Elding is the whale boat most visitors to Reykjavík end up on, and for ordinary reasons: it sails from a pier ten minutes' walk from downtown, it runs in January as well as July, and the big boats have a heated saloon, a café, several toilets and free overalls. It is a family company, not a chain, and it is the only Reykjavík operator publishing a full twelve-month timetable alongside a second operation in the north. Price level is mid-market — 14,500 ISK direct, $105.47 through the partner feed.
What the company actually is
According to elding.is, the business started in 2000 and has been run by the same family since, with three generations on the payroll. Its ticket office sits at Ægisgarður 5c on the Old Harbour; boarding is through Fífill, a retired fishing vessel moored permanently at the pier that doubles as a café, souvenir shop and small wildlife exhibition, free to Elding passengers.
The company was a founding member of IceWhale in 2003 and helped write the Icelandic code of conduct for responsible whale watching — which matters, because Iceland has no law regulating whale watching at all. Elding was the first Icelandic whale-watching company to be awarded the Blue Flag, in 2007, has been in the EarthCheck program since 2006, and holds World Cetacean Alliance certification for responsible whale watching. What it does not publish anywhere is a carbon-neutral claim, despite that label circulating in listings; treat it as unverified.
Elding is also the loudest anti-whaling voice in the Icelandic industry, and says its lobbying helped expand the whale sanctuary in Faxaflói Bay.
Ports, boats and seasons
Two ports. Reykjavík: the Classic Whale Watching tour runs year-round from the Old Harbour, with up to five departures a day at midsummer and a single 13:00 sailing in the darkest months. Akureyri, added in 2016, sails Eyjafjörður on the same model and is the better bet for humpbacks.
The fleet is unusually large. Hafsúlan is the main Reykjavík whale boat — a Norwegian ferry brought to Iceland in 1998 and rebuilt with a rooftop viewing deck — backed by Elding and Eldey. Five RIBs named Þruma I–V run the Premium tours. In the north, Ambassador is the pick: built in Hamburg in 1971 as a police vessel and refitted for whale watching, with six observation platforms.
The two formats are genuinely different trips:
| Classic | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Boat | Large vessel, up to 196 passengers | 12-seat RIB |
| Length | 2.5–3.5 hours | 2 hours |
| On board | Heated saloon, café, toilets, Wi-Fi, overalls, blankets | Flotation suit and goggles, no toilet, no shelter |
| Limits | None; under-13s accompanied | 145 cm minimum, 140 kg maximum, age 10+ |
| Season | All year | 1 April – 31 October |
What you will actually see
Elding names four regulars in Faxaflói: minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises and humpbacks. Orcas, fin whales, sei whales and basking sharks appear occasionally and are not a reason to book. The company publishes a daily Whale Diary, which is the honest way to check what the bay has been producing in the days before your trip — more useful than any seasonal chart.
Its answer on timing is refreshingly flat: after two decades of running multiple departures a day, it says there is no time of day when whales are more active, and no single best season, because the animals are around Iceland all year and the numbers follow the food. Summer simply gives more departures and more chances.
What it costs and what is guaranteed
Direct rates from elding.is: 14,500 ISK for adults on the Classic in either port, 7,250 ISK for children 7–15, free under 7. The Premium RIB is 24,900 ISK flat. Hotel pickup in the greater Reykjavík area costs 3,750 ISK per adult and starts 15–45 minutes before departure. Prices are checked regularly. The Reykjavík Classic is also sold through GetYourGuide, where the listing rather than the operator sets the cancellation window. The archived listing page names the activity provider as Elding Adventure at Sea, so this one is the company's own. The Akureyri whale listing in the same feed is not: its provider line names Whale Watching Akureyri, a separate company on the same fjord — book Elding's northern departures direct.
Sighting guarantee
Elding publishes a success rate, not a promise. No sightings means a complimentary ticket for a future Classic tour — there is no refund.
- Success rate
- "Over the last few years, our sighting success throughout each year has been about 90%", and the company states plainly that sightings cannot be predicted or guaranteed (elding.is FAQ).
- Blank trip
- "We do not refund the tour price, but rather give you a complimentary ticket to try again another day."
- Window
- The voucher is valid on a future Classic tour for at least two years, for returning passengers only, and is non-transferable to another service.
- Where it is valid
- Either port — a ticket earned in Reykjavík can be used in Akureyri and the other way round.
