Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise
4.5
Full view
Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise
By Whale Safari Iceland
Though Iceland may be best known for the raw beauty of its landscape, it's also a go-to whale watching destination for international visitors. Experience these majestic creatures in the wild on this whale watching cruise on Faxaflói Bay. Just hop in your rigid inflatable boat as your guide skims you through Reykjavik Old Harbour, and helps you spot local species—like dolphins and porpoises—and migrating species, like the elusive and beautiful minke and humpback whales.
from per adult
$159.13
from per adult
$159.13
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 10-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
Highlights
- Cruise around Faxaflói Bay on a whale watching adventure, from Reykjavik
- Try to spot various aquatic species, and pass the seasonal puffin colonies
- Take in the views of Reykjavik, from its fishing huts to Harpa Concert Hall
- Get a great value with coveralls, safety gear, boat ride, and guide included
- Professional marine biologist guide
- Use of coveralls
- All necessary safety equipment
What's not included- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure details
- Ægisgarður 5d, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland Our ticket office is located at Ægisgarður 5d in 101 Reykjavík at the corner of the Old Harbour in downtown Reykjavík.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 7680WSWPR- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Dress warmly: Wool or fleece seater, Hat, gloves and sturdy footwear are recommended
- In the case of no sightings you will get a ticket for an alternative tour
- Suitable for children over the age of 10 and over 145 centimeters tall
- Not recommended for travellers with knee problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for young children
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- A note from Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise
- Mask use in public areas is optional.
What you can expect during your visit- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Contactless payment for gratuities and add-ons
Community- Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
- Which attractions will I visit with Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise?
- During this experience, places you will visit include:Discover and book Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise on Tripadvisor
- How much is Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise?
- Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise price starts from $155.82. Discover and book Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise on Tripadvisor
- What is the Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise cancellation policy?
- Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise?
- Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise is hosted by Whale Safari Iceland. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Whale Safari Iceland on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Small-Group Reykjavik RIB Whale Watching Cruise on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 7680WSWPR
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
jkb567
00What a brilliant tour
An amazing tour. I had been a bit apprehensive about taking my elderly mother on this excursion. I needn't have w…
patricknF1261JZ
00Great experience with knowledgeable guide
We did a 9:00 premium puffin tour. The process was very smooth and before we knew it we were suited up and on the b…
Boxergirl_2008
00Incredible birding experience!
Amazing birding experience! Even if you’re not a birder, this is an incredible hour. The guide was very knowledge. …
lmcbell
00Highly, highly, highly recommend!
This was one of the very best hours that we spent during our recent five-day visit to Iceland. Alex, our RIB boat c…
LKG_J
00Mr. Puffin Tour
Whale Safari"s "Mr Puffin Tour" was excellent. We saw many puffins as well as other birds. The marine biologist o…
Inspiration559980
00Saw so many puffins and had a great time!
We had a great time on this tour! We saw so many puffins, both on land and on the water, and learned a lot of inter…
Kim F
00A great experience!
The boat was fun and very comfortable. The suits provided were extremely warm and perfect for the ride. The crew …
Pontelungo
00Great experience
Great whale watching tour to the marine life in the waters around Reykjavik. The necessary protective clothing and …
Caitriona T
00Whale of a time
Staff were excellent Very efficient Went out on the rapid rib boat Got to see loads of porposes and minke whales Gr…
Uwe63Kuessner
00A very impressive trip
I made a very interesting whale watching trip with the speedboat with Elding! The organization was very good, the f…
Peter T
00Cool trip... very far whales
Everything from the gear, the boat and customer attention was exceptional. The only downside is that only a few of …
tjohnluo
00Good boat and nice guide, but whales not spotted
Really nice trip sailing with rib boat. But whales were not spotted. We booked our trip the last day stayed in Icel…
sfryling2019
00Safety First
They were very professional and honest. Our trip was canceled the morning of due to high seas with no immediate re…
sapalma2019
00Excellent Adventure!
We did this on our second to last day in Iceland-well worth it! WHile it looked daunting to get into a RIB to go fi…
GoPlaces55529650710
00Whale Safari Reykjavik
You need to go with an open mind as the whales may be there or not. They do their best to find them which is a lot …
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
65 reviews
Excellent
49
Very good
8
Average
2
Poor
3
Terrible
3
Lonni V
2 contributions
Jul 2022
We had the best experion the sea where we saw both puffins and a very playful humpback whale and some minke whales. We had two very experienced marine biologist who was very good at answering questions. If you like speed on the sea you will also get your moneys worth it was fun.
