Whale Safari

What Whale Safari does

Whale Safari is an Icelandic wildlife tourism operator that runs boat-based excursions centered on whale watching, puffin observation, and nature experiences from Reykjavík's Old Harbour (Ægisgarður 5D) and Akureyri's Downtown Pier. Founded in 2006 as Sea Safari, the company was acquired in 2015 by Torfi G Yngvason and Rannveig Grétarsdóttir of Elding Adventure at Sea, the parent group that also operates Classic Whale Watching tours and shares crewing, ticketing, and back-office infrastructure. Whale Safari operates two vessel formats: a fleet of custom 12-passenger Ýruma RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) speedboats with proprietary high-performance suspension seats and 360-degree sea-level viewing, and larger classic boats for comfort-oriented and family-friendly experiences.

The product portfolio spans Premium RIB tours (Premium Puffin Tour, Premium Whales & Midnight Sun, Whales Puffins & Reykjavík), Classic tours (Whale Watching, Puffin Tour, Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavík), Akureyri-based Eyjafjord operations, special-event 2026 Solar Eclipse cruises, and partner-attraction cross-sells (Lava Show, Reykjavík Food Walk). Pricing is per-person unit pricing in ISK ranging from ISK 5,900 to ISK 27,950, with whale and Northern Lights sighting guarantees (complimentary return tickets if no cetaceans or aurora are seen). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the whalesafari.is website and two physical ticket offices, supplemented by cruise ship shore excursion partnerships and third-party tour operator resellers.

The company is privately held under the legal entity Sea Safari Ísland ehf., an Icelandic private limited company, with 11-50 employees, Blue Flag eco-certification, and IceWhale Code of Conduct membership. Ownership integration with Elding Adventure at Sea provides operational scale, while Whale Safari's brand targets the premium end of the RIB whale watching segment rather than the mass-market Classic segment.

Name

Whale Safari

Legal name

Sea Safari Ísland ehf.

Website

https://whalesafari.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whale Safari operates RIB-boat wildlife tours for whale and puffin watching from Reykjavík and Akureyri in Iceland. Founded 2006, owned by Elding Adventure at Sea, the company serves international tourists, families, and cruise ship passengers with small-group premium excursions and classic vessels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Boat Tours

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Watching & Encounters (Birding, Whale Watching, Primates) (THAJAIAC), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Whale watching tours
• Wildlife boat tours
• Puffin watching tours
• Northern lights cruise
• RIB speedboat tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Whale Watching Tours: Whale Safari generates revenue primarily through ticket sales for various whale watching, puffin watching, and Northern Lights tours. Tours are priced per person with different tiers including Classic (larger boats) and Premium/RIB (smaller, more intimate) options. Additional revenue comes from combination tours, special events like Solar Eclipse cruises, and sea angling experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Whale Safari sells guided boat-based wildlife tours in Iceland, primarily from Reykjavík's Old Harbour and Akureyri's Downtown Pier. Its core products are whale watching, puffin watching, and Northern Lights cruises delivered via a fleet of four custom 12-passenger RIB speedboats and larger classic vessels. Tours are sold per person, with whale and Northern Lights guarantees providing complimentary re-tours if sightings are missed.

