Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour With Heated Indoor Seating

My siblings celebrated my 70th birthday by going to Iceland! I booked this adventure based on reviews so I’m happy to share how wonderful it actually was! We had fantastic weather and saw 6 humpback whales!

I had an amazing time!! My tour was cancelled twice due to bad weather but I was lucky I had an extra day and was able to rebook. That would be my top tip to anyone booking the tour, keep room in your schedule to adjust! I am so glad I did, we saw a total of 7-8 humpback whales!! Mada was extremely knowledgeable about whales and I enjoyed her facts and observations about whales. She also mentioned that October is an excellent time to see whales even though i initially thought it wouldn’t be since it’s at the end of the season.

The whale watch was a wonderful experience! The crew of the boat checked on us regularly and were very good at explaining all there is to know about whales.

Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable guide and captain. They work very hard to ensure all are safe and have a great experience. they do not use technology to locate whales, rather good experience, site and communication with other boats out there at the time. We were very successful seeing several whales and a couple of different types (Minke and Humpback). Our guide is a marine biologist and explained so much about the whales, their environment and the area we were covering.

We had the best time on our whale watching tour with Friends of Moby Dick. I scheduled our tour the night before and when we showed up we realized I had accidentally booked for the following day. We were rving around the ring road so we were going to be moving on the following day and the guy at the front deck graciously allowed us to join the tour still even though our tickets were for the next day. The staff was very professional and our guide was extremely knowledgeable and her excitement over seeing whales made the whole experience that much better. We were able to see a minke whale and 2 humpback whales. I highly recommend this tour and if I ever find myself in Husavik I will definitely visit again.

Seeing whales is not guaranteed, but we got lucky and saw a few. Boat/tour staff was knowledgeable and friendly. There is about 45 minute boat ride one way so be prepared. Probably 2/3 of the people on our ride got seasick. And while staff was prepared with bags for those that got sick it could be a lot to watch so many get sick around you. Staff did a good job checking on those getting sick and tending to everyone’s needs.

We went in off season so only saw 2 whales but we saw dolphins and amazing jellyfish-I know it sounds weird but they were beautiful and so different. The guides were amazing and so caring when people got sick the whales we did see were awesome!!!

Great experience saw a whale 🙃. A little crowded to the point you couldn’t see the whale if you were on wrong side of boat. Not enough viewing spots for passenger count. The speaker in the back of boat was not good - very loud and can’t understand guide well. The one in front was much better. The guides discussion on whales very informative.

They have a tiny bathroom on the Moby Dick ship which they didn’t even publicly announce was there. It is a 3 hr tour and they should have told everyone before suiting up to be sure to use the bathroom bec for 3 hrs there is basically no chsnce

Unforgettable. So many whales. The weather was wet and the seas were a bit choppy, but the captain and guides were incredibly knowledgeable and professional and we had a fantastic time. My wife, 7-year-old, and I were all at the front of the boat getting soaked and loving every second of it.

Our whale‑watching experience in Húsavík was nothing short of unforgettable. From the moment we stepped onto the boat, the crew’s enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the local wildlife set the tone for an extraordinary day on the water. It was a beautiful sunny day, giving us sweeping views of Skjálfandi Bay’s dramatic coastline. Within minutes of leaving the harbor, we spotted playful white‑beaked dolphins feeding. Then we saw a humpback surfacing gracefully while feeding and the whale fluked several times. I left Húsavík with a full heart, incredible photos, and a deeper appreciation for Iceland’s marine life. If you’re visiting the north of Iceland, this whale‑watching tour is an absolute must. It’s peaceful, exhilarating, and beautifully humbling all at once.

More Chasing thah Whale watsching Although we missed our original tour due to a delay, we chose to rebook another departure. Unfortunately, this proved to be a disappointing decision. The front of the boat was extremely crowded, which meant we had to remain at the rear. Each time a whale was spotted, the vessel immediately accelerated towards it. By the time we arrived, the whale had typically already disappeared. We would also like to note that when our daughter attempted to move towards the front, she was asked by a member of staff to return to her seat, as she was informed that she was obstructing the passageway. We later managed to secure seats at the front; however, after approximately 15 minutes, we were asked to vacate them so that other passengers could also have an opportunity to view the sightings. We fully understand that wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. However, the overcrowding, onboard organisation, and constant rushing from one sighting to another made the experience feel more stressful than enjoyable. Overall, the tour was very disappointing and uncomfortable, and ultimately not as engaging as expected. Given the price and our expectations, we would not recommend this tour.

