Best Iceland tour companies are not so hard to find. Although it is a small country and you would not expect them to be so open to tourists, they are extremely friendly and happy to see travelers from around the world. Tourism is, after all, one of the top three industries in Iceland, right after fishing and aluminum production.
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1. Reykjavik Sailors, one of the best Iceland tour companies for whale watching
Website: https://reykjaviksailors.is/
Address: Hlésgata Vesturbugt F (Old Harbour), 101 Reykjavík
Hours: summer: 8:00 – 14:00 (Mar – 15 Nov) winter: 9:30 – 18:00 (16 Nov – Feb)
Reykjavik has the best choices when it comes to tours. They are very diverse and cover everything from exploring Golden Circle, to hot springs, and whale watching. With Reykjavik Sailors, you can choose from northern lights tours, sea angling, puffin tours, and much more.
The company was established in 2015 and although the youngest whale watching company in Iceland they are very innovative and open to families and smaller groups. They specialize in boat tours, but also offer combined tours that include bus trips as well.
2. Adventure Vikings
Website: https://adventurevikings.is/
Address: Eldshöfði 9, 110 Reykjavík
Hours: booking tours online 24/7
If you are looking for the best tour companies in Iceland that will take you on a diving trip, this is the right choice. Their unique tours and courses include caving, snorkeling, diving, and hiking excursions. You will get to explore Iceland from a new and special angle.
Iceland is one of the best sights in the world for snorkeling. Because of the water temperature, you will be snorkeling in wetsuits. Another option is snorkeling in dry suits at UNESCO World Heritage Site, Thingvellir, only about 50 km from Reykjavik.
3. Elding
Website: https://elding.is/
Address: Ægisgardur 5, Reykjavik’s Old Harbour
Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
Elding is a whale watching company that operates from Reykjavik and Akureyri. North side of Iceland is even better for whale watching, with fewer commercial ships and more whales coming closer to the shore. They enjoy their life in the Atlantic as you will enjoy observing them with your little ones.
They also offer puffin watching, sea angling, northern lights tours, and even special tours like Imagine Peace. This is the tour dedicated to Yoko Ono and John Lenon and it is located only minutes from Reykjavik by boat.
4. Gentle Giants
Website: https://www.gentlegiants.is/
Address: Harbour Side, 640 Húsavík
Hours: 8:30 – 17:00
Gentle Giants are among the best Iceland tour companies when it comes to whale watching. With decades-long tradition this family-operated small company starts sailing out as early as April and offers amazing tours through the summer and fall.
They are based in Husavik, which is considered to be the Whale Capital of Europe. Basically, there is no tour that comes back without spotting whales. Their friendly staff will make sure that you and your family have a great time and that your kiddos learn something new about those beautiful creatures.
5. Hestasport
Website: https://riding.is/
Address: Varmahlíð, 560 Varmahlíð
Hours:
An extraordinary experience you can’t get anywhere else is horseback riding in Iceland. Hestasport offers riding tours year-round, including off-season winter tours. You can choose among the shorter tours or multi-day tours, and even book the stay at Hestasport cottages.
Explore Icelandic highlands and meet Icelandic horses. As an example, one of the tours takes you on a three-day journey through forgotten trails in the outback of Skagafjörður. The tours are available to families and they are especially interesting to older kids and teens.
6. Gray Line
Website: https://grayline.is/
Address: Klettagarðar 4, 104 Reykjavik
Hours: 8:00 – 20:00
Are your kids obsessed with Game of Thrones? This tour operator offers a Game of Thrones tour, and they will take you on an adventure to all the filming locations from a famous show. You will see breathtaking waterfalls, rift valleys, medieval villages, and most scenes North of the Wall.
They have a great variety of tours and you can see the best of Iceland with them. Choose from Snaefellsnes Peninsula Tour, Landmannalaugar Pearl of the Highlands, Volcano Eruption Hike, or South Iceland & Glacier Tour. You can try them out by going on a walking tour of Reykjavik on your first day of the trip, and then book other tours they have to offer as well. Ask for child fares, which are often lower when a child is accompanied by a full-paying adult.
7. BusTravel
Website: https://www.bustravel.is/
Address: Skógarhlíð 10 , 105 Reykjavík
Hours: 8:00 – 16:00
Traveling by bus is very convenient when you want to see the most from the destination but you are traveling in a group that includes kids. This family-friendly company offers seats for kids that are available upon request. Make sure to contact customer service when you book the tour to reserve seats for your youngsters. Some of the tours have age restrictions, for example, kids younger than 2 cannot join tours, and kids younger than 8 cannot join some tours.
Every popular tour in Iceland is listed on their website. You can go to Blue Lagoon, explore volcanoes, or see the northern lights. Everything depends on your preferences and time of the year, but planning ahead of your trip can help you choose in advance and book before the tours are sold out.
8. Try Iceland Tours
Website: https://www.tryiceland.com/
Address: Þorúfell 12 – Íbúð 101, 111 Reykjavík
Hours: 8:00 – 22:00
Go off-road and explore places less traveled with Try Iceland 4×4 tours. This tour will take you outside of your comfort zone and it will show you Iceland from a different perspective. Two options are available for every tour: Private Tour by Super Jeep, and Small Group Tour by Super Jeep.
Golden Circle, South Coast, Reykjanes Peninsula, Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Wild North, and Landmannalaugar are just some of the places you can go to. Creating your own itinerary is possible as well.
9. Nice Travel
Website: https://nicetravel.is/
Address: Fiskislóð 45M, 101 Reykjavík
Hours: 8:00 – 19:00
Offering day tours, multi-day tours and private tours of all the best locations in Iceland, Nice Travel is one of the companies that can take care of all of your requests. They are offering: Golden Circle Tours, Hot Springs Tours, Ice Cave and Glacier Tours, Ring Road Tours, and Lava and Volcanic Tours.
The maximum size of the group is 19, and this way the tour guide can really take care of everyone’s questions and create more personable experiences. They are driving comfy minibusses with free WiFi and USB chargers at every seat.
10. Reykjavik Excursions
Website: https://www.re.is/
Address: Vatnsmýrarvegur 10, 101 Reykjavík
Hours: 8:00 – 17:00
Everything in one place could be a sentence that explains what you will find when visiting this website. It is a well-rated tour operator with an easy cancellation policy. They also offer airport transfer, so if your hotel doesn’t have a shuttle that will pick you up, you can hire them.
Activities on their list include hiking, bus tours, wellness tours, zipline, northern lights, and many other ways of exploring Iceland. There is something for everyone in their offer, including families with kids.
Conclusion
Some of the best Iceland tour companies for families are located in Reykjavik but don’t stay only in one place for the entire trip. West and north of the country are incredible as well, and there is so much to do for your entire group. However long you stay in Iceland it won’t be enough to see everything this country has to offer.
