Reykjavik: Midnight Sun Whale Watching Tour

The best part of this Reykjavik whale-watching cruise is the timing. You head into Faxafloi Bay in the soft light of the midnight sun, when the horizon can still glow as you return to port. The sea is often as much a part of the show as the animals: dark water, distant Icelandic coast, seabirds overhead and, if luck runs your way, a whale surfacing close by.

I like two things in particular. First, the crew uses a steady approach toward the whales rather than racing around the bay, which makes the outing feel more considerate and cuts fuel use. Second, warm windproof overalls are supplied, a small detail that matters when you are standing outside in a cold Icelandic wind. The main catch is simple: wildlife is never fully predictable, and a late-night cruise can be windy, rough, or less rewarding than the best days shown in the brochure.

Key points at a glance

• Whales are seen on more than 95 percent of summer departures, though close encounters and species vary.
• The midnight-sun return is a major attraction, with unusually long evening light over Reykjavik and Faxafloi Bay.
• Expect minke whales, humpbacks, dolphins, harbor porpoises and puffins, plus many other seabirds.
• Elding supports research and responsible whale watching, including summer research projects and wildlife protection groups.
• The whale guarantee gives you another chance for free if no whale is spotted.
• A large boat, warm suits, cafe, Wi-Fi and live music make this a more comfortable choice than a small open inflatable boat.

Leaving Reykjavik for Faxafloi Bay

You meet at the Elding ticket office at Ægisgarður 5, in Reykjavik’s harbor area. It is about 300 meters, or roughly a five-minute walk, from the downtown Tourist Information Centre. Exchange your ticket at the office, then head to the boat.

The advertised duration is three hours, while the fuller tour description refers to about three and a half hours. I would plan on roughly three to three and a half hours, with a little extra room in your evening schedule. The tour runs in the summer midnight-sun season, and you need to check the departure time for your date.

Before boarding, you can spend a few minutes at the Whale Watching Centre. It has videos, skeletons, information boards and gifts. This is not a grand museum visit, but it gives you useful context before you go out. Seeing the size of a whale skeleton helps you understand what you are hoping to spot in the water, even if the real animal may appear only briefly.

The boat is a useful part of the choice here. It has several decks, a large upper deck for open views and more sheltered indoor areas. You can move around to find a better angle, warm up inside, or buy a drink and snack. Wi-Fi is available on board, although you will probably spend most of your time watching the sea rather than checking your phone.

The search for whales, dolphins and porpoises

Once the boat reaches the southern part of Faxafloi Bay, the pace becomes patient. The crew keeps watch for blows, dorsal fins, splashes and groups of birds. The guides help direct your attention, which matters because a whale can surface only a few meters away and disappear before you have found the right spot.

The crew and marine biologist guides follow an extensive training program based on the company’s guiding principles. Their job is not only to point at animals. They explain the wildlife, the bay and the scenery, and they work with passengers as a spotting team. This gives you something useful to do during the quiet stretches.

Minke whales are among the regular sightings. They are often quick and elusive, sometimes showing only a dorsal fin before slipping below the surface. Humpback whales can provide the more dramatic moments, including repeated surfacing, tail movement, slapping and, on rare occasions, breaching. You should enjoy those displays when they happen, but you should not board expecting a staged performance.

Dolphins and harbor porpoises add variety. White-beaked dolphins may travel in groups, sometimes moving alongside the boat. On one especially active trip, a group of around 60 dolphins was seen, along with several humpback whales and minke whales. That is an exceptional day, not a promise, but it shows how quickly the mood of the trip can change when the animals gather.

Seabirds are part of the outing from the start. You might see puffins, gannets and other birds feeding across the bay. The birds keep the cruise interesting even when whales are below the surface, and they give you another reason to carry binoculars if you have them.

Why the midnight sun changes the experience

The evening light is not a minor extra. In summer, Iceland’s sun stays low and bright late into the night, so you can be at sea when many sightseeing activities have finished. The return toward Reykjavik can bring glowing sky, calm water and clear views of the harbor.

The light also gives the cruise a different rhythm from a standard daytime boat trip. You are not simply ticking off an animal sighting and returning. The open water, late hour and changing sky make the trip feel like a proper evening out.

Still, do not assume that daylight guarantees easy viewing. One late-summer departure had poor whale visibility because of the conditions and the movement of the boat. The sun may be present, but Icelandic wind, cloud and waves can still make it hard to focus on a small fin in the distance. Bring warm clothing even in July or August.

A large boat and useful cold-weather gear

The supplied overalls are one of the strongest practical features. Several departures have been windy, and the suits helped people stay outside longer without being soaked by spray or chilled by the wind. Put one on even if the harbor feels mild. Conditions on open water can be very different.

You should still wear warm layers underneath, along with sturdy hiking shoes. One passenger found the sea very cold despite a pleasant day in port, and another reported windburn during a blustery outing. A hat and gloves are sensible additions. If you are prone to motion sickness, remember that the boat can rock in rough water. Some people have had a smooth ride, while others found the waves uncomfortable.

The large boat is a good fit if comfort matters to you. You can use the upper deck for wide views, then retreat indoors if the wind picks up. There is a cafe for warm drinks and other refreshments, though food and drinks are not included in the $111 price.

A smaller boat can feel closer to the water, but it also exposes you to more spray and movement. If you have seen small inflatable boats heading out and wondered how cold they might be, this larger vessel offers a more forgiving setup. The tradeoff is that a big boat can make the guide harder to hear from some positions.

Finding the best place on board

Try to get outside early and choose a position where you can hear the guide as well as see the water. The upper deck gives you views on all sides, but the audio may be less clear there. If the guide points toward a whale, you want to hear the direction quickly rather than rely on the people around you.

