Whale Watching by RIB Speedboat from Downtown Reykjavik

The bay can turn wild fast. This whale-watching trip pairs a 12-seat RIB speedboat with a small-group feel, giving you more room to see dolphins, puffins, and whales without the crowds of a large vessel. I like the quick boat, the close views, and the warm gear supplied. The catch is simple: a fast, low boat can mean plenty of spray, especially in rough water.

You also get more than an offshore wildlife search. The route begins with views of Harpa Concert Hall and the Sun Voyager, then heads across Faxaflói Bay toward islands such as Engey, Lundey, and Viðey. I like that the trip lasts only about two hours, making it easy to fit into a Reykjavík day. Still, wildlife is never guaranteed, and poor conditions can lead to cancellation.

This is an exciting outing rather than a gentle boat ride. Some departures have produced humpback whales close to the boat, several whale species, dolphins, and puffins. Other trips have found little or nothing. Bring a hat, use every layer provided, and think carefully about your tolerance for wind, spray, and bouncing over waves.

Key things to know before booking

• The boat carries only 12 people: That gives you a better chance of hearing the guide and moving around for views than on a large whale-watching vessel.
• The RIB covers water quickly: If whales or dolphins are reported elsewhere in the bay, the captain can move faster than a conventional sightseeing boat.
• Wildlife sightings vary sharply: The best trips have included humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, and puffins, but one departure saw no whales at all.
• You receive warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and safety gear: Wear them all, even in summer, and bring a hat.
• The ride can be wet and bumpy: Several people stayed dry, while another returned with soaked shoes, jeans, and jacket.
• The trip leaves from central Reykjavík: You meet at Old Harbour House on Ægisgarður 2 and return there after the tour.

Leaving Old Harbour for Faxaflói Bay

Your meeting point is Old Harbour House, Food, Drinks & Tours, at Ægisgarður 2 in central Reykjavík. The activity begins and ends here, so you do not need to arrange a separate hotel transfer. The location is near public transportation, which helps if you are staying outside the central area.

Before boarding, you receive warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and the required safety equipment. Take this seriously. The supplied clothing can make the difference between an invigorating ride and a miserable one, but it does not guarantee that your everyday clothes and shoes will stay dry.

I would wear warm layers underneath, add a hat, and avoid relying on jeans or casual canvas shoes. The boat sits close to the water, which is part of the fun, but it also puts you closer to wind and spray. One person described getting thoroughly soaked once the RIB reached open water, while another reported staying warm and dry. Conditions make a big difference.

The small group is one of the strongest reasons to choose this trip. With a maximum of 12 people, you are not competing with a packed upper deck for a glimpse of a whale. The guide can answer questions more easily, and the captain can position the boat so people have a fair chance to see the action.

Harpa and the Sun Voyager from the water

The tour starts with Reykjavík views before it becomes a wildlife search. From the water, Harpa Concert Hall is easy to recognize by its colorful glass façade, inspired by Iceland’s basalt formations. The building looks especially striking from the bay, where you see its geometric pattern without the usual street-level distractions.

You also get views of the Sun Voyager, the famous steel sculpture facing the sea. This early part of the ride gives you a quick orientation to the capital and its waterfront. If you have just arrived in Reykjavík, it is a useful way to connect the city with the bay that shapes it.

The return route also includes panoramic views of the harbor area. That makes the sightseeing useful even if the animals do not cooperate. Still, this is not a dedicated Reykjavík city tour. The buildings and sculpture are brief highlights on the way to and from the wildlife grounds.

Searching Faxaflói Bay for whales and dolphins

Faxaflói Bay opens out from Reykjavík toward the peninsula of Akranes. On a clear day, you may also see Snæfellsjökull far away, roughly 120 kilometers from the capital. The bay gives the RIB plenty of room to move, and the speed of the boat matters once the search begins.

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. These animals do not follow a schedule, so the captain and guide must read the water, watch for blows, and respond quickly when something appears.

The strongest experiences have included several kinds of whales on one trip. One outing produced four whale species and two dolphin species, while another had a group of humpbacks surfacing, blowing, slapping the water, and swimming close to the RIB. A separate trip saw dolphins come right under the boat, followed by minke whales and humpbacks.

Those are memorable encounters, but you should not book on the assumption that you will receive the same show. One trip produced no whales, and another saw only a single humpback. Even when animals appear, they may surface for only a moment or remain farther away than you hoped.

This is where the small RIB helps, but it cannot control the animals. The boat can cover ground quickly, and several outings benefited from captains who located wildlife and waited for it to resurface. Yet speed is not a guarantee of close viewing. The bay remains a wild place, not an aquarium with scheduled performances.

Engey, Lundey, and Viðey on the route

The trip passes several islands in the waters near Reykjavík. Engey is the second-largest island in Kollafjörður, part of the wider Faxa Bay area. Its low, open form adds a sense of distance as the city falls behind.

Lundey means Puffin Island in Icelandic. This small, uninhabited island lies off Reykjavík and is a useful stop in the wider wildlife story, even if puffins are not the main reason you booked the tour. Several outings have included puffin sightings, especially on the way back toward the city.

Viðey is the largest island in Kollafjörður Bay. It sits close to Reykjavík but feels separate from the urban waterfront. Seeing these islands from a fast, low boat gives you a better sense of the bay’s shape than you get from shore.

