Sources and method

The facts and their sources

1. IceWhale, the association of Iceland's whale watching companies, puts the success rate on summer tours at 90% or higher. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
2. IceWhale counts over 400,000 whale watching passengers in Iceland in 2023. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
3. IceWhale counts over 20 species around Iceland, 8 of them often seen on tours. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
4. Visit Iceland lists humpback, minke, orca, fin, sperm and blue whales as the most commonly seen. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
5. Visit Iceland gives April to September as the best time to see whales. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
6. Visit Iceland says tours are less frequent in winter. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
7. Visit Iceland says daily tours leave from Reykjavik's Old Harbour and from towns in the west and north. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
8. Visit Iceland says Húsavík has in some ways pioneered whale watching. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
9. Visit Iceland says finding a blue whale takes luck, and a trip to Skjálfandi Bay. www.visiticeland.com, read 5 Nov
10. IceWhale's code of conduct for whale watching was signed on 20 February 2015. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
11. IceWhale says rules and monitoring of whale watching in Iceland are limited, which is why it wrote its code. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
12. IceWhale says humpbacks are most often seen on tours in the north, April/May to September/October, and increasingly in the south in late winter. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
13. IceWhale says minke whales are most often seen in the south, March/April to September/October, and quite regularly in the north and west. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
14. IceWhale says fewer and fewer minke whales are found in coastal waters. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
15. IceWhale says orcas are commonly seen on tours in the west from November/December to March/April and from April/May to June/July. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
16. IceWhale says sperm whales are most often seen on tours from west Iceland, April/May to August/September, and rarely in the north. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
17. IceWhale says fin whales are not commonly seen on tours. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
18. IceWhale says harbour porpoises live around Iceland all year and are most often seen on tours from March/April to September/October. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
19. IceWhale says white-beaked dolphins live around Iceland all year and are seen in large pods with calves in February and March. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
20. IceWhale says fin whales have been hunted commercially in Icelandic waters. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
21. IceWhale says minke whales are hunted commercially in Icelandic waters. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
22. Láki Tours says fin whales are still hunted commercially in Iceland. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
23. IceWhale says Keiko, the orca of the film Free Willy, was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
24. The Húsavík Whale Museum says the town is often called the whale capital of Iceland. www.hvalasafn.is, read 5 Nov
25. The Húsavík Whale Museum's exhibits include 13 whale skeletons. www.hvalasafn.is, read 5 Nov
26. The Húsavík Whale Museum lists humpback, minke, white-beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and blue whale as the most common species in Skjálfandi Bay. www.hvalasafn.is, read 5 Nov
27. North Sailing dates whale watching from Húsavík to 1995, with its first boat. www.northsailing.is, read 5 Nov
28. Friends of Moby Dick says its first boat started sailing in 1994. www.friendsofmobydick.is, read 5 Nov
29. Friends of Moby Dick sails from Húsavík from April to October. www.friendsofmobydick.is, read 5 Nov
30. Friends of Moby Dick's oak boat was built as a fishing vessel in 1976. www.friendsofmobydick.is, read 5 Nov
31. Gentle Giants says November is its last month of whale watching in the season. www.gentlegiants.is, read 5 Nov
32. Gentle Giants ends its RIB tours at the end of October. www.gentlegiants.is, read 5 Nov
33. Gentle Giants reports sightings on 97 to 99% of its tours on average in recent years. www.gentlegiants.is, read 5 Nov
34. North Sailing says many birds nest on Lundey (Puffin Island) and Flatey, the two islands of the bay. www.northsailing.is, read 5 Nov
35. North Sailing's Andvari is a silent electric boat. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
36. Visit Akureyri says Eyjafjörður is considered one of the best places to watch whales. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
37. Visit Akureyri says humpbacks are seen in the fjord all year, and minke whales, dolphins and bottlenose whales often. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
38. Visit Akureyri says whales have sometimes been seen right in front of Akureyri. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
39. Hauganes is about a 25-minute drive from Akureyri. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
40. Árskógssandur and Dalvík are about a 30-minute drive from Akureyri. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
41. Húsavík is about an hour's drive from Akureyri. www.visitakureyri.is, read 5 Nov
42. Whale Watching Hauganes reports a 99% success rate in summer 2025, and sails all year. whales.is, read 5 Nov
43. Whale Watching Hauganes says it has run tours since 1993. whales.is, read 5 Nov
44. Whale Watching Hauganes says its oak boats can turn off their engines near the whales. whales.is, read 5 Nov
45. On 5 November 2026, Whale Watching Hauganes reported humpbacks on all its recent tours, up to 12 on a tour. whales.is, read 5 Nov
46. Elding reports whales on more than 90% of its tours over the year. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
47. Elding reports whales on more than 95% of its summer tours. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
48. Elding sails from Reykjavik to look for whales all year. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
49. Elding lists humpbacks, minkes, dolphins and porpoises as the most common wildlife in Faxaflói Bay. www.elding.is, read 5 Nov
50. Special Tours reports up to 90% whale sighting success in Faxaflói Bay. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
51. Special Tours says the chances may be lower outside April to September. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