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zareena
Manchester, UK5 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
Amazing , once in a life time experience!!! Very knowledgeable guide Tena, full of quiet enthusiasm and exciting facts. No idea how she managed to spot the splash in the sea full of choppy waves that led us to find our humpback.
The humpback was in hunting mode so would dive for 8 mins before resurfacing.
Very exciting experience, from the high octane boat ride to "whale waiting" to the magical moment when the boat stops and we had our first glimpse of the whale!
All the staff were kind and considerate and well versed in marine biology. Definately recommend!
Note: Don't think everyone is lucky enough to spot a whale on their first trip but they said upfront if we didn't see one they would take us out again for free another time. Luckily we didn't have to take them up on that!
The humpback was in hunting mode so would dive for 8 mins before resurfacing.
Very exciting experience, from the high octane boat ride to "whale waiting" to the magical moment when the boat stops and we had our first glimpse of the whale!
All the staff were kind and considerate and well versed in marine biology. Definately recommend!
Note: Don't think everyone is lucky enough to spot a whale on their first trip but they said upfront if we didn't see one they would take us out again for free another time. Luckily we didn't have to take them up on that!
Written May 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Don B
12 contributions
Jul 2021
The Whale Safari is two hours of wonderful excitement. Not just from the speed of the RIB craft but also the close-up views of the Puffins and other sea birds. Oh! And the pirate of the skies – The Arctic Skua. A real nasty bit of work.
Watching the Puffins going about their business was very entertaining and amusing they are wonderful little birds and full of vigour and quite nimble when pursued by the Skua. The other sea birds, mainly Black Backed Gulls were tame compared to the puffins in their antics. A great ten minutes or so spent watching the sae birds.
On this trip, unfortunately for this tour the sea mist/fog started to roll in as we left the seabird island – Akurey Island – to go and find a whale or two in the deeper waters.
It was quite an exhilarating ride to the spot where whales had been reportedly been seen We hung around in the fog for what seemed an eternity and then we heard the blow just off to our left-hand side of the RIB. Just managed to see the dorsal fin before whale went sub-surface. We spent a few minutes waiting for the whale to reappear. It duly surfaced, did its blow and then went into the position ready for a deep dive. Excellent views of this action and great view of the fluke as it disappeared below the surface. We had this privilege tow more times and then with great regret our time was up for this whale safari.
A wonderful two hours spent at sea looking and finding some marvellous creatures.
Great value and great fun.
Watching the Puffins going about their business was very entertaining and amusing they are wonderful little birds and full of vigour and quite nimble when pursued by the Skua. The other sea birds, mainly Black Backed Gulls were tame compared to the puffins in their antics. A great ten minutes or so spent watching the sae birds.
On this trip, unfortunately for this tour the sea mist/fog started to roll in as we left the seabird island – Akurey Island – to go and find a whale or two in the deeper waters.
It was quite an exhilarating ride to the spot where whales had been reportedly been seen We hung around in the fog for what seemed an eternity and then we heard the blow just off to our left-hand side of the RIB. Just managed to see the dorsal fin before whale went sub-surface. We spent a few minutes waiting for the whale to reappear. It duly surfaced, did its blow and then went into the position ready for a deep dive. Excellent views of this action and great view of the fluke as it disappeared below the surface. We had this privilege tow more times and then with great regret our time was up for this whale safari.
A wonderful two hours spent at sea looking and finding some marvellous creatures.
Great value and great fun.
Written July 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
S H
Pittsburgh, PA6 contributions
Jun 2021
Puffins are facing threats due to climate change. For example, because of events such as warming waters on the south coast have lead to attract large schools of mackerel eating up all the sand eels which are the primary source of food for puffins and arctic terns, another threatened bird. Additionally, on some of these low islands, large storms are washing away the soil in which puffins construct their burrows to protect their nests from larger marauding birds. We learned all of the above from our experienced naturalist guide, Megan, during a 1 hour tour of a couple of islands in the harbor of Reykjavik. Imagine seeing thousands of puffins with the backdrop of the capital city of Iceland in the background. Megan also pointed out multiple other bird species. Holding up to 12 passengers wearing heavily insulated and waterproof coveralls, the rib-boats can allow a quiet approach so that we could see hundreds of puffins at relatively close range. Using a cell phone, we took many videos of flocks of puffins taking off the water as well as photos of puffins in front of their burrows. Megan was kind enough to share her email address to allow us free access to photos she took with her camera with telephoto lens. It was an amazing tour that was timed to coincide with the high tide to make it easier to approach the islands.
