News

Laugardaginn, 28. mars 2026, býður Elding upp á árlega páskaeggjaleit í Viðey í samstarfi við Viðeyjarstofu & Borgarsögusafn Reykjavíkur! // On Saturday, 28 March 2026, we will host our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Viðey island in collaboration with Viðeyjarstofa & Reykjavík City Museum!

We‘re delighted to be participating in and supporting Mottumars, or Moustache March, once again. Mottumars is a national men‘s cancer awareness campaign to raise funds for the Icelandic Cancer Society. The focus of this year‘s campaign is support; no one is alone.

Although white-beaked dolphins are one of the most common and well-known cetaceans in Icelandic waters, we have started seeing less of them in winter due to operating so close to land. Yesterday we encountered a pod of 5 white-beaked dolphins, including a calf!

Is it spring already? Yesterday’s afternoon tour from Reykjavík brought a very exciting surprise: the first minke whale of the year. Minke whales are often one of the earliest signs of the changing seasons, so seeing one right at the start of February felt especially special.

Elding has been selected by The Reykjavík Grapevine as the Best Outdoor Experience in Reykjavík! To be included among their top picks is a wonderful acknowledgement of the work our team puts into creating meaningful experiences at sea.

We had a very rare visitor in Faxaflói bay today! Our crew spotted a short-beaked common dolphin. While the name might suggest otherwise, this species is actually not too common in our waters. The last time we encountered one was back in April 2024, from our base in Akureyri!

We're proud to share that Elding has once again been recognised as a WCA Approved whale and dolphin watching operator. This certification is based on the World Cetacean Alliance's strict guidelines, which promote responsible, ethical and sustainable wildlife watching worldwide.

As a part of our sustainability efforts, we've introduced a new concept at our souvenir shop: second hand outdoor clothing! A great option for warm gear at a good price, or if you need an extra layer before heading out into the bay.

The Christmas season is upon us. We’ll be operating tours throughout this special period, with only minor changes on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve where the opening hours are shorter and the Northern Lights Cruise does not run. Instead, we have daily whale watching tours and a New Year's Eve Cruise to top the year off!

Elding proudly supports the Icelandic Search and Rescue Teams (ICE-SAR) with the purchase of a Neyðarkallinn statue for 2025. These brave volunteers work selflessly to keep people safe across Iceland - let’s all answer the call and support our rescue teams!

Our trusty RIB boats have now been sailed back to Njarðvík, where they'll spend the winter months safely in storage. The trip took place in beautiful weather, marking the end of another great season out at sea. Until next season!

Meet the Elding team at WTM London 2025, one of the world's leading travel and tourism events! This is a fantastic opportunity to meet partners, travel professionals, and friends from around the world, share ideas, and discuss future collaborations.

Our beloved Eldey is currently in dry dock for a well deserved overhaul. As part of our regular maintenance routine, a variety of improvements and repairs are being carried out to ensure she's in top shape for the winter season ahead.

Our research team presented the results of this summer’s research projects today. The studies carried out over the season focused on collecting valuable data about marine life in our area. More information coming soon.

At Elding, we take pride in supporting meaningful community initiatives. One of these is Pink October, a month dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer. The aim of this campaign is to emphasize the importance of prevention, early detection, and effective treatment.

The event for the lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower in Viðey, scheduled for Thursday, 9 October, has been cancelled due to rough seas and high waves in Faxaflói Bay. Although the event is cancelled, we encourage everyone to watch the lighting live at 20:00 on the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER website.

At the start of every Northern Lights season, our naturalists come together for a refresher in all things aurora. This year we were lucky enough to be welcomed by Aurora Reykjavik, where both new and experienced guides got fresh insights and a deeper understanding of this incredible natural phenomenon!

Rough weather earlier this week meant we had to cancel some of our tours, so we used the time for a training exercise with the MOB boat on Eldey. Everyone available got the chance to take part, learning how to operate the boat safely and effectively in case of emergency.

Elding is a proud sponsor of Reykjavík Pride and we're pleased to offer a welcoming space for all. Celebrate love, equality and diversity with us this week - and don’t miss our Queer Cruise on Friday! More info: hinsegindagar.is/en

Today was a truly special day in Faxaflói bay! We were lucky enough to encounter the second largest fish in the ocean - the BASKING SHARK! A fairly regular sight in later summer a few years ago, but sadly less frequent in recent years..

