With a donation or an adoption of a whale you can help to make the world a place where whales and dolphins are free and safe. We are thinking of visting iceland the end of december. Elding is the original whale watching tour operator in reykjavik iceland, offering also sea angling, puffing watching and northern lights tours. Pod of orca whales migrate more than 3,000 miles from iceland to italy the trip was the firstever record of a migration between the two countries. Whale watching has been one of the top attractions in iceland for years, and the huge numbers of whales are the biggest reason why travelers choose to visit husavik. We had a beautiful winter boat trip out of grundarfjordur today. The worlds 8 best destinations for whale watching and. With this trip you will have the entrance to the whales of iceland exhibition, where you will check, in real, how big are these mammals, as they are real scale handmade models that will make you feel that you are swimming in the ocean with them, listening them singing under the water, and also you will see how do their filters and different parts of their bodies like.
Whale watching in december iceland forum tripadvisor. Not only the orcas are a great photo motif on our tours but also the magnificient view on. Why are there hardly any whale watching tours in iceland during winter. The lowlying sun is something not to be missed, as it casts a warm glow over the snowcapped mountains surrounding the. Grundarfjordur, snaefellsnes iceland orca watching in winter december and march have proven to be the best months for watching orcas in iceland during winter. Between december and february, our whale watching tour is operated from grundarfjordur. The appearance of the orca to the shores of iceland is an unpredictable event. 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. Each year continues to surprise us with the wildlife it offers. The whaleplanner december a whale watching infographic. Iceland whale watching december winter whale watching. 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. Whales of iceland the largest whale exhibition in europe. You can prepare yourself before visiting exhibition by downloading whales of.
Iceland is a wonderful place to go whale watching and this tour is promising both in summer and also in winter. From until december hangikjot smoked lamb is served, and from january till. Were two people that have driven iceland s ring road more than once, and one of those times in the dead of winter. In the winter in iceland, the temperature generally hovers around freezing ranging between 1 and 4c 34f and 39f. Weve had a few scary moments now, so we compiled these tips for driving icelands ring road to help you stay safe while having the adventure of a lifetime. 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. Book your whales of iceland tickets online and skiptheline. From april to september the boat departs from olafsvik. We had a great winter whale watching trip with a humpback. Exhibition whales of iceland the largest whale exhibition in. Whale watching hauganes in north iceland whale watching. With this trip you will have the entrance to the whales of iceland exhibition, where. It wasnt until my trip to reykjavik, iceland that this dream came true.
Whales of iceland uses cookies to give you the best experience when you visit our website, whalesoficeland. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place. That would be the answer to many of the questions we have had. Orca watching and northern lights holiday in iceland. Over the last two decades, iceland has become one of europes premier whale watching destinations.
December and march have proven to be the best months for watching orcas in iceland during winter. It is the whale watching capital of iceland after all. Arctic adventures northern whale watching tours have a 98% success rate when it comes to whale sightings. Their arrival time has varied from year to year and we can not guarantee sightings. Iceland orca whale watching on snaefellsnes killer. 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. 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. To prepare your visit you should definitely download the free whales of iceland audio app to your phone or tablet. How to choose the best whale watching tours in iceland and norway. Whale watching reykjavik special tours 2020 all you. Winter whale watching from akureyri 23 december 2016 by. Whale watching out of akureyri, north iceland this christmas. Now tests carried out at iceland s marine research institute have confirmed that it was the offspring of a female blue whale and a male fin whale.
Whale watching in december in iceland has never been this successful. If you like it more crisp and winterly, norway and iceland are the perfect options. Visit the whales of iceland exhibition with lifesized models, an interactive installation and virtual reality experience. The best time for spotting whales around iceland is the summer. Icelandic goats, whales, sheep, cats, horses, reindeer, the list of animals to be. Does anyone know how good the whale watching is out of reykjavik at that time of year.
You can visit blue ice cave and conditions for taking pictures are at its best. 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. However, many whales stay in the icelandic waters throughout the year. When you go whale watching in iceland, rest assured that the whale watching companies iceland conduct their activities with respect for the gentle giants. Companies follow a protocol so as not to disturb them any more than than necessary, turning off their motors when they get very close and never approaching from the front. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages. Whale watching husavik iceland, december 2017 with north. Pod of orca whales migrate more than 3,000 miles from. The snaefellsnes peninsula is located in the west of iceland, only a couple hours drive from reykjavik. Whale watching hauganes is located on the west side in the middle of eyjafjordur bay, only 25 min drive from akureyri and 12 minutes from dalvik, where the ferry goes to grimsey island. If the orca are not in the region at the time of your visit, alternative non whale. Usually it only takes us a couple of minutes to sail to the whales because they are just in front of our little village in north iceland.
The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober. The christmas season is a huge thing for us locals and that means that almost every single person will be happily filled with that warm christmas spirit from the end of november and through the whole holiday season. View of a whale s tail fin in kaikoura, new zealand. Tips for driving icelands ring road in winter luxe. December is a special time in reykjavik and all of iceland. The whaleplanner january a whale watching infographic. Please could you tell me, do the watch watching tours still run this time of year. Iceland whale watching in december is a unique experience. Both fishing villages are located on the north side of sn.
Tips for animallovers visiting iceland in winter whats on in iceland. The ultimate guide to iceland in december guide to iceland. The reason is that the whales are busy far away in the caribbean, relaxing and taking care of their newly born offspring. In the summer of 2014, i saw the minke whale feeding off the coast. Still undertheradar as a whale watching destination, iceland is actually one of the best places in europe to do it. 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 tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching.
I have read that iceland only gets 4 to 5 hours of day light this time of year. Whale watching iceland december 22, 2018 with laki tours in snaefellsnes. It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter. This article provides everything you need to know about whale watching in ice land, plus some fun facts about whales in iceland. Whale watching is as essential a part of any trip to iceland as seeing northern lights, hot springs and glaciers.
It was oh so magical experience and iceland is also cheaper than in summer. Orcas in iceland orca whale watching iceland killer. There are more than 20 species of whales and dolphins to be seen here, including minke, fin, sperm, humpback, blue whales and orca. December is one of iceland s wettest months, with 97 mm 3. Good chances to see orcas and humpbacks and northern lights as well. During the summer months in particular, the shores become a veritable feeding ground for multiple species of large marine mammals, giving visitors a chance to observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Iceland orca whale watching on snaefellsnes killer whales west. 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.
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