Water activity

Húsavík: Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

4.7 / 5

143 reviews

Activity provider: Husavik Adventures
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    Water activity

    Húsavík: Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

    Activity provider: Husavik Adventures

    4.7

    143 reviews

    From US$ 149.66 per person

    Spot whale species from a RIB boat tour on this guided tour from Húsavík. See puffins during the late spring and summer during puffin season. Get up close and personal to the local marine life.

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
    Reserve now & pay later
    Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
    Duration 2 hours
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Live tour guide
    English

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Cover a great distance in the RIB to spot as much local wildlife as possible
    • Get as close to sea life as you can on this guided tour
    • Witness puffins on Puffin Island during the spring and summer
    • Stay warm in water resistant overalls while on the tour
    • Learn about the local marine wildlife from your guide
    Full description

    Embark on a guided RIB speedboat tour around Puffin Island. See the thousands of puffins in their natural habitat before heading to Skjálfandi Bay to spot whales with frequent sightings of humpback and minke whales.

    After check-in at the ticket office, be escorted to the dressing room to receive warm water-resistant overalls and life vests. Sit back and peel your eyes across the rocking waves of the Atlantic, looking for any sign of life.

    Make sure to bring hats and gloves—it's always colder in the bay than in the town. When everybody is ready the guide will show the way to the boat where passengers will find their seats and get informed about safety regulations on board.

    During puffin season, the first pit-stop will be Puffin Island. Circle around the Island, enjoying the view of thousands of puffins during their breeding period. See Tjörnes peninsula, known for its fossil layers with the most ancient one being two million years old.

    The next destination is whale watching in Skjálfandi Bay, an area renowned for its rich wildlife, Víknafjöll and Kinnarfjöll mountain ranges. There are 20 different species of cetacean in Iceland, the most common being humpback and minke whales.

    There is a chance to spot rarer species like orcas, Harbour Porpoises, Blue Whales, and more. With a smaller vessel like a RIB, your captain can get much closer to where these animals swim as small boats make less noise, and are less likely to deter whales.

    After 2 hours of cruising the ocean, begin the return journey back to the harbor. On your way, you will likely pass one of the numerous nesting Puffin colonies that live in the area—just another fantastic reason to come aboard.

    Includes
    • Guided tour in a 12-seat rigid inflatable boat (RIB)
    • Warm water resistant overalls
    • Life vests
    • Gloves
    • Hats
    • Seasickness pills
    Not suitable for
    • Children under 8 years
    • Pregnant women
    • People with back problems
    • People under 4 ft 6 in (140 cm)

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Meeting point

    Meet at Húsavík Adventures's ticket office. It is a shared building with the parent company North Sailing.

    Open in Google Maps ⟶
    Important information

    What to bring

    • Comfortable shoes
    • Warm clothing
    • Hat
    • Gloves

    Know before you go

    • Puffin season is from May 1st - August 20th
    • The minimum age onboard is 8 year old age, or 140 centimeters in height, but bringing younger children is acceptable when the sea conditions are calm so please check the weather forecast if booking with children
    • Customers with health issues such as a weak heart, bad back, epilepsy, or mobility issues can be assisted by contacting the local partner prior to the tour
    • The local partner reserves the right to cancel departures due to bad weather or lack of passengers
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    4.7 /5

    based on 143 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4.9/5
    • Transportation
      4.8/5
    • Service
      4.9/5
    • Organization
      4.8/5

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    Star rating:

    Great tour with whales watching and Puffin Island. Being on a small boat is useful to watch closer and go quickly next to the whales. The sea was bumpy tho, which can have bad effects for seasick people. Overall, it was a unique experience and our captain and guide have been amazing.

    March 28, 2023

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – France Verified booking

    Helpful?

    this was not in our itinerary but since we managed to have some spare time, we included this during our day to Husavik. It turned out to be most adventurous activity of our trip. Glad we did!. Instead of taking cruise we opted for speed boat & me being me, volunteered for the 1st seat ‍♀️. It was super fast (60km/hr), super super bumpy & super exciting. I remembered all my Gods, ancestors & what not , in the initial 15 mins, on our way to Lundey island when we rode against the waves. Our RIB was literally in the air in one moment & another moment on the sea, it kept making high jumps. It felt like James Bond riding Glastron GT150 in “Live & Let Die” . Okay that’s exaggerated but the feeling was close enough. If you haven’t seen the movie, watch the below clip from 2.53 to 2.57 & then 3.04 to 3.07. You will get a feel what I am talking about : https://youtu.be/DyaZWs4p8yI Thanks to the tips by our guide Laura, my back is still saved.

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    March 28, 2023

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – India Verified booking

    Helpful?

    This was absolutely incredible. We saw about 7 whales, one came really close to the boat many times. This was one of the best days of my life, I would highly recommend it to anyone. I'd recommend you to go later in the evening, apparently this way you'll get a better chance of seeing them. We went at 22:30, our guide was Iñaki who was amazing and the boat driver was Fannar, who is an absolute master at what he does. Truly unforgettable experience. Thank you!

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    March 28, 2023

    G
    GetYourGuide traveler – Slovenia Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Product ID: 142449

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