The 15 Best Akureyri Tours & Day Trips

Akureyri: 3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour by Ship - Oddeyrarbót pier start: what to expect before the boat even leaves

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,000 reviews · 3 hours · from $108Our pick

Hop aboard a heated high-speed boat from Akureyri to hunt humpback whales in Eyjafjörður, with thermal gear, Wi-Fi, and expert guides.

“It was great, the fjord is absolutely beautiful. We thought we might see nothing but once we saw the first whale, they were just everywhere. We were very lucky :) we stayed a bit longer than planned, because we were searching for whales longer than expected. The tour operator made sure we are all satisfied by staying a little longer.”

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Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

2.Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 971 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $104

Whale watching from downtown Akureyri on a modified ship to scan Eyjafjord for humpbacks, with thermal gear and onboard Wi-Fi.

“Our whale-watching experience in Akureyri was fantastic. The tour was very well organized, and cruising through the fjord offered stunning views even before we spotted any wildlife. We were incredibly lucky to see five humpback whales, and the crew made the experience even better; professional, friendly, and full of interesting information about the whales and the area. We felt truly grateful for the chance to watch these amazing animals up close. The tour was also great value for the price, especially considering the length of the trip and the wonderful photos we received afterward. Highly recommend!”

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From Akureyri: Myvatn Lake, Craters, & Waterfall Tour

3.Myvatn Lake, Craters, & Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 793 reviews · 6 hours · from $187

Six-hour North Iceland day trip from Akureyri to Myvatn, pseudo-craters, Dimmuborgir lava fields, Goðafoss, and Námaskarð mud pools.

“The two waterfalls were spectacular, the walk over the moon surface was worth the effort, The crater was a splendid sight to see, despite the sulphur smell. Our guide was exceptionally, he was knowledgeable about Iceland, very informative and great sense of humour. Definitely went above and beyond”

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Árskógssandur: Whale-Watching Boat Trip

4.Árskógssandur: Whale-Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 695 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $96

Whale watching in Árskógssandur on a traditional oak boat in sheltered Eyjafjörður, with hot chocolate, overalls, and humpback sightings.

“We saw many whales and the guide told us many interesting things about them.”

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Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

5.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203Top rated

Small-group RIB whale watching from Húsavík with warm suits, Skjálfandi Bay sightings, and seasonal puffin stops on Lundey.

“We had great whale sightings, up close. The weather was not great but the crew tried hard for us to have a good experience.”

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Akureyri: 2-Hour Whale Watching Express by RIB Speedboat

6.2-Hour Whale Watching Express by RIB Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

Akureyri RIB whale watch, 2 hours to see humpbacks and minke whales close up, warm overalls included, small group fast search in Eyjafjord.

“The RIB boat experience was exhilarating! Although our butts were a touch sore upon arriving back to the dock, it was a small price to pay for the shear fun of zipping across the open waters as we all panned the sea for a sight of the whales. We saw 4 whales in all. I highly recommend this excursion. It will surely create memories not soon forgotten!”

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Lake Myvatn, Hot-Springs & Godafoss Waterfall Tour from Akureyri

7.Lake Myvatn, Hot-Springs & Godafoss Waterfall Tour from Akureyri

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 478 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $188

A 6-hour Akureyri highlights tour packing Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Dimmuborgir, and geothermal steam into one efficient day.

“I was so disappointed to miss this tour. I had booked it for 10:30 AM, but the tour operator changed the time to 9:30 AM and sent me an email on the morning of the tour. Due to having no Wi-Fi connection on the ship, I didn’t see the email. When I arrived at the meeting point, I was told by another tour operator that the bus had already left. I had to find another excursion on shore, and due to the late booking, I was only able to join a tour to Goðafoss Waterfall—so I missed Lake Mývatn and the hot springs. Fortunately, the tour operator agreed to give…”

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Lake Myvatn Day Tour and Godafoss Waterfall for Cruise Ships from Akureyri Port

8.Lake Myvatn Day Tour and Godafoss Waterfall for Cruise Ships from Akureyri Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 473 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $205

Cruise-day tour from Akureyri: Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn mud pools, lava fields, rift caves, plus optional Mývatn Nature Baths.

“Small group with Jon. He was very good but sometimes difficult to understand due to the accent. Falls were gorgeous”

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Iceland’s Top Grade 4 Rafting – Drysuit, Canyon & Adrenaline

9.Iceland’s Top Grade 4 Rafting – Drysuit, Canyon & Adrenaline

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 438 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $290

Iceland drysuit canyon rafting from Akureyri. Class IV rapids in Jökulsá-Austari gorge, small group, guides, waffles and lamb lunch.

“Super freundliches und kompotentes Team mit sehr viel Humor. Für uns das beste Erlebnis auf Island. Lieben Dank an das Team für den mega tollen Tag.”

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Akureyri: Admission to Forest Lagoon with Towel and Drink

10.Admission to Forest Lagoon with Towel and Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 430 reviews · 1 day · from $82

Forest Lagoon in Akureyri, Iceland. Geothermal pools, Finnish dry sauna, cold plunge, plus a towel and one swim-up bar drink.

“Amazing views, helpful staff and a beautiful venue. Iceland has a lot of things that are very expensive (the taxi to and from the town a 6 minute drive away totalled £30) but this actually felt very good value for money. The swim up bar was also reasonably priced, and no set end time meant you could enjoy it for as long as you wanted. Definitely recommend taking your own towels and swimwear - and a waterproof bag for cameras and phones! You can borrow all of these but that does make the cost rocket quickly.”

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Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

11.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

Húsavík RIB speedboat whale safari with live guides and Puffin Island in season, about 2 hours.

“This was an amazing tour. I highly recommend it to anybody. We had such a great time and had the opportunity to see whales and dolphins.”

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Top-Rated Family Rafting-Warm Drysuits, Volcanic Canyon, Epic Fun

12.Top-Rated Family Rafting-Warm Drysuits, Volcanic Canyon, Epic Fun

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 411 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $187

Family rafting in Iceland’s volcanic canyon with warm drysuits, hot cocoa from geothermal springs, optional cliff jumps, and a 3.5-hour adventure.

“This was the first time I'd ever done white water rafting and I loved it. It was the perfect grade for my 7 year old who had a fantastic time. The team who took us out three boats of people were fantastic and made it fun for all of us, whether that was swimming down the river or cliff jumping optional!!!!, through to the good natured ribbing of people on the boats. I'd highly recommend it”

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Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company

13.Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 389 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $102

Traditional oak boat whale watching in Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík. Warm gear, live guide commentary, and high odds of whales.

“It was a whale tour, but we saw not only whales but puffins also. Guide was very knowledgeable. It was a fun experience.”

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Goðafoss Waterfall Tour from Akureyri Port

14.Goðafoss Waterfall Tour from Akureyri Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 383 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $123

2.5-hour coach trip from Akureyri Port to Goðafoss with live guide, Fjord views, plus coffee and kleina at Hotel Goðafoss.

“Our tour was perfect. We found a lovely, informative and quirky guide in Runa. The waterfall and scenery were beautiful but it was the guide that made it next level. Thanks for the afternoon ❤️”

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