From Reykjavik: Whales and Northern Lights Boat Tour

Faxaflói Bay gives you two very different Icelandic shows in one outing: whales in daylight, then the Northern Lights from dark water. I like the smart use of your Reykjavik time, especially if you want nature without adding a full day on the road. I also like the heated indoor seating, warm overalls, and the free retry if the aurora fails to appear.

The catch is simple: nature keeps the timetable. Rough water can make the whale cruise uncomfortable, and clouds or bad weather can cancel the night sailing. At $182 per person, this is best for you if seeing both sights matters more than having a guaranteed result.

Key points to know before booking

• Two cruises in one day: Spend about three hours whale watching, then return for a separate evening Northern Lights trip.
• Faxaflói Bay wildlife: Possible sightings include humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises.
• A strong guide matters: Guide Rebekka received particular praise for spotting whale positions and explaining ocean life clearly.
• Comfort is built in: Warm overalls, heated indoor seating, children’s sizes, and onboard Wi-Fi help take the edge off Iceland’s cold.
• The aurora has a safety net: If no Northern Lights appear, you receive a free ticket to try again.
• Old Harbour departure: You must make your own way to the Special Tours office, and nearby parking takes extra time.

Two Iceland icons from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

This outing works because it pairs two attractions that need very different conditions. Whale watching takes place by day, when you can see the bay, mountains, and city clearly. The aurora cruise runs later, when artificial light is less of a problem.

You start at the Special Tours office beside Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. Look for the large dark-grey building with blue signs and the company name. There is no hotel pickup, so you need to reach the harbour yourself. If you drive, allow about 15 extra minutes to find nearby parking because parking is not available at the tour office.

The full experience lasts about seven hours, but the exact start time depends on the date you choose. Check the available departure before booking, then leave enough space in your day for both boat rides. The tour returns to the same meeting point after the evening cruise.

I like this format for a short Reykjavik stay. You do not spend hours being driven across Iceland, yet you still get out on the water and away from the city. The tradeoff is that the day has a fixed rhythm. You cannot easily fit another major activity into the same time block.

What the three-hour whale cruise is really like

The whale-watching boat takes about 30 to 45 minutes to reach the main viewing area in Faxaflói Bay. That first stretch is not dead time. You get open views back toward Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains, and on a clear day you may see as far as Snæfells Glacier to the west.

Your guide explains the bay and the animals as you travel. Once you reach the viewing area, the guide helps you scan the water and points out signs of movement. This matters more than it may sound. A whale can surface briefly and vanish before you have found the right patch of sea, so a sharp pair of eyes on the boat can save you from staring at empty water.

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. The tour cannot promise any of them, but the range gives you more than one thing to watch for. A curious whale may also come close to the boat, creating the kind of encounter that makes the cold and spray worthwhile.

Humpbacks are the big prize for many people. Their size makes even a short appearance memorable, especially when the guide calls out where to look. The supplied tour feedback describes several humpbacks being seen during one outing, with passengers getting close enough to watch them properly. That is encouraging, but it should not be treated as a guarantee for your date.

The boat ride can be rough. One passenger found the sea uncomfortable, although the crew offered seasickness tablets beforehand. If you are prone to motion sickness, plan around that possibility. Keep your eyes on the horizon when you can, take any offered tablet according to the crew’s instructions, and use the indoor seating if the outside deck becomes too much.

Guides, crew, and the value of good spotting

The guide can make or break a whale cruise. A whale-watching boat may cover a broad area, but you still need someone to interpret what you are seeing. On one highly praised outing, guide Rebekka was singled out for quickly flagging each whale’s position and explaining the ocean life around it.

That kind of help is useful for beginners and keen wildlife watchers alike. Instead of simply hearing that a whale is nearby, you get a clear sense of where to aim your eyes and camera. The captain also received praise for reacting well to the whales’ movements, while the boat was described as well maintained.

You should keep expectations sensible. Wildlife is not a stage performance, and the boat cannot order a humpback to surface beside it. The guide’s skill improves your chances of noticing animals, but it does not control the bay.

The tour includes an experienced guide on both cruises, with English as the stated tour language. An app is available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese. The live guide itself is in English, so the app may be useful if you want extra support in another language.

The evening cruise and Iceland’s changeable sky

After the whale-watching portion, you return for a separate night cruise. The boat heads out from Reykjavik toward darker water just outside the city center. This gives you a better chance of seeing the aurora than you would have from a brightly lit street, though it cannot remove the need for clear skies and suitable solar activity.

You can move between the heated indoor area and the outside deck. The indoor seating is important because the evening can feel cold even when the water looks calm. Warm overalls are provided, including children’s sizes, but you should still wear warm layers underneath. The outer clothing helps with wind and spray, not with every part of an Icelandic night.

There is an onboard bar where you can buy drinks. Free Wi-Fi is also available, which is handy for checking messages or sharing a photo when the signal allows. I would keep the phone tucked away for much of the cruise, though. Screens make it harder for your eyes to adjust, and the point of leaving the city is to watch the sky rather than refresh an app.

The Northern Lights may be visible during the winter months and can appear as early as September, depending on conditions. No boat operator can promise a display. On a good night, the water gives you a wide, open view with fewer city lights. On a bad night, you may see only clouds and darkness.