52. Special Tours says its office on the Old Harbour is a 5-minute walk from the city centre. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
53. Arctic Sea Tours reports whales or dolphins on 98% of its tours. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
54. Sea Trips says whales and other marine animals can be seen off Reykjavik all year. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
55. Sea Trips gives April to October as the peak season. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
56. Sea Trips asks you to check in 30 minutes before departure. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
57. Sea Trips warns that it is colder on the water. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
58. Sea Trips says its tour lasts 2.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on where the whales are that day. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
59. Sea Trips says sightings can't be predicted or guaranteed. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
60. Sea Trips gives a free return ticket, valid up to three years subject to availability, and no refund, if nothing is seen. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
61. Friends of Moby Dick gives a standby voucher valid 2 years and no refund, and dolphins count as a sighting. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
62. Gentle Giants gives a voucher and no refund if no whales or dolphins are seen. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
63. Gentle Giants asks you to arrive at least 40 minutes before departure. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
64. Gentle Giants offers another date or a full refund if bad weather cancels the tour. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
65. Whale Watching Akureyri gives a free ticket valid 2 years in Reykjavik and Akureyri if no whales or dolphins are seen. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
66. Whale Watching Akureyri says the number of whales and dolphins is unpredictable and follows the food. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
67. Reykjavik Sailors says its tour may run on a partner's shared boat at some times of the year. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
68. Special Tours says its captains decide on the day whether to sail. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
69. Special Tours offers a full refund if weather cancels the tour. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
70. Special Tours warns that the sea may be rougher than expected. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
71. Reykjavik Sailors has seasickness tablets on board. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
72. On Elding's RIB tour the minimum age is 10 and the minimum height 145 cm. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
73. Husavik Adventures can cancel a departure with fewer than 4 passengers. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
74. On Gentle Giants' RIB tour the minimum age is 8 and the minimum height 130 cm. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
75. Husavik Adventures says overalls are compulsory by law on its RIB. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
76. Elding's RIB tour runs from 1 April to 31 October. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
77. RIB tours from Akureyri carry 12 passengers per boat. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
78. Elding says its RIB has no toilets on board. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
79. Harpa Yachts sails MY Harpa, for 35 passengers, or MY Amelia Rose, for 95. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
80. Gentle Giants gives about 15 April to 15 August for puffins at Húsavík. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
81. Elding gives 20 April to 20 August for puffins from Reykjavik. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
82. Harpa Yachts gives about mid-May to mid-August for puffins from Reykjavik. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
83. Special Tours says the Whales of Iceland museum offers audio guides in many languages. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
84. The Whales of Iceland museum is in the Grandi harbour district of Reykjavik. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
85. Special Tours includes a ticket to the Whales of Iceland museum with this RIB tour. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
86. Láki Tours' whale tour runs from 10 February to 30 September. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
87. Láki Tours says no other firm runs whale tours on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
88. Láki Tours sails for the chance to see orcas, sperm whales and humpbacks. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
89. Láki Tours' boat Íris has a saloon and an upper deck, and carries up to 70 passengers. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
90. Láki Tours says orcas in West Iceland feed mainly on herring. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
91. Láki Tours says March to May are its most reliable months for orcas, April and May above all. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
92. Láki Tours says orcas can be met on its tours from mid-February to June. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
93. Láki Tours' page on GetYourGuide says orcas are more often seen from February to early July. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
94. Láki Tours says it does not see orcas on every departure, even in the best months. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
95. Láki Tours advises allowing several days if orcas are the main reason for your trip. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
96. Láki Tours says orcas can move up to 120 km in a day. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
97. Láki Tours gives April to June as its best months for sperm whales. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
98. Láki Tours has met blue whales a handful of times in five years. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
99. Láki Tours gives April, and July to September, as good months for humpbacks in recent years. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
100. Láki Tours says long-finned pilot whales have been seen less often in recent years. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
101. Láki Tours says white-beaked dolphins and minke whales are among the main species in August and September. lakitours.com, read 5 Nov
102. IceWhale has partnered with Orca Guardians since 2016 on a code of conduct for orca watching. icewhale.is, read 5 Nov
103. The Ísafjörður tour sets out to spot humpbacks. www.getyourguide.com, read 5 Nov
104. Sjóferðir is a family firm with roots going back to 1998. www.sjoferdir.is, read 5 Nov