The whales of iceland exhibition, open since 2014, features lifelike fullsized models of the whale species around iceland, an interactive installation, vr and audio guide. This is the original whale watching tour from reykjavik and one of the most popular attractions in iceland. Whale watching around 20 species of whale can be found in the sea surrounding the country but the most common are the beaked whale, the humpbacked whale, dolphins and a few others. Whales of iceland reykjavik, iceland atlas obscura. Whales of iceland is the largest whales exhibition of its kind in the world. At least one of the reykjavik whalewatching operators publishes their trip diary on the web, so you can read their trip diary for last september and see just what it was like, how many trips were cancelled due to rough seas, how many whales they saw and of what kind. Midatlantic offers a great platform for travel industry professionals from around the world to meet, work together and exchange ideas, in iceland a hub between europe and. A rib is faster than the wind and makes it therefore more likely for us to find the big whales. February is also a good time to see the big whales around the baja california, mexico. The much anticipated 2016 whale watching season commences in may 15th, just short of two weeks from today.
Whale watching husavik, iceland gentle giants whale. However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. A comprehensive guide to driving in iceland in winter for your iceland winter trip with lots of practical tips and advice based on our own personal experience. The whale watching port in the north is akureyri and husavik. February is the perfect month for ice cave tours, make sure to book in advance though it is very popular. Whale watching iceland in february humpback whale in. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
That is where you find the whale watching company arctic sea tours. The largest whale museum in europe allows visitors to walk among lifesize giants. Bathing in a hot spring or a geothermal swimming pool might not sound like a great winter. Around 20 species of whale can be found in the sea surrounding the country but the most common are the beaked whale, the humpbacked whale, dolphins and a few others. Whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. Iceland on the web can plan you a very friendly and inexpensive package for whale watching in reykjavik.
Important announcement dear customers, in the light of the challenges presented by covid19, we have decided to cancel all our day tours until the 15th of may. Whitebeaked dolphins and minke whales are common and occasionally other species such as humpback whale and orca can also be seen along with puffins, fulmars, gannets. In february, most of iceland s landscapes and towns are blanketed in snow. Hi all, just wondering if anyone knows if there is much chance of seeing anything on a whale watching tour in february. Oct 11, 2017 by far the best time of year for whale watching in iceland is during the summer months, from april through september, when over 20 species of cetaceaincluding the orca, minke, humpback, and blue whalecan be seen in the north atlantic and arctic oceans on either side of the island. Each year continues to surprise us with the wildlife it offers. Later the boat was used for trawling, net and line fishing all the way up to 1990 when it was decommissioned. These locations confirm, that whales are all around the coastline. It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter. The whaleplanner august a whale watching infographic. Theres also some places for opportunistic whale watching while doing a regular nature tour, i. Seeing those beasts in all their glory is a magnificent experience. Thats why tromso is the perfect place for any outdoor activities in the norwegian winter.
The lowlying sun is something not to be missed, as it casts a warm glow over the snowcapped mountains surrounding the bay, often painting the sky bright orange or pink. Im planning a trip to iceland within the next two months and whale watching is pretty high on my list of awesome things to do. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around iceland s coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages. Whale watching season whale watching iceland tours. Hi, there are four whale watching companies in reykjavik all down town in reykjavik. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober.
So picking a hotel down town you only have to walk 5 minutes max. In total there are 18 companies down by the old harbor, restaurants, bike renting, scooter rental, restaurants, souvenirs and guided tours on electric bikes and scooters in reykjavik. Especially in the north, you have very good chances to meet blue whales. Most common are minke whales and whitebeaked dolphins, but killer whales are also frequently seen. With more hours of darkness than light each day, its an optimal time to look out for the northern lights despite the quasiarctic climate, much of iceland in february is still as. Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. About whales of iceland open since 2014 lifesized models. Of the 23 different species of whale found in icelands waters, eight are frequently spotted on whale watching excursions. The girlfriend is obsessed with whales despite never seeing one and would love to see one while we are over there. The ultimate guide to iceland in february guide to iceland. Whales of iceland uses cookies to give you the best experience when you visit our website, whalesoficeland. Whale watching is as essential a part of any trip to iceland as seeing northern lights, hot springs and glaciers. Today, iceland is one of a handful of countries that formally object clarification needed to an ongoing moratorium established by the international whaling commission in.
Over the last two decades, iceland has become one of europes premier whale watching destinations. Reykjavik whale watching in iceland itsallbee travel blog. The whale watching begins march 1, so its a perfect timing the day is getting longer, the snow is slowly disappearing, and the whales are reappearing in larger numbers than ever before. All the year around youll be able to see a variety of whales by the coast, from the minke, humpback and killer whales to whitebeaked dolphins and harbor porpoises. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters. The tour companies and tourist info websites obviously claim that there is a good chance of seeing whales in the winter, but i cant seem to find any impartial information on whether theres actually any chance of this happening. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and save the graphic on the next page. It might be pretty cold though but the whale watching tour are going all year. The whaleplanner february a whale watching infographic.
And although whale watching in iceland is growing, it is still far from being commercial. Statement regarding hvalur hfs killing of a rare hybrid whale. You should definitely stop by husavik, the whale watching capital of iceland. It turns out that iceland is a great place to see whales, one of the best destinations in europe in fact. The success rate of the summer tours is over 95%, in the north, this is even higher at 98%. February in iceland all you need to know arctic adventures. Whale watching iceland in february humpback whale and dolphins on our grundarfjordur winter whale watching trip in snaefellsnes on feb 28, 2019. Join us for a chance to encounter the incredible whales and dolphins of faxafloi bay. Whale watching iceland february orcas in snaefellsnes. They are running a charming oak boat and offers light refreshments on board.