Written June 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Steviefull
Kidderminster, UK1,567 contributions
Jul 2021
What an experience, we started off on the speedboat which in itself was fun, we got to the puffin island and just getting to see the fascinating birds flitting around would probably have been an experience in itself but then things just got amazing.
About 7 miles out we got our first sightings of a humpback breaking the water in the distance and the excitement levels were rising, a few more sightings and the boat maneuvered closer without invading his space and then 15 metres off the boats side it breached the water, truly awe inspiring to see this massive animal (called Davy Jones apparently) in its natural environment.
We then left the whale to its self and were made aware of another, again an amazing display of breaking the water and waving a flipper. It was a truly emotional and humbling experience, all the while the puffins were still around fishing. We also caught a distant view of a minke whale before returning back home at high speed with a few tricks along the shore line.
I get sea sick and although I felt rough at points the tablets i took beforehand certainly did the job, don't let this put you off.
I can't recommend this tour highly enough, the tour guide was knowledgeable, the boat itself got us some amazing views. I've done a fair few tours in countries and this is without doubt one of the highlights that will live with me for a long time.
About 7 miles out we got our first sightings of a humpback breaking the water in the distance and the excitement levels were rising, a few more sightings and the boat maneuvered closer without invading his space and then 15 metres off the boats side it breached the water, truly awe inspiring to see this massive animal (called Davy Jones apparently) in its natural environment.
We then left the whale to its self and were made aware of another, again an amazing display of breaking the water and waving a flipper. It was a truly emotional and humbling experience, all the while the puffins were still around fishing. We also caught a distant view of a minke whale before returning back home at high speed with a few tricks along the shore line.
I get sea sick and although I felt rough at points the tablets i took beforehand certainly did the job, don't let this put you off.
I can't recommend this tour highly enough, the tour guide was knowledgeable, the boat itself got us some amazing views. I've done a fair few tours in countries and this is without doubt one of the highlights that will live with me for a long time.
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Finn Morrell
London, UK2 contributions
Aug 2020
The trip is worth it for the friendly knowledgable guide and captain, immense boat ride across the ice-like North Atlantic Ocean and the sheer feeling of anticipation that whales are swimming underneath the boat and one may just pop up.
The captain was an experienced boater and was surveying with an iPad and binoculars when the boat was stationary. We were all looking for whales and the tour guide / marine biologist was extremely passionate about not only spotting whales but teaching the group about them too.
We were extremely lucky, the clear sky and calm waters made it easy to spot whales.
We saw several Minkie whales and then they heard news that a few humpbacks where in the area, we waited patiently and kept moving around. Eventually a humpback whale surfaced and rested by the boat for 5 minutes. Utterly incredible. Just when it couldn’t have gone any better they heard news of a pod of pilot whales heading into the bay. We zoomed up to find them but kept our distance. They were a matriarchal pod scooping their fins and heads up and down - stunning.
This tour was a highlight not only of our trip to Iceland but certainly a moment we will never forget.
Don’t hesitate in booking this tour...
The captain was an experienced boater and was surveying with an iPad and binoculars when the boat was stationary. We were all looking for whales and the tour guide / marine biologist was extremely passionate about not only spotting whales but teaching the group about them too.
We were extremely lucky, the clear sky and calm waters made it easy to spot whales.
We saw several Minkie whales and then they heard news that a few humpbacks where in the area, we waited patiently and kept moving around. Eventually a humpback whale surfaced and rested by the boat for 5 minutes. Utterly incredible. Just when it couldn’t have gone any better they heard news of a pod of pilot whales heading into the bay. We zoomed up to find them but kept our distance. They were a matriarchal pod scooping their fins and heads up and down - stunning.
This tour was a highlight not only of our trip to Iceland but certainly a moment we will never forget.
Don’t hesitate in booking this tour...
Written August 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Alex c
3 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
First of all the staff are great , very friendly and helpful.
