Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

Overview

Available languages

English

2 hours

Mobile ticket

On the RIB speedboats you get:

-Less crowded boats

-More personal experience

-Higher chances of finding whales than on other boats

-Great respect to nature and minimum environmental impact

-Good memories and natural happiness

-The truly locally owned family company in Húsavík

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Subject to favourable weather conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund

Please bring warm and waterproof clothing

Minimum age is 8 years and minimum height 130 cm

The puffin season is from April 15th – August 15th approximately. More focus on whales outside the puffin season. Should weather or sea conditions change, even with short notice, this may include skipping the visit to Puffin Island

A minimum number of passengers is required for all our tours. If the minimum number is not reached, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice. In such cases, customers are offered alternative options or full refund

Children must be accompanied by an adult

Unfortunately, if no whales or dolphins are sighted on the tour, passenger refunds are not permitted. However, customers can receive a voucher to join a traditional whale watching tour free of charge, depending on availability

Not allowed for passengers with heart- or back problems or pregnant women

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Professional guide

Warm safety overalls (obligatory), and rain jackets if needed

Live commentary on board

Transportation to/from attractions (Tour departure is within walking distance from most accommodations in Húsavík)

What To Expect

Experience the original Big Whale Safari & Puffins from Húsavík – the Whale Watching Capital of Europe. Welcome aboard a RIB speedboat for a 2 hour fully guided adventure in search of the gentle giants of the ocean. Your chances of seeing whales are up to 99%.

Options

GG2 Big Whale Safari

Experience the Big Whale Safari & Puffins tour from Húsavík on board a RIB speedboat, with higher chances of finding the big whales. A visit to Puffin Island is included during the nesting period.

Reviews

4.77

417 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

370

Hunting whales
aaenne,
Oct 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
After the gorillas in Uganda, the most exciting experience of my life. The tour is very well organized and all necessary equipment is provided. I recommend opting for the boat tour and booking the first slot. The sea will be deserted, you can enjoy the show as well as move more easily from one point to another. Amazing.
Incredible experience! We...
Youssef B,
Oct 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Incredible experience! We saw more than 10 humpbacks. Our guide was experienced and he knew where to go to give us the best experience.
3 Humpback Whales
808bobg,
Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an amazing experience on this whale tour. Our guide told us as we were preparing to leave that no whales had been seen on earlier tours and it would be cold and windy, but they made sure we were dressed for the weather. I chose the right side of the rib boat, which proved to be a wet experience, as each time we crested a swale, I received spray (but never got cold). We were able to see 3 humpback whales, 2 of them which crested the surface and we got to see their tails out of the water! A great experience!
Fantastic
M G,
Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It's worth it. We saw dolphins and whales, about 5 or 6. They worried about finding them or explaining them to us. All right. It was exciting because we had never ridden a speedboat.
Fabulous whale watching experience
258sherryt,
Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Awesome experience! We had such a great time. I highly recommend the speed boat option, as when a whale is spotted, you can get to it within seconds. We were just a few feet away from the whales (and dolphins) and could easily maneuver around to get the best angle to view the whales come up for air and dive, showing their beautiful tails. Our guide was fantastic. She was constantly calling out where to look to see the next whale surfacing and even offered to take photos/video so you could watch without looking through your camera the whole time. Gentle Giants was also very accommodating…we had two damaged tires the night before our early morning reservation and could not make it because no one was open to replace our tires until the next morning. GG let us move our reservation to the mid afternoon spot, allowing us time to get new tires put on and make the 45 min. drive to Husavik. Unfortunately we missed the Puffins by a week, but even without seeing them, it was well worth it!
Everything was perfect
Temy1908,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very good activity, very good organization, unforgettable day Very interesting and friendly guide. We had the sun calm sea and the whales were majestic
Fantastic experience
Ivan M,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Very good experience, I recommend it 100% if you want to see whales. The guide was fantastic and the facilities very well.
Perfect organization and incredible experience!
M3146DHsarahe,
Sep 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was an incredible experience! Clara (our guide) was a very open, whale-loving woman who explained a lot about the whales to us. We were super lucky and saw a humpback whale and a family with bottle nose whales. It is advisable to visit the museum next door beforehand, then you can already learn about the different whale species. The process was perfect, the whole team was totally friendly. We did the tour with the speedboat, I would also recommend this one, because we were sometimes very fast on the way to get after whales in the distance as fast as possible before they dive. A sufficient distance from the whales was also maintained. Overall for our whole family a great trip!
Excellent experience
Israel G,
Sep 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The experience was incredible, we saw dozens of whales, they had a good location, the captain was excellent, he navigated very well with 6-foot waves, I say this because I have experience in sailing, and with minus 0 degrees Celsius (20 and something Fahrenheit) we didn't even got cold thanks to the suits they provided
Wonderful RIB boat whale watching tour
TAMMY C,
Sep 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Wonderful experience. The staff were very nice helping us dress for the trip. We were lucky to see a Humpback whale. The crew tried hard to make sure we all able to witness the whales appearance. We felt safe and had fun with this RIB boat tour. Highly recommended.