Keep your eyes moving. Whales do not always appear where you expect, and the crew may ask you to look across a wide section of water. Watch for a puff of breath, a dark back or a line of birds suddenly lifting from the surface.

You should also avoid spending the whole cruise behind your phone. Photos are difficult in low light and moving water, and a whale can vanish while you are trying to frame it. On one departure, a photographer later shared excellent wildlife images, which took some pressure off people who did not want to risk dropping a phone overboard.

Responsible whale watching and the whale guarantee

Elding presents this as an environmentally certified whale-watching operation, and the operating style supports that claim. Boats travel at a constant speed toward the animals rather than chasing them in a noisy zigzag. The aim is to reduce disturbance, fuel use and pollution.

Your ticket also contributes to summer research projects, responsible tourism work and non-governmental organizations that protect wildlife. That does not turn the cruise into a conservation expedition, but it gives the outing a useful purpose beyond sightseeing.

The whale guarantee is valuable because nature can refuse to cooperate. If you do not see a whale, you can try again for free. One departure returned without a sighting, and a complimentary second trip produced several elusive minke whales. The guarantee cannot fix a tight itinerary, so book early enough in your Iceland visit to leave room for another outing if needed.

Notice the wording: it is a whale guarantee, not a promise of humpbacks breaching beside the boat. You could see only distant fins, or you could be treated to a long encounter with a single humpback. The quality of the sighting depends on weather, animal behavior and luck.

Music, drinks and the ride back

The trip is not all scanning the horizon. A live troubadour performs on the way back to Reykjavik, adding a relaxed finish after the wildlife search. It is an unusual touch on a nature cruise and helps fill the return journey, especially after a quiet spell at sea.

You can buy drinks and refreshments on board. Sipping something warm, or a beer if that suits your evening, while the boat heads toward a glowing Reykjavik harbor can be a pleasant close to the trip. Just remember that refreshments cost extra.

The music will not appeal to everyone. If you want a strictly quiet wildlife experience, the performance may feel like a distraction. For most people, it is a welcome change of pace after several hours of watching the water.

Is $111 a fair price?

At $111 per person, this is not a bargain activity, but the price includes more than a basic boat ride. You get the cruise, a live guide, warm overalls, Wi-Fi, access to the Whale Watching Centre and the whale guarantee. The large boat also gives you indoor space, an upper deck and a cafe, which can matter in Icelandic weather.

The value is strongest if you want a comfortable, responsible outing with a reasonable chance of seeing wildlife. Summer sightings occur on more than 95 percent of tours, but that figure does not tell you how close the animals will be or how long they will stay visible.

If your budget is tight, you could decide that a whale trip is optional. One person found the outing enjoyable but not essential to a Reykjavik visit. I think the decision comes down to your priorities: if the animals are high on your list, the guarantee and strong summer sighting rate make the cost easier to justify. If you need a guaranteed spectacle, no boat tour can offer that.

Who will enjoy this cruise most?

This tour suits you if you want to combine wildlife with a scenic evening on the water. It works well for couples, families and first-time visitors who prefer a stable, spacious boat to a small open craft. The English-speaking guides make it easy to follow the explanations, and the boat is wheelchair accessible.

It is also a good choice if you care about how a wildlife tour operates. The constant-speed approach, research support and environmental certification give you more reassurance than a simple race around the bay.

You may want to think twice if you have very little time in Reykjavik, dislike boats, or would be deeply disappointed by a brief sighting. Rough seas can affect the experience, and even a successful trip might produce only a dorsal fin or a distant blow.

Booking advice for your Reykjavik evening

Allow time to reach the ticket office in the harbor and exchange your ticket before boarding. Wear more clothing than you think you need, and use the warm overalls supplied on board. Hiking shoes are specifically recommended.

The tour offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are useful if your Iceland plans may shift, especially since weather can affect how appealing an evening at sea feels.

For the best chance of enjoying the outing, treat whale sightings as a bonus rather than a scheduled show. Let the crew do the searching, listen for directions and make room for the bay, birds, light and changing weather to be part of the experience.

Should you book the Midnight Sun Whale Watching Tour?

I would book it if you have a summer evening available and want a wildlife trip that balances comfort, scenery and responsible operating practices. The strongest reasons are the high summer sighting rate, the whale guarantee, the helpful crew and the rare pleasure of returning through Reykjavik’s midnight light.

I would skip it only if your schedule is too tight for a possible second attempt, or if the $111 cost feels high for an experience built around chance. You may see humpbacks feeding near the boat, dolphins racing through the water and puffins overhead. You may also spend much of the cruise watching empty sea.

That uncertainty is part of whale watching. Go prepared for a boat ride first and a wildlife encounter second, and this can become one of the most memorable evenings of an Iceland visit.

FAQ

Where does the whale-watching tour depart from?

Meet at the Elding ticket office at Ægisgarður 5, 101 Reykjavik. It is about 300 meters, or a five-minute walk, from the downtown Tourist Information Centre.

How long does the tour last?

The activity is advertised as three hours, while the detailed tour information describes a trip of about three and a half hours. Check the available departure time for your date and allow extra time around the scheduled duration.

What animals might I see?

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, dolphins, harbor porpoises, puffins, gannets and other seabirds. The exact sightings depend on conditions and animal behavior.

Are whale sightings guaranteed?

Whales are seen on more than 95 percent of summer tours, but individual sightings vary. If you do not see a whale, the whale guarantee allows you to try again for free.

What should I wear?

Bring warm clothing and hiking shoes. Warm overalls are available on board, but Icelandic wind can still feel cold, even during summer. Hats and gloves are sensible additions.

What is included in the ticket?

The ticket includes access to the Whale Watching Centre, warm overalls, an English-speaking guide, Wi-Fi on board and live troubadour music. Refreshments are not included, but you can buy them on the boat.