The 12 Midnight Sun Tours in Iceland That Survive a Bad Forecast

1.Midnight Sun Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 286 reviews · 3 hours · from $111Our pick

Cruise Faxafloi Bay from Reykjavik with Elding’s trained crew and marine biologist guides. Look for minke and humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises and seabirds beneath the summer midnight sun. Warm overalls, Wi-Fi, live music and a whale guarantee are included. Bring warm layers and hiking shoes.

“Wonderful trip. Saw lots of whale activity - so much that even the guide was shocked! One humpback whale (Davy Jones the Second) put on quite the show! Breaching, slapping water and just being pretty close to the boat. Unforgettable experience.”

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2.Midnight Sun ATV Adventure from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 112 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $214Top rated

Ride solo or share a quad on a two-hour evening route from Reykjavík with Safari Quads. After pickup around 8 pm, guides such as Veronika, Julia, Kris, or Ruben lead you over roads, gravel, lava, rivers, and the peaks of Hafrafell and Úlfarsfell. Supplied rain gear helps in Iceland’s rough weather.

“This was so fun! It was pouring rain and so windy but we were so insulated with rain gear that we barely noticed. It was definitely a highlight of our trip. At one point we rode beside a herd of running horses It was so amazing. Something I'll never forget. Our guide Giulia was so sweet and made sure we were safe. She was fantastic!”

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3.Magical Whales in the Midnight Sun | from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 91 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $105

Cruise from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay for about three hours, with a guide, onboard wildlife show, Wi-Fi, heated cabin, bathrooms, bar, and loaner coveralls. Look for humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, porpoises, puffins, and seabirds beneath the June or July midnight sun. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

“This was a great experience. We didn’t see any whales but were offered passes to go again. Staff was great. One passenger was upset about the lack of a whale sighting and was extremely unkind to one of the crew members. That crew member was patient and didn’t lose her cool even though the customer was quite rude.”

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4.Whale Watching in the Midnight Sun

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 75 reviews · 3 hours · from $101Best value

Cruise Eyjafjörður from Akureyri on a fast boat built for whale watching. Your English-speaking naturalist guide explains the fjord, whales, and seabirds while you scan from outdoor decks or heated indoor seats. Thermal overalls, Wi-Fi, large windows, and a cafeteria are provided. Sightings are never guaranteed, and the search can run long.

“The captain worked very hard to find whales. I do realize that the whales are unpredictable and company has no control over if they show. The 3 hour tour turned in to a 5 hour tour. We did see several small humpback whale tails but none came up much out of the water. We have seen a lot more in Maine and Alaska. We could not hear the guide so did not get any of the information. We traveled a long way to find them so the return trip at midnight was long. Could use better speakers and some entertainment like music or area information/history.”

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5.Midnight Sun Kayaking Adventure by Mt. Kirkjufell

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $155

Paddle Grundarfjörður’s bay beneath the midnight sun, with Kirkjufell rising nearby. Vestur Adventures keeps groups to 11, supplies warm dry suits, and offers gentle instruction for beginners. Guides such as Reda and Greg add local stories, while seals, birds, calm water, and hot chocolate may round out this three-hour evening outing.

“Great suits, ended the tour with dry clothes and big smiles. Fun and accommodating tour guides. For all levels and very relaxing”

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6.Midnight Sun Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 34 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $106

Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbor at 9 PM aboard Rósin, a whale-watching boat with indoor and outdoor decks, restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a snack bar. An English-speaking guide helps you look for minke and humpback whales, dolphins, and harbor porpoises as the midnight sun lights Faxaflói Bay. Bring warm clothes and binoculars if you have them.

“It was exciting!! Take the anti-sickness pill if you want to be able to move back and forth, to follow the whale whilst the boat is moving. It was a great night! TIP: I have my binoculars and a camera attach to it, and that levelled up my experience!💕”

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7.Grundarfjörður: Midnight Sun Kayaking Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $155

Paddle for about two hours beneath Kirkjufell with local guides such as Sony, Greg, or Reda. You’ll receive a dry suit, safety lesson, and full kayaking gear, then head toward Seal Skerry to look for seals and birds before warming up with a hot drink and biscuits.

“We had an unbelievably wonderful experience! The guides were great, the tour was fun and we even got to see a seal 😍”

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8.Midnight Sun ATV Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 24 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $255

Join Safari Quads for a two-hour ATV ride through Hólmsheiði, climbing Hafrafjall and Ulfarsfell near Reykjavik. You get hotel pickup, safety training, helmets, gloves, overalls, and coffee at basecamp. The tour runs in June and July, when daylight lasts through the night. Drivers need a license and must be at least 17.

“Very fun. They split us into 2 groups 1 for people who wanted to go fast and one for more cautious drivers. Everyone was able to pick which group was more in their comfort zone. Great machines nice scenery. Would recommend.”

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9.Midnight Sun Adventure on ATV

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $196

Leave Reykjavik at 9:30 pm for a small-group ATV ride near Mosfellsbær. Guides such as Kristjan lead you up the mountain, with views toward Reykjavik, Reykjanes, and nearby volcanoes. Summer brings the midnight sun; colder months may offer northern lights. Pickup, helmets, gloves, and riding gear are included.

“The guide did not tell us anything about local fauna or anything of that sort, he just gave us a quad to jump on and said this is accelerate, this is brake, that was about it. We drove for about 20 mins to the top of the mountain, we stopped there for way too long like 20-30 mins it felt like for photos, and then we drove again for 20-25 mins. All in all it felt like 45 mins of driving on ATV. I felt the ATV quality was also not as good as the one I drove in Santorini. The brakes were not set properly which made the car…”

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10.Midnight Sun Whale Watching from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 14 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $109

Leave Reykjavik’s Old Harbour at 9 pm for a 2.5-hour search for whales, dolphins, and porpoises in Faxaflói Bay. Guides such as Daniel, Sophie, and Tom explain marine life and point out sightings. Thermal overalls, indoor seating, WiFi, and a free retry if nothing appears are included.

“Fantastic experience. Knowledgeable guide. Reliable equipment. Lifetime memories. Would highly recommend”

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11.Small-group Whale Watching in the Midnight Sun from Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203

Set out from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour in a small boat with up to 12 people, wearing provided overalls, gloves, goggles, and safety gear. Search Faxaflói for minke and humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises, and puffins, with views of Harpa and the Sun Voyager. The ride can be wet and rough, so good sea legs help.

“This experience was breathtaking and memorable for sure. Late in the evening, we were on a small boat, going fast, and chasing dolphins, wales, and puffins far away from the shore. Amazingly we got to see all of them. The only unhappy person on the boat was my son, who became very sea sick. Unfortunately, he had to suffer for the duration of the trip because there is nowhere to go. If you are prone to sea sickness, I would not recommend this trip.”

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12.Golden Circle, Glacier & Northern Lights/Midnight sun / guided private tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $2,170

You’ll explore Þingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss with a private driver-guide, then ride a Super Jeep onto Langjökull when weather and snow allow. Pickup and drop-off in Reykjavik are included. The tour starts at noon, lasts about 6 to 9 hours, and snowmobiling, food, and drinks cost extra.

“Great day from the start , prompt pick up from door to door by Olav Not sure if this is Icelandic spelling Very knowledgeable about the history and the surrounds , couldn't do enough to help , very laid back approach . Would definitely recommend this service”

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