The fjord · The falls · The lagoon

Akureyri Iceland Tours

Whale boats, Mývatn days, lagoon tickets and food walks from the town on the fjord

Akureyri tours take you out onto Iceland's longest fjord for humpbacks, east to waterfalls and lava fields, and across the water to a lagoon in the woods. Every card shows where your day starts, what the fare leaves out and how cancelling works, so you book the right one.

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Every tour here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so you can book now and decide later.

60 kmIceland’s longest fjord

24 hFree cancellation window

From $80Lagoon, towel and a drink

Hours, prices and access verified by the Akureyri Iceland Tours team — last checked 2026-09-23.

Akureyri Iceland Tours › Tours & Tickets 2026 Updated: 2026-09-23

Start here

Top Akureyri Tours for 2026

The best Akureyri tour is the one that starts where your day already is, so read the first line on each card before the price.

Best seller

Akureyri: 3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour by Ship

★★★★★ 4.6 (3,774 reviews · 3 hours)

Boards at the town harbourFree retry if no whalesLarge boat, indoor seatingWarm overalls provided

Walk to the pier in the centre of Akureyri and board a large ship for two and a half to three and a half hours on the fjord. A naturalist guide talks you through what surfaces, and thermal overalls come in children's sizes as well as adult ones. When the wind bites, a heated indoor saloon with big windows and Wi-Fi keeps you warm, and food and drinks are sold on board. If no whales or dolphins appear, the listing offers a free ticket for a later sailing within two years, though no pickup is included.

From $105 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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

★★★★☆ 4.5 (546 reviews · 5 to 6 hours)

Collected on your ship’s pierBaths optional, entry extraMax 19 guestsTransport in the fare

Step off your ship and find the sign in the car park on your pier, where the coach collects you for a five-to-six-hour day built around a port call. Half an hour at the big waterfall on the road east comes first, then about three hours around the lake: steaming vents, lava pillars and a cave in the lava. An hour at the Mývatn baths is optional when your ship's schedule allows, and the entry is extra. Groups run to nineteen at most, food is not included, and the coach brings you back to the pier.

Meet at your ship's pier car park
Goðafoss waterfall, 30 minutes
Around Lake Mývatn, 3 hours
Optional Mývatn Nature Baths stop, entry extra
Hverir geothermal area, 20 minutes
Dimmuborgir lava formations, 20 minutes
Grjótagjá cave, 15 minutes
Back to the pier

From $197 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Best value

Akureyri: Admission to Forest Lagoon with Towel and Drink

★★★★★ 4.7 (684 reviews · Valid 1 day)

At the lagoon, across the fjordTowel, locker and a drink

Collect the day's entry, a towel, a locker and one drink at the swim-up bar with this ticket to the geothermal lagoon in the woods across the fjord. Stay as long as you like on the date you pick, with shampoo, conditioner and body wash waiting in the showers. Having the towel in the fare saves renting one at the door, while swimwear and bathrobes are not included. The lagoon sits about five minutes' drive from central Akureyri, so it fits around a boat trip or a day on the road.

From $80 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

⚖

Best Guides

Akureyri Iceland guided tours here put a naturalist on the whale boats and a local guide on the road east, so you hear what you are looking at while it is in front of you.

✓

Book With Confidence

Every Akureyri Iceland booking here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead, and each card shows the fare, where the day starts and what it leaves you to pay.

★

Experience of a Lifetime

Watch a humpback surface in a flat fjord, stand in the spray of a waterfall an hour from town, then end the day in warm water under a pale northern sky.

FREE CANCELLATION up to 24 hours ahead on every tour and ticket here, so you can book now and decide later.

Everything available

All Akureyri Tours & Tickets

Akureyri Whale Watching Tours

An Akureyri whale watching tour sails from one of three harbours: the town pier, a village 25 minutes north, or a town an hour east. No whale fare carries you to the boat, so the harbour is the first thing to check.

