Whale Watching by RIB Speedboat from Downtown Reykjavik

The best part of this Reykjavik whale trip is the boat itself. A 12-seat RIB gets you across Faxaflói Bay much faster than a large sightseeing vessel, then turns and follows wildlife with a nimble feel. You may see minke or humpback whales, dolphins, harbour porpoises, and puffins. I like the small group and the way the boat keeps the city’s harbor views in the picture.

I also like that warm overalls and gloves are provided, and that experienced guides and captains work hard to find animals and give you time with them. The trade-off is real: this is a wet, bumpy ride in open water. On calm days it can be thrilling. On rough days, salt spray can soak your shoes, trousers, and phone, and sightings are never guaranteed.

Key points before you book

• A 12-seat RIB keeps the group small, so you get a clearer view and more room to ask questions than on a packed whale boat.
• The ride is part of the attraction: you travel quickly across the bay, but you also straddle a seat and hold on over waves.
• Wildlife can be impressive: previous outings have included several humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, puffins, and even four whale species on one particularly lucky trip.
• Warm gear helps, but it is not magic: use every supplied layer, bring a hat, and protect your feet and electronics.
• The return route adds Reykjavik sights, including Harpa Concert Hall, the Sun Voyager, Viðey, Engey, and Lundey.
• Weather can change the plan: the operator may cancel for wind or poor sea conditions and offer another date or a full refund.

Why the small RIB changes the whale-watching experience

At $145 per person, this is not the cheapest way to get onto Faxaflói Bay. You are paying for a fast boat, a maximum of 12 people, supplied protective clothing, and a tour that spends less time plowing out from the harbor. For many people, that combination is worth the price.

On a large vessel, you usually have more indoor shelter and steadier footing, but you also share the rail with a bigger crowd. The RIB puts you closer to the water and makes it easier to shift position when a whale surfaces. The captain can move quickly between sightings, and the guide can speak to a small group rather than trying to address a whole deck.

That intimacy has a cost. The RIB sits low, so spray reaches you more easily. You straddle your seat and hold on during the fast sections. If you want a gentle cruise with a warm cabin and smooth movement, choose a larger boat. If you want speed, fresh air, and a more active search, this boat is the better match.

The average booking time is about 36 days ahead, which tells you to plan early during a short Reykjavik stay. The summer months offer the strongest chance of seeing a broad range of wildlife, but departures run all year. You can still find marine mammals in winter, though weather may affect both comfort and sailing.

Leaving Old Harbour beside Harpa

You meet at Old Harbour House, at Ægisgarður 2 in central Reykjavik. The tour returns to the same point, and the harbor is close to public transportation. Hotel pickup is not included, so allow time to reach the meeting point yourself.

The opening part doubles as a short Reykjavik sightseeing ride. From the water, you get wide views of Harpa Concert Hall, with its colored glass front inspired by Iceland’s basalt formations. The building is especially striking from the bay because the changing light catches the glass in a way that is hard to appreciate from the street.

The Sun Voyager is another harbor landmark included in the panoramic views. This steel sculpture resembles a Viking ship, although it is intended as a dream boat and a symbol of hope. Seeing it from the water gives you a different angle than the usual promenade photograph.

This harbor section is useful even before the wildlife search begins. It gives you your bearings and lets you see Reykjavik as a coastal town, not simply as a starting point for inland excursions. Keep your phone tucked away unless conditions are calm. Once the boat picks up speed, taking pictures becomes difficult.

Crossing Faxaflói Bay at speed

Faxaflói Bay opens out from Reykjavik, with Akranes visible to the northeast and, on a clear day, the distant Snæfellsjökull glacier. The bay is broad enough to make the RIB’s speed matter. A quick boat can cover more water during a two-hour outing, giving the crew more chances to locate animals.

The trip is not a fixed parade from one exact sighting point to another. Wildlife moves, and the captain follows reports and fresh sightings. You might spend time searching open water, then suddenly slow beside a group of dolphins or a surfacing whale. The guide may point out a blow, a fin, or a dark back before you see it yourself.

