LOCATION

Find us in Hjalteyri

Our whale watching tours near Akureyri depart from the quiet harbour of Hjalteyri, a small village in Eyjafjörður, just north of the city. It is part of Hörgársveit in North Iceland and has a long connection to the sea.

In the past, it served as an important fishing and herring town, and today it offers a calm and beautiful starting point for whale watching.
Hjalteyri gives us quick access to the rich waters of Eyjafjörður, one of the best places in Iceland for whale watching.

Why this place is special?

Not far beneath the surface lies Strýtan, one of the natural wonders of the fjord. It is an underwater hot spring that has been releasing hot water into the sea.

Over time, minerals from the hot fresh water formed a 55-meter limestone chimney, rising to about 15 meters below the surface. Since 2001, Strýtan has been protected as a natural reserve and is described as Iceland’s first underwater protected area. These special conditions help attract marine life, which in turn can attract the whales that feed here.