100% Whale Watching

★★★★★ 4.8 (309 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Boards at Hauganes, 25 min northGetting there is up to youGuide included

Drive 25 minutes north of Akureyri to a small village harbour and sail for two and a half hours on the fjord with a local guide. Live commentary runs throughout, light refreshments are handed round, and all taxes and fees are in the fare. The listing marks the trip as open to wheelchairs and strollers, which few boats on the fjord state at all. Getting there is up to you, since no pickup is included, so plan the drive before you book.

From $90 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Express Whale Watching by RIB boat

★★★★★ 4.7 (195 reviews · 2 hours)

Boards at the town harbourFree retry if no whalesRIB speedboatMax 12 guests

Race out from the town-centre pier in a rigid inflatable boat for two hours, twelve passengers at most, with overalls, goggles and gloves handed out before you leave. It is the shortest whale trip from the town harbour and the smallest group, which suits travellers short on time. If no whales show, you can come back free on the classic ship sailing. Food, drinks and hotel pickup are not included, and the listing sets age and size limits, so check them when you book.

From $195 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Top rated

Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★ 4.9 (527 reviews · 2 hours)

Boards in Húsavík, 1 h eastGetting there is up to youRIB speedboatMax 12 guests

Check in 30 minutes before departure at a ticket office an hour's drive east of Akureyri, then spend two hours on the bay in a twelve-seat RIB. A guide rides separately from the driver, and warm water-resistant overalls, a life jacket and a raincoat when needed are all provided. Gloves and hats are not, so bring your own for the spray. Transport there is not in the fare, which makes this the choice for travellers with a car and a spare morning.

From $166 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Day Tours

Akureyri day tours drive east to the big waterfalls and the lake, collecting you in town or at the cruise terminal. The bath stop is an extra you pay at the door, and no day fare here includes food.

Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

★★★★★ 4.7 (92 reviews · 8 hours)

Town pickups at 9:00Mývatn baths entry extraMax 18 guestsTransport in the fare

Nine o'clock pickups at a hotel, an ice-cream shop or the cultural centre in town start an eight-hour day with transport and a guide. Twenty minutes at the big waterfall come first, then about six hours in the lake area: steaming vents, a cave, the pseudocraters and the lava formations. The last hour is at the Mývatn baths, where the entry fee is yours to pay. Food and drink are excluded, so bring your own lunch or budget for a café stop.

From $197 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri to Lake Myvatn and Nature Baths Small Group Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (19 reviews · 8 hours)

Collected at the cruise terminalMývatn baths entry extraMax 8 guestsMinimum 2 to book

Wait at the cruise terminal entrance that faces the car park, where a guide in a turquoise jacket meets an eight-seat minibus. The day runs eight hours, with forty-five minutes at the waterfall and four stops around the lake before an hour at the Mývatn baths. Bath admission and meals are extra, and bookings need two people at least. You get the smallest group of any lake day here, which suits a couple or a small family.

From $215 per person (minimum 2)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss and Goddafoss Waterfalls Day Tour from Akureyri

★★★★★ 4.8 (39 reviews · 7 to 9 hours)

Hotel pickup in AkureyriMývatn baths entry extraMax 17 guestsMinimum 2 to book

Hotel pickup in Akureyri from nine starts a seven-to-nine-hour day that takes in two waterfalls and the lake. Forty minutes at the bigger of the two falls comes first, then fifteen at the second, then the steaming vents, the cave, the pseudocraters and the lava formations. About an hour and twenty minutes at the Mývatn baths closes the loop, with the entry extra. Food is not included and you must book for two at least, so it suits pairs with a full day to give.

From $302 per person (minimum 2)

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Shore Excursions

Akureyri shore excursions are timed for a ship in port, with a pickup on the pier or a sailing a short walk from it. Among Akureyri tours shore excursions are the ones built around a ship's hours.

Goðafoss Waterfall from Akureyri Port

★★★★★ 4.8 (325 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Collected at the cruise terminalSnacks includedWi-Fi on board

Board an air-conditioned coach at the cruise terminal for a two-and-a-half-hour run through the tunnel on Route 1 to the big waterfall east of town. You get an hour at the falls, with snacks, Wi-Fi on board and restroom access at the hotel beside them. Bottled water and lunch are not included, so carry a drink from the ship. It is the shortest land trip here from the pier, built for a short call in port.

