The village of Husavik is essentially known for being the best starting point on the Island for whale watching. This is because the bay that Husavik overlooks has particular characteristics that make it a particularly suitable habitat for cetaceans, in particular, due to the abundance of nourishment. In summer, up to a dozen different species can be spotted in the bay and the waters in front of it, including the blue whale (the largest known animal living on Earth).
whale watching agencies in Husaik
In Húsavík the two main companies that organize whale-watching trips at sea are Gentle Giants and North Sailing (Nordur Sigling). They are equivalent: the prices are aligned, the cruises offered are practically the same, and the professionalism of the crew is the same. So don’t worry too much and choose the agency that instinctively inspires you the most.
Nordur Sigling is the one that started first: it currently has a fleet of about ten boats, including some with silent electric propulsion (useful for not scaring the whales and making them run away) and some vintage sailing boats.
Gentle Giants last time I checked had fewer boats but of equivalent caliber.
Read reviews of Gentle Giants and North Sailing on Tripadvisor.
A third alternative is Húsavík Adventures, which offers excursions on fast inflatable boats.
The small Salka Whale Watching could not resist the disaster in the travel sector generated by the mismanagement of COVID-19 and was absorbed by Nordur.
book online
Husavik is now very famous for whale watching, I think it is the first location in Europe for this activity, and many tourists come here for whale watching, therefore: if you are interested in these activities it is better to book well in advance. As soon as you are sure of your stop in Husavik (so after you have booked the flight, definitely define the itinerary and stages of your trip to Iceland, and book the hotel in Husavik).
And it is certainly better for you to book online with one of the two sites listed below: they are the best for booking activities and excursions all over the world, and above all they allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before the start of the booked activity and get a full refund. The possibility of canceling is fundamental: if when you are on site a few days before you see that the weather forecast calls for bad weather, it is very likely there is no point in spending all this money.
GetYourGuide
In addition to the possibility of canceling up to 24 hours before GetYourGuide also allows you to postpone payment up to 72 hours before the start of the activity (and even if you pay 3 days before you still can cancel immediately after and get a refund). However, I recommend paying before leaving for Iceland.
expectations vs reality
Despite the excellent chances of sightings with these cruises that depart from Husavik, I strongly advise you not to leave with exaggerated expectations, so it will be easier to have fun and not be disappointed.
You need to prepare yourself for the harsh reality of whale watching: there is no guarantee you will see anything significant. Whales are not trained animals that jump out when the captain of the boat whistles. And consider that the “98% probability of sighting” (or similar) reported in the descriptions usually refers to the sighting of “cetaceans”, so if a dolphin fin appears in the distance the promise is kept: the dolphin is a cetacean.
The only sure thing is the money you will spend, the rest depends on luck.
I’m telling you this because it’s important to know and not have exaggerated expectations and then end up disappointed, but all in all if you can afford it I still recommend booking one of these excursions: they usually like them and are fun, even if you don’t find a whale jumping at you in front like the circus.
And then if you book via the previous links you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance and get your money back. If it’s bad weather, cancel. If you change your mind, cancel.
hringhvalur the stroke of luck
The attention dedicated to the observation and study of whales in Husavik is notable, but it is a respectful attention that is essentially recent: until not long ago the only real resource of remote Iceland was fishing, so until not long ago the Icelanders killed the whales. Now and then they continue to do it today.
An interesting curiosity is the fact that in Icelandic the term “hringhvalur” used to define the beached whale also has the meaning of “stroke of luck”, given that a beached whale represented for the Icelanders an extraordinary event that implied great opportunities, such as the supply of enormous quantities of meat and oil. The term is composed of “ringer”, which means “ring” or “circle” (“hringvegur” is the road that goes completely around Iceland, what tourists call the Ring Road), and “value”, which means “whale”.