3 EPIC PUFFIN TOURS FROM REYKJAVIK ICELAND: THE ROUND-UP GUIDE!
LOOKING FOR THE BEST PUFFIN TOURS FROM REYKJAVIK?
EDITOR’S QUICK LINKS
Don’t have time to read the full post? See our quick links below:
⭐ Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík
(Editor’s top pick)
⭐ Reykjavik two-in-one: Whales & Puffins
(Dual wildlife combo)
⭐ Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Down Town Reykjavík
(Most budget-friendly option)
OUR TOP 3 PUFFINS TOURS FROM REYKJAVIK
TOUR OPTION 1
(EDITORS TOP PICK)
“Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík“
Honoured with a “Badge of Excellence” on Viator, this 5* premium small group puffin and bird watching tour is vouched as a very highly rated, personalised experience by previous customers and one of the best Puffin tours from Reykjavik options you’ll find!
Sailing out on a custom-made RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), this smaller boat gives you the closest and best possible access to the puffins whilst still maintaining a safe and respectful distance.
Board at Reykjavík’s Old Harbour before zipping across to Faxaflói Bay, north of Reykjavik, to visit a few nearby islands renowned for its thriving Puffin numbers. As well as puffins, there’s the opportunity to see even more birdlife and wildlife too!
Top highlights: Intimate small-group excursion with personal service. Venture out on a custom-made small RIB boat for the best and closest access to the puffins (remaining at a safe and respectful distance).
Tour operator: Whale Safari Iceland.
Availability: Early May until mid-August.
Tour Duration: 1 hour (approx).
Time slots: 9am or 1pm. 2 x time slots per day.
Maximum passengers: 12.
Price: From £72 GBP / $92 USD each per adult (10-99 years).
Exclusions: No children below 10 years of age permitted. Minimum height required is 145 cm.
TOUR OPTION 2
(DUAL WILDLIFE COMBO)
“Reykjavik two-in-one: Whales & Puffins“
This dual combination ‘Reykjavik two-in-one: Whales & Puffins‘ tour is perfect for all of you wildlife lovers out there who want to see puffins PLUS even more of Iceland’s epic marine life, including whales and dolphins!
First, head out on a 1-hour puffin sightseeing tour from Reykjavik in the morning to see thousands of puffins nesting on nearby islands, before returning back and joining a separate 3-hour whale watching boat tour in the afternoon.
Keep your eyes peeled for incredible marine species, including humpback and minke whales plus dolphins and porpoises! Spot these wonderful creatures from the top deck or from the large windows in the heated lower deck space.
As an added bonus, they have a whale guarantee policy whereby if you do not see any whales on your tour, you are welcomed back on another tour free of charge to try again!
Top highlights: Perfect for a day of spotting the best of Iceland’s wildlife! 1 hour morning puffin boat tour and 3 hour afternoon whale watching tour. See thousands of nesting puffins on nearby islands, before spotting anything from humpback and minke whales, dolphins and porpoises in the afternoon. Protective warm clothing and use of binoculars included. Whale sighting guarantee, offered a free additional trip on another boat tour if you do not see any whales on this tour.
Tour operator: Elding Whale Watching.
Availability: Early May until mid-August.
Tour Duration: 4 hours (approx) in total. 1 hour puffin boat tour and 3 hour whale watching tour on the same day. Refer to specific scheduled times given directly by Elding Whale Watching.
Time slots: Refer to specific scheduled times given directly by Elding Whale Watching.
Maximum passengers: Puffin boat tour: 40.
Whale boat tour: 200.
Price: From £113 GBP / $142 USD each per adult (16+).
TOUR OPTION 3
(BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION)
“Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Down Town Reykjavík“
Honoured with a “Badge of Excellence” on Viator, this “Classic Puffin Watching Cruise” is highly rated by previous customers. It is also the most budget-friendly puffin tour from Reykjavik we found, priced at just £44 GBP / $55 USD per adult.
With a slightly larger group of up to 30 passengers, head to either Akurey or Lundey islands just north of Reykjavik, known for their plentiful birdlife including flocks of nesting puffins!
While use of onboard binoculars is included, it is recommended to also bring your own.
Top highlights: 20 minute boat ride out to either one of two islands, Akurey or Lundey, known for their plentiful birdlife including puffins. Located just north of Reykjavik. Use of binoculars to borrow, no need to bring your own. Ensures a safe distance from puffins nesting areas is retained.
