In my opinion april is a very good time to visit iceland because you get a feel of what it is like in winter and summer, i cannot imagine that the gulfoss waterfall could possibly be any more magnificant that it was surrounded by snow, with bright blue skys. 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 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 icelands bays. The icelandic government later stated several shipments of fish meat were incorrectly labeled as whale meat. There are plenty of whale watching tours departing from reykjavik. Whaletrips iceland the best tips for whale watching in. All options have a value greater than or equal to the cost of your northern lights by boat ticket. The declining demand for both minke and fin whale meat has forced hvalur hf to dispose of excess whale meat creatively. However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. The whaleplanner april a whale watching infographic. Whale watching reykjavik tours, iceland special tours. You can hear just how excited our crew gets from inside the bridge.
Iceland whale watching april 21, 2019 orca watching in. Among them eight species are often spotted during the whale watching excursions. 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. Dalvik is an old fishing village and a commercial port for fisheries and goods in the area. Especially in the north, you have very good chances to meet blue whales. 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. How to go whale watching in iceland whats on in iceland. We would like to tour iceland and perhaps finland and norway from mid april till 1st week in may 2016.
They are lurking around all year round though, i would very much like to point that out. Is it possible to see the humpback whales and where would it be the best spots for whale watching. The best whale spotting opportunities occur from midjune to august, which coincides with icelands peak tourist season. There are more than 20 species of whales and dolphins to be seen here, including minke, fin, sperm, humpback, blue whales and orca. If you decide that this is the tour for you, there are tour operators around the country who can offer you a memorable cruise in icelandic waters, many of which also offer.
In april, iceland experiences between and 16 hours of daylight, which is a significant change from the 20 hours of darkness during the winter months. The chance to join a night of fun at the whales of iceland exhibition while keeping your boat ticket. Mid april is not the peak of the whale population around iceland but often gives a good show. You can experience the three factors all year round, except the pitch black darkness. In addition to the humpback whale and dolphins, minke whales and harbour porpoises are frequently spotted in the bay. Which is when we have our summer solstice 24 hours of daylight. Although there are usually lots of humpback whales already in march, the number of species increase in april. At least one of the reykjavik whale watching 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. Whale watching in september iceland lonely planet forum. The peak season for activity is from june to august. In light of the corona covid19 pandemic we regretfully have halted our tours until april 15th the first. 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. Join us for a chance to encounter the incredible whales and dolphins of faxafloi bay.
Such a great tour with a breaching humpback whale, only a couple of metres from our boat. How to choose the best whale watching tours in iceland and norway. I have read that iceland only gets 4 to 5 hours of day light this time of year. Most likely whales april plenty of whales to watch in april.
The puffin watching tours with special tours, puffin express, have been popular for over 20 years. Both fishing villages are located on the north side of sn. Twentyfive nations delivered a formal diplomatic protest called a demarche to the icelandic government on 1 november 2006 concerning resumed commercial whaling. You stand a great chance to see the minke whale up close. The whale watching season in iceland is really on year round although trips in the winter are more likely to be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather. The whaleplanner august a whale watching infographic. Our goal is to help you with your iceland april travel planning because we. It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter. Already in april, more and more whales start to show up. Whale watching tours are a fun activity that can be enjoyed by travelers of all ages and group sizes.
Even in the winter time, iceland is one of the best places to watch whales. Blue whales are also regular spring and summer visitors, particularly off the coast of north iceland in top whale watching locations like skjalfandi bay and eyjafjordur. Most likely whales august in august you can meet right whales in argentina, humpbacks in greenland and iceland or orcas, humpbacks and gray whales alltogether along the beautiful fjords of alaska. Then in april, 15 greenpeace activists chained themselves to the mooring lines of the container ship nyk orion in rotterdam. Orca watching and northern lights holiday in iceland. But with almost everything else in the animal kingdom, there are seasons for everything and your best chances to get a glimpse on these majestic animals is from april to october. Over the last two decades, iceland has become one of europes premier whale watching destinations. The best time of year to see whales in the waters around iceland is from april to october. There is also the midatlantic ridge, which runs right through iceland and gives iceland its volcanic landcape. We are planning a 7 days trip to iceland in mid october and are very interested in whale watching. The cookies used on our website do not collect any personal information about you.
The best time to see whales in iceland and success rates. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages. Our tours have a 98% success rate for whale sightings thanks to the favorable icelandic waters. Reykjavik whale watching in iceland itsallbee travel blog. Whale watching has blossomed over the last few years and at least companies run whale watching trips from various places around iceland. Iceland in april reykjavik message board tripadvisor. The success rate of the summer tours is over 95%, in the north, this is even higher at 98%. Iceland is a wonderful place to go whale watching and this tour is promising both in summer and also in winter. From april to september the boat departs from olafsvik. Every year, the atlantic blue whales travel north to their rich feeding grounds.
If april was your family member it would be your mischievous younger brother that loves to tease you and torment. However, the nights are not as bright as in may and the summer months, which means that theres still a chance to see the dancing northern lights. Iceland orca whale watching on snaefellsnes killer. Cetaceans often sighted are minke whales, humpback whales. The first small flocks arrive in april and the last ones leave in september, but the best months to see puffins are from may to august. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place. Around april you have good chances to meet them at the azores. A good time for orcas would be from november to april around snaefellsnes, humpbacks are mostly seen in november december and then again from february around akureyri and husavik. Puffins can be seen in iceland from early april until september. South iceland, west iceland, east iceland and north iceland all offer wonderful puffin watching locations. Just 10 minutes north of hauganes is the scenic village of dalvik, at the mouth of svarfa. Whales populate the area yearround due to the unique sea conditions.
Additionally, the puffin arrives in iceland in april. Our partner in husavik just sent this news on the start of their whale watching season in april. Apr 14, 2017 after all, whalewatching is only one great way to spend your time in iceland, and if youre keen to get out on the water, theres more than one way to make it happen. We are thinking of visting iceland the end of december. The best time to visit iceland 2020 month by month. Look what you can expect on a whale watching tour in snaefellsnes in april. We hope that you are doing well, stay inside and remember to always wash your hands thoroughly.
Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. While on the cliffside, be careful not to venture too close to the edge as puffins burrow in the cliffs, making the ground quite unstable. Since iceland resumed whaling in 2003 first under the guise of scientific whaling, later as commercial whaling greenpeace has worked to stop whaling in iceland, shares norman. Whales of iceland uses cookies to give you the best experience when you visit our website, whalesoficeland. She has worked as a whale watch guide in tysfjord and lofoten in northern norway, where hundreds of orcas gathered to feed on overwintering herring. Iceland the best tips for whale watching in iceland whaletrips. A true iceland expert, cathy has worked as a guide in iceland for 30 years, is author of the horizon visitors guide to iceland and contributor to several other publications on travel on the island. Whales of iceland can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot.
In winter, iceland is one of the best places in the world to observe whales, too. 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. Get a boat and sail into this new exciting adventure. Iceland resumed commercial whaling on 21 october 2006 after icelandic whalers caught a fin whale. Whales are drawn by fish and so every selfrespecting tourist is there to see the miracle. The road to latrabjarg is bumpy and takes you across steep mountains. Whale watching iceland holidays discover the world. This is fabulous for seeing the sights and traveling around the country. It turns out that iceland is a great place to see whales, one of the best destinations in europe in fact. Whales of iceland partners with several whale watching companies around iceland. 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. We are leaning toward driving but would also like to get to do glacier trekking, whale watching and see the northern lights.
For a few years now, blue whales are making their way to the waters off the coast of husavik. 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. The high peak season for whale watching is from april to october, but of course the ocean is always full of adventures. The best time for spotting whales around iceland is the summer. This is the original whale watching tour from reykjavik and one of the most popular attractions in iceland. The best time to watch whales in iceland is from april until september, when over 20 species of cetacea can be observed. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober.
Iceland is an ideal destination for observing whales. 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. Most tours in iceland take place outside the city, where youll need to be picked up from downtown reykjavik and driven to your tour destination. Whale watching in december iceland forum tripadvisor. The whale of the month for march is the humpback whale one of the most common species seen around. You can find the exhibition in reykjavik, icelands capital city.
April is the beginning of whale season in iceland, so be sure to book a boat ride from reykjavik or husavik. Still undertheradar as a whale watching destination, iceland is actually one of the best places in europe to do it. We went whale watching and although in a blizzard we saw minky whales. Rib whale watching is a thrilling experience from dalvik village in north iceland. The gray whales pass the north american beaches and the greenlandic whales follow the cracking ice. Most whale watching companies operate around the year. As with whale watching, a wealth of tour operators. Best time to visit iceland in 2020 northern lights. We are thinking about going to iceland in april and i was after some advice. Whale watching boat tours depart mostly from reykjavik south west and akureyri or husavik in the north. Remember when i said that march in iceland is a bit of an inbetween month.
Humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, and orcas are common in the full bloom of spring. View of a whale s tail fin in kaikoura, new zealand. Whale watching season is from april to midoctober with a peak in june. White beaked dolphins iceland april 2018 the dolphin and whale connection. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. Other species can be sighted too, for example the whitebeaked dolphin, harbour porpoise and basking sharks. The ultimate guide to iceland in april guide to iceland. Does anyone know how good the whale watching is out of reykjavik at that time of year.
Peak season for whale watching is april to september when you stand a good chance of witnessing the acrobatic antics of humpback whales. Puffin colonies are to be found all around iceland, but only in summer. Tips for traveling iceland in the spring the blonde abroad. In iceland, up to eleven different whale species can be observed. 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.
Does anyone have suggestions as to tour companies and or reasons we should do a self guided driving tour. However, more sightings are reported between april and september. The whales of iceland exhibit is the largest exhibition of its kind in europe. April s whale of the month is the beluga whale also known as the canary of the sea.
Though the main season starts in may we recommend june aug. Iceland has an exemption to the moratorium through the reservation made in 2002. Well, you can see whales all year round in iceland but the peak season for highest chance of seeing the majestic whales starts in april. April is the best time to visit iceland for whale watching as it is the beginning of the whale season. Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. The blue whale calves, for instance, weigh about 2,5 tons approx. Whale watching is as essential a part of any trip to iceland as seeing northern lights, hot springs and glaciers. So the best time for whale watching is usually from march september simply because of the weather. This was followed by some amazing sperm whale and humpback whale sightings and the trip finished off by watching orcas. On a whale watching tour from reykjavik with special tours wildlife adventures you will be able to experience some of icelands rich and thriving bird life, as well as visit our large variety of sealife, including minke whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoises and whitebeaked dolphins among other whale species. Everything about whale watching in iceland and whaling. We plan to get a car hire small 2wd from hertz and pick up the car at the airport. On our morning tour, we spotted whitebeaked dolphins leaping out of the water, as soon as we came out of the harbor. Whale watching usually happens between the months of april and september when more than twenty species of mammals are basking in icelandic waters.
This article provides everything you need to know about whale watching in iceland, plus some fun facts about whales in iceland. From november until march its particularly orcas and humpback whales that are hunting in the fjords rich in fish. Iceland whale watching april 21, 2019 whale watching. April is a bit more of the same but brighter and with a dramatic increase in hours of daylight and sunlight for that matter. After the whales journey was postponed from april 16 due to bad weather, the belugas are finally set to make the 10,000 km, 30hour journey from china to iceland, travelling via plane, ferry and a specially outfitted truck before arriving. The action was undertaken to stop a shipment of endangered fin whale meat from iceland, destined for japan. Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. Here in iceland, the sun will set later and later during the evening the closer we get to the 21st of june. Three mps had also called for an inquiry into whaling in the autumn of 2012. 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.
Baleen whales are a migratory species, and most travel long distances to tropical waters in winter and back to polar regions in summer. Elding is the original whale watching tour operator in reykjavik iceland, offering also sea angling, puffing watching and northern lights tours. Iceland is a country known for its natural wonders. 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 whale can be seen in the north atlantic and arctic oceans on either side of the island.
Iceland orca whale watching on snaefellsnes killer whales west. The most popular combination tour on offer is the whale and puffin tour. See all 6 whales of iceland tickets and tours on tripadvisor. From april to october, the city of husavik turns into heaven for whale loversthe coastal area is so full of them.
Between 2012 and 20, the number of whale watchers increased by 45,000, and the total number is now around 200,000 annually. Northern lights by boat tours from reykjavik, iceland. We could then compare these images to our pictures taken in west iceland from 2014 to 2018. The best season for whale watching in most parts of iceland is therefore between april and october. The azores are a great spot to meet the migrating big whales. Iceland s cold waters are conducive to a vast and varied marine life. Iceland in late april early may iceland lonely planet. April is the month when the puffins begin to return to iceland after spending the winter out on the ocean. Please could you tell me, do the watch watching tours still run this time of year. Gems of iceland with whale watching zrs 6 day tour from reykjavik to reykjavik active pace. A good time for orcas would be from november to april around snaefellsnes, humpbacks are mostly seen in november december and then again from.
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