13 June 2023

RFI: Iceland July 20th to July 24th

I’ll go to Iceland in late july as i’ve decided to give my girlfiend a trip to visit her best frien as a birthday present. We will be in the Reykjavik area for five days as her friend lives there. I wold of cours like to take her whale watching as i would love to add som mammaling/nature to the trip and i know she will like it to. We have a car so we can drive out of Reykjavik to get to a better location. Does anyone have recommendations for good whale watching operators and tips for good stakeouts in general “near” Reykjavik? I’ve seen Humpbacks in Greenland so opportunities for other species are of interest. I’ll bring spotting scope and bins.

Cheers

Lars Michael

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Post author

Lars Michael Nielsen
Conservationist and guide. Father of two. I’ve worked with education and guiding most of my life but at the moment im working in an engineering company with tasks conserning protected species and nature. I’m one of those birders turned more and more into the amazing world of mammals and got hooked. I don’t knwof if i have any favorite mammals but seing Iberian Lynx in Spain and Humpback Whales at an arms length in the Ice Fjord of Ilulissat was amazing experiences. I was born in a hut in the Swedish forests and grew up partly there and partly in Denmark where i live now with my two daughters.    
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6 Comments

  • 13 June 2023
    Antee

    For some different species than the ordinary Minke whale and Humpback whale which is easily seen from a whale watching company from Reykjavik harbour – I would recommend https://lakitours.com/ from Olafsvik.

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    • 13 June 2023
      Lars Michael Nielsen

      Thnx Antee. I had a look at that company and will order a trip with them. Looking at their observations from the later years i believe it’s possible to get Orca and perhaps some other species. 🙂

      • 17 June 2023
        Jap@a

        In summer you will usually only see Minke, humback (and white-beaked dolphin). Orcas are not seldomly seen from land at the most Western end of the Snaefellsness (at the lighthouses). I have seen humpback from the shore here too.
        Arctic fox is also relatively common in the area (best to drive around during the nighttime, it is light anyways). The pennisula is anyways worth a visit in terms of landscapes and birds.

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        • 22 June 2023
          Lars Michael Nielsen

          Thank you JAP@A. We will go on a trip from Olafsvik, i believe it’s on the Snaefellness penninsula. I’ll see if i can convince her to go for a drive there 🙂

  • 23 June 2023
    JanEbr

    I second the Laki recommendation. Last July we saw Orcas, Dolphins and Humpbacks with them (Humpbacks also from the shore) – then we did one of the “mass tourism” trips in Reykjavik to fill in Minke Whale. Some more details on https://www.facebook.com/groups/1677713955653707/posts/5405182559573476/

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    • 23 June 2023
      Lars Michael Nielsen

      Thank you Jan
      I’ll book with Laki :D. It looks like the best option and the drive from Reykjavik looks as it goes througt a gerat landscape as well.

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