North Sailing Husavik

What North Sailing Husavik does

The company sells directly to international consumers through a multi-language website (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Icelandic) with online booking, promo codes (e.g., SUMMER2026), and a pay-later option, supported by phone (+354 464 7272) and email reservations. Pricing is transaction-based per ticket, not publicly disclosed, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity and free passage for children six and under. A reciprocal channel partnership with Húsavík Adventures distributes RIB (rigid inflatable boat) whale watching tours, including midnight sun departures, extending reach without new capital expenditure. Marketing relies on the website, blog content, email newsletter, and organic social media on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The company holds Authorised Travel Agency and Tour Operator licenses from Ferðamálastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board), a Clean and Safe hygiene certification, and World Cetacean Alliance certification for responsible whale watching, and maintains an active scientific collaboration with the University of Iceland on environmental DNA sampling. North Sailing is founder-operated by Captain Hördur, with no institutional investors, no parent company, and approximately 25 employees; financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

North Sailing Husavik

Legal name

North Sailing

Website

https://northsailing.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

North Sailing is a privately held Icelandic eco-tourism company founded in 1995 in Húsavík, operating an 11-vessel fleet of traditional oak boats, an electric boat, and a hybrid-electric sailboat to offer whale watching tours and Arctic sailing expeditions to international nature and wildlife tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Wildlife Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sailing, Catamaran & Day-Cruise Excursions (nature-focused) (THAAAIAG), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Whale watching tours
• Sailing expeditions
• Arctic eco-tourism
• Wildlife boat tours
• Carbon-neutral whale watching

Headquarters

HQ city

Húsavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Whale Watching Tour Tickets: Day tours from Húsavík and Árskógssandur including Original Whale Watching, Whales and Puffins, Silent Whale Watching, Midnight Sun tours, and Whales and Horses combo tours
2. Sailing Expeditions: Multi-day expeditions including Greenland (Scoresby Sound, East Greenland Extended), Arctic Circle tours, Svalbard Ski and Sail, and tailor-made adventures on wooden schooners
3. Northern Lights Tours: Tailor-made boat tours for Northern Lights viewing from traditional wooden boats, including Reykjavík departures
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales for whale watching experiences

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

North Sailing is a whale watching tour operator based in Húsavík, Iceland, offering 2.5–3 hour whale watching excursions from Húsavík and Árskógssandur on traditional oak boats, electric boat Andvari, and hybrid-electric sailboat Opal. The company also sells multi-day sailing expeditions to Greenland, Svalbard, the Arctic Circle, and Reykjavík-based Northern Lights tours, along with gift cards and combo tours pairing whales with puffins or horses.

Product overview

North Sailing is a whale watching tour operator based in Húsavík, Iceland, offering a diverse portfolio of marine wildlife tours and Arctic sailing expeditions. The core product line consists of whale watching tours from two primary departure points: Húsavík (the whale watching capital of Iceland) and Árskógssandur (near Akureyri). Tours range from standard 2.5-3 hour whale watching excursions on traditional oak boats to multi-day sailing expeditions. Key tour variants include Silent Whale Watching (carbon-neutral electric/hybrid boats), Whales and Puffins, Midnight Sun tours, and combo tours pairing whales with horses. Beyond whale watching, North Sailing operates sailing expeditions to Greenland (including Scoresby Sound expeditions and Solar Eclipse 2026), East Greenland Extended tours, Arctic Circle expeditions, Svalbard ski-and-sail adventures, and Northern Lights sailing from Reykjavík. The company also partners with Húsavík Adventures for RIB boat tours. All tours feature experienced guides, warm overalls, and complimentary refreshments like hot chocolate and cinnamon buns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Húsavík Original Whale Watching Standard whale watching tour departing from Húsavík, Iceland, lasting approximately 3 hours on traditional oak boats, offering close encounters with humpback, blue, and minke whales in Skjálfandi Bay.
• Whale Watching Árskógssandur Approximately 2.5-hour whale watching tour from Árskógssandur, a seaside village 30 minutes from Akureyri, with a 98% sighting rate over the past three years.
• Silent Whale Watching (Carbon-Neutral) Eco-friendly whale watching tour aboard the electric boat Andvari, providing carbon-neutral wildlife encounters in Skjálfandi Bay with minimal disturbance to marine life.
• Whales and Puffins

