Iceland whaling season under way despite protest whaling. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around icelands coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. We can provide our guests with whale watching tours, departing both from reykjavik harbor and various fishing towns in iceland, e. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. Whale watching reykjavik tours, iceland special tours. Rib express whale wathing this is a once in a lifetime boat experience.
The much anticipated 2016 whale watching season commences in may 15th, just short of two weeks from today. With our speedboats we can offer our passengers more area to cover in search for the gentle giants. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with iceland s peak tourist season. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around iceland s coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. It is possible to see some species of whales and dolphins at other times of the year as migratory patterns vary between the species so winter sailings are still an option in some parts of the country.
You can see whales all along the pacific coast of costa rica during those months. If there are no sightings on the tour, you can use your ticket number to reschedule your reservation and join another tour for free. But did you know that husavik is also the only place in iceland where. Thousands of humpbacks gather in the warm waters to mate and give birth. You can book our whale watching tours through our online booking system booking by email send an email to our travel help team with basic information about the tour youre interested in, what date you are thinking of and then something about you or those going on the tour. The declining demand for both minke and fin whale meat has forced hvalur hf to dispose of excess whale meat creatively. Icelandic whalers have slaughtered more than 1,700 whales fin, minke and sei whales since the global ban on commercial whaling came into force in 1986. Iceland refuses to recognise the ban and currently allocates its whalers a quota to kill endangered fin whales the second largest creature on earth as well as minke whales. We will restore gunnar fully during this winter and have him ready for our next season alongside our. Iceland s most influencing weather element is the wind. Apr 29, 2019 the best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober.
Year round whale watching tours from reykjavik iceland. Akureyri grundarfjordur took 6 hours but the scenic drive was worth being stuck in the car all. Minimize your carbon footprint and join the electric sailboat opal for a green whale watching of a lifetime. Around 20 species of whale can be found in the sea surrounding the country but the most common are the beaked whale, the humpbacked whale, dolphins and a few others. The best time to see humpback whales in costa rica is august and september. Mar 01, 2018 a beached whale was, in hard times, and there were often hard times in iceland, equivalent to a major lottery win. Iceland on the web can plan you a very friendly and inexpensive package for whale watching in reykjavik.
Arctic adventures whale watching tour from reykjavik departs from the citys old harbour and sails out onto faxafloi bay. The cool, clear north atlantic ocean encircling iceland is rich with food for whales of various sizes and species. We will restore gunnar fully during this winter and have him ready for our next season alongside our every trusty oak boat niels jonsson ea 106. The high peak season for whale watching is from april to october, but of course the ocean is always full of adventures. Our whale watching boat, rosin the rose, offers an absolute innovation in whale watching adventures in iceland, it is fast and a luxurious whale watching boat, one of its kind in iceland, providing security and luxury for all. Green whale watching husavik on the ecofriendly opal. On display at whales of iceland are 23 lifesize whale models of species found in icelandic waters. Several tour operators in iceland offer excursions on the water, from fishing trips and harbour excursions to puffin watching, some of which are shorter and less expensive than whalewatching. Enjoy the norwegian and icelandic winter and combine whale watching orcas, humpbacks and fin whales. We zoomed around on a speedboat to get close to the whales and at one point we were surrounded by humpback whales that were. Whale watching is as essential a part of any trip to iceland as seeing northern lights, hot springs and glaciers. These range from one of the smallest marine mammals, the harbour porpoise, all the way up to the gigantic blue whale. Most common are minke whales and whitebeaked dolphins, but killer whales are also frequently seen. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place.
Whale watching husavik, iceland gentle giants whale. Best value whale watching trip from reykjavik guide to iceland. Therefore it is quite easy to include this activity in your wider tour. Iceland will allow more than 2,000 whales to be killed. You have probably heard that husavik is a great place for whale watching. The cruising speed is up to 24 knots which allows you to get out to the whale watching area in half the time only 1520 minutes. Weve been preparing our two boats, niels jonsson and sandvikin, the last couple of weeks after the now finished winter fishing season. We have added a new whale watching boat to our fleet, gunnar hamundarson gk 357, a beautiful oak boat built in iceland in 1954. Whaling in iceland began with speardrift hunting as early as the 12th century, and continued in a vestigial form until the late 19th century, when other countries introduced modern commercial practices. At least one of the reykjavik whale watching operators publishes their trip diary on the web, so you can read their trip diary for last september and see just what it was like, how many trips were cancelled due to rough seas, how many whales they saw and of what kind. Since iceland resumed whaling in 2003 first under the guise of scientific whaling, later as commercial whaling greenpeace has worked to stop whaling in iceland, shares norman.
Be prepared to capture a photo of the giant whales of iceland. September 24, 2018 surrounded on either sides by the north atlantic ocean and arctic ocean, iceland is definitely one of the best places in the world to go whale watching. See all 6 whales of iceland tickets and tours on tripadvisor. Apr 05, 2019 the best time for whale watching in iceland is the summer june, july, and august when the wildlife is at its peak and when whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. At least one of the reykjavik whalewatching operators publishes their trip diary on the web, so you can read their trip diary for last september and see just what it was like, how many trips were cancelled due to rough seas, how many whales they saw and of what kind. The official northern lights season in iceland is from october till march.