We loved our whale watching tour! Got to see various birds, a seal, and Magic, the humpback, diving multiple times. Loved it, highly recommend!

We had an amazing experience on the whale watching tour with Friends of Moby Dick. The guides were incredibly friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable, sharing fascinating information throughout the trip about the different whale species we were searching for, as well as the many seabirds we encountered along the way. It felt like we were getting both a wildlife tour and a marine biology lesson. The wildlife did not disappoint. We saw whales multiple times during the tour, and on several occasions they surfaced very close to the boat, giving everyone fantastic views and great photo opportunities. We also saw an incredible number of seabirds, which made the trip even more enjoyable. The crew was professional, organized, and clearly passionate about wildlife and conservation. Their excitement was contagious and made every sighting even more special. If you’re looking for a memorable whale watching experience in Iceland, I highly recommend Friends of Moby Dick.

We booked a whale watching tour with Friends of Moby Dick during our trip to Húsavík, and it was a great experience. For us it was a great location, as we saw three different types of whales, dolphins and puffins. From the moment we arrived at their building for check in, we were well taken care of by the staff. What also set this experience apart was how helpful and accommodating their entire team was helping our special needs son. While on the boat, the crew members were also great with him, frequently checking on him throughout the trip to make sure he was doing ok. A special shoutout goes to one of our guides, Juan, who was outstanding. His efforts with our son and engaging him during the trip were very much appreciated. His patience, warmth, and genuine care toward our son did not go unnoticed. His overall knowledge of whales was great and he made our trip both educational and interesting for the whole family. If you're deciding where to whale watch in Iceland, I’d highly recommend Húsavík ,and would highly recommend Friends of Moby Dick. Five stars all around and 10 stars to Juan. Muchas Gracias!!

Had an awesome tour and was able to spot 5 whales during the tour, even saw one whale come up for feeding. It was an excellent experience, especially being able to see puffins as well. Didn’t want the tour to end!

Great tour with friendly and knowledgeable staff. We saw humpback whales which was a dream come true.

We were extremely disappointed with this experience. Our whale watching tour in Húsavík was cancelled by the company because they claimed bad weather was expected. However, the weather was actually beautiful – around 22°C, calm, and all the other whale watching companies were operating their tours as usual. Because the cancellation happened so late, we were unable to book with another company, as all the remaining tours were already full. As a result, we completely missed the opportunity to go whale watching, which was one of the main reasons for visiting Húsavík. This was a very frustrating and disappointing experience.

Staff was great, including explaining whale biology. I liked the red floating overalls they have you wear. We followed a humpback and a minke whale. Wear good grippy footwear on deck

wonderful experience with really friendly and knowledgeable guides. of course we cannot anticipate exactly how the wildlife will behave but we got extremely lucky seeing multiple whales and pods of dolphins jumping around the bay. truly a magical experience. there is free parking and the location is well explained and easy to find.

Boat was clean, had interior areas to keep warm, great viewing areas. Saw 6 whales. Great trip.

Excellent experience. We loved everything about the whale watching trip. Marta, from Portugal, our guide, was brilliant. very knowledgeable, interesting, passionate and positive. Would recommend this excursion to everyone.

Great overall, but only issue being is if you didn’t run to the front of the boat you won’t have a view of any whales or dolphins as they always angled the front towards them. Would be nice to have people rotate every so often to give others a chance to experience that amazing view. The guides were 10/10 super nice and knowledgeable.

We saw a humpback whale, a minke whale, puffins and a pod of dolphins stayed with us for quite sometime. Beautiful weather. The one guide from Spain was exceptional. And the tour narrator was very knowledgeable about whales.. I also appreciated the fact they were respectful of wildlife. Have already recommended to a number of tourists along the way.

