Watching whales has become one of the most common activities among foreign visitors to north iceland. I always seem to be there either too early or too late for the whale sighting season. March is the last month that you should see a decent amount of snow but like with anything weather related in iceland you simply never know. However, it can be a great way to explore the country as long as you are comfortable driving in iceland.
Whaling is the hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil which became increasingly important in the industrial revolution. Iceland, dalvik watching crazy humpback whale from the. March is an excellent month to witness the northern lights dancing in multicolored waves in the dark night sky. Iceland will allow more than 2,000 whales to be killed in. As a disclaimer i havent been there myself but i guess it should be ok because its off route 1 which gets plowed year round.
How to choose the best whale watching tours in iceland and. Genetic material proves that the animal killed off the coast of iceland was not a blue whale but a rare hybrid. As most of greenland lies north of the polar circle, the sun doesnt set in summer. The high season for whale watching starts in april and lasts until midoctober. By the 16th century, it had risen to be the principal industry in the coastal regions of spain and france. When planning what to pack for iceland in march, be prepared for extreme variation in weather. Around 20 species of whale can be found in the sea surrounding the country but the most common are the beaked whale, the humpbacked whale, dolphins and a few others. Expect almost every type of weather cold, sunny, blizzard, windy without snow, snowy without wind, fog, rain, sleet, or small hail. All you need to know about whale watching in iceland. Norway raises limit on number of whales hunters can. Most tours leave from the capital city in a standard whale watching boat as the. Toward the end of march, winter is finally lifting and there will be more hours of. Whale watching is an incredible experience for people of all ages.
All the year around youll be able to see a variety of whales by the coast, from the minke, humpback and killer whales to whitebeaked dolphins and harbor porpoises. This is because iceland is gaining an average 6 and a half minutes of daylight every day. The whale watching begins march 1, so its a perfect timing the day is getting longer, the snow is slowly disappearing, and the whales are reappearing in larger numbers than ever before. Whale watching in march iceland message board tripadvisor. Iceland whaling season under way despite protest iceland fisheries ministry issues whalers with a quota of 154 fin whales in defiance of 1986 ban and more than 700,000 signatures against the hunt afp. Ill be in iceland the last part of february and have plenty of activities schedule. I think ill have to start this discussion about march in iceland with some real talk.
During march you are likely to experience all sorts of weather. It was practiced as an organized industry as early as 875 ad. Whaling in iceland began with speardrift hunting as early as the 12th century, and continued in a vestigial form until the late 19th century, when other countries introduced modern commercial practices. You should definitely stop by husavik, the whale watching capital of iceland. Weather in iceland in march iceland in march sees average low temperatures of 2.
Iceland announces plan to kill over 2,000 whales within. Immigrants in iceland compete to set up food truck representing their home cuisine. March weather in iceland icelandair hotels magazine. Ill share the best whale watching tours in iceland and norway that you should definitely use.
Experience the best iceland has to offer with spectacular whale watching opportunities. March is the best time, as the newborn seals gather at the beach in high numbers. This whale watching tour departs from the old harbour centre of downtown reykjavik which is just a few minutes walking distance from most hotels in reykjavik. Arctic adventures northern whale watching tours have a 98% success rate when it comes to whale sightings. Get the monthly weather forecast for reykjavik, greater reykjavik, iceland, including daily highlow, historical averages, to help you plan ahead. Iceland is a country known for its natural wonders.
It seems to have the highest chance of encountering whales in winter. Seeing those beasts in all their glory is a magnificent experience which i cant recommend highly enough. The laugavegur hiking trail already sold out the entire summer of 20. Best time to visit iceland in 2020 northern lights. The whale of the month for march is the humpback whale one of the most common species seen around iceland. It is often said that the auroras are stronger at the beginning of the season and the end, which march. Generally, the best time to go whale watching in iceland is from april to october. Iceland northern lights tour packages, what to keep in mind. Thats why there are also a lot of tours through the iceberg fields in the evening or at night.
How to choose the best whale watching tours in iceland and norway. Gems of iceland with whale watching zrs 6 day tour from reykjavik to reykjavik active pace. What to pack when travelling to iceland the travel hack. The whale watching begins march 1, so its a perfect timing the day is getting longer, the snow is slowly disappearing, and the whales are re. It is often said that the auroras are stronger at the beginning of the season and the end, which march would definitely qualify for. Elding is the original whale watching tour operator in reykjavik iceland, offering also sea angling, puffing watching and northern lights tours. The archipelago will house the first open sea beluga whale sanctuary in the world, but some are wary about transporting these whales from one form of enclosure to another. The weather starts to calm down toward the end of the month. The massive blue whale has been spotted in late march early april the.