At least 50,000 animals, possibly closer to 100,000. In iceland, up to eleven different whale species can be observed. The lowlying sun is something not to be missed, as it casts a warm glow over the snowcapped mountains surrounding the. The whale watching begins march 1, so its a perfect timing the day is getting longer, the snow is slowly disappearing, and the whales are re. See all 6 whales of iceland tickets and tours on tripadvisor. The laugavegur hiking trail already sold out the entire summer of 20.
Killer whale close to haguanes whale watching north iceland. Icelands minke whale quota in recent years has been set at 224 minke whales per year, though nowhere near that number has been caught in recent years. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions. As a disclaimer i havent been there myself but i guess it should be ok because its off route 1 which gets plowed year round. Whales of iceland is a new exhibit that opened in the heart of reykjaviks old harbour area in february 2015. By far the best time of year for whale watching in iceland is during the summer months, from april through september, when over 20 species of cetaceaincluding the orca, minke, humpback, and blue whalecan be seen in the north atlantic and arctic oceans on either side of the island. Close to downtown, this is truly an immersive exhibit that will take you into the world of the whales. Whale watching tours are a fun activity that can be enjoyed by travelers of all ages and group sizes.
Whaling in iceland began with speardrift hunting as early as the 12th century, and continued in a vestigial form until the late 19th century, when other countries introduced modern commercial practices. Whale watching is a popular, cheap and fun activity to do in iceland. Dalvik is an old fishing village and a commercial port for fisheries and goods in the area. Even in the winter time, iceland is one of the best places to watch whales. The cool, clear north atlantic ocean encircling iceland is rich with food for whales of various sizes and species. Its really special experience to head out to see a whale move greacefully through gentle fjord waters or out across a bay, relatively close to the shore. The blue whale calves, for instance, weigh about 2,5 tons approx. The good thing about whale watching from reykjavik is that you dont have to go far to spot whales and they are spotted in almost. Is it possible to see the humpback whales and where would it be the best spots for whale watching. Rib express whale wathing this is a once in a lifetime boat experience. Enjoy the smooth, safe sailing of a traditional icelandic oak boat with a cup of hot cocoa and a cinnamon bun. This article provides everything you need to know about whale watching in iceland, plus some fun facts about whales in iceland.
Everything about whale watching in iceland and whaling. We cover all the practical things you need to know before you go, how to be prepared for driving in iceland in winter, what kind of car to rent, and what to do in the event of an emergency. Winter whale watching also opens up the opportunity to see some of the many seabirds that call iceland home, including fulmars, guillemots, gannets, cormorants and eider ducks. Here you can find and reserve places in any of our daily tours in iceland. And of course, feel free to share it with your friends who might be interested in seeing whales. And it is always hard to say about the weather in iceland. Call of the whale icelandic times iceland magazine. One year of whale watching in just one infographic. Winter whale watching is a unique experience and a whole other adventure compared to our summer tours. Whale watching is also available from the reykjavik harbour. According to the ceos of icelands two whaling companies, exporting whale meat does not really pay off. Whale tours can best be taken starting at husavik or the snaefellsnes peninsula, but tours are also offered starting from the capital reykjavik or from akureyri close to husavik.
Just 10 minutes north of hauganes is the scenic village of dalvik, at the mouth of svarfa. With an impressive backdrop of a very snowy snaefellsnes peninsula, we watched at least 7 individuals, including two younger calves, as they were foraging and feeding. Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place. That market has since collapsed and no whale meat was exported from iceland in 2017.
Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. The high peak season for whale watching is from april to october, but of course the ocean is always full of adventures. We are planning a 7 days trip to iceland in mid october and are very interested in whale watching. So i would definitely recommend you to go on the whale watching tour in november. Mar 03, 2016 the ocean around iceland is cold during winter time and thats when the whales go south to warmer waters, to the caribbean wouldnt we all. Whales of iceland can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Apr 05, 2019 that market has since collapsed and no whale meat was exported from iceland in 2017. Jul 22, 2010 from a whale watching tour by elding in reykjavik, great video. Does anyone know how good the whale watching is out of reykjavik at that time of year.
Discover the magnificent nature of skjalfandi bay observing whales, dolphins, and seabirds in their natural habitat. Opened in february of 2014, the huge exhibition is designed. In 1982, the international whaling commission iwc imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling, effective from 1986. Whales and dolphins are at their greatest numbers during the summer months between april and october when the marine beasts come to feed on the plankton that thrives on the nutrientrich deposits of iceland s bays. Whaletrips iceland the best tips for whale watching in. With our speedboats we can offer our passengers more area to cover in search for the gentle giants. Iceland has an exemption to the moratorium through the reservation made in 2002. Iceland resumed commercial whaling on 21 october 2006 after icelandic whalers caught a fin whale. Twentyfive nations delivered a formal diplomatic protest called a demarche to the icelandic government on 1 november 2006 concerning resumed commercial whaling. The biggest visitor attraction is whale watching and our hometown has in fact become known as the whale watching capital of europe. The annual icelandair midatlantic tradeshow was held in reykjavik last week and gentle giants took an active part as usual. Whale watching in iceland ultimate guide extreme iceland. Of course, the unpredictable winter weather of iceland can raise a few challenges when it.
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