Whale Watching Snaefellsnes Peninsula: What to Expect in Ólafsvík

Whale watching on the Snaefellsnes peninsula

Iceland's whale watching is usually pictured in the north, but the Snæfellsnes peninsula has boats of its own, and they leave from a harbour that plenty of visitors drive straight past. Ólafsvík sits on the north side of the peninsula, a small fishing town with a working harbour, a handful of cafés and a view out into the open Atlantic. The land behind it climbs towards the glacier-capped volcano that gave the whole area its name, and out in front is cold, deep water.

The whale watching tour on Snæfellsnes runs from Ólafsvík.^[1] The Ólafsvík whale watching tour lasts 3 hours, has a live tour guide who speaks English, and starts from US$116.^[2] It is rated 4.57 from 273 reviews, with guides at 4.7, transportation at 4.7 and value for money at 4.4.^[2] Reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[2] The practical side is simple: pick a day, pick a departure, and be at the harbour a little early.

Ólafsvík: a harbour town on the north coast

Ólafsvík rewards an hour of wandering. The harbour is the centre of things, with fishing boats tied up along the quay and the mountains on the far side of the bay catching the light. There is a church on the hill above town with a strikingly modern shape, and a couple of places to sit over coffee while you wait for your departure time. Ólafsvík whale watching takes 3 hours, so a morning sailing leaves the whole afternoon free for driving and stopping.^[2]

The peninsula has more than one way to get on or into the water. At Grundarfjörður, the Mt. Kirkjufell daytime kayaking adventure runs for 2 hours with an English-speaking guide and starts from US$120.^[6] Inland from the coast, the Vatnshellir lava cave tour goes underground for 45 minutes, has a live English-speaking guide and starts from US$46.^[5] Both are easy to slot in around a whale watching departure if you are spending the night on the peninsula.

The north coast road near Ólafsvík, where the whale watching boats leave from.

What you might see out on the water

The water off the north coast of Snæfellsnes is cold, deep and full of food, which is the simple reason whales gather here in the warmer months. Humpback whales are the big draw on many trips, rising to blow and then folding that long back and tail down into the swell. Minke whales are smaller and quicker, white-beaked dolphins often travel in groups, and harbour porpoises show up as brief dark rolls of back. Nothing is guaranteed on the open sea, and a slow day can still be a good day out on the water.

Birds are the reliable part of the show. Puffins, guillemots, fulmars and kittiwakes nest at Londrangar from late spring to summer, and you will often pass rafts of seabirds sitting on the water or streaming along the cliffs.^[7] Further round the coast the cliffs at Arnarstapi and Hellnar hold colonies of their own, so a boat trip and a clifftop walk make a natural pair on the same day, one looking up at the birds and one looking down on them.

Getting to Ólafsvík from Reykjavík

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula sits 136 km (85 mi) from Reykjavík, roughly a 2-hour drive via Route 1 and Route 54.^[3] In practice that means leaving the city in the morning, crossing the flat farmland around Borgarnes, and then following the coast north with the sea on one side and the mountains on the other. If you are joining a boat in Ólafsvík, allow yourself time to stop on the way. The drive is part of the day, not just the commute to it.

If you would rather not drive back the same evening, Hotel Snæfellsnes sits in the middle of the peninsula, 32 km from Stykkishólmur, 38 km from Grundarfjörður, 57 km from Ólafsvík, 35 km from Búðir, 54 km from Arnarstapi and 58 km from Hellnar.^[8] Staying over turns a rushed return trip into a slow loop of the coast, and it puts you within easy reach of an early departure the next morning.

Building a full day around the peninsula

Whichever way you drive it, the peninsula hands you landmarks in quick succession. Kirkjufell, the cone-shaped mountain near Grundarfjörður, stands 463 meters (1,519 feet) high and is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland.^[9] On the south coast, Djúpalónssandur is known for its four historic lifting stones, the remains of the British trawler Epine GY7 wrecked here in 1948, the natural rock arch Gatklettur and its black pebble beach at the foot of Snæfellsjökull glacier.^[10]

At Arnarstapi there is a small, easy hiking trail that starts very close to the Bardur statue and takes about 2 hours return along the coastline, past basalt columns, rock arches and nesting birds.^[11] The statue remembers Bárður Snæfellsás, who in Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss was the settler of this area, half a troll and half a man, with a half-titan father and a human mother.^[12] A little further east, Búðakirkja is a small wooden church on the south side of the peninsula.^[13]

Above all of it stands Snæfellsjökull, 1,446 meters high, inside a national park established in 2001.^[14] If you want to add something warmer to the day, Lýsulaugar has geothermal baths including two hot tubs, a large geothermal swimming pool and a cold tub.^[15] Horse riding tours with Stóri-Kambur go into the heart of Snæfellsnes in West Iceland, another way to see the country between the coast road and the mountains.^[16]

Weather, clothing and sea legs

The weather on Snæfellsnes is overall quite good throughout the year, but it can change quickly, and having a flexible travel plan is a good idea, especially in winter.^[17] On a boat that matters more than it does on land. The air off the north coast feels several degrees colder than the streets of Reykjavík even on a still day, and spray does the rest. Dress in layers, with a windproof and waterproof outer shell, and take a hat and gloves even in midsummer.

Seasickness is worth planning for if you are prone to it. Take any medication well before you step aboard, keep your eyes on the horizon rather than your phone, and stay out on deck where the air moves. A camera with a longer lens is useful for whales that surface at a distance, and a dry bag keeps everything safe from spray. Most boats will hand out overalls, but the warmth underneath them is your own business.

Choosing between the peninsula's tours

The whale watching trip is a single, focused outing. If you would rather see the whole peninsula in one go, the From Reykjavik: Snæfellsnes Peninsula Full-Day Tour runs for 11 hours, is rated 4.72 from 3,765 reviews and starts from US$145.^[4] A second option, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and Kirkjufell Small-Group Tour, takes 12 hours, is rated 4.60 from 478 reviews and starts from US$138.^[18] The Reykjavik: Snaefellsnes & Mt. Kirkjufell Guided Minibus Tour also runs for 11 hours and starts from US$161, rated 4.77 from 789 reviews.^[19]

Longer trips exist if Snæfellsnes is one stop on a bigger loop. The 7-Day Around Iceland Ring Road & Snæfellsnes tour starts from US$2198, and the 2-Day West Tour with Snæfellsnes & Silver Circle starts from US$553.^[20][21] These are separate products with their own itineraries and their own prices, and each listing is worth reading in full before you commit. Whale watching and a peninsula day tour can also sit side by side in the same trip, one on water and one on the road, with the boat trip as the quieter half.

Plan your whale watch day

1. Get to Ólafsvík

   The peninsula sits 136 km (85 mi) from Reykjavík, roughly a 2-hour drive via Route 1 and Route 54.^[3]

2. Book the boat

   Reserve the Ólafsvík whale watching tour now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.^[2]

3. Dress for cold water

   The sea air on the north coast is cold even in summer, so take layers, a waterproof outer layer, a hat and gloves.

4. Allow time on the coast road

   Kirkjufell stands 463 meters (1,519 feet) high and is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, a natural stop on the way.^[9]

5. Keep plans flexible

   Weather on Snæfellsnes is overall quite good through the year but can change quickly, so it is worth leaving room to move the boat trip.^[17]

Good to know first