Best boat tours and cruises in Iceland

Iceland is one of the most fascinating ecotourism destinations. This island, which combines volcanoes and hot springs with icebergs, frozen caves and a sky magically lit up during winter, is a dream destination for travellers.

In addition to being a modest and welcoming city, Reykjavik offers a variety of attractions for travellers. The city's ports are the gateway to the natural wonders of the Arctic, with organised tours to see puffins, many species of whales, go fishing and even see the magical Northern Lights. I'll tell you more in this post.

Whale watching is one of the most popular activities you can do on a boat in Iceland. The remote location of the island, together with the climatic conditions, make the waters surrounding its coasts a favourite for these enormous cetaceans.

There are many tourist excursions that take advantage of this natural spectacle, which reaches its peak viewing season in the months of April to September. The species that can be found include humpback whales, orcas, blue whales and also some species of dolphins.

The tour I recommend here departs from the old port of Reykjavik. Here are more details.

Details of interest

• Price: From €76.
• Duration: This excursion lasts 3 hours.
• Transport: The tour takes place on board a boat with a capacity of up to 150 passengers and is accompanied by an expert guide.
• Advantages of this option: You will be picked up and dropped off at your hotel. In the unlikely event that you do not see any whales or dolphins, you will receive a free ticket to take the tour another day. Likewise, if the tour is cancelled due to bad weather conditions, you will be offered a change to another date or a full refund of the amount paid.
• Disadvantages of this option: The languages in which the tour is narrated are not specified (possibly English is one of them).

This whale watching tour is conducted with small groups of up to 12 people per boat. Obviously, these are smaller boats and... inflatable. But don't worry! They are quite sturdy and powerful enough for the experience.

The added advantage of this type of boat is that it allows you to get a little closer to the animals (within the non-disturbance zone, of course) than larger boats. The tour will also take you along the coasts of some small islands near Faxaflói Bay, where you can see the cute puffins during their breeding season (May to August).

The excursion also departs from the oldest port in the capital, Reykjavík

Details of interest

• Price: From £122.
• Duration: 2 hours.
• Means of transport: On board a small boat (up to 12 people) with an expert guide.
• Advantages of this option: Sailing in these boats allows you to get closer to the whales. If no cetaceans or dolphins are sighted, you will receive a free ticket to reschedule the tour. If the tour is cancelled due to bad weather conditions, you will be offered a change of date or a full refund.
• Disadvantages of this option: Small boats tend to cause more discomfort for people who are sensitive to water transport. The language in which the tour is narrated is not specified (probably English). You will not be picked up/dropped off at your hotel (additional cost only).

Part of this tour takes place in the waters of Faxaflói Bay, where, in addition to the region's diverse cetacean life, you will have the opportunity to see other wildlife in its natural habitat, such as puffins, Atlantic gannets and other species.

This tour is conducted on large boats (up to 180 passengers), with indoor seating areas equipped with heating.

This cruise is offered in two versions: a 3.5-hour tour or a 2.5-hour express tour. Choose the one that best suits your schedule.

Details of interest

• Price: From £79.
• Duration: Two versions available to choose from: 2.5 or 3.5 hours.
• Transport: Boats with a capacity of up to 180 passengers and covered areas.
• Advantages of this option: If you don't see any whales, you will receive a free ticket for another attempt on another day. Also, if the tour is cancelled due to bad weather, you can change to another date or receive a full refund. They have an app called Special Tours in several languages (including Spanish). The covered areas of the boat provide additional protection for people who are sensitive to extreme cold.
• Disadvantages of this option: They do not pick you up/drop you off at your hotel (option available at an additional cost).

This excursion is for a night that is as surprising as it is magical, as the Northern Lights are the stars of the show here .

Iceland's location in the Arctic, together with its almost pristine atmosphere,make this country one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, one of nature's most amazing spectacles.

The best season for thisis between September and March, with many tours available on the island to see the Northern Lights.

The tour I recommend here is on a small boat with up to 10 people on board. For better visibility, the boat leaves the city and heads towards Faxaflói Bay, where the best night-time scenery awaits you.

Details of interest

• Price: From €78.
• Duration: The tour lasts two and a half hours.
• Means of transport: The experience takes place on board a small boat (with a maximum of 10 passengers on board).
• Advantages of this option: The boat has a heated enclosed area, which is very convenient, especially on cold winter nights. Photos taken during the tour are available to download for free. You can ask the crew for assistance in taking photographs. The tour company provides an app called Special Tours in several languages (including Spanish). If the sky conditions are suitable for seeing the lights but the sea conditions are not, you will be offered the option of changing to a land-based tour (at the same cost). On the other hand, if you take the tour and there are no sightings, you will receive another ticket to join the tour on another day (open validity). And, if the tour is cancelled due to unfavourable weather conditions, you will be offered a ticket for another date or a full refund of the amount paid.
• Disadvantages of this option: This tour is particularly subject to weather and sea conditions. Changes, cancellations or rescheduling must be taken into account. The cold experienced on deck, at night and in winter, may be uncomfortable for people who are not tolerant of these extreme conditions.

