Húsavík
A whaling town turned whale-watching capital, on a bay where humpbacks feed all summer.
The bay the whales return to
Skjálfandi bay is fed by nutrient-rich water from the highland rivers, which draws humpback whales through the summer along with minke, white-beaked dolphin and, less predictably, blue whales. Húsavík built its whale-watching fleet on this and its research museum is very good.
We are careful about how this is sold. Sightings are high but never guaranteed, so we say a very good chance and never a certainty. Traditional oak boats and small RIBs both operate; the choice depends on the client’s appetite for weather.
All of Iceland →
Stay, experience, dine, arrive
Harbour and countryside
Small harbour hotels in town and countryside properties along the bay and Tjörnes coast.
Whales, puffins and sea baths
Small-boat whale watching, puffin colonies on Lundey, and the GeoSea cliffside geothermal baths.
North Atlantic catch
Cod, haddock and langoustine from the harbour, plus lamb from the surrounding valleys.
Via Akureyri
An hour by road from Akureyri, easily combined with Mývatn on the same northern loop.
What clients come here for
Aurora over the Bay
Coastal Riding
Húsavík by season
Season Opens
First humpbacks arrive and puffins return to the cliffs. Cold on the water, and quiet ashore.
Peak Whale Season
The highest sighting rates of the year, with puffins on Lundey and near-continuous light.
Late Season
Whales still feeding, aurora returning at night and the fleet running fewer departures.
Ways to shape this journey
Starting points, not packages. Every programme is rebuilt around the client in front of you.
Whales and Sea Baths
A small-boat whale morning, the puffin island and an evening at the cliffside sea baths.
Design this journey →The Northern Loop
Húsavík with Mývatn and Akureyri — geothermal ground, whales and volcanic country in one arc.
Design this journey →Regions that combine well
Mývatn & the North
Boiling mud, volcanic craters and geothermal bathing without the queue — Iceland’s working volcanic north.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
A glacier volcano at the end of a peninsula — Iceland in miniature, two hours from the capital.
Reykjavík & the South Coast
Glacier lagoons, black-sand coast and geothermal country — the most concentrated landscape drive in the North Atlantic.
Send us a brief for Húsavík — we'll do the rest
Tell us about your client — who they are, what moves them, and how they like to travel. A senior specialist responds personally.