Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company
Description
Sail aboard a traditional Icelandic oak boat from Húsavík, the Whale Capital of Iceland Enjoy a relaxed 3-hour whale watching tour in Skjálfandi Bay Discover whales and Icelandic wildlife with knowledgeable local guides Stay warm in safety overalls provided by the crew Choose a truly locally owned family company in Húsavík
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Subject to favourable weather conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Please bring warm and waterproof clothing
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum number of passengers is required for all our tours. If the minimum number is not reached, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice. In such cases, customers are offered alternative options or full refund
- Unfortunately, if no whales or dolphins are sighted on the tour, passenger refunds are not permitted. However, customers can receive a voucher to join a traditional whale watching tour free of charge, depending on availability
- Please arrive at the Gentle Giants Ticket Center in Húsavík at least 40 minutes before departure
Reviews(427)
Amazing tour, we were lucky to see Pierro the Whale many time. Fabio was fun and really interesting, choose him, if you can.
Excellent! Well organized, fun and easy going process. Guide was awesome and full of information. Also really enjoyable to listen to. We saw Merlin the whale for a long time with lots of viewings that everyone could see. Then they took us out to see dolphins and by puffin island on the way back. So good and highly recommend! Also really appreciate that they don’t use radar and respect the whales and try to keep a fair distance and not to agitate them.
Wonderful experience, very friendly staff and we were lucky to see whales and dolphins. Matteo our guide was exceptional. Highly recommend
Very good experience despite the bad weather at sea. A few humpback whales seen in the bay of Husavik. Special mention to the very friendly and kind staff. I recommend this company.
This was a very good tour. Boarding was quick and efficient, the crew was very nice and we had lots of time with the whales.
First Marine Biologist on their tours. Ours, Andre was knowledgeable professional and fun. There was a hitch due to my error...but Andre our guide arranged a ride to the port so we wouldn't miss our cruise ship! God Bless you and the gentleman in the blue truck!!! above and beyond!!! book with confidence saw whales galore even bubble feeding. magnificent
For those who have not yet decided whether or not to take a whale watching tour. People, definitely skip it here. We have never experienced anything as commercial as this in the name of environmental and animal protection. During our tour, five to six boats did not observe a whale, but literally hunted it. As soon as the whale was even a little bit on the surface, they went full throttle and chased after it. At the end of the tour, something is briefly explained about the animals under the guise of research. Anyone who knows even a little bit about these animals also knows what impact these tours have on the ocean giants. And here is a note in our own interest to the organizers. Take all your phrases that you want to use to lure tourists off your site (environmental protection, etc.). This is pure commerce and simply makes you want to puke.
We’re sorry to hear that this was your impression of the tour. Respect for whales and their wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do, and we take feedback like yours seriously. All licensed operators in Húsavík follow a code of conduct as set by IceWhale, the Icelandic Whale Watching Association. These outline on how to approach animals, distances, speed, time spent with animals, and how many boats may interact with a whale at once. Our captains are trained to follow these guidelines at all times, and if a whale changes direction or surfaces unexpectedly near a boat, we reduce speed or remain still, as required by the guidelines. The whales we encounter are completely wild animals, and their behaviour is unpredictable. On some occasions they choose to approach boats out of curiosity, while on others they keep their distance. Our role is to adapt to their behaviour, never to force an interaction. We also believe education is an essential part of responsible whale watching. Our guides, many with backgrounds in marine biology or natural sciences, share information throughout the tour to help guests better understand the animals and the marine ecosystem. We work closely with local researchers and contribute sightings and photographs that support long-term monitoring of individual whales in Skjálfandi Bay. We understand that not everyone agrees with wildlife tourism, and we respect that point of view. Our goal has always been to operate in a way that prioritizes the animals while inspiring people to appreciate and protect the marine environment. We're sorry that your experience did not reflect that, but we appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. All the best from Gentle Giants team, Fabio.
A wonderful experience that gives the feeling of enjoying wildlife without violating it. On the 8:44 a.m. slot, we were lucky enough to see 3 whales, dolphins, and plenty of birds, including puffins fishing. Very professional guide and captain who really sought to satisfy their customers while respecting the marine mammals that we were able to observe.
Thank you for highlighting our approach to responsible whale watching in Húsavík. It means a lot to know you enjoyed the wildlife while appreciating the respect shown to the animals. We hope to welcome you aboard Gentle Giants again. All the best, Fabio.
We went in July and saw multiple hump back whales. We were provided with overalls to keep us warm as well as jackets to stay dry. The boat tour itself was wonderful and seeing the whales makes it that much special. The guide walked around multiple times to ensure everyone was comfortable and to answer any questions.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're happy you stayed warm, spotted multiple humpback whales, and felt well looked after throughout your whale watching tour with Gentle Giants. We hope to see you back in Húsavík someday. Safe travels, Fabio.
Very nice tour, lots of information. We were lucky and were able to see many whales.
We're super happy you had such a successful whale watching tour in with us in Húsavík! Seeing many whales was special reward, and we're glad you enjoyed learning along the way. We hope to welcome you back to Gentle Giants one day. Fabio