Great way to see the whales. Very knowledgeable guide.

Amazing. 9am trip Thursday 25th June saw so many whales including two humpback calves with mothers, white beaked dolphins and a Minke. Our guide described the sea as a whale soup, we were incredibly lucky. The whole trip was well organised, everything explained and our guide was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The bay itself with the beautiful mountains to the west provides a dramatic stage for the whale-watching. An experience I've been waiting many years for, well worth the wait!

This was a nice experience, we got to see several whales and different whale activities! The crew provides thermal closing and they do their best to make everyone comfortable. What nobody tells you in reviews: - the whales don't come next to your boat (if that happens it's completely random and it's a huge luck) - you will see them, but from a little distance - the whales don't completely come out of the water (you see a lot of blowing, some backs, fin flapping on playful whales, and a lot of tales when submerging), but most of the whale's body remains under water - at sea the boat is moving, a lot more than you'd think :) personally I found that fun and an experience on its own, but get ready to see a lot of people get seasick

Best whale watching ever. We saw the whales up close. 5 whales including a baby whale in 3 hours. The crew are very professional and caring. Highly recommend.

Nice boat with a great staff that was very informative and spoke good English. We learned a lot and saw two humpback whales feeding, fluking, and even breaching. It was a great experience, in spite of some sea sickness (which they're well-prepared for!)

We were six people from 20 to 70 years old, one on crouches, and we all had a great time! The guide was enthusiastic and knowledgable and the captain placed the boat elegantly among three Blue whales...! One of the we got close up, the others we could spot from a distance. WHAT an experience, we even saw the magnificent tale as it dived for the last time (for us). Recommended experience!

Friends of Moby Dick provides a first class whale watching experience. We saw many humpback whales and learned about these magnificent creatures from our experienced guide. The experienced captain also piloted the boat expertly so as to provide minimal disruption to the whales. A great experience!!

Was a fabulous experience. Excellent captain and Guide. It was a bit of time before we saw any sea life. Then, boom: dolphins, humpbacks (“humppies”) and a momma blue whale with her calf frolicked around us for ages. Loved that we were perfectly outfitted with very warm suits. This boat is one of the only coveted options. Although we spent 80% outside, it was very nice to have the option to go below for a rest or warmth. 10/10!

We didn’t have any luck on our trip but that did not detract from how well the trip was communicated and delivered. We were offered a free trip which we booked for the next day and our luck changed with 2 humpbacks and 2 pods of dolphins. Mada (sorry if I’ve spelt it wrong) was our guide and was brilliant on both days. Thank you for your gesture and the memories we now have.

Went out on a very calm day, hardly any swells but the boat rilled constantly. They took us out to where 1 humpback was feeding and while the boat rolled back and forth we stayed ti see 3 surfacings. Took us ti another location for the same thing. We have whale watched all over the world and never had such a staged experience. No attempt to find other whales, the viewing platforms were crowded and didn’teven have benches ti sit on. In the bow people were balancing on the cover of the front crawl space below. A total rip off I suggest you avoid. They call this the whale watching capital of Iceland then why have we had better dightunhs sailing in Reykjavk harbour?

Our female guide sorry we can’t remember her name was exceptional!!! her excitement over the whales we saw was second to none you can tell. She really enjoys her job and made it a great time for us on the boat.. her enthusiasm was infectious!

Fantastic whale watching tour. We were lucky enough to see several humpbacks. Very experienced captain and a guide that definitely loves her job, we felt safe at all times. The fact that these people really care about the marine life and respect it, made our day even more.

Amazing :) saw whales and the lady that guides the tour is a delight :) highly recommend !!

We had a fantastic experience! The weather was great (1pm) but a bit chilly, as expected. We saw a lot of humpbacks and a minke. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend!

Had a great trip out and saw 2 to 3 whales on the trip. The starting port had to be change from Husavik to Akureyri, however Friends of Moby Dick gave us good notice and would have made other plans for our trip had we not been able to make it. All round a good trip, good value, and good communication

We had a great time whale watching with Friends of Moby Dick. The tour is well organized and we felt safe having our toddler and baby on the boat. Great for families

Great experience with a very nice and enthusiastic guide.