From $128 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Lake Myvatn Godafoss and Lava Fields Tour

★★★★★ 5.0 (21 reviews · 6 hours)

Collected at the cruise terminalTransport in the fareGuide included

Collected and returned at the cruise port, this six-hour day runs east with an English-speaking guide and transport included. Forty-five minutes at the waterfall and as long in the lava formations are the longest stops, with the pseudocraters, the cave and the steaming ground at the foot of Námafjall between them. A ten-minute pause at a smaller lake on the way out breaks up the drive. There is no stop at the Mývatn baths, so you pay nothing at a door, while food and drinks are excluded.

From $180 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri: Whale Watching Shore Excursions

★★★★★ 4.6 (584 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Boards at the town harbourFree retry if no whalesLarge boat, indoor seatingWarm overalls provided

Leave from the ticket office on the town-centre harbour for two and a half hours on the fjord, a short walk from where most cruise ships dock in Akureyri. Warm overalls come in children's sizes, and heated indoor seating and Wi-Fi wait when the deck gets cold. Hot drinks and snacks are sold on board, and no pickup is included. If you see no whales, the listing adds a second-chance ticket, so a quiet morning is not wasted.

From $103 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Food Tours

An Akureyri food tour is a guided walk through the town centre with the eating built into the fare. It doubles as an Akureyri walking tour, and the tasting walk runs from mid-May to September.

Akureyri Food Walk With 4-5 Tastings and a Local Guide

★★★★★ 4.9 (80 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes)

Meets at Hof, in townMax 15 guestsRuns mid-May to SeptemberThe food is in the fare

Meet at the big round building by the water and spend two and a half hours on foot through central Akureyri with a local guide. Four or five tastings at local venues add up to lunch or dinner, so plan it in place of your next meal. Groups are capped at fifteen, strollers are fine, and there is no transport to arrange. The walk runs from mid-May to September, so it suits a summer visit or a cruise call in season.

From $140 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri: City Walk with Local Food

★★★★★ 5.0 (9 reviews · 3 hours)

Meets at Hof or the cruise portThe food is in the fareGuide included

Join a local guide at the cultural centre in town or at the cruise port for three hours in central Akureyri, about an hour of walking and an hour at the table. Local food is served at two restaurants along the way, so you finish fed as well as oriented. The two pickup points make it an easy first afternoon off a ship. The fare covers the guide and the food, and a jacket for the weather is all you need to bring.

From $131 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Akureyri Zipline and Northern Lights Tours

Akureyri zipline and northern lights tours fill the hours either side of a boat or a day on the road. The Akureyri northern lights tour offers a second night if the sky stays empty.

Akureyri: Zipline Tour

★★★★★ 4.9 (405 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)

Starts at its base in townMax 12 guestsAll gear providedGuide included

Fly five ziplines of different lengths across the canyon that cuts through Akureyri, with short hikes between them and trained, qualified guides. The tour lasts an hour and a half from its base in town, with the safety gear and a briefing included. Groups top out at twelve, and the listing sets age and weight limits, so check them first. There is nothing else to pay once you arrive, and you can fit it around a morning boat.

From $95 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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Northern Lights Tour from Akureyri

★★★★☆ 4.4 (127 reviews · 3 hours)

Collected from town hotelsSecond night if no lightsTransport in the fareGuide included

Pickup from select hotels in town starts a three-hour evening drive in a climate-controlled van to a dark viewpoint about twenty minutes away. You spend about an hour and a half there with a local guide, away from the town's lights. Nobody can promise the sky, so the listing adds a second attempt the following night if nothing shows. Food is not included, so wear every layer you packed and bring a warm drink.

From $113 per person

Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

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The town on the fjord

About Akureyri

Akureyri is a town of about 20,000 people at the head of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland at 60 km, and its nickname is the Capital of the North. Join us for the side of Iceland most visitors reach last: humpbacks in the fjord a short walk from the main street, waterfalls and lava fields an hour's drive east, and warm water in the woods across the bay. Most of what you book here is a way out of town, and the notes below say where each day begins.

