Whale Watching Hólmavík
Whale Watching from Hólmavík can mean humpbacks galore! Be the only boat with humpback whales. A unique whale watching tour in a remote and unspoiled part of Iceland. The most common whales in the fjord around Hólmavík are humpback whales. They are the most acrobatic species of all whales. They breach more than any other species, but it is still something you have to be lucky to see.
Season: June 15 to October 15
TOUR DETAILS
DURATION
2-3 hours
GUIDANCE
English
INFORMATION
We recommend warm clothes
SEASON
June-October
Whale Watching Hólmavík
Our whale watching tour takes place in a remote, but beautiful and unspoiled part of Iceland, the magical Westfjords. Here you can meet the most acrobatic species of whales. The fjord outside Hólmavík is known to host humpback whales in the summer and particularly autumn. Humpbacks are the favourite species for many whale watchers around the world, as they are the most playful, acrobatic and curious of all whales but in many places there are many boats watching humpbacks. Here you will be just one boat with the whales. During early summer we see humpback whales along with Minke whales and white-beaked dolphins regularly. As summer goes and autumn comes, the fjord can sometimes fill up with larger humpbacks. Over 20 individuals have been seen in the fjord at any one time, generally in autumn, when the early morning golden light can also be spectacular. Other species we can expect to sometimes see are Minke whales, pilot whales and white-beaked dolphins. Occasional visitors we have sighted are blue whales, orcas, northern bottlenose whales and very rarely sperm whales and fin whales.
Whale Watching in a Sheltered Fjord
The fjord is incredibly sheltered from most wind-directions, meaning we rarely have to cancel tours. Also sea-sickness is almost unheard of in this fjord. If you want to see whales but are concerned about being on the ocean, this is the trip for you. We are the only company operating here so you will almost always be on your own with the humpbacks with no other boats around.
From June to early August this is also a great tour to see puffins with a large colony of many thousands nearby.
ALL OUR BOAT TRIPS ARE SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Location: Hafnarbraut 14, 510 Hólmavík. GPS: La: 65.705571 Le: -21.672838
PLEASE DRESS WARMLY FOR THIS TOUR. THE WESTFJORDS CAN BE COLD EVEN IN SUMMER!
PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR IF YOU ARE ON A CRUISE SHIP IN ISAFJORDUR, HOLMAVIK IS FAR AWAY FROM ISAFJORDUR
In the event of no whale or dolphin sighting, passengers will be given a reschedule ticket for another trip on any other day during the season. Please check our terms and conditions for more details.
Daily departures from Hólmavík:
Season 2025
From 15 June to 15 July – daily at 11:00
From 16 July to 31 August – daily at 10:00 and 13:00
From 1 September to 15 October – daily at 11:00
Please note all tours are subject to minimum booking numbers and weather
We are dealing with NATURE and every fjord has periods in the season where whale sightings are more reliable than others
Please see our sightings page above for details of whale sightings per month from 2018 for the best information we can provide
No sightings are guaranteed but this gives an honest account of recent activity in the fjord
Booking WELL in advance helps us know we have enough people for a tour.
Tours get cancelled 24 hours before if there are not enough bookings so late bookings are NOT recommended.
Also having some flexibility in your schedule can help ensure you get on a tour if tours have to be cancelled due to weather or low numbers.
Once again, please DRESS WARMLY for this tour.