With this trip you will have the entrance to the whales of iceland exhibition, where you will check, in real, how big are these mammals, as they are real scale handmade models that will make you feel that you are swimming in the ocean with them, listening them singing under the water, and also you will see how do their filters and different parts of their bodies like. From november until march its particularly orcas and humpback whales that are. The best time for spotting whales around iceland is the summer. I think the end of february is the absolute best time to visit iceland in winter because. Whale watching tours in the north of iceland dalvik if youre based in the north of the country, a whale watching trip from dalvik is the ideal option for you. March in iceland the best way to do iceland in march.
Visit the whales of iceland exhibition with lifesized models, an interactive installation and virtual reality experience. The ultimate guide to iceland in march guide to iceland. March is not the most fun month of the year weather wise. Whale watching is as essential a part of any trip to iceland as seeing northern lights, hot springs and glaciers. Tours departing from reykjavik operate all year round while tours from husavik, on the north coast of iceland, only operate from the end of march to november. Enjoy whale watching from harbours all around iceland s coast many species of whales can be seen in the waters around iceland. Ever since i was a little girl ive loved marine mammals, especially whales. The tour companies and tourist info websites obviously claim that there is a good chance of seeing whales in the winter, but i cant seem to find any impartial information on whether theres actually any chance of this happening. Get app whales of iceland the largest whale exhibition in. Actually im also going to iceland next february and thinking of going on a whale watching tour thats how i found that place. Whaletrips greenland the best tips for whale watching.
Over the last two decades, iceland has become one of europes premier whale watching destinations. Iceland is the perfect place for knitted jumpers, wool dresses, thick tights and chunky boots. Iceland the best tips for whale watching in iceland whaletrips. Id recommend to anyone, especially if you love hiking on volcanoes and glaciers, bathing in natural hot springs, renewable energy, geography, good music, wool. I learned a few things about what you should pack for iceland and also a few things you have to pick up while youre there. Im planning a trip to iceland within the next two months and whale watching is pretty high on my list of awesome things to do. Norway has announced it is raising the number of whales it will allow hunters to slaughter despite an international moratorium on the practice. That means going in the weeks that frame either end of the high season, around the last week of may through midjune, or anytime in september. Prepare for some rain and wind and dress warmly since the average temperature is between 2 c about 28 fahrenheit and 3. The cool, clear north atlantic ocean encircling iceland is rich with food for whales of various sizes and species. Pros still snow on landscapes, ice caves are often be accessible, less tourists, some years the weather is beautiful, good balance of night and day.
This article provides everything you need to know about whale watching in ice land, plus some fun facts about whales in iceland. Due to being towards the end of icelands winter months, march is a great time of. Its still winter but you can feel spring is just around the corner but then you get all disappointed when it doesnt actually arrive. I have been looking at some whale watching sites to compare prices and some of them dont list march. Whales and dolphins are at their greatest numbers during the summer months between april and october when the marine beasts come to feed on the plankton that thrives on the nutrientrich deposits of iceland s bays. Whale watching is a popular, cheap and fun activity to do in iceland. There are a few more practical things youll need to put on your list that arent quite so stylish. The ocean around iceland and in eyjafjordur has a variety of quality fish and we, as experienced fishermen, can almost guarantee that youll get a catch if you try. Whale watching tours are often combined with sea angling and puffin watching. One year of whale watching in just one infographic. The northern lights, whale watching and steamy hot springs iceland is a great place to spot the northern lights aka the aurora borealis but the country has much. Renting a car in iceland in march is a little risky because the roads can still have snow and ice on them.
Whale watching under the midnight sun is something you wont find in many places in the world just one word about narwhals and bowhead whales. The country has increased its annual quota to 1,278. This was right on time, as the birds usually arrive at the end of march. Whale watching sea angling tours in north iceland whales. There is an average of 84mm precipitation throughout the month which predominantly falls as rain, though it is not unusual for there still to be snowfall. This month we feature the narwhal also known as the unicorn of the sea. My bedroom walls were covered in whale posters and my bookshelf was filled with whale books. Wheres the best place to see northern light and puffin in. Iceland will allow more than 2,000 whales to be killed in next five years iceland is one of a few countries that shirks an international ban on commercial whaling.
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