Akureyri grundarfjordur took 6 hours but the scenic drive was worth being stuck in the car all morning on a nice day. It turns out that iceland is a great place to see whales, one of the best destinations in europe in fact. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with icelands peak tourist season. The annual icelandair midatlantic tradeshow was held in reykjavik last week and gentle giants took an active part as usual. Over the last two decades, iceland has become one of europes premier whale watching destinations. But with almost everything else in the animal kingdom, there are seasons for everything and your best chances to get a glimpse on these majestic animals is from april to october. Husavik and dalvik, plus akureyri in the north and olafsvik on the west coast. Sep 15, 2016 day 4 in iceland, day 3 driving the ring road. Midatlantic offers a great platform for travel industry professionals from around the world to meet, work together and exchange ideas, in iceland a hub between europe and.
Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. A rib is faster than the wind and makes it therefore more likely for us to find the big whales. The more activity the more likely it is that you will see the northern lights but that is not all. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages. The official northern lights season in iceland is from. Oct 26, 2016 we have added a new whale watching boat to our fleet, gunnar hamundarson gk 357, a beautiful oak boat built in iceland in 1954. The official humpback season in costa rica is december to march and. Please be at the meeting point at least 30 minutes before departure. We only seat 12 passengers per boat, and each boat has a expert whale watching guide and captain on board. Jun 29, 2015 for 2015, icelands fisheries ministry has given the whalers a quota of 154 fin whales the second largest mammal after the blue whale and 229 minke whales. It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter.
Whales of iceland can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Whale watching season whale watching iceland tours. Whale watching in september iceland lonely planet forum. Its really special experience to head out to see a whale move greacefully through gentle fjord waters or out across a bay, relatively close to the shore. Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling. Weather at sea is always colder than on land and therefore we recommend dressing appropriately, by wearing warm clothing and good sturdy shoes. Summer is the peak season for whale watching, as it is the prime feeding time for the whales and migratory seabirds such as puffins can be seen. Join us for a chance to encounter the incredible whales and dolphins of faxafloi bay. However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. They are lurking around all year round though, i would very much like to point that out. Everything about whale watching in iceland and whaling. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you need. Whale watching from reykjavik whale watching iceland.
The high season for whale watching tours is from april to midoctober. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you. The laugavegur hiking trail already sold out the entire summer of 20. Join us on a icelandic whale watching tour from the old harbor of reykjavik. Whale watching tours are a fun activity that can be enjoyed by travelers of all ages and group sizes. Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. Iceland does not have a rainy season, but precipitation peaks in october to february, with the southern and western parts receiving the most rainfall. Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object clarification needed to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling commission in. This article provides everything you need to know about whale watching in iceland, plus some fun facts about whales in iceland. On a whale watching tour from reykjavik with special tours wildlife adventures you will be able to experience some of icelands rich and thriving bird life, as well as visit our large variety of sealife, including minke whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoises and whitebeaked dolphins among other whale species. The most recent icelandic hvalreki event happened on 26 november 2015, when a beached whale appeared at seltjarnarnes, a lovely peninsula on the. This is when they come to breed and raise their young and is the best time to go on a costa rica whale watching tour.
Whalers cut open a 35ton fin whale in 2009, one of two caught by a hvalur crew off the coast of hvalfjsrour, north of reykjavik, on the western coast of iceland. Featured are 23 lifesize models of the species found in icelandic waters. Start your whale watching year with ease why not visit hawaii. For 2015, icelands fisheries ministry has given the whalers a quota of 154 fin whales the second largest mammal after the blue whale and 229 minke whales. Whales of iceland is the largest whales exhibition of its kind in the world. Best whale watching in iceland season, cheap tours, everything you need to know. Best whale watching in iceland season, cheap tours. Our specially made rib boats are made to get close to the whales, dolphins and puffins of the faxafloi bay. All the year around youll be able to see a variety of whales by the coast, from the minke, humpback and killer whales to whitebeaked dolphins and harbor porpoises. The best time for whale watching in iceland is the summer june, july, and august when the wildlife is at its peak and when whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. Whale watching in iceland ultimate guide extreme iceland. This is the original whale watching tour from reykjavik and one of the most popular attractions in iceland.
As a disclaimer i havent been there myself but i guess it should be ok because its off route 1 which gets plowed year round. Whale watching on a tour with gentle giants out of husavik in iceland. Jul 15, 2014 whale watching on a tour with gentle giants out of husavik in iceland. Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. The success rate of the summer tours is over 95%, in the north, this is even higher at 98%. Apr 14, 2017 the colorful whalewatching town of husavik winter is generally the worst season to go whale watching. Whale watching season is from april to midoctober with a peak in june. Migrating whales flock to this bay, and sighting success rates are the highest in iceland. The north, east and interior experience colder winter temperatures but warmer summers, and noticeably less snow and rain.
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