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Activities : Whale watching

The cool clear North Atlantic encircling Iceland is teeming with whales of various sizes and types. Already thousands of tourists are enjoying whale watching from various sites around the country. The only whale watching port in South Iceland is on the Westman Islands, although the ports of Keflavik and Sandgerði are only a 30 minutes drive from Reykjavík.

www.elding.is Reykjavik

The locations say it all, that whales are all around the coastline. As a pastime it is still exclusive and mostly done on small crafts. And the locations are not swarming with other crafts full of tourists. There are no other boats except those of the local fishermen and apart from sighting the majestic whales guests are treated to a variety of sea birds, seals, plus a glimpse of the midnight sun.

Whale watchers are treated to many species of whales. Most common are the Mink whale and Porpoise, the latter frequently adding spice to the trip by leaping near the boats and following them playfully around. It is not uncommon to see the huge Humpback whales, waving with their tails and if you’re lucky, they will leap, leaving you with such breathtaking image that it in the minds eye never to be forgotten. Killer whales are not uncommon, don't forget that Keiko, perhaps better known as Willy, is a born and bread Icelander (from the movie "Free Willy"). Other types you might run into are Sperm whales (rare) and Pilot whales. In the north around Husavik during the summers you may also get a chance to observe the worlds largest mammal - the threatened blue whale.

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