Olafsvik Whale Watching Tour

Top Attractions:

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Overview

On this tour we will cruise across the deep blue Atlantic Ocean, seeking majestic marine-life, including the sperm whale, the world’s largest predator and the legendary orca, one of nature’s most intelligent creatures.

Tour Snapshot

Duration

2-3.5 hours

Level

Easy

Availability

february - october

Languages

English

Trip style

One-day tours

Minimum age

All ages

What to expect

On Tour

Ólafsvík
Snaefellsnes Peninsula
High Success Rate

Transportation

Meet on location
Pick-up

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation
Meals
We recommend you bring your own snacks, and you will be responsible for your dinner each night.

Route map

Use our interactive map to investigate the day-by-day details of your adventure.

2-3.5 hours

Overview

This tour begins at the picturesque village of Olafsvik, where we will board our trusty Icelandic vessel and head towards the Snæfellsnes peninsula, in search of the magnificent ocean giants, who visit Iceland’s waters. Our precise destination will be determined based upon the season, sea conditions, and prevailing local knowledge, about where whales are usually seen, ensuring that we have the very best chance to see these majestic creatures in the flesh.

The area is famous for the many toothed-whales that visit its waters, including orcas, sperm whales, and pilot whales, offering visitors the chance to see some of the most iconic marine creatures in the entire world. As a general rule, orcas are seen during the winter and early summer months, with sightings common between April and June, especially in deeper waters. Male sperm whales, are also common in June, while we also often see humpback and minke whales, as well as white-beaked dolphins. Our expert captain will take you as close as possible to these gentle giants, always making sure that the boat does not interfere with them, ensuring that you have the chance to see them feeding and playing.

The expert guide will also provide you with plenty of information about these incredible creatures and their relationship to Iceland. Whale watching is not an exact science, and we are unable to guarantee that we will find whales, however, our captains are local experts and will do everything they can to ensure that you see these magnificent creatures in the flesh.

This awe-inspiring tour is perfect for people who love wildlife, with the opportunity to see puffins, a variety of seabirds and whales, in the shadow of spectacular Icelandic scenery!

More about Icelandic Sperm Whales

The whale watching experience provides a profound demonstration of the power and majesty of marine life in our world. With hope and a little bit of luck, we see these creatures in their own habitat. The Icelandic word for orca is Háhyrningur (which translates to high-horn, in reference to their large dorsal fin) is an apex predator, meaning that no other animals feed on them. It is a fish eater and generally feeds on herring during their migration. They are famous for their unique hunting techniques, where they use ultrasonic frequencies to herd herring near the surface of the ocean before they feed. To see these majestic, complex predators frolicking in the waters beneath the mighty Snæfellsjökull glacier, is a truly incredible experience.

The Icelandic sperm whale is equally as impressive, measuring up to 20 meters, it is the largest predator in the entire world. It is also famous in literature, with the famous white whale in the novel Moby Dick, being from the species: although in reality, they are far more gentle and friendly than in the book. They generally feed on squid, which means that they are usually found in deep waters. Seeing them playing in the water and throwing bursts of water into the air, is an unforgettable experience, which will remain with you forever.

Meeting Location

We will meet you in Ólafsvík on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Address: Norðurtangi 9, 355 Ólafsvík. GPS: La: 64.895359 Le: -23.710866 - see map below.

Packing list

Get ready for your trip, here are some items, you should not forget

What to bring (Required)

Warm clothes

We're here to answer your questions

The pickup time is stated on your voucher and therefore we recommend you to review your voucher carefully. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated as you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the right pick up time that you chose when booking the tour.

Wait for your guide at your assigned pick up location.

Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.

View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.

Alcohol is prohibited on all of our tours before and during activities. If we find the participant to be intoxicated, we will prohibit them from taking part in the activity.

After the activities of the day are finished then you are more than welcome to have a drink and relax.

Yes, we do have a tour into Langjökull Ice Cave that has no minimum age and it is a fantastic option for the whole family. As a Whale Watching with our partner company Special Tours, enjoyable tour for a family traveling with young children, these guys have an enormous success rate in seeing whales (upwards of 98% in the summertime).

If you want to explore parts of Icelandic Highlands than we have our magnificent Landmannalaugar Safari tour that also offers you to bathe in natural hot springs. Almost all of our jeep tours are suitable for children over the age of 6 years old. Then we also have a relaxing experience that we highly recommend, our Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour.

We reserve the rights to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Your safety is our number one priority.

Please read more information in our terms and conditions in regards to this matter.

Yes, we have specially trained and certified guide on all of our tours, expect on our self-drive tours.

All of our tours are English guided.

No, for all your questions and concerns you would need to contact our customer service.

In Iceland, the standard is 230V and 50Hz and we use F-type power sockets and plugs. If you are visiting from the UK, USA, Canada or other countries using a different voltage, Hz or plugs, therefore, we highly recommend you to bring an adaptor.

We have four different categories that help participants to get a better understanding of what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. All of our tours are rated to make it easier for you to find a tour that suits you.

For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.

Still not convinced?

Customer Care

For Iceland, Scandinavia & Baltic tour

Open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM GMT

Address

Köllunarklettsvegur 2

104 Reykjavík

+354 562 7000

Compare to similar tours

We believe that every adventurer should be able to have their tailored experience, and a transparent process to choose between all options, here you can find similar tours.