Product overview

Whale Safari is an Icelandic wildlife tourism operator offering a diverse portfolio of boat-based tours centered on whale watching, puffin observation, and nature experiences. The company operates two boat types: fast, intimate 12-passenger RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) tours for close wildlife encounters, and larger classic vessels for comfort-oriented sightseeing. Core products include Whales Puffins & Reykjavík (RIB), Premium Puffin Tour (RIB), Premium Whales & Midnight Sun (RIB), Classic Whale Watching, Classic Puffin Tour, and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavík, plus Akureyri Premium Whales & Eyjafjord, Akureyri Classic Whale Watching, and Akureyri Midnight Sun tours from North Iceland. Special event offerings include 2026 Solar Eclipse Tours (RIB and Classic options). The company also offers shore excursions for cruise ships, sea angling, and partners with external operators for Lava Show and Reykjavík Food Walk experiences. All tours operate from Reykjavík's Old Harbour (Ægisgarður 5D) and Akureyri's Downtown Pier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whales, Puffins & Reykjavík Two-hour premium RIB speedboat tour from Reykjavík combining close encounters with whales, dolphins, and seasonal puffins along the Reykjavík coastline including Sun Voyager and Harpa. Designed for nature tourists seeking the closest wildlife encounters available on Whale Safari's RIB fleet.
• Premium Puffin Tour One-hour premium RIB speedboat tour from Reykjavík focused exclusively on Atlantic puffins at nearby islands (Engey, Lundey, Akurey). Targeted at birdwatchers and nature tourists, with a minimum of two passengers and seasonal availability from April through August.
• Premium Whales & Midnight Sun Two-hour evening premium RIB whale watching tour from Reykjavík departing at 19:00 or 20:00 during Icelandic summer, offering extended daylight wildlife viewing with sunset colours and the midnight sun experience.
• Reykjavík: Classic Whale Watching Two-to-three-and-a-half-hour year-round whale watching tour from Reykjavík on larger classic vessels with multimedia show, heated indoor saloon, and 360-degree viewing. Designed for families, accessibility-minded travellers, and all-weather viewing with up to six daily departures in summer.
• Reykjavík: Classic Puffin Tour One-to-one-and-a-half-hour family-friendly classic puffin watching tour from Reykjavík on a comfortable sightseeing ship visiting islands of Akurey, Engey, and Lundey with an expert birdwatching guide, with up to four daily departures from May through August.
• Reykjavík: Northern Lights Cruise One-and-a-half- to two-and-a-half-hour winter aurora borealis cruise from Reykjavík operating September through April, featuring heated interior, onboard café, 360-degree viewing platform, expert aurora guides, and a Northern Lights guarantee with complimentary re-tour if the aurora is not spotted.
• Akureyri: Premium Whales & Eyjafjord Premium RIB whale watching experience in Eyjafjord, North Iceland's longest fjord, limited to 12 passengers per boat and available April through October. Focuses on humpback whales and 60 km of fjord exploration for an intimate wildlife experience away from Reykjavík crowds.
• Akureyri: Classic Whale Watching Year-round classic whale watching tour from Akureyri aboard the only high-speed whale watching ship in Iceland, carrying up to 200 passengers with cinema-styled viewing platforms, indoor and outdoor seating, and up to five daily departures in summer.
• Akureyri: Premium Whales in the Midnight Sun Two-hour evening express premium RIB whale watching tour from a floating pier in Akureyri operating from 15 June to 14 August at 20:00, designed to view humpback whales during Iceland's midnight sun.
• Solar Eclipse RIB Cruise Premium once-in-a-lifetime RIB boat experience viewing the Total Solar Eclipse on 12 August 2026 from Faxaflói Bay, with the path of totality directly over Whale Safari's operating area. Priced at ISK 27,950 per person with limited availability.
• Solar Eclipse Classic Cruise Three-hour classic cruise along Reykjavík's shores viewing the Total Solar Eclipse on 12 August 2026, including protective eclipse glasses and priced at ISK 16,990 per person.
• Shore Excursions for Cruise Passengers Pre-arranged tour packages designed for cruise ship passengers visiting Reykjavík, bundling whale watching, puffin tours, and partner activities with optional transfers from cruise terminals to manage limited port time.
• Sea Angling Sea angling tours from Reykjavík in Faxaflói Bay offering opportunities to catch Atlantic Cod, Haddock, Pollock, and other local fish species.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elding Adventure at SeacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company and primary distribution partner. Elding operates Classic Whale Watching tours and shares the Whale Safari brand family. Whale Safari's Akureyri operations utilize Elding's ticket office infrastructure. Both companies are owned by Torfi G Yngvason and Rannveig Grétarsdóttir.
• Mr. Puffin - BirdwatchingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended partner for additional birdwatching experiences in Iceland. Cross-promotional relationship for puffin-focused tours.
• Whale Watching AkureyricoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorth Iceland whale watching partner operating from Akureyri. Offers Express Whales, Eyjafjörður & Akureyri RIB Tours as an alternative to Reykjavík cancellations.
• IceWhalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine conservation organization dedicated to whale research and protection in Iceland. Whale Safari is a member and adheres to IceWhale's Code of Conduct for responsible whale watching, developed with global experts and local whale watching companies.
• Elding ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting whale distribution and conservation studies in Icelandic waters. Whale Safari contributes to research efforts by collecting data during tours.
• Wake Up ReykjavíkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner operator for Reykjavík Food Walk tour, recommended as an alternative activity for cruise passengers with time between tours or when Whale Safari tours are cancelled.
• Lava ShowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner attraction operator for live lava experiences in Reykjavík. Recommended alongside Whale Safari tours for comprehensive Iceland experiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Láki Tours: Húsavík whale watching operator running RIB tours of the same North Iceland humpback-whale corridor (Eyjafjörður/skirisfjörður) targeted by Whale Safari's Akureyri product. Closely comparable on small-boat whale-watching format, target species, and customer demographics.
• North Sailing: Húsavík-based whale watching and sailing tour operator running both traditional schooner sails and RIB-style tours. Closely comparable in product mix (whale watching + small-boat experiences) and in sustainability credentials, serving Iceland's other principal whale-watching hub.
• Special Tours Iceland: Operates whale watching and sea angling tours directly from Reykjavík's Old Harbour using larger vessels — a head-to-head competitor for the same cruise and tourist demand as Whale Safari's Classic Whale Watching product, with overlapping price points and seasonal coverage.
• Elding Adventure at Sea: Reykjavík-based whale watching operator and the parent/sister company of Whale Safari, operating classic (large-vessel) whale watching tours from the same Old Harbour pier under shared ownership. Most directly comparable on geography, product, and customer base, though it competes on the classic rather than RIB segment.
• Gentle Giants Whale Watching: Húsavík-based whale watching operator offering classic and small-boat tours in the same Skjálfandi Bay corridor. Directly comparable on product (whale watching), geography (North Iceland), and audience (international tourists and cruise passengers).

Broad incumbents

• Arctic Adventures: One of Iceland's largest multi-activity outdoor tour operators, also founded by Whale Safari's owner Torfi G Yngvason. Comparable as an Iceland-based, owner-linked tour operator serving international visitors, though its portfolio spans land-based adventure rather than marine wildlife.

Regional players

• Pacific Whale Foundation: Hawaii-based nonprofit operating eco-certified whale watching tours and marine research. Comparable on research-integrated whale-watching experience, eco-certification credentials, and small-group naturalist-led format, though operating in a different region.
• Kaikōura Whale Watch: New Zealand-based whale watching operator running boat tours to view sperm whales and other cetaceans from Kaikōura. Highly comparable on small-vessel whale watching format, naturalist-led interpretation, and eco-tourism positioning, though operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Mr. Puffin: Reykjavík-area birdwatching specialist operating puffin tours and broader Iceland birding itineraries. A natural partial-competitor for Whale Safari's puffin-focused SKUs and a co-marketing partner, with significant but partial product overlap in a narrow niche.

Others

• Wake Up Reykjavík: Reykjavík-based tour operator running food walks and other partner experiences that Whale Safari cross-sells and recommends. An adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but useful as a same-market, same-customer tour operator benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/whalesafariiceland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whale-safari

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whale Safari