Special Tours Whale Watching Reykjavik: Responsible Tour Review
Trying to find a whale watching tour that’s actually responsible can be a bit of a minefield. Between flashy ads and “eco” buzzwords slapped on everything, it’s hard to know what’s genuinely ethical and what’s just clever marketing, and when it comes to wildlife, I don’t mess around.
If it’s not responsible, I’m not doing it.
I recently visited Iceland in March with my mum, and we booked a whale watching tour that I’d properly researched beforehand. (If you didn’t know, Iceland is one of the best places in the world to spot humpback whales, and yep, we saw one!)
This is my honest review based on the whale watching tour I went on from Reykjavik with Special Tours, and I genuinely loved it. It felt respectful, well-run, and aligned with everything I look for in a responsible wildlife experience. So if you’re heading to Iceland and want to do the same, you’re in the right place.
Here’s everything you need to know, from how I chose the tour to what it was actually like out on the water.
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Special Tours Whale Watching: My Honest Experience
Special Tours is the company I booked for my whale watching trip in Reykjavik. Honestly, it was such a good time. It was easy to book, the crew were lovely, and the whole thing just felt like a really great way to spend a morning.
My mum and I were absolutely buzzing after, here’s how the tour went….
Booking the Tour
Booking the tour is super easy! We actually sorted it online about two weeks before landing in Iceland. I’d looked at about four or five different options, but this one stood out (mostly because it ticked all the boxes for being responsible and having good reviews).
I booked our tickets through Get Your Guide and was sent an e-ticket straight away.
When we arrived at the harbour on the morning of our tour, all we had to do was pop into the ticket office, flash the QR code, and they handed us our tickets to take over to the boat. Nice and easy (just how I like it!).
The tour lasts around three hours, which gives you a good amount of time out on the water without feeling like you’re stuck at sea.
You can choose a morning or afternoon slot depending on what suits your plans, and in high season, they even run evening and night tours, which honestly sounds pretty dreamy if the weather plays ball.
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Departure Location and Boat Details
The tour leaves from Reykjavik Harbour, which is really easy to find. You can add hotel pickup when booking, but we skipped it, our apartment was only about 20 minutes away, so we wrapped up warm and walked down.
This is the meeting point, so you can check how close it is to where you’re staying.
Once we’d swapped our QR code for the actual tickets, we were met by our guide, Lucas. He clearly knew his stuff and genuinely cared, but it was his dry sense of humour that stole the show. Mum thought he was hilarious!
The boat itself was pretty big, with three levels: two cosy indoor areas and an open-air top deck for anyone brave enough to take on the full wind-in-your-face experience.
There’s also an outdoor deck on the first floor. If you do get lucky and spot something, being outside is definitely the way to go; you’ll get a much better view than through the windows.
There’s a little café onboard if you fancy a hot drink, and there are toilets. We sat up on the top deck, and if you do too, I’d definitely recommend grabbing one of the overalls they hand out. We didn’t, but the wind cuts through up there!
They’ve also got a free app you can download before or during the tour, with text and audio info in five languages — English, German, French, Spanish, and simplified Chinese — handy if you want to follow along while you’re out on the water.
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What It Was Like Out on the Water
Once we were all on board, Lucas gave us a quick welcome and explained how the whale spotting works. Special Tours don’t use sonar, instead, the crew are out on deck scanning the horizon for telltale signs like splashes, flocks of birds, or a sudden burst of movement.
They also kept in touch with the other boat out that day, which headed to the opposite side of the bay, so between the two, way more ground (well, water) got covered.
You can get involved too. If you think you’ve seen something, just call it out using the clock system: 12 o’clock is straight ahead, 6 o’clock is behind, and then everything else in between. I gave it a go, but let’s just say I mistook more than a few waves for whales.
The tour takes you out onto Faxaflói Bay, between the Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas. On a clear day, you might even spot Snæfellsjökull glacier in the distance — not that we could, thanks to the classic Icelandic cloud cover!
And don’t underestimate the cold. Even on a calm day like ours, the wind on the open water is next-level.