The Town and Its Sights

Akureyrarkirkja, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson and consecrated in 1940, looks down the main street from its hill. The botanic garden above it opened as a park in 1912 and costs nothing all year, the art museum charges 2,400 ISK, and Forest Lagoon sits 3.6 km across the fjord. The centre is walkable in an afternoon, and the town buses are free.

Getting Here and Where Tours Start

Akureyri is a short domestic flight from Reykjavík, a full day's drive on Route 1, or a cruise call: up to 200 ship visits a year berth at the piers by the centre. Whale boats leave the harbour beside Hof Cultural Centre, day tours collect you at the cruise terminal or at hotels, and the Hauganes and Húsavík boats need your own transport.

Seasons, Light and Weather

Summer brings close to 24 hours of daylight around the June solstice, puffins off Húsavík from about 15 April to 15 August, and the food walks from mid-May. From September through April the northern lights show on clear, dark nights, and Road 862 to the west bank of Dettifoss is out of winter service from January until early April.

A humpback's back breaking calm water below a line of snowy mountains

A wide horseshoe waterfall under a pink and gold sunset sky

Geothermal pools terraced into a wooded slope above the fjord at dusk

What you will see

Named Highlights of Akureyri

What a day from here is built around, from the whales in the fjord to the warm water across it.

Humpbacks in the fjordEyjafjörður runs 60 km out to the open sea, and the boats from the harbour beside Hof Cultural Centre sail it for humpbacks, minke whales and dolphins.
A waterfall on the road eastGoðafoss drops 12 m across a 30 m-wide curve of the Skjálfandafljót, about 40 minutes from town by road.
Lava, craters and steamAround Lake Mývatn the day tours stop at the lava formations of Dimmuborgir, the pseudocraters at Skútustaðagígar, the Grjótagjá cave and the steaming ground at Hverir.
A longer drive to a bigger fallDettifoss falls 45 m over a 100 m-wide edge, about two hours from town, and Vatnajökull National Park calls it the most powerful waterfall in Europe.
Warm water across the fjordForest Lagoon sits in the woods at Vaðlaskógur, 3.6 km from the centre, with two pools at 37 °C and swim-up bars.
Puffins in seasonThe RIBs from Húsavík, about an hour's drive east, pass Puffin Island from about 15 April to 15 August, weather permitting.

Plan your visit

Everything You Need Before You Go

Where tours startWhat the fare leaves outWhen to goA cruise day

Most whale boats leave the town harbour beside Hof Cultural Centre, a short walk from the cruise piers. The village boat sails from Hauganes, 25 minutes north, and the Húsavík boats sit about an hour east, with check-in 30 to 40 minutes before departure. Day tours collect you at the cruise terminal or at hotels in town.

Meeting points on the map

No whale fare includes getting to the boat, and every day tour that stops at Earth Lagoon Mývatn, the former Mývatn Nature Baths, leaves the entry to you, from 7,900 ISK. The lagoon ticket is the exception, with a towel, a locker and a drink in it. Akureyri Iceland ticket prices here start at $80.

What each fare buys

June is the sunniest month, with about 177 hours of sun in the Met Office averages, and May the driest at about 19 mm. October is the wettest at about 58 mm, and December sees no sun at all. The northern lights show from September through April on clear, dark nights.

Month-by-month weather

Most ships dock close to the town centre or about ten minutes' walk away, so the town-harbour whale boats are within reach on foot. Pier pickups run to the lake and the waterfall in five to six hours, or to the waterfall alone in two and a half. Leave the boats an hour away to a long call and your own transport.

A cruise day, hour by hour

Straight answer

Do You Need a Tour in Akureyri?

Not for the town itself. Akureyri is free to walk, the church and the botanic garden cost nothing, the town buses are free, and Forest Lagoon runs its own shuttle from the cruise pier in summer. Akureyri Iceland tickets you can buy at the door include the lagoon at 7,490 ISK, the town pool at 1,400 ISK and the art museum at 2,400 ISK.