If you enjoy the art of fishing, this tour is for you. On this tour, you will be provided with the necessary equipment and instruction to try your luck at fishing for species such as cod and pollock, common sources of protein in this part of the world.

The advantage of fishing trips is that they are also a great opportunity to encounter other wildlife, such as whales and dolphins, as well as various birds that may also be hunting for fish.

The trip takes place in small boats (with up to 9 passengers). You have the option of collecting your catch and taking it with you at the end of the tour, or you can grill it right there!

Details of interest

• Price: From €96.
• Duration: The tour lasts 3 hours.
• Transport: The tour is conducted aboard a comfortable traditional fishing boat.
• Advantages of this option: You finish the tour with fish, either to take away or grill right there. In addition to fish, on the tour you have the chance to see other animals, such as whales, dolphins, and birds. The Special Tours app is available in several languages (including Spanish) for this excursion. If the tour is cancelled due to unsuitable weather conditions, you will be offered another date or a full refund of your payment. Similarly, if the minimum number of passengers (9 people) is not reached, you will be offered a change of date or a full refund of your payment.
• Disadvantages of this option: Apart from possible cancellations and/or changes due to the weather, there are no major disadvantages to this tour.

If you are looking for a tour that takes you out to sea but also includes attractions from the popular Golden Circle, this is an excellent option.

In the morning, this tour will take you by boat to search for cetaceans in the waters of Faxaflói Bay, and in the afternoon, it will continue to the Golden Circle to visit the geothermal area of Geysir and Gullfoss Waterfall.

The full-day tour is well worth it to cover at least three of the island's most visited attractions .

Details of interest

• Price: From £167.
• Duration: 10 hours.
• Transport: The first part of the tour is by boat, then you board a bus for the Golden Circle attractions.
• Advantages of this option: It is a very comprehensive route for seeing three of Iceland's major attractions. If the tour is cancelled due to weather conditions, you will be offered a change to another date or a full refund.
• Disadvantages of this option: The language of the tour is not specified (English may be included).

If you want to take a tour to see the Northern Lights but are looking for an **even more splendid evening...**How about an elegant dinner before going out to hunt for lights in the sky?

This tour begins at one of the best places to eat in Reykjavik, the Kopar restaurant A six-course dinner of local specialities will be the prelude to the night-time light show.

After a quiet and cosy dinner, you will be met at the departure port (a minute's walk from the restaurant) to board the boats and continue this extraordinary night looking up at the sky

Details of interest

• Price: From £132.
• Duration: This experience lasts 5 hours.
• Transport: The Northern Lights tour takes place on board a cruise ship with a maximum of 6 passengers.
• Advantages of this option: You can enjoy 6 carefully selected dishes for an unforgettable dinner in a luxurious restaurant in the city. If the tour is cancelled due to unfavourable weather conditions, you can choose to change to another date or receive a full refund.
• Disadvantages of this option: The guide is provided in two languages, which are not specified, but English is certainly one of them.

Puffins are charming birds found in the cold waters of the Atlantic. Their exceptional beauty and behaviour attract many bird enthusiasts and observers.

It is estimated that half of the population of these birds lives in Iceland, although they can only be observed on land when they nest from May to August.

On this tour, you will have the opportunity to see Iceland's largest puffin colony, as well as other native species.

Details of interest

• Price: From €42.
• Duration: The tour lasts 1 hour.
• Means of transport: On board a small boat (maximum 9 passengers).
• Advantages of this option: They have an app called Special Tours in several languages (including Spanish). You will get to see the largest colony of these birds in Iceland up close.
• Disadvantages of this option: It is not specified whether there are changes or refunds in case of cancellation due to adverse weather conditions.

• The first thing to bear in mind is that Iceland is closer to the North Pole than almost any other destination you may have visited. This means that it is very cold! For example, in winter, the average temperature is between 1 °C and 2 °C, and in summer, it is around 12 °C.
• In addition to the low temperatures, the winds and rainfall also play their part, and being exposed to these conditions on the deck of a boat during winter (if you are looking for the Northern Lights or whales) and at night (on some tours) can make the experience less than pleasant.
• For this reason, travel well prepared! Pack the best warm clothes you have to cover your whole body and a waterproof garment as well. In any case, several tours provide thermal suits, but I recommend that you do not rely on them or wait until you are there to get the necessary warm clothing.
• Also, when it comes to boat tours, it will be very useful to bring motion sickness tablets. Even if you don't normally need them, the conditions here change your body's reactions and you may end up needing them.
• With the weather being so harsh and changeable, tours may be modified or cancelled. Just keep this in mind and remember that, although every effort is made to ensure you don't miss out on the attractions, the safety of both visitors and tour operators always comes first.