Elding wishes to reassure its guests that our tours remain unaffected by the recent volcanic activities on Reykjanes peninsula. As of now, the eruption does not pose a threat to flight traffic, infrastructure or the nearby areas in which our operations are conducted. 

Our hard working engineers have been busy installing brand new engines in Hafsúlan as a part of our ongoing commitment to cleaner energy and more sustainable operations!

At Elding, what guests see on the surface is only part of the story. Behind every smooth-sailing tour is a dedicated team working tirelessly to ensure our fleet is maintained to the highest standard. Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes for a closer look at what goes into keeping our boats in top condition.

When the seas are unfavourable, we turn our focus inward to the people of Elding and practices that keep our operations running smoothly and sustainably. These non-operational days are not lost time; they are essential opportunities for internal development, maintenance, and team cohesion.

A new chapter in circular design begins: we’ve teamed up with Flöff, Iceland’s first textile upcycling initiative, to transform retired overalls into one of a kind, functional bags. Keep an eye out for more inventive reuse projects - and drop by our shop to check out the bags in person!

We are excited to announce that our research team has acquired a hydrophone as part of our continued commitment to marine conservation. These specialised underwater microphones will allow us to listen in on the fascinating world beneath the waves!

At Elding, women are truly at the helm! We are incredibly proud to be one of the few companies in Iceland where 8 of our captains are women, along with around 25 female crew members who steer, navigate, and ensure the safety of both passengers and nature with passion.

This year’s Easter Egg Hunt in Viðey was a fantastic success! Guests of all ages - especially the little ones - were overjoyed with the experience, and the atmosphere was full of laughter, smiles, and springtime cheer. Thank you all for a truly lovely day!

We’re pleased to share that there will be no fin whale hunting in Iceland this year, as it is not considered economically viable. While this is a welcome development, it reflects financial challenges rather than a shift in mindset. We will continue to advocate for the protection of Iceland’s marine life, which we believe holds far greater value when left undisturbed.

This March, we encountered orcas on our whale watching tours from Reykjavík, and thanks to photo-ID, these individuals were matched to a pod previously recorded in Snæfellsnes! We’re thrilled to support the important work of Orca Guardians Iceland and to contribute to a better understanding of these incredible animals!

Red and orange weather warnings are in effect, with no travel conditions: February 5-6, 2025 - from Wednesday until Thursday evening. All our whale watching tours from Reykjavík have been cancelled for safety reasons.

The year 2024 was nothing short of incredible for whale watching enthusiasts visiting Reykjavík. With an overall 91% success rate, our tours continued to deliver unforgettable encounters with the majestic marine life of Faxaflói Bay. Even better, our success was remarkably consistent across the seasons, with 94% in winter and 90% in summer!

Celebrate Christmas with Elding! Our tours are on schedule (weather permitting) throughout the season. Book now and check our website for updates!

Over the past couple of days, our tours from Reykjavík have brought a mix of emotions as we witnessed an entangled humpback whale in the bay. We notified local authorities and returned the following day to see the Coastguard already on the case. Less than 24 hrs. since our first encounter with the whale, it was reported that it had been freed from the ropes!

Viðey island will reopen this weekend (9-10 Nov 2024) as construction work aimed at enhancing the island's accessibility is now complete. Departures from Skarfabakki pier will be at 13:15, 14:15 og 15:15 as usual. Viðey House Café will be open for business.

Elding will be screening short films on a loop aboard Eldey as part of the Reykjavík International Film Festival's 'RIFF Around Town' event, running from 23rd September to 6th October. The short films provided by The One Minutes Organization will take place during our Classic Whale Watching and Northern Lights Cruises from Reykjavík.

September 2024: Viðey Island is currently closed for construction as the gangway is being upgraded to enhance visitor access. Service will resume upon completion and visitors are advised to check the booking calendar for updates on the reopening.

Due to Reykjavík's annual event, Culture Night, taking place on Saturday 24th August 2024, road closures and driving restrictions will be implemented in the city centre. As a result of these closures and the increased activity in the city, we anticipate some service delays and pickup disruptions. Please plan ahead and arrive in good time before departure.

We are devastated by the decision of the Icelandic government to extend the whaling license for an additional year, allowing Hvalur hf. to hunt 128 fin whales for another season. The global community is increasingly aware of and opposed to the hunting of whales, and it is our sincere hope that Iceland will soon join the growing number of nations that have permanently ceased whaling.