A tour earns its fare where the town stops. Every whale trip is a boat, the lake and the big waterfalls sit an hour or two away by road, and the northern lights need a drive out of the town's glow. Without a car, and in winter without driving Route 1 yourself, a seat on a guided day is the simple way there.

See Top Tours A day without a tour

Book with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, and a change of plan costs you nothing.

Which one is me

Choosing the Right Tour for You

Start from where you wake up and whether you have a car; the right tour follows from those two.

Off a ship for the day

The lake and waterfall shore excursion collects you on your pier and brings you back in five to six hours. For a short call, the waterfall run gives you an hour at the falls in two and a half, and every pier pickup sits on Akureyri shore excursions.

Whales, on foot from town

The classic whale tour Akureyri is known for sails from the pier in the centre, and the listing offers a free later sailing if nothing surfaces. The big ship with the heated saloon is the one most travellers book.

Whales and puffins, with a car

The nearest thing to an Akureyri puffin tour is a RIB from the bay an hour east, where the boats pass Puffin Island from mid-April to mid-August. Allow the drive and the check-in before you pick a sailing time.

Both big waterfalls

A Dettifoss tour from Akureyri is a seven-to-nine-hour day that adds the bigger fall to the lake. Road 862 is not in winter service from January until the beginning of April, so winter days keep to the lake.

An easy afternoon

The lagoon ticket with a towel and a drink has no time limit on the day. It is the lowest fare here and needs no guide.

A first look at the town

The nearest thing to an Akureyri city tour is a guided walk with food, from the town centre; every one is on Akureyri food tours, and the town itself is free to walk.

Compare

Which Akureyri Tour Is Right for You?

Akureyri Iceland tours and tickets, most reviewed first, from a lagoon ticket to a nine-hour day by road. Where the day starts and what the fare covers differ most, so read those two columns before the price.