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before departure for individuals, 48 hours for groups of ten or more. If Elding cancels for weather you can reschedule, switch tour or take a full refund.
Booked on a platform? The cancellation window on your listing governs, not this one.
The practical detail
Parking at the Old Harbour is tight and street parking beside the boats is forbidden; use the paid lots nearby. Akureyri is the opposite — a free all-day lot next to the ticket office, no clock needed. Arrive 15–30 minutes early either way.
Elding hands out free antiemetics and ginger tablets at the ticket office, which is more than most operators do. Guides carry DSLR cameras and share the tour's photographs free afterwards. Wheelchair access is limited on every boat — steep stairs between decks and high thresholds — so call ahead. Pregnant passengers are fine on the Classic; the company advises consulting a doctor before the RIB, especially after the first trimester. Dress for wind: overalls, rain coats and blankets are free but the cold comes off the water.
Price check · GetYourGuide
Live prices, per person, checked regularly. Sorted from lowest.
| Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauganes: Whale Watching North Iceland | $83.84 Lowest | 2.5 h | ★ 4.7 (262) | Check dates |
| From Dalvik: Arctic Whale Watching in Northern Iceland | $89.79 | 3 h | ★ 4.7 (461) | Check dates |
| Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Heated Indoor Seating | $92.03 | 3 h | ★ 4.6 (2,282) | Check dates |
| Húsavík: Traditional Whale Watching Tour | $95.40 | 3 h | ★ 4.6 (2,459) | Check dates |
| Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Guide | $96.52 | 3 h | ★ 4.5 (3,095) | Check dates |
| From Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour | $98.76 | 3.5 h | ★ 4.2 (751) | Check dates |
How it compares with the neighbors
On the same pier, Whale Safari runs the RIB side of the same group — Elding's owners bought it — so a blank RIB trip there is redeemed on Elding's big boats. Special Tours, two piers along at Geirsgata, fields bigger ships and undercuts Elding on the direct price. For humpbacks in numbers rather than minkes, the north is the answer: Gentle Giants and North Sailing in Húsavík work a richer bay. Our Reykjavík page compares all the city's piers, and the Iceland page sets out the season.
Our call
The 3-hour Classic from the Old Harbour on a summer morning
Heated saloon, café, toilets and overalls on a boat that carries up to 196 people without feeling like a ferry — and a sailing on almost every date in the calendar.
Skip it if The Premium RIB if anyone in the group is under 145 cm, pregnant or unsure about two hours in an open boat.
Check Elding dates from $103.25Questions people ask
Is Elding the oldest whale-watching company in Reykjavík?
Elding calls itself "the original whale watching operator in Reykjavík" and says on its about page that the company started in 2000. Some listings claim an earlier date; elding.is does not.
What does an Elding tour cost if I book direct?
According to elding.is, the Classic Whale Watching tour from either Reykjavík or Akureyri is 14,500 ISK for adults, 7,250 ISK for children aged 7–15 and free for under-7s. The Premium RIB tour is 24,900 ISK for everyone aged 10 and over. Hotel pickup in Reykjavík adds 3,750 ISK per adult.
What will I actually see?
Elding lists minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbor porpoises and humpbacks as the four regulars in Faxaflói, with orcas, fin whales, sei whales and basking sharks as occasional surprises. In Eyjafjörður the company builds its Akureyri tours around humpbacks.
Can I take a toddler on board?
On the Classic boats, yes — Elding welcomes babies and toddlers, provides child life vests and asks that strollers be left in the office. Children under 13 must be accompanied at all times. The Premium RIB has a minimum height of 145 cm.
How close does the boat get to a whale?
Elding was a founding member of IceWhale and publishes its own stricter rules: hold 300 m when a whale is first spotted, 5–6 knots inside that ring, treat 50 m as a caution zone, one boat close at a time, and 20–30 minutes maximum with a single animal. No sonar is used to find whales.
Is Elding carbon-neutral?
Not as published. The company's sustainability pages list EarthCheck certification, the Blue Flag eco-label and World Cetacean Alliance certification, plus wetland restoration through Votlendissjóðurinn. There is no carbon-neutral claim on elding.is.
Can I fly a drone from the boat?
No. Drones are prohibited on scheduled tours; Elding will only consider them on a private charter with prior consent and the relevant Icelandic Transport Authority permissions.
Official sources
Updated September 17, 2026 · partner prices refreshed October 6, 2026