The most praised departures have included close humpback encounters, several minke whales, and dolphins swimming close beneath the boat. One unusually successful outing included four whale species and two dolphin species. That is a reminder of the possible reward, not a promise. Another trip produced no whales at all, despite a careful crew.

The guide’s role matters here. Guides such as Claudia, Eva, and Julien have been singled out for friendly service, clear communication, and good care of the group. A good guide helps you understand what you are seeing and tells you where to look. Some departures may be more fact-focused than others, so if marine biology is your main reason for booking, ask questions as sightings develop.

Engey, Viðey, and the islands near Reykjavik

Engey is the second-largest island in Kollafjörður, the inner part of Faxa Bay. From a low RIB, you get a close water-level view of the island and the surrounding sea. It is not a landing stop, but it adds context to the bay and helps explain why the waters near Reykjavik support so much bird and marine life.

Viðey is the largest island in Kollafjörður and sits close to the capital. It has a quieter, more open character than the city shore. The boat’s route gives you a chance to see Reykjavik’s nearby islands as part of the wider setting, rather than treating the bay as empty space between harbor and whales.

Lundey means Puffin Island in Icelandic. This small, uninhabited island off Reykjavik is an important bird-watching point, and puffins can be seen around it during suitable seasonal conditions. Several successful trips have included puffin sightings, often on the way back. They may be brief, so keep watching rather than assuming the whale search is finished.

These islands are scenic additions, but they should not be confused with shore excursions. You remain on the boat throughout. If you are hoping to walk on an island or visit a puffin colony on land, this is not that kind of trip.

What you might see in two hours

The regular wildlife list includes minke whales, humpback whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises. The wording matters: these are animals that can be found in the area, not a guaranteed checklist.

Minke whales may appear as a short back and a small dorsal fin before disappearing. Humpbacks usually create bigger moments, especially when one blows, arches, slaps a fin, or lingers near the surface. A few successful trips have included five or more humpbacks, with one whale reported very close to the RIB. Those encounters can make the low boat feel wonderfully close to the action.

Dolphins are often more active. They may travel beside the boat, leap, or pass beneath it. Seeing a school approach the RIB can be more satisfying than a distant whale sighting because the movement is easier to follow. Porpoises are smaller and less showy, so you may only catch a quick glimpse.

The crew’s skill helps, but luck remains a major part of whale watching. Animals surface on their own schedule, and the sea can hide them between breaths. I would book this for the chance to see wildlife, not for a guaranteed performance.

Staying warm, dry, and ready for spray

The operator supplies warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and safety equipment. Use all of it. Even on a summer departure, the speed of the boat and the cold saltwater can make the ride feel much colder than Reykjavik’s streets.

Wear a hat under the supplied gear. Bring clothing and shoes that can handle spray, because the supplied overalls may not keep every part of you fully dry. One particularly unhappy outing involved soaked shoes, wet jeans, damp outer clothing, and gloves that did not keep hands dry enough for phone use. Other departures stayed warm and dry, so conditions clearly make a large difference.

The safest approach is practical:

• Put on every layer you are given.
• Wear warm clothes beneath the overalls.
• Bring a hat and avoid cotton as your only warm layer.
• Assume your shoes may get wet.
• Keep your phone in a waterproof case or sealed bag.
• Do not plan on taking many photographs during the roughest sections.

The RIB is exciting because it feels fast and exposed. That same exposure makes it a poor fit for anyone who dislikes cold spray, bouncing seats, or holding on for long stretches. Children can participate according to the general tour information, and an 11-year-old has taken the trip, but each family should consider the child’s comfort with open water and motion.

How the two-hour route feels in practice

The outing lasts up to two hours, including the harbor departure, wildlife search, island views, and return. The fast pace means the time passes quickly. You are not sitting in one place waiting for the crew to find whales, but you may still spend quiet stretches scanning the bay.

The trip often begins with a lively run out of the harbor. After the sightseeing views, the captain heads into open water. Once wildlife is found, the boat slows and may hold position while animals resurface. The best encounters can include repeated surfacings before the captain moves on.