The islands are not formal disembarkation stops. You stay aboard and view them as part of the route. That matters because the tour remains focused on wildlife and open-water scenery, rather than becoming an island visit.

What the RIB ride really feels like

A RIB, or rigid inflatable boat, gives you a direct, energetic ride. You straddle your seat and hold on as the captain moves across the bay. The low position makes the boat feel close to the water, which is exactly why many people choose it instead of a large ship.

That closeness comes with tradeoffs. On calm days, the ride can feel smooth enough and wonderfully immediate. On windier days, waves can send spray across the boat, and the ride may become rough. One particularly unhappy passenger compared the open-water spray to repeated buckets of cold seawater. Another person had the opposite experience and stayed warm and dry.

I would not choose this trip if you need a quiet, sheltered platform or dislike being bounced around. It suits you better if you want speed, a smaller group, and the possibility of seeing wildlife from water level. The overalls, gloves, and goggles are practical, but they do not change the basic character of the ride.

Keep your phone protected. If the water is rough, taking pictures may be difficult or unwise. You may get a better memory by watching the bay instead of trying to record every brief surfacing.

Guides, captains, and the small-group advantage

The crew has received strong praise for friendliness, care, and wildlife-finding skill. Guides named Claudia, Julien, and Eva have been singled out for making the trip enjoyable, and one guide was a marine biologist who answered questions throughout the ride.

That personal contact is more valuable on a 12-seat boat than it would be on a large vessel. You can ask about the animals, the bay, and the route without trying to catch a guide’s voice over a crowded deck. The best outings also benefited from captains who stayed with whales long enough for them to surface more than once.

The quality of interpretation may vary by departure. One person enjoyed the ride but wished the guide had offered more facts about the whales. So if learning about marine life is your main goal, ask questions when you have the chance. The crew can often make a sighting more meaningful by explaining what you are seeing.

Safety decisions also belong to the captain and operator. At least two departures were canceled because of wind or rough seas. That can disrupt a short Reykjavík visit, but a RIB should not be sent into conditions it cannot handle safely.

Is $145 a fair price for two hours?

At $145 per person, this is not a cheap way to spend two hours. The value comes from the format, not simply from the time on the water. You are paying for a small group, a fast boat, supplied protective gear, a central departure point, and the chance to reach wildlife areas quickly.

A large boat may offer more room to walk around and better shelter from spray, but this RIB gives you a closer, more active ride. If you have already taken a conventional whale-watching trip, the speed and low position may feel like a real change. One person who had done both found the RIB far more impressive.

The price is easier to justify when you care about the experience of getting there, not only the number of whales seen. If your only measure of value is guaranteed wildlife, no operator can promise that. You may see four species and dolphins, or you may spend much of the time scanning empty water.

The tour is sometimes booked around 36 days ahead, so popular dates may fill early. I would reserve ahead if your Reykjavík schedule is tight, but leave enough flexibility for a weather cancellation if possible.

Who should book this trip?

I would recommend it to active adults, families with children who can handle a fast boat, and anyone who wants a small-group wildlife outing. One family with children described the close whale sightings as a wonderful experience, and the maximum group of 12 keeps the outing from feeling anonymous.

It is especially suitable if you have only a short window in Reykjavík. The trip lasts about two hours, leaves from downtown, and returns to the same meeting point. You can pair it with other city sightseeing before or after, though you should allow extra time around the scheduled activity in case weather changes the plan.

I would think twice if you get seasick, dislike cold spray, need dry clothing, or want a calm educational cruise. The ride can be rough, and even a well-run trip may produce no whale sightings. The supplied gear helps, but it does not remove the need for warm clothing and sensible footwear.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather cancels the tour, the operator offers another date or a full refund. A minimum number of participants is also required, and a cancellation for that reason comes with a new date, another experience, or a full refund.

My verdict on this Reykjavík whale tour

I like this outing because it gives you two things that are hard to combine: a short downtown departure and a genuinely lively boat ride. The best departures have produced close humpbacks, curious dolphins, minke whales, puffins, and a crew that worked hard to keep the boat with the animals.

The risk is comfort and luck. You may get sprayed, bounced around, or see very little wildlife. That is not necessarily a failure by the crew, but it is part of choosing a small RIB rather than a larger, more sheltered vessel.

Book it if you want a fast, close-to-the-water experience and can accept uncertainty. Skip it for a calmer cruise, or choose a larger boat if staying dry matters more than speed. For the right person, the combination of a 12-person group, quick access across Faxaflói Bay, and the chance of a humpback surfacing beside the boat makes the $145 worthwhile.

FAQ

How long is the whale-watching tour?

The tour lasts up to approximately two hours.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Old Harbour House, Food, Drinks & Tours, at Ægisgarður 2, 101 Reykjavík.

Where does the tour end?

The activity returns to the same meeting point at Old Harbour House.

How many people can join the RIB boat?

The boat carries a maximum of 12 travelers.

What clothing and safety equipment are provided?

Warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and the necessary safety equipment are provided.

What animals might I see?

Possible sightings include minke whales, humpback whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises, and puffins.

Is hotel transportation included?

No. Hotel transfer is not included, but the meeting point is near public transportation.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes the cancellation. Free cancellation by you is available up to 24 hours before the start time.