As no doubt like many before us , we set out from the harbour with high anticipation and looking forward to seeing whales in their natural environment as very strongly implied on all of the marketing.
It was therefore extremely disappointing that 2 hours later we returned to the harbour having just gone for a speed boat ride only.
To be fair the boat is great , the ride is exhilarating but this isn’t what you are paying the not cheap £118 each excursion cost.
Now I know the response to this from Whale Safari will be they don’t control nature and they can’t guarantee you will see any whales but if that is the case they really should refund half of the cost to alleviate the customers disappointment and the feeling that they have just spent a lot of money for a speed boat ride only.
They do offer another chance to go again but in reality this only suits those who have a spare day and aren’t leaving the following day , as was the case with us.
Having spoken to a couple of locals we discovered our story was oh so familiar which made us feel even more disappointed.
I really hope Whale Safari address this as at present this doesn’t sit right with us and no doubt several other disappointed customers.
As no doubt like many before us , we set out from the harbour with high anticipation and looking forward to seeing whales in their natural environment as very strongly implied on all of the marketing.
It was therefore extremely disappointing that 2 hours later we returned to the harbour having just gone for a speed boat ride only.
To be fair the boat is great , the ride is exhilarating but this isn’t what you are paying the not cheap £118 each excursion cost.
Now I know the response to this from Whale Safari will be they don’t control nature and they can’t guarantee you will see any whales but if that is the case they really should refund half of the cost to alleviate the customers disappointment and the feeling that they have just spent a lot of money for a speed boat ride only.
They do offer another chance to go again but in reality this only suits those who have a spare day and aren’t leaving the following day , as was the case with us.
Having spoken to a couple of locals we discovered our story was oh so familiar which made us feel even more disappointed.
I really hope Whale Safari address this as at present this doesn’t sit right with us and no doubt several other disappointed customers.
Written October 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
anne70_11
Dijon, France19 contributions
Sep 2021
This a great experience for my sister and I.
The team was great, the explanations (by Miquel) of the different whales was also perfect.
We were given really warm outfit , waterproof. We didn't get wet.
The ride was very fast, or It felt fast. Great view of the snowy mountains.
And we did see humpbacks whales and minky whale!
Trip absolutely perfect!
Thank you to the team!
The team was great, the explanations (by Miquel) of the different whales was also perfect.
We were given really warm outfit , waterproof. We didn't get wet.
The ride was very fast, or It felt fast. Great view of the snowy mountains.
And we did see humpbacks whales and minky whale!
Trip absolutely perfect!
Thank you to the team!
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Pratik B
Dublin, Ireland8 contributions
Booked via Elding. Was very confused between doing the ship and this and so glad I opted for this. It’s more personal and the speedboat is really fun. It would have been amazing without spotting whales but we saw a minke (I actually missed this) and 2-3 humpback whales which were far less elusive and super playful. We heard about other whale sighting and you can move far quicker with this than with ships so I’m pretty sure we had really good results overall.
So much fun!!! I did the lavageur hike and didn’t think this would be memorable but it really is. I’m so happy!
So much fun!!! I did the lavageur hike and didn’t think this would be memorable but it really is. I’m so happy!
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
erin2510
Washington DC, DC58 contributions
Aug 2021
What an amazing experience! We had incredibly good weather and smooth water and we saw puffins, two groups of white-beaked dolphins (including three who came to check out our boat and swam around us!), a harbor porpoise, and a humpback whale! Our captain Alejandro and guide Mike were wonderful and Mike told us a lot about the wildlife and talked a lot about conservation and how human activity impacts the well-being of these animals. We were so happy we booked with Whale Safari. This was the highlight of our entire week in Iceland.
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Xstacey1989x
Manchester, UK9 contributions
Hi does anyone know what happens if you dont see any whales? I know some let you "re book".
Thanks
Tweets12
Southampton, UK31 contributions
We didnt see any whales on our tour on the rib so they gave us a free ticket to go on their other boat, they have a bigger one with indoor seating ect and its valid for 1 or 2 years... not sure if this is a guaranteed thing though.
Henriette O
Vaerloese, Denmark4 contributions
Is this any different from this other tour by the tour called "Whales, Puffins & Reykjavík" found on Whale Safari's website?
Thahiyya I
Colombo, Sri Lanka7 contributions
Hi is it suitable for kids aged 5 and 18 months