Tour	Rating	Where it starts	The fare covers	Fare	Best for
Akureyri: 3-Hour Classic Whale Watching Tour by Ship	4.6 (3,774)	Boards at the town harbour	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $105 per person	Walkers and families who want a big, warm boat	Book
Whale Watching from Downtown Akureyri	4.6 (1,096)	Boards at the town harbour	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $104 per person	Anyone who wants three hours on a large boat	Book
Akureyri: Admission to Forest Lagoon with Towel and Drink	4.7 (684)	At the lagoon, across the fjord	Entry, a towel, a locker and one drink	From $80 per person	Anyone who wants a warm, easy afternoon or evening	Book
Akureyri: Whale Watching Shore Excursions	4.6 (584)	Boards at the town harbour	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $103 per person	Cruise passengers who want whales without a transfer	Book
Lake Myvatn Day Tour and Godafoss Waterfall for Cruise Ships from Akureyri Port	4.5 (546)	Collected on your ship’s pier	The driving and a guide	From $197 per person	Cruise passengers who want the lake in one call	Book
Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík	4.9 (527)	Boards in Húsavík, 1 h east	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $166 per person	Drivers who want a small RIB and a guide	Book
Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík	4.8 (491)	Boards in Húsavík, 1 h east	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $173 per person	Drivers who want puffins with the whales in season	Book
Traditional Whale Watching from Húsavík by Local Family Company	4.4 (445)	Boards in Húsavík, 1 h east	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $98 per person	Drivers who want a traditional wooden boat	Book
Akureyri: Zipline Tour	4.9 (405)	Starts at its base in town	Five ziplines, the gear and the guides	From $95 per person	Active travellers aged eight and up	Book
Goðafoss Waterfall from Akureyri Port	4.8 (325)	Collected at the cruise terminal	The driving and a snack	From $128 per person	Short port calls that still want a waterfall	Book
100% Whale Watching	4.8 (309)	Boards at Hauganes, 25 min north	The sailing, a guide	From $90 per person	Drivers who want a quieter village harbour	Book
Akureyri Express Whale Watching by RIB boat	4.7 (195)	Boards at the town harbour	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $195 per person	Adults short on time who want speed	Book
Northern Lights Tour from Akureyri	4.4 (127)	Collected from town hotels	The drive, a guide and a second night if needed	From $113 per person	Winter visitors who want a dark sky without driving	Book
Forest Lagoon Admission Ticket with Towel and One Drink included	4.6 (117)	At the lagoon, across the fjord	Entry, a towel, a locker and one drink	From $83 per person	Bathers who want the same lagoon on another date	Book
Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri	4.7 (92)	Town pickups at 9:00	The driving and a guide	From $197 per person	Visitors staying in town who want a full lake day	Book
Akureyri Food Walk With 4-5 Tastings and a Local Guide	4.9 (80)	Meets at Hof, in town	A guide and the food at every stop	From $140 per person	Food lovers who want lunch or dinner on foot	Book
Whale Watching Tour from Akureyri City Central	4.7 (58)	Boards at the town harbour	The sailing, a guide, warm overalls	From $104 per person	Visitors who want an unhurried sailing from town	Book
Lake Mývatn and Powerful Dettifoss Day Tour from Akureyri	4.8 (50)	Hotel pickup in Akureyri	The driving and a guide	From $395 per person	Adults who want the 4x4 day to both falls	Book
Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss and Goddafoss Waterfalls Day Tour from Akureyri	4.8 (39)	Hotel pickup in Akureyri	The driving and a guide	From $302 per person (minimum 2)	Pairs who want both waterfalls in one day	Book
Akureyri: Food Walk With 4-5 Tastings and Local Guide	4.7 (23)	Meets at Hof, in town	A guide and the food at every stop	From $140 per person	Food lovers who want the walk with a local guide	Book
Akureyri Lake Myvatn Godafoss and Lava Fields Tour	5.0 (21)	Collected at the cruise terminal	The driving and a guide	From $180 per person	Cruise passengers who want long stops and no bath fee	Book
Akureyri to Lake Myvatn and Nature Baths Small Group Tour	5.0 (19)	Collected at the cruise terminal	The driving; the listing names no guide	From $215 per person (minimum 2)	Couples who want an eight-seat minibus	Book
Akureyri: City Walk with Local Food	5.0 (9)	Meets at Hof or the cruise port	A guide and the food at every stop	From $131 per person	First-time visitors who want the town and a meal	Book

The forecast promised rain, but the fjord lay flat as a mirror and the mist lifted after an hour. Two whales came close to the boat.Andy · The classic Akureyri whale sailing

A knowledgeable guide with a sense of humour. My one regret was skipping the baths.James N. · The lake and waterfall day from the Akureyri port

The free shuttle from the cruise terminal worked, and nobody put a time limit on our stay. Spotless, too.Robert Paul · The Akureyri lagoon ticket

What to expect

How a Akureyri Tour Runs

Pick where the day starts

The first line on each card says it: the town harbour, the cruise pier, a hotel pickup or a harbour out of town.

Check what the fare leaves out

The second line names the bath entry, the drive to the boat, or the towel and drink the lagoon ticket includes.

Dress for the fjord

Bring a hat, gloves and a warm layer: the overalls on most boats go over your clothes, not instead of them.

Cancel free if plans change

Every tour and ticket here refunds in full up to 24 hours before it starts.

See Top Tours

Traveller reviews

Akureyri Tours Reviews

Travellers’ own words about the whale boats, the days on the road, the lagoon and the food walk, with the stars each of them gave.

★★★★★

The classic Akureyri whale sailing

We booked it for a birthday, the two of us, on friends' advice. Whales came up five times, and the guide on deck was fun and informative.

Anastasiia · Couple · Sweden · September 2026

★★★☆☆

The three-hour Akureyri whale sailing

An hour out, an hour with two humpbacks, an hour back. A standard whale trip.

Erica B. · September 2026

★★★★☆

The Akureyri RIB whale run

A cold, windy day and a choppy, painful ride out, though our teenage girls laughed through it. Once the whales appeared it got easier, and the crew followed them well.

