Choosing Between 10 Sailing Tours in Iceland

1.Whale Watching Cruise on the Amelia Rose Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,911 reviews · 3 hours · from $107Our pick

Join a 3-hour whale watching cruise from Reykjavik Old Harbor on the Amelia Rose, with 3 viewing decks, expert spotting, and warm blankets.

“Super easy to find and check-in, no worries at all. The guide gave many explanations about the fauna and landmarks which were appreciated. We were lucky to see several whales from up close. The Amelia Rose is very comfy and spacious, whenever it gets too cold you can warm up inside and buy a hot drink! Overall we recommend, we really loved it!”

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2.Northern Lights Yacht Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,253 reviews · 2 hours · from $93

Sail from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor on a 2-hour northern lights yacht tour with warm blankets, a cozy bar, and deck space for photos.

“We got very lucky with totally clear skies and a high probability of a sighting, saw the lights within 10 minutes of the boat sailing out and then they put on a show for a good hour. The guide was very helpful, explaining how to take the best photos, that the lights come in waves and she alerted those of us who were sitting inside shielding from the cold whenever a new wave of lights would come up. It is very cold on the boat (it was minus 10 degrees that evening) so I advise wearing a lot of layers, coat, gloves, snow shoes. Would definitely recommend.”

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3.Whale Watching and Dolphin Watching Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 707 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

A 3-hour Reykjavik yacht cruise in Faxafloi Bay to spot whales and dolphins, with warm blankets, WiFi, and live guide commentary.

“Out of this world!!!! This was the best thing I’ve ever experienced on a trip. The scenery is more than enough but to witness Humpback Whales & a super pod of Dolphins in the wild took out breath away! The boat was very roomy & clean. The staff were lovely - very friendly & informative. We were blown away with this activity & will return to Reykjavík in the future just to do this trip again.”

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4.Whale Watching Cruise on a Yacht in Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 684 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

A 3 hour yacht cruise from Reykjavik to spot whales and dolphins around Faxafloi Bay, with landmark views and a free return if none.

“We saw dolphins, porpoises and whales. It was wonderful and they told us all about whales and the different seasons and what to expect from season.”

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5.Whale Watching & Dolphin Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 488 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $108

Whale watching and dolphin yacht cruise from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor in Faxafloi Bay, with blankets, Wi-Fi photo sharing, and a second free tour if no sightings.

“Whilst we saw both a Minke whale and a Humpback whale on the trip, this tour could have been so much better. The commentary was very minimal; after a brief and basic welcome as we set off, we didn't hear anything for over another hour - and even that was just 5 minutes of telling us that there are 4 types of dolphins/whales that we might see. But that was largely it - nothing about the chances of seeing them, what our strategy for finding them was (we seemed to just be aimlessly sailing around for the first 90 minutes), do the animals live in the bay or further out,…”

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6.Northern Lights Yacht Cruise in Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 428 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $94

A 2-hour Reykjavik northern lights yacht cruise with warm interiors, onboard Wi-Fi, and whale-spotting in Faxaflói Bay, plus a return chance.

“This tour was well-organised and I would recommend it. We did see the Northern Lights but they were quite faint and not really visible with the naked eye so the tour company offered everyone a trip on another day which we thought was a nice touch. We didn't take them on their offer as (i) we did see the lights and (ii) not really fair on them as they can't control a natural phenomenon. We sat on the top deck and yes it was freezing so do wear your thermals! Below deck it was warm and there was a bar.”

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7.Northern Lights Motor Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 133 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $99

A 2.5-hour Northern Lights cruise from Reykjavík Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay, with warm blankets, hot drinks, and guided spotting.

“Great trip, the guides were great and gave great commentary throughout, my only minor point was the meeting point was a bit of a mess in that the map location didn’t say go into a an office so I was wandering around for a while looking where to go but other than that great trip and we were blessed with a great northen lights show !”

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8.Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 35 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $100

Reykjavik northern lights cruise on a small yacht, with warm onboard comfort, stops at Harpa and Viðey, and rebooking if the aurora misses.

“I booked with Harpa Yachts for the second time in two years and again had great experience. The yacht is very comfortable with good inside lounge and viewing area outside. The crew was very informative, friendly and I enjoyed this evening. I would recommend this company to anyone.”

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9.Puffin Watching Yacht Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 29 reviews · 1 hour · from $75Best value

Puffins, seals, and seabirds on a 1-hour yacht cruise from downtown Reykjavík through Faxaflói Bay and Engey, Lundey, and Viðey.

“Comfortable boat ride across from harbour to island. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Took an hour exactly. Travellers should know sighting puffins can be tricky as puffins usually leave Iceland shores in mid August after mating and having babies.”

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10.New Year’s Eve Northern Lights Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $140

A small-group New Year’s Eve yacht cruise in Reykjavik for northern lights hunting, sea-view fireworks, and a champagne toast at midnight.

“An intimate way to spend NYE in Reykjavik... capped at 35 people on a luxury yacht, we got Earth's fireworks (Northern Lights) and the just insane fireworks show the citizens of Reykjavik put on every New Year's Eve! If visiting Reykjavik during the New Year's holiday, I definitely recommend taking this cruise!”

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