Láki Tours | Whale Watching Iceland | Ólafsvík in Snæfellsnes

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

Nowhere else in Iceland is there a better chance to see two of the ocean’s top predators, sperm whales and orcas (killer whales), than along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula coastline. Late winter, spring and early summer are their season. Other species like minke, humpback, pilot whales are seen also, usually later in summer and autumn. Join our whale watching Snæfellsnes tour from Ólafsvík and experience these amazing whales in wild nature.

Season: 15 February to 30 September

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TOUR DETAILS

DURATION
2-3.5 hours

GUIDANCE
English

INFORMATION
We recommend warm clothes

SEASON
February to September

Whale Watching Ólafsvík

This unique trip takes us into the water around Snæfellsnes where ocean giants swim in the shadow of the magnificent Snæfellsjökull Glacier. Nowhere else in Iceland is there a better chance to see toothed-whales such as orcas, sperm whales, and pilot whales than along this beautiful coastline.

We are by far the best place to see orcas (killer whales) in Iceland (please note this is seasonal and not all year round)

The orcas (killer whales) are more often seen in winter, spring, and early summer, February to early July, but there is a chance of seeing them all the way through the summer months. During July and August they show up sometimes but generally by September we are watching different species.

Sperm Whales

Male sperm whales can be seen between about March and June (mostly) out in deeper water regularly and sometimes show up on trips later in the year also.

Other species

During late summer and into autumn we are mostly looking for minke whales, pilot whales, humpback whales and white-beaked dolphins but of course you never know what you might see with nature. Rarer visitors on our tours have included blue whales, fin whales, sei whales and northern bottlenose whales.

ALL OUR BOAT TRIPS ARE SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Location: Norðurtangi 9, 355 Ólafsvík.
GPS: La: 64.895359 Le: -23.710866

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 Ólafsvík

Season 2025

February 15 to September 30 – daily departures 10:00 and 14:00

All departures are subject to change depending on weather conditions and booking numbers.

Please note that we are dealing with nature! Some species are not seen year-round. Please see above for more information.

For detailed sightings data per month, please see the sightings tab at the top of our website.

Please ensure you can reach us before booking! We do not provide any transfers to reach Ólafsvík from other towns.

BOOKING – WHALE WATCHING ÓLAFSVÍK

FLEXIBLE CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations 24 hours prior to scheduled departures will be refunded in full. Please check our terms and conditions for more details.

What makes Olafsvik to one of the best places for whale watching in Iceland

There are numerous features that make Snaefellsnes to one of the best regions for whale watching in Iceland. For many travelers, it is a heartfelt wish to experience killer whales, also known as orcas in the wild. Snaefellsnes is the only place in Iceland where orcas are regularly spotted on whale watching tours. The orcas are most frequently sighted between the months of March and early July. By August and September we are mostly watching different species though the orcas sometimes show up into August.

Unique to Snaefellsnes in spring and summer is also the variety of different whale species that we can see on our whale watching tours. We regularly observe several species of whales on just one tour. On our whale tours from Olafsvik between March and July, we can spot species such as orcas, humpback whales, sperm whales, pilot whales, Minke whales, dolphins, and, with great luck, even blue whales.

Sustainable whale watching in Snaefellsnes

Láki Tours offers sustainable whale watching in Snaefellsnes where the whales are disturbed as little as possible. We strictly adhere to the rules for responsible whale watching and only work with very experienced captains and guides. We are also committed to the protection of whales and work closely with the non-profit organization Orca Guardians Iceland.

We are the only whale tour operator in Snaefellsnes and we only use one boat for our whale watching tours in Olafsvik. Therefore, you experience a very authentic trip in the Breidafjordur Fjord and it never happens that several boats surround a single whale or a pod of orcas as happens in many other places in the world. We do not only want to show our guests the whales of Iceland our aim is also to inform all our guests about the whales using experienced, knowledgeable and passionate guides who want to teach you something about the animals and how we can conserve them, as well as show them to you.