Sustainable whale watching in northern Iceland

An environmentally-friendly way to join the world of the whales.

Explore Iceland's north coast

Northern Iceland is famous for its rustic fishing villages, bubbling hot springs, thundering waterfalls, and secluded fjords.

The village of Husavik combines all of this – and more. Although the village itself is home to only 2000 inhabitants, there are also humpbacks, orcas, mink whales, and groups of pilot whales that frequent the surrounding waters, leading to its reputation as the whale watching capital of the world.

A mink whale sunbathing

Meet the ocean's gentle giants

Embarking on a silent sailing tour in an all-electric sailboat means you can visit the incredible creatures in this area without disturbing their peace and quiet. Along with all the other whales, blue whales have also been known to make an appearance, with the additional sighting of many birds, including everything from puffins to Arctic Skuas.

While you learn about responsible conduct from the highly trained crew, you can tuck into cinnamon buns and hot chocolate as you glide across the water. The crew also provides waterproof gear and warm clothes, but if you're not feeling the high seas, you can hop straight into the Geosea thermal spa next to Husavik harbor.

A humpback whale going for a dive

A breaching humpback whale

A relaxing bath in the thermal waters

Easily the best views around

Want to explore further afield?

Raufarhöfn in the far north of Iceland is most famous for its modern monument to pagan beliefs, the Arctic Henge. It's also where you'll find one of the most beautiful drives in Northern Iceland, and one of the most remote in the world.

Going now means you get to visit the monument in its current state – when it's completed in 2022, it could easily become the main site for Paganism in the entire world.

Aurora borealis above Raufarhöfn

Want to explore Northern Iceland?

Reach out to our curators to secure your seat on the next boat tour.

Images copyright of Northsailing Iceland, Shutterstock.