They do have free seasickness tablets onboard, so if that’s something you struggle with, it’s best to take them at the start, not halfway through when it’s too late.
Wildlife Sightings
Every tour’s different, and what shows up one day might be totally different the next.
We didn’t see a single thing for the first hour and a half. Mum and I were out on deck, eyes on the horizon, scanning like we knew what we were looking for, but no luck at all.
Lucas told us that just two days before, they’d seen humpbacks, dolphins, and even orcas, which are super rare, so safe to say the bar had been set high.
By the time the boat started turning back, we’d already accepted we’d be using our free return ticket. (We’d left a spare afternoon open just in case, which I recommend doing!) It had still been a lovely morning, but we were definitely hoping for a bit of last-minute magic.
And then… it happened.
Lucas made an announcement: a nearby fishing boat had just radioed in about a humpback sighting, right along our route back to the harbour. The crew even stayed into their lunch break so we could go check it out. Legends!
We pulled up and waited. Everything went quiet. Then, whoosh, a big spout and up popped the whale! We saw his two white fins under the water like wings, and he came up a few more times before doing that iconic deep dive where the tail flips up and disappears into the sea.
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Apparently, they dive for a minute or two before needing to come back up, so we waited — and then out he came again, right next to our boat. Mum and I were absolutely buzzing!
He deep-dived again, and we stuck around to see him surface one last time before we started heading back to the harbour.
One of the crew members came over to us as we were heading back inside the boat — a big smile on his face — just to check that we’d seen the whale and that we were happy. It was such a small gesture, but it was so sweet.
If you want to see any photos the crew snap on your tour, you can check their website after the tour. Ours was from the 18th March, and I noticed that the afternoon group saw the whale again and some dolphins too. Not bad for one day in the bay!
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Pros and Cons of My Whale Watching Experience
Every experience has its highs and not-so-highs, and while this tour was honestly amazing, I always think it’s helpful to know both sides before booking. So here’s my honest take on what really stood out, and what you might want to keep in mind before heading out on the water:
👍 Pros:
- Seeing wildlife in their natural habitat, responsibly — the absolute dream.
- Learning about different whale species (especially humpbacks) while out on the water.
- Super easy to book and reach — especially if you’re staying in Reykjavik. We just walked to the harbour and it was smooth sailing (literally).
- If you don’t see any whales, you can rebook the tour for free!
- Perks! After the tour, you get discounted entry to the whale museum and a discount at Rost café by the harbour. I got an amazing mocha there, and they happily made it vegan for me.
👀 Cons:
- Tours can get busy, especially in the summer. We went in March and had plenty of space, but in high season, I’d get there early to nab a good spot on the boat.
- You’re not guaranteed a sighting — that’s just the nature of responsible wildlife tours. But if you don’t see anything, you can come back another day for free, which takes the pressure off.
- Seasickness, but they do provide tablets on board the boat.
What Makes This Whale Watching Tour Responsible?
It’s easy for a tour company to slap the word “responsible” or “ethical” on their ads and hope no one asks too many questions.
That’s why I did a bit of digging before booking, and one of the main reasons I went with Special Tours is because they’re listed on the IceWhale website and follow their official code of conduct.
It’s the go-to guide for whale watching in Iceland, and covers all the important stuff, like:
- Minimising disturbance to whales and helping ensure whale watching in Iceland stays sustainable for the future
- Making sure encounters are respectful for the animals while still being enjoyable for us
- Raising awareness around how to watch marine life in a way that doesn’t disrupt them
Ice Whale has also partnered with Orca Guardians, a conservation group that helps promote safe and ethical whale watching (especially for orcas). Big green flag!
Another thing I really appreciated, Special Tours don’t use sonar. It might sound high-tech, but sonar can actually be seriously disruptive to marine mammals, sometimes even causing permanent hearing damage if they’re too close. It’s a hard no from me.
Instead, they kept it old-school, no sonar, no chasing, just the crew scanning the horizon and chatting with other boats if something popped up. It all felt really laid-back and respectful, which made it even more exciting when we finally spotted that tail flick.