One important advantage is the free ticket to try again if nothing is seen. This makes the aurora portion less risky, provided you have another evening available in Reykjavik. It does not help much if your schedule is packed or if this is your final night in Iceland, so think about your itinerary before counting the retry as a real benefit.

Weather is part of the price you pay

The most important practical point is that both cruises depend on the sea and sky. The whale trip can run in rough water, and the Northern Lights cruise may be canceled in bad weather. One outing had the night sailing canceled, but the refund process was handled quickly and without trouble.

That is a fair outcome when conditions are unsafe, but it can still disrupt your plans. If you have only one free evening, the cancellation may leave you without an aurora attempt. If you are staying several nights, the free retry or rescheduling option becomes more useful, although the supplied information does not promise that every canceled trip can be moved to a date that suits you.

I would avoid placing this tour right before an important flight or another fixed booking. Give yourself room for weather changes and the possibility that the experience may not follow the original plan. This is good general Iceland advice: the forecast gets a vote.

Is $182 a fair price?

At $182 per person, the cost is not small. You are paying for two separate boat outings, guides, warm overalls, heated seating, Wi-Fi, and the chance to try the aurora cruise again if no lights appear.

The price makes more sense if you planned to book whale watching and Northern Lights trips separately. Combining them saves you from arranging two different operators and gives you a single day built around Faxaflói Bay. It also keeps both activities close to Reykjavik rather than requiring a longer excursion.

The value is weaker if you want certainty. There is no wildlife guarantee, no Northern Lights guarantee, and no hotel transportation. You also need to spend much of the day and evening around the tour schedule. Someone mainly interested in whales might prefer a standalone whale cruise, while someone focused on the aurora may want several separate night attempts.

For families, the included children’s overalls and indoor seating help. For couples and solo visitors, the combined format is efficient. For anyone with a tight budget, the price deserves a careful look, especially if a missed aurora would mean you cannot use the retry ticket.

Who should book this combined boat tour?

I would consider it a good match for you if:

• You have limited time in Reykjavik and want two major nature activities in one booking.
• You are comfortable with the fact that wildlife and aurora sightings are never certain.
• You can handle a possible seven-hour day with a boat ride in rough water.
• You have at least one spare evening in case you need the free Northern Lights retry.
• You like having both indoor warmth and outdoor viewing areas.
• You want a guide to help locate whales rather than searching the water alone.

I would think twice if you get severe seasickness, have only one fixed evening, or need hotel pickup. The harbour meeting point is easy enough to reach in Reykjavik, but it is still one more detail to manage.

Practical ways to make the day better

Arrive at the Old Harbour office with time to spare. The building is large and dark grey, and the blue signs make the office easier to find. Drivers should allow extra time for parking nearby.

Dress in layers even though overalls are supplied. You may be warm inside but cold on deck, and the ability to adjust your clothing is more useful than relying on one thick coat. Waterproof footwear and gloves are sensible choices, although the supplied information does not specify that footwear or gloves are provided.

If you bring a camera, keep it ready but do not spend the whole cruise looking through it. The whale may surface in a different direction, and your guide’s call is usually more useful than trying to predict the next appearance yourself.

Use the whale cruise to enjoy the setting as well as the animals. The views of Reykjavik, the mountains, Faxaflói Bay, and possibly Snæfells Glacier give the trip a sense of place even during a quiet wildlife stretch. A day with fewer sightings is not necessarily a wasted day, but it will feel more worthwhile if you treat the bay itself as part of the outing.

For the aurora cruise, check your schedule before departure. If the tour goes out but the lights do not appear, the free retry has value only if you can return. Keep your phone charged, but use the Wi-Fi and bar as conveniences rather than the main focus.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want an efficient Reykjavik experience that combines daytime wildlife with an evening search for the Northern Lights. The strongest reasons are the capable spotting help, the chance of humpbacks and dolphins, the comfortable boat setup, and the free aurora retry.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed whale encounter or a sky full of green lights. Weather can roughen the sea or cancel the night cruise, and the $182 price is easier to justify when you have enough time to use the second chance.

For a first visit with several nights in Reykjavik, I think the combination makes good sense. For a one-night stopover or a strict budget, choose the part you care about most and spend less on a single outing.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at the Special Tours office by Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. The office is in a large dark-grey building with blue signs and the company name and logo.

Does the tour include hotel pickup and drop-off?

No. You must make your own way to the Old Harbour meeting point, and the activity ends there after the evening cruise.

How long does the full experience last?

The combined experience lasts about seven hours. The whale-watching cruise itself takes approximately three hours, and the exact starting time depends on availability.

What wildlife might I see?

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Sightings are not guaranteed.

What happens if I do not see the Northern Lights?

You receive a free ticket to try the Northern Lights cruise again if no lights are seen. The retry is most useful if you have another suitable evening in Reykjavik.

Are warm clothes provided?

Warm overalls are provided, including children’s sizes. The boat also has heated indoor seating, but you should still wear warm layers because the outside deck can be cold and wet.

Is Wi-Fi available on the boat?

Yes. Free onboard Wi-Fi is included on the boat.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live guide speaks English. An app is available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese.