Most travelers head to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula for its spectacular natural sights, but few know about the marine life here. Avid whale watchers will be surprised to know that this is the best spot in Iceland to spot orcas, or killer whales.
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There are two main locations for spotting whales in Icelandic waters: Reykjavík, the capital located in the south east, and Húsavík, in North Iceland. Different types of tours are available and you may spot different species of whales too depending on the area.
North IcelandIn fact, the town of Húsavik, on Skjálfandi Bay, is often named as the best place to see whales and other marine mammals in all of Europe. Whales are in these waters throughout the year. So, whenever you come, you're very likely to glimpse an animal or two yourself.
Really, don't do it in Reykjavik, you'd better go to Husavik to see whales. We have only seen a couple of whales' backs, but had 3 hours of pure torture, the sea was really rough, a lot of people got sea sick, it was raining and windy and we stayed in all the trip.
But Orcas Island IS a great place to go whale watching! Orca (or killer) whales live in these waters year-round with the most sightings between May and October, when the salmon runs are strongest. This region is one of the best places in the world to see these magnificent animals in the wild.
The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the best places to spot whales in the whole Mediterranean Sea. These waters are mainly inhabited by orca whales, also known as killer whales, which come to feed off of bluefin tuna during spring and summer.