Corey B. · Family · July 2025

★★★★★

The village whale boat north of Akureyri

My wife and I booked on a whim and it paid off. We met a humpback the crew knew by name, with snacks and hot chocolate on board.

Joseph W. · Couple · July 2026

★★★★★

The whale and puffin RIB, an hour east

A friendly crew who knew their work and ran the trip efficiently. The boat was comfortable, and it was the first time I had ever seen whales.

Elo S. · First-timer · September 2025

★★★★★

The oak-boat whale trip, an hour east

We had car trouble on a five-hour drive to make the boat, and the office kept in touch and held it for us. Three whales, fine weather, and a guide who knew each one by name.

Lucy S. · Family · June 2026

★★★★★

The eight-seat lake day from Akureyri

An earlier start to beat the big coaches, and a comfortable minivan. The guide plainly loves the land.

Janet M. · August 2026

★★★★★

The two-waterfall day from Akureyri

A long day, but worth it to see the big sights in one go. The waterfalls outshone the lake.

Mike C. · September 2026

★★★★★

The Akureyri Food Walk

From a hot-dog stand to lamb at a fine restaurant. Eating with someone born here was the best part.

Kathy L. · September 2026

★★★★★

The lagoon ticket, on the other listing

Relaxing, not very crowded, and the scenery makes the backdrop. Our whole family enjoyed it.

KA R. · Family · June 2026

★★★★★

The Akureyri canyon zipline

The guides slowed their English down for us. They explained everything twice.

Heike · Germany · September 2026

★★★★★

The northern lights hunt from Akureyri

They drove to three dark spots away from the town lights. We saw the aurora at each one.

Susan · United Kingdom · February 2026

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Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Akureyri tours cost?

From about $80 for the Forest Lagoon ticket with a towel and a drink, and $90 to $105 for a whale sailing on a conventional boat. A RIB runs $166 to $195, and a day on the road to Lake Mývatn or Dettifoss $180 to $395. Every fare here is per person.

Where do the whale watching boats leave from?

Most sail from the harbour beside the Hof Cultural Centre in the town centre, at Oddeyrarbót 1 and 2. One boat leaves Hauganes, 25 minutes north, and the Húsavík boats leave about an hour east. No whale fare includes getting to the boat.

Can I go whale watching from Húsavík on a cruise stop in Akureyri?

Only with your own transport and a long call. Húsavík is about an hour each way, check-in is 30 to 40 minutes before the sailing, and no fare carries a transfer. On a port day, the boats from the town harbour are the safe choice: the pier is a walk away.

What happens if we don't see any whales?

The boats from the town harbour give you a free place on a later sailing. The Gentle Giants boats in Húsavík give a voucher for another trip instead of a refund. The Hauganes boat and the Húsavík Adventures RIB state no second-chance offer, so read the card.

Do I need to book in advance?

In summer and on cruise days, yes: the RIBs seat 12 and the smallest Mývatn minibus seats eight. Every listing here cancels free up to 24 hours before the start, so booking early costs you nothing if your plans move.

Is there a Lake Mývatn tour from the cruise port?

Yes. Several day tours collect you at the cruise terminal or on the pier where your ship docks, drive to Goðafoss and on to Lake Mývatn, and bring you back in five to eight hours. For a short call there is a two-and-a-half-hour run to the waterfall and back.

Is the Mývatn Nature Baths entry included in day tours?

No. Every day tour that stops at Earth Lagoon Mývatn, the new name for the Mývatn Nature Baths, lists the entry as excluded. The lagoon's basic ticket starts from 7,900 ISK, paid at the door, and one shore excursion stops there only if the ship's schedule allows.

How far is Goðafoss from Akureyri?

Goðafoss is about 40 minutes east of the town by road. The port run gives you an hour at the falls; the longer days stop there for 15 to 45 minutes on the way to the lake.

Can I see Dettifoss on a day trip?

Yes, on the longest days, seven to nine hours. Dettifoss is about two hours from the town, and the paved western road is not in winter service from January until the beginning of April, so check the season before you book.

