. March: tours run
  4. April: tours run
  5. May: tours run
  6. June: tours run
  7. July: tours run
  8. August: tours run
  9. September: tours run
  10. October: tours run
  11. November: tours run
  12. December: tours run

All year

Húsavík

  1. January: no tours
  2. February: no tours
  3. March: no tours
  4. April: tours run
  5. May: tours run
  6. June: tours run
  7. July: tours run
  8. August: tours run
  9. September: tours run
  10. October: tours run
  11. November: no tours
  12. December: no tours

April to October or November

Akureyri and Eyjafjörður

  1. January: tours run
  2. February: tours run
  3. March: tours run
  4. April: tours run
  5. May: tours run
  6. June: tours run
  7. July: tours run
  8. August: tours run
  9. September: tours run
  10. October: tours run
  11. November: tours run
  12. December: tours run

All year at Hauganes

Ólafsvík

  1. January: no tours
  2. February: tours run
  3. March: tours run
  4. April: tours run
  5. May: tours run
  6. June: tours run
  7. July: tours run
  8. August: tours run
  9. September: tours run
  10. October: no tours
  11. November: no tours
  12. December: no tours

10 February to 30 September

These are the months operators state for their own tours. Sea Trips gives April to October as the peak from Reykjavik, one month more than Visit Iceland.

We don't show a row for Ísafjörður, because we have not read its months.

What is the best time for each whale?

Summer in the north for humpbacks, winter to early summer in the west for orcas.

  • Humpback whale

    April/May to September/October in the north, and increasingly late winter in the south.

  • Minke whale

    March/April to September/October in the south, and regularly in the north and west at the same time.

  • Orca

    November/December to June/July in the west. March to May above all, says Láki Tours.

  • Sperm whale

    April/May to August/September from the west.

  • Fin whale

    Not commonly seen on tours, says IceWhale.

  • Dolphins and porpoises

    White-beaked dolphins in large pods with calves in February and March. Porpoises mostly March/April to September/October.

Can you go whale watching in Iceland in winter?

Yes, from several ports, with fewer tours.

A small boat on the sea beneath a wall of snow-covered mountains off Húsavík, March.

  1. From Reykjavik

    Elding and Sea Trips say they sail all year. Special Tours warns the chances may be lower.

  2. From Eyjafjörður

    Whale Watching Hauganes says it sails all year. It wrote on 5 November 2026 that it was still seeing humpbacks.

  3. From Húsavík

    Gentle Giants ends in November. Friends of Moby Dick stops at the end of October.

  4. From Ólafsvík

    Láki Tours restarts on 10 February.

What else changes with the season?

Puffins and some RIBs keep to the warmer months.

  • Puffins

    The dates differ: about 15 April to 15 August at Húsavík, 20 April to 20 August or mid-May to mid-August from Reykjavik.

  • RIBs

    Elding sails its RIB from 1 April to 31 October, and Gentle Giants stops at the end of October.

  • Northern lights

    One tour from Reykjavik adds a second cruise after dark: A whale cruise, and a northern lights cruise.

How likely are you to see whales in Iceland?

IceWhale puts it at 90% or higher in summer.

What is the best month to go whale watching in Iceland?

No source names a single month. Visit Iceland gives April to September. IceWhale's seasons differ by whale and by coast.

Can you still see whales in November?

Whale Watching Hauganes wrote on 5 November 2026 that it was still seeing humpbacks on all its tours, and Gentle Giants says November is its last month. One year doesn't make a rule.

Tours from Akureyri
What about February?

IceWhale says white-beaked dolphins are often seen in large pods then, and Láki Tours restarts on 10 February. Tours are less frequent in winter.

Orcas in Iceland
Is the sea rougher in winter?

The sources we read don't compare seasons. Special Tours warns that the sea can be rougher than expected, whatever the month.

Know your dates?

Then pick your port.

An Atlantic puffin flying with a beak full of small fish at the Flatey nature reserve, Iceland, August.
From ReykjavikFrom HúsavíkFrom AkureyriAll tours on GetYourGuide