That pattern is worth understanding. The ride has two distinct moods: a fast, bumpy transit and a slower period of watching and waiting. You need to be ready for both. If you only want a speedboat thrill, the wildlife search may feel too patient. If you only want peaceful nature watching, the transit may feel too intense.

A small group improves the practical side. With no more than 12 people, you have a better chance of seeing over shoulders and hearing the guide. The crew can also keep an eye on comfort more easily. The downside is that every person feels the motion. A larger boat spreads the movement across a bigger hull and offers more options for standing or sitting inside.

Weather cancellations and the value of flexibility

The sea decides whether this trip runs. Strong wind or poor conditions can lead to cancellation, even when another operator sends a boat out. That may be frustrating if you have a tight Reykjavik schedule, but different boat designs and safety limits mean one company’s decision does not automatically apply to another.

The operator has sometimes offered a replacement date or a full refund when weather makes the trip unsafe. You can also cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations inside that window are not refundable, and late changes are not accepted.

I would place this tour early in your Reykjavik visit rather than on your final morning. That gives you a chance to move it if wind cancels the departure. It also protects the rest of your holiday if rough water leaves you tired or wet.

Who will get the most from this RIB tour?

This is a strong choice for you if you want:

• A smaller group and closer contact with the guide.
• A fast boat rather than a slow harbor cruise.
• A good chance to cover more of Faxaflói Bay in two hours.
• The possibility of close whale and dolphin sightings.
• Harbor views, nearby islands, and puffins in the same outing.
• A more active family experience.

It is less suitable if you need a smooth, dry ride or want guaranteed whale sightings. People prone to seasickness should think carefully about the low, open boat and bumpy ride. The supplied gear helps with cold, but it cannot remove the motion or stop every splash.

The experience also suits repeat visitors who have already seen Reykjavik’s main sights. Harpa, the Sun Voyager, Engey, Viðey, and Lundey look different from the bay, and the wildlife search adds something you cannot get from the waterfront.

Is $145 a fair price?

At $145, I see the value in the small capacity and speed. You are buying more than a seat on a boat. You are buying a two-hour outing with a maximum of 12 people, supplied warm equipment, a faster route to the wildlife grounds, and a guide who can give attention to a compact group.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want a casual view of the coast. A large boat may offer a calmer ride and more shelter, though it may not provide the same close-to-the-water feeling. The RIB is worth the extra money when the ride itself is part of your Iceland plans.

The wildlife result can also change how the price feels. Multiple humpbacks and dolphins can make $145 seem like money well spent. A rough ride with no sightings will feel expensive, even though the crew cannot control where animals surface. Book with realistic expectations and judge the tour as a wildlife search, not a guaranteed whale show.

Should you book this Reykjavik whale tour?

Book it if you want a fast, small-group adventure and you are comfortable with spray, wind, and an active ride. The strongest outings combine quick travel, close humpback encounters, playful dolphins, puffins, and a capable captain who knows when to slow down and wait.

Skip it in favor of a larger boat if you want shelter, steady footing, or a quieter way to view the bay. If you do book, schedule it early in your stay, use every piece of supplied clothing, bring a hat and waterproof phone protection, and leave room in your itinerary for a weather change. With those precautions, this RIB offers one of Reykjavik’s most exciting ways to meet the sea beyond the harbor.

FAQ

Where does the whale-watching tour start?

The tour starts at Old Harbour House, Food, Drinks & Tours, Ægisgarður 2, 101 Reykjavik. It ends back at the same meeting point.

How long is the RIB whale-watching trip?

The outing lasts up to about two hours.

How many people can join the boat?

The RIB holds a maximum of 12 tour participants, creating a small-group experience.

What wildlife might I see?

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, and puffins around Lundey. Sightings are not guaranteed.

What clothing and equipment are provided?

The tour provides warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and necessary safety equipment. You should still bring a hat and dress warmly because the boat can be wet and cold.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.