The Whale Coast

Húsavík's fjords and the great whales, by private boat. A private, tailored journey of 3-4 days in The North & Lake Mývatn, Iceland, designed end to end by a Forest Travel advisor — with Virtuoso privileges at the finest luxury hotels, from US$11,200 per traveler.

Iceland offers raw, elemental landscapes and geothermal serenity within a few private hours of one another.

When to go

June through August brings the midnight sun and open Highland roads, while September to March draws the aurora across long, dark skies. Your advisor times it to the light, the crowds and your own calendar.

The experiences

A sense of what this journey can hold — each one arranged privately and shaped to you:

• A private-charter sail into the northern fjord in search of the great whales.
• A quiet morning at the whale-watching harbour with a marine guide for the whole family.
• A coastal walk to the cliffs where seabirds nest in the summer light.
• A gentle day among the geothermal lake's craters, easy enough for every age.

A sense of the rhythm

The whale coast is made for families and for patience. Mornings go to the fjord, watching for the blows and the great backs breaking the surface; afternoons stay gentle, along the shore or by the lake. The days are active but never taxing.

Private charter or scheduled sailing?

A private charter lets you set your own hours, linger with a pod and keep the deck to your family. A scheduled sailing is simpler but shares the water and the timetable. With children aboard, the private charter is the calmer, kinder choice.

How to do it well

The counsel our advisors give travelers planning this journey:

• Charter privately so you can follow a pod without the pressure of a fixed return.
• The summer months bring the widest range of whales into the northern fjord.
• Dress everyone warmly; the wind offshore is far colder than the harbour suggests.
• Balance the sailing with an easy geothermal day, so the children's energy lasts.

What only your advisor can open

The difference between a good trip and an unrepeatable one is access — and access is a relationship, not a booking. Every guide, room and moment is chosen and sequenced for you.

Who it's for

Travelers who value privacy, time and doing it once — beautifully — and who would rather have one trusted advisor orchestrate every detail than assemble it themselves.

Estimated investment

From US$11,200 per traveler, based on double occupancy — scaled to your dates, party size and level of privacy. A starting point, not a final quote; confirmed once your advisor tailors the itinerary.

Designed entirely around you

Nothing here is a package. A Forest Travel advisor shapes the whole journey and stays one message away before and throughout your trip.

Your Virtuoso privileges

As a Virtuoso member, Forest Travel includes benefits reserved for Virtuoso guests at the finest luxury hotels, at no added cost: a room upgrade on arrival when available, daily breakfast for two, a property credit toward dining or spa, and early check-in with late check-out when the hotel allows.

Continue exploring The North & Lake Mývatn

Part of our The North & Lake Mývatn travel guide. Related private journeys:

• The Geothermal North
• Aurora Sanctuary

Begin the conversation

Tell a Forest Travel advisor how you like to travel and they will design The Whale Coast around you — privately, every Virtuoso privilege included. Request your private consultation →