When can I see the northern lights in Akureyri?

From September through April, on clear, dark nights. No one can promise them, and the guided hunt here does not: it offers a second night free if nothing shows, which is the opposite of guaranteed northern lights.

When are puffins at Húsavík?

Roughly about 15 April to 15 August, by the Húsavík RIB operators' own reckoning. Outside that window the same boats are whale trips only, and the Puffin Island pass can be skipped for weather even in season.

Is Forest Lagoon worth it, and how do I get there?

Forest Lagoon sits 3.6 km across the fjord, and its own free shuttle runs from the cruise pier in summer and from the town centre in the evening. The towel-and-drink ticket saves renting a towel at the door for 1,400 ISK, and it carries no time limit.

Are there food tours in Akureyri?

Yes. The Akureyri Food Walk leaves the Hof Cultural Centre with four or five tastings and runs from mid-May to September. A second walk, with food at two restaurants, takes about three hours. The food is the fare on both.

Can children join these tours?

Mostly. The larger whale boats carry children's overalls; the RIBs set a minimum age, the zipline starts at 8, and Forest Lagoon sends under-12s out by 20:00. The 4x4 Dettifoss day books ages 16 and up only.

Is there a private tour?

Not among these: no tour listed here is private. The smallest groups are the eight-seat Mývatn minibus, which needs two to book, and the 12-seat RIBs and 4x4 day.

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Photographs

Akureyri Gallery

A humpback whale breaching clear of the water beside a dark mountainside

A grey torrent pouring into a basalt canyon, a rainbow in the spray

A huge volcanic crater ring seen from the air, a lake and flat moorland beyond

Green northern lights arcing over a snow-covered ridge at night

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Beyond the tour

Beyond the Tour

What else the day holds once the guided hours are over, in town and out on the fjord.

The free half of the day

The church on its hill, the botanic garden that opened as a park in 1912, the red-heart traffic lights and the town buses all cost nothing, whichever tour you book.

Islands in the fjord

A ferry from Árskógssandur reaches Hrísey in about 15 minutes, and Grímsey, the only Icelandic ground on the Arctic Circle, is about three hours by ferry from Dalvík.

An evening in warm water

The town pool charges 1,400 ISK for an adult and has hot tubs at 38 to 42 °C, and the lagoon across the fjord stays open until midnight.

Read before you go

Akureyri Travel Guides and Advice

Plan your visit

How to Visit Akureyri: Getting There, Where Days Start and What to Book (2026)

By road, by air or off a ship, then where each day here begins, from the harbour by the cultural centre to a harbour town an hour east. What to book before you arrive.

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On the road east

A Mývatn Day Trip from Akureyri, Stop by Stop

The pseudocraters, the lava labyrinth, the cave you can no longer bathe in and the steaming mud field: what each stop is, how long you get, and the bath that costs extra.

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The town

Facts About Akureyri That Will Surprise You

Red hearts in the traffic lights, a fjord 60 km long, a botanic garden this close to the Arctic Circle, and free buses. The town in sourced facts, with no padding.

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Read all posts Planning guides

Where it is

Visitor Information for Akureyri

Akureyri, North Iceland
At the head of Eyjafjörður, 65°41′N 18°06′W

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Name

Akureyri tourist information, in the cultural centre on the harbour.

Address

Hof, Strandgata 12, 600 Akureyri, Iceland · +354 450 1050. Tours meet at the harbour, the cruise terminal, hotels in town or harbours out of town.

Hours

The desk opens 08:00 to 16:00 from June to August, 09:00 to 14:00 in April, May and from September to mid-October, and closed from 16 October to the end of March. The town itself never closes and charges nothing to walk.

Getting there

Fly in from Reykjavík, drive Route 1, or step off a ship at the piers by the centre. The harbours, the cruise piers and every pickup point are laid out on the Akureyri map, with the drive times to the boats out of town.

Book Your Akureyri Tour

Pick where your day starts, then choose your date. Fares here start at $80, an Akureyri Iceland reservation cancels free up to 24 hours ahead, and you pay the price shown on each card.

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