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Whale Watching & River Rafting
This tour combines two true adventures on the water. After exploring the wonders of the whales and birds it it is time to set your adrenaline free - rafting down the glacial river Hvítá admiring its stunningly beautiful landscape.
Viðey Ferry from the Old Harbour
Viðey Island is a unique place that combines history, art and nature. It is only a few minutes away from the city by boat and is well known for its tranquillity and the spirit of bygone centuries. Daily departures from 1 June - 31 August.
Viðey Ferry from Skarfabakki
Only a few minutes away from the busy city life is Viðey island, a special place that combines history, art and nature in a unique way. Daily ferry departures from 15 May - 31 August and on weekends from 1 September - 14 May.
Reykjavík | Schedule & Prices
Elding offers the most talked-about whale watching and sea adventure tours in Iceland. With decades of experience, we provide responsible whale watching tours, as well as other tours, all year round. Our other tours include incentive and exclusive tours, and the ferry to Viðey Island.
Our Location
Right in the heart of Reykjavík you find Elding's ticket office well positioned at the charming Old Harbour. It has become one of the city's liveliest quarters with its quirky little shops, galleries, restaurants and a range of marine activities. Our boats are conveniently located just a little further down the road to our ticket office. Boarding is through our stationary boat, Fífill, which also serves as a Visitor Center, Wildlife Exhibition, Café and Souvenir Shop.
Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)
Petrels are part of the tubenose family of seabirds, which also include the fulmars, albatrosses and shearwaters. The storm petrels are very small birds that you usually see flying fast by very close to the water's surface where the air currents are strongest. We mostly see them when departing from hafnarfjörður, Keflavík or Grindavík harbours.
Leach’s Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa)
Petrels are part of the tubenose family of seabirds, which also include the fulmars, albatrosses and shearwaters. These are very small birds that you usually see flying fast by very close to the water's surface where the air currents are strongest. We mostly see them when departing from hafnarfjörður, Keflavík or Grindavík harbours.
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
These are frequently seen on the two Puffin colonies we visit Lundey/Akurey. When in flight they are usually in their V or line formation taking turns to lead. This formation that geese fly in is thought to reduce drag or air resistance thus making it more aerodynamic and allows them to fly long distances will little effort.
Birds
Seabirds are an important part of every whale watching tour and they often guide us to the whales. During the summer months the puffins make a spectacle of themselves as well as the gannets, fulmars, guillemots, skuas, arctic terns and many more. The winter birdlife is not so diverse but it is nice to see certain species in areas that you wouldn't normally see.
Blue Whale (Balaenoptera Musculus)
The blue whale is the largest known animal to have ever lived on our planet! Their heart alone weighs 600 kg. and is about the same size as a Volkswagen beetle car and even a small child could crawl through the aorta (main artery of the heart). They feed mainly on krill, which is somewhat like a small shrimp or prawn and can eat up to 4000kg a day. They are also one of the loudest ani
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeanglia)
The Humpback Whale is quite spectacular undergoing the longest migration of any mammal (5176miles/8334km one way), attracting females by singing to them and of course their energetic nature. On many occasions humpbacks have been seen breaching, tail slapping, fin slapping, blowing bubbles and spy hopping just to mention a few. The humpback is also one of the larger whales we encounter
Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin (Leucopleurus acutus)
This species is endemic to the temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, but is not seen often on our tours.
It can be easy to mistake Atlantic white-sided dolphins for the closely related and more commonly observed white-beaked dolphin but the former is somewhat smaller and the back, fluke, flippers, and dorsal fin being black while their belly is white.
Whales (Cetacean)
Currently, we know of over 90 different species of Whales, dolphins and Porpoises collectively called cetaceans. These range from the largest animal that has ever lived on our planet the Blue Whale to the smallest the Hectors dolphin. They are found in every one of our oceans and even some of our rivers. Anyone that has been whale watching and seen these magnificent mammals up close can tell you that it is an experience never forgotten and a feeling of amazement and happiness not quite understood.
Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina)
Seals and Sea lions are collectively called Pinnipeds. Harbour Seals are the most abundant in Iceland and are frequently encountered on Akurey (puffin colony). There has been 7 species of seals recorded in Icelandic waters but only two of these species breed here; the Harbour Seal and Grey Seal.
Other Species
On our whale watching tours we often encounter other species that don't belong to the whale and dolphin families. The various migratory and local seabirds, seals and even sharks bring surely added value to our tours.