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% whale sighting rate in Árskógssandur over past 3 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Cetacean AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Cetacean Alliance certification for responsible whale watching. Company adheres to their Code of Conduct and holds certification for sustainable whale watching practices.
• Húsavík AdventurescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner company offering RIB whale watching tours and puffin tours including special midnight sun departures from Húsavík.
• University of IcelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaboration to collect water samples during whale watching tours for environmental DNA studies in seawater in Iceland.
• Ocean MissionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ocean conservation education and beach cleanup initiatives. Company participates in beach cleaning events and promotes marine environment awareness.
• Diamond CircleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism route partnership connecting key attractions in North Iceland including Húsavík.
• Arctic Coast WayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism route partnership along Iceland's arctic coast featuring scenic drives and attractions.
• Visit North IcelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism promotion partnership for North Iceland destinations.
• Kaldi BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIceland's first microbrewery located in Árskógssandur, offering locally brewed beer and taproom visits for visitors before or after whale watching tours.
• Húsavík Whale MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld-renowned whale museum in Húsavík offering educational complement to whale watching tours.
• Geosea BathsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGeothermal sea baths in Húsavík with panoramic views over Skjálfandi Bay, recommended as post-tour relaxation.
• Mannamót WorkshopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Icelandic travel industry workshop where company presents tours and connects with industry partners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Elding Whale Watching Reykjavík: Reykjavík-based whale watching operator running year-round tours from the capital's harbor. Comparable whale watching product aimed at international visitors but operating from a different (capital-region) departure point.
• Quark Expeditions: Polar expedition cruise company running small-ship voyages to the Arctic (including Svalbard and Greenland) and Antarctic. Directly comparable to North Sailing's Greenland and Svalbard expedition product at a larger, international scale.
• Special Tours Iceland: Reykjavík-based operator running whale watching and puffin tours from the Old Harbour. Comparable sightseeing-by-boat offering targeting the same international visitor pool, anchored in the capital rather than North Iceland.
• Gentle Giants Whale Watching: Húsavík-based whale watching operator offering classic and express whale watching tours from the same bay as North Sailing. Direct competitor for Húsavík day-tour visitors and the most local peer in the Húsavík cluster.
• Lindblad Expeditions: US-based small-ship expedition cruise company offering Arctic, Greenland, and Svalbard voyages with a nature-and-wildlife focus closely aligned to North Sailing's expedition product philosophy.
• Húsavík Adventures: Húsavík-based operator running RIB whale watching and puffin tours, including midnight sun departures. Already a channel partner for North Sailing, but also a direct competitor for high-adrenaline whale watching in the same harbor.
• North Sailing's Húsavík Original (operator cluster): Sourced peer cluster note: North Sailing competes directly with multiple small Húsavík whale watching operators (e.g., Norðursigling, Salka Whale Watching) sharing the same Skjálfandi Bay waters and overlapping customer base of day-trip visitors from Akureyri and Húsavík.

Broad incumbents

• Hurtigruten: Norwegian-headquartered expedition and coastal voyage operator with significant Arctic and Greenland itineraries. Comparable to North Sailing's expedition cruises but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Arctic Adventures: One of Iceland's larger multi-product inbound tour operators, offering whale watching alongside a broad portfolio of adventure and sightseeing activities. Comparable whale watching component but operating at much larger scale and broader product breadth.

Emerging players

• Polar Latitudes: Small-ship Arctic and Antarctic expedition cruise operator offering Svalbard and Greenland itineraries with a wildlife-and-conservation positioning that parallels North Sailing's nature-led expedition narrative.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/northsailing
• Facebookfacebook.com/whalewatchingiceland
• Instagraminstagram.com/northsailing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-sailing-husavik

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 North Sailing Husavik