Oct 17, 2024
Brilliant - I had an amazing time! I was worried we might not see any whales, but figured the thrill of speeding out to sea on the boat would still make the trip worthwhile. Fortunately, we ended up seeing two humpback whales, followed by a solo one, and then three together. It was an unforgettable experience. The boat got close enough for us to really take it all in—it’s something I’ve never witnessed before. After more exploring, a dolphin started swimming alongside the boat, staying with us for a while. It was incredible and made the whole trip absolutely worth it. The tour guide shared some interesting facts but also gave us space to fully appreciate these magnificent creatures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 17, 2024
Trip of a lifetime! - This was the highlight of our trip to Iceland. Rebecca, our guide, was lovely from start to finish, very knowledgable about the wildlife and passionate about what she does. We were so lucky and saw a pod of dolphins who played around our boat. We were then able to speed across to another area where whales were spotted, and we saw 4 humpback whales which is extremely rare. The captains of the boats are so respectful and keep a distance away from the whales but they ended up coming close to our boat on their own which was incredible! I wouldn’t hesitate to do this again as you can travel much faster than those bigger boats and get a closer view of the wildlife. If you’re visiting Iceland, this trip is a must! We’ll be going back in the summer time to do this again when the whales are apparently a lot more acrobatic!!
Review provided by Viator
Oct 6, 2024
Fabulous - Absolutely amazing. We were so lucky because we saw 3 humpback whales together. A trip of a lifetime. Everything was so well organised and the speedboat was fabulous. Thanks to the team at Katla.
Review provided by Viator
Sep 30, 2024
Whale watching, friendly staff and boat well equipped - First of all, you have to be lucky to see a whale. You can't plan that. I got lucky. What was completely beautiful when the larger boats left the rib still stuck on the spot (engine off) where we had seen a humpback whale earlier. And then the humpback came back up and swam our way. At about 10 meters he went into hiding and we saw his tail. Of course, I could only hope for that. And it happened.
As for Katla herself, they clearly have experience with tourists. Clear instructions are given without long stories. Staff are friendly and helpful. The rib itself is also well equipped. Not a very long 'sofa' with a few backrests, but individual 'chairs' (as if you were on a saddle) with 'suspension', a system that can absorb some of the blows of the waves. But even then, the staff gives tips to sit in the back instead of in the front if your back is bothering you. In other words, I found it a very nice experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 21, 2024
Fantastic - We saw a bunch of whales. All of the boat operators communicate with each other so you have an excellent opportunity to see whales. The speedboat got us really close to a humpback. It was so incredibly cool. Well worth the money. Our guide was a sweetheart and taught us all about the whales we were seeing. Will do this again definitely.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 20, 2024
Once in a lifetime!! - What an incredible experience!! We saw 2 humpback whales, 2 minke whales, and a ton of dolphins. The boat was a little bumpy on the way out BUT the suspension seats took a lot of pressure off of you. The choppiness was absolutely worth our ability to get closer to the whales more quickly than the big boats. Would highly recommend this company and tour !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 28, 2024
Amazing experience! - Highly recommending this activity in Reykjavik. We saw 3 types of animals - 2 types of whales and dolphins. The boat is really comfortable and the ride itself is very fun too! thanks very much to the whole team. Please come in advance as you will need to put on a provided suit before you board
Review provided by Viator
Aug 19, 2024
Cheesy whale, capable captain, classy guide. - Anika an informative and personable guide, whale surfacing very close to the boat gave my wife a great photo opportunity. The captain got everybody back to shore that he took out to sea.
Review provided by Viator
Sep 3, 2024
T12 compression fracture - T12 compression fracture on this trip, ruined my holiday and my life, the time it will need for my back to heal.
Boat driver was powering the engine at top speed, boat was launching into air, thumping onto the waves. Terrifying experience.
He knew I’d hurt my back, still driving top speeds. Couple of beers would fix it he said when we got back to shore.
I held a powerboat licence in the past, I know he was not driving safely.
It was a lovely sunny day, blue sky. Holiday ruined.
I thank the Reykjavik ED for their care & attention. Having raised this issue with the company, no response!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 23, 2024
Need to cancel if weather will result in poor touring, boats too small for rough seas. - Weather was bad, not the fault of the operator, but the tour should have been cancelled and rescheduled, as even larger boats cancelled tours that day. Instead of the rib boats I suggest taking the standard large boat tours, as the operators will cancel in rough weather, and in moderate conditions can continue further out to search for marine animals (whales). In good conditions these boats are fine, but of course with long term planning for an Iceland trip one will not know the weather in advance.
Review provided by Viator