Why Go on a Whale Watching Tour in Iceland?
There are loads of reasons to go whale watching in Iceland, but let’s start with the obvious one: the whales. Humpbacks really are the stars of the show (and this is what we saw), but you might also spot minke whales, orcas, dolphins, harbour porpoises, and even the occasional seal if you’re lucky.
The reason Iceland is such an incredible place for whale watching comes down to what’s going on below the surface. The waters around the island are absolutely packed with nutrients, we’re talking all-you-can-eat buffet conditions for marine life. This makes it one of the best feeding grounds in the world for whales.
While there’s never a guarantee with wildlife, you’ve got a pretty good chance of seeing something, and if you don’t, Special Tours will let you come back for free, which definitely takes the pressure off.
And if the whales are feeling shy on the day of your tour, the scenery more than makes up for it. Snow-capped mountains, distant glaciers, and dramatic coastlines as your boat glides through icy blue water, it’s basically National Geographic IRL.
What to Wear & Bring
Let’s not forget, this is Iceland, and even in summer, if you’re out on the water, the wind will find you. Don’t underestimate it. You’ll want to be layered up and ready for all weather moods (and there are many).
They do provide big cosy overalls on board, which help loads if you’re sitting out on the top deck, but honestly, it’s still worth bringing your own warm layers underneath.
Here’s what I’d recommend packing for the boat:
- Warm layers (thermals if you’re here in the colder months)
- A proper coat, waterproof is a bonus
- Hat, scarf, and gloves
- Comfy, closed-toe shoes
- Camera (if you’ve got one!)
- A fully charged phone — and maybe a power bank too
There’s a little café on board where you can grab a hot drink or a snack (I even spotted pot noodles), but if you’re vegan and gluten-free like me, the options aren’t exactly ideal (although there are plenty of vegan-friendly spots in Iceland).
I packed my own sandwich and snacks, your girl gets hungry, and three hours is a long time to go without a bite to eat!
FAQS About Whale Watching In Reykjavik
When Is the Best Time to Go Whale Watching In Iceland?
The best time for whale watching in Iceland is between April and October, when sightings are most frequent, especially for humpbacks. That said, tours run all year round, and you can still get lucky outside of those peak months.
We went in March, and we did see a humpback! According to our guide, they’d had a really good run over the last few months with sightings on most days, so don’t totally rule out the off-season, though there are times of year when Iceland is trickier to travel.
Just remember: nature does its own thing, which is part of what makes it so special.
What Types of Whales Can You See?
The most commonly sighted visitors in these waters are minke whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoises, and white-beaked dolphins — they’re the regulars around Iceland.
But if you’re lucky, you might spot something a little rarer, like orcas. We’d just missed them by a few days as they showed up before our tour! So yep, not super common… but definitely possible.
How Do I Know If a Tour Is Responsible?
They should say exactly how they operate, not just slap “eco” in the title and hope for the best.
Look out for mentions of the IceWhale code of conduct or groups like Orca Guardians. If a company’s doing it right, they’ll make it obvious.
Special Tours is listed on the IceWhale website as a trusted operator, which gave me confidence when booking.
And if there is any mention of using sonar, they can get in the bin!
What Happens If We Don’t See Any Whales?
No whales? No worries. If you don’t see anything on your trip, you can come back on another day for free. Just keep hold of your ticket and rebook when it works for you.
We’d even left a spare afternoon in our itinerary just in case, and I would definitely recommend doing the same!
Would I Go On This Tour Again?
Hell frigging yes!!!
Me and my mum still talk about how amazing this whale watching tour was, from the way it was run, to the atmosphere on board, to the actual moment we saw that humpback. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Special Tours to any of my friends heading to Reykjavik.
It felt like a responsible choice, run by people who genuinely care about doing things the right way, and it delivered in the best way possible.
If you’re heading out beyond Reykjavik and planning to drive the full Ring Road (or even just a section), this Iceland road trip itinerary is a great place to start. It covers all the best stops, a few hidden gems, and plenty of opportunities to spot more wildlife along the way.