Amazing to see humpback whales. Good enthusiastic commentary but not always easy to hear., The trip was quite empty so plenty of space on the boat. Think it could feel crowded if full. Bring any snacks and drinks you want as no food or drink on board. You get flotation overalls which is comforting in the winter Iceland waves!

We went whale watching on Christmas Day and had an amazing experience! Our guide was kind, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and went out of her way to make our 7-year old comfortable. Not only did we have beautiful pink and orange skies all throughout the tour, we also got to see a group of orca’s 😍. The skipper was very respectful of the animals, keeping a distance and lowering speed. The orca’s were curious enough though to come closer and we got to see them from close by. One even swam right underneath the boat! We had a great time and loved the tour. Thanks Jitka (I hope I wrote your name ok 🤞)!

Trip was amazing, group was small (November), weather was like it should be - cold, but that's not a problem because ship got covered deck, so when my kids was cold we just hided in warm deck for a while. Whales showed up many times, guide explain everything but didn't give us boring speach for 2.5h of activity, so after all me and my family filling satisfied. I can recommend this company and this activity.

The Tour was breathtaking and informative. The guide was sympathetic, extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic to teach us about whales. We saw so many humpbacks and also some minke whales. The boat was suitable for winter since you could also sit inside. If you want a responsible whale watching tour and also learn sth you should book with them. Thank you for an amazing experience

We booked early and got a spot in the boat. Sadly our tour had to br canceled die tue weather conditions. Webwere offered a spot a day earlyer or later to different Times. We decided to not let it slip eaven thought it ment a night drive for us We we're offered a full refund by the tour organiation If we could not attend. But the night drive with nothernlightsview was more than worth it. We we're welcomed by our Tourguide a very enthusiastic marine biologist. We had perfect weather conditions even thought it was freezing could - you should where warm clothing underneath the watersuit you are given. This suit is waterproof and acts like a full body Lifewest. The microphones on board we're loudenoght to hear through the find. And then we saw a very comfortable hupback wale close to us. Our guide explained a lot. The boats do not feed ou use sonar to find the wales. So the Guide sits on top of the bridge to Spot the animals. On our way back we we're lucky and SAW another humpback from afar and... We sayed longer out than planned as a school of dophins visited the boat. On the boad there where toiletts and on land we Had the Chance to get a Coffee and use a restroom too... What a nice day! Thanks alot !!!

Fun trip where we got to see a humpback surface multiple times. It was choppy due to the wind and we were soaking by the time we got back but the full suits provided by the company kept us warm and dry. I highly recommend warm hats and gloves. Captain and guide were very knowledgable and liked telling is about the whales in the area.

They are very knowledgeable about whales and where to find them and let us stay out longer to make sure that we had a good experience and got to see some whale activity

Me and my wife were looking forward to this Whale Watching Tour (Friends of Mobi Dick) as one of the high points of our September trip to Iceland. The experience turned out to be a total disaster. What we did not like: 1. Life jackets were never given to passengers. We were told that they are stored on the boat but we never actually got to see them. They were to be accessed only in case of emergency, like on a plane? 2. The boat is too small for “a maximum of 40 travellers”, so there’s a good chance you’ll be trying to see whales over heads and shoulders of the lucky ones on a constantly swaying overcrowded boat. Moving around is not an easy task due to the lack of free space. 3. A small boat means a bumpy ride and we got exactly that. The boat was rocking, severely at times – the day was a bit windy. On the way back from the whale watching area we were almost constantly doused with water. 4. The protective suits we were given proved to be ineffective in the situation when buckets of water were thrown at us all the time. As a result, we got soaked in the salt water all the way to the underwear. 5. Preparing for this tour, we put our cameras into the special plastic rain covers, and it worked just fine until my wife got seasick and had to fight uncontrollable spasms while being constantly doused with water. As a result, salt water got inside an expensive camera and it stopped working. What we did like: The whales. They actually did turn up and generously showed themselves to those who happened to be at the right time at the right side of the boat (see #2).