Tour operator: Elding Whale Watching.
Availability: Early May until mid-August.
Tour Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours (approx.)
Time slots: 10am, 12pm or 2pm. 3 x time slots per day.
Maximum passengers: 30.
Price: From £44 GBP / $55 USD each per adult. For children aged 7-15 years, it is £22 GBP / $27.50 USD.
PUFFIN TOURS FROM REYKJAVIK:
“KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” FAQ’S
WHAT IS THE BEST MONTH TO SEE PUFFINS IN ICELAND?
The best months to see puffins in Iceland are between early May to mid August. This is why we have included a puffin tour on our top things to do in Iceland in May and Iceland in August.
That being said, if you want to see them in full force, we would narrow this down further to say the best months to see puffins in Iceland are actually June to July.
This is when thousands of them will be present, fully settled and nesting on land. This, plus their huge numbers, makes it far easier to see and take photographs of them!
In May the puffins will just be beginning to arrive onto the shores, and by August their nesting season is gradually coming to an end. This could result in seeing just a few hundred flying around or bobbing in the sea, rather than June to July’s flocks of thousands!
CAN I SEE PUFFINS NEAR REYKJAVIK?
Yes! You can see plenty of puffins near Reykjavik on nearby islands Akurey or Lundey, located in Faxaflói Bay, between the Spring / Summer months of May to August every year.
This is when they flock to Iceland, including just outside of Reykjavik, in their thousands to nest. It is advised to head out on a designated puffin sighting tour boat from Reykjavik for your best chances of spotting them!
WHAT TIME OF DAY IS BEST TO SEE THE PUFFINS?
For the highest chance of seeing puffins in Iceland, it is advised that a morning boat tour is the best option to see as many as you possibly can, as during the day some puffins will head out to sea to hunt for fish, etc.
Nonetheless, if you visit Iceland between May and August (and visiting in June or July especially), there should always be plentiful numbers of nesting puffins for you to still see on land.
HOW MUCH DOES A PUFFIN TOUR FROM REYKJAVIK COST?
Prices for puffin sightseeing tours from Reykjavik vary slightly between £45 to £70 GBP / $55 to $92 based on the type of boat used and maximum number of passengers permitted per boat.
For example, our top tour pick “Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík” is slightly more expensive at £71 GBP / $92 USD because it is held on a custom-made RIB boat, with a maximum capacity of 12 people.
This boat type gives the best chances to see the puffins as closely as possible while still remaining respectful, and the overall tour feeling a lot more intimate and personal with such a small group.
On the other hand, the “Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Down Town Reykjavík” is more budget-friendly at just £44 GBP / $55 USD per adult, however the boat used is slightly larger to contain a higher capacity of 30 people maximum.
Both example tours are great options and very highly rated by previous customers, it just all depends what you want to get out of your puffin sightseeing experience!
CAN YOU SEE PUFFINS IN ICELAND IN THE WINTER?
No, it is not possible to see puffins in Iceland during Winter. At best, you may have a chance to see the very last of the nesting puffins around Iceland during late August into September, however after that they will have all left Iceland during its colder months.
It is worth noting that all puffin sightseeing tours in Iceland run seasonally from early May to mid August only.
PACKING LIST FOR ICELAND PUFFIN TOURS
USEFUL THINGS TO BRING WITH YOU ON A PUFFIN TOUR FROM REYKJAVIK:
- A digital camera with a good quality zoom.
- A pair of your own binoculars.
- A lightweight rain poncho.
CONCLUSION: PUFFIN TOURS FROM REYKJAVIK
To conclude, we believe a trip to Iceland in the Spring / Summer is not complete without experiencing one of our recommended puffin tours in Reykjavik!
Though May to August is the official puffin season in Iceland, we highly recommend taking a puffin sighting tour in the months on June and July instead. This is when the puffins in Iceland will be at full capacity in numbers, maximising your chances of seeing as many as possible.
Likewise, the fact the majority by this time will be fully settled and nesting on the islands, it will be much easier to see and take good photographs of them. Once they are in the air, those little puffins are super quick like hummingbirds!
Despite being a few notable highly-rated tours, our top tour recommendation is the “Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík“.
Though slightly more expensive at £71 GBP / $92 USD per adult, the price is reflective of the intimate, up close and personal experience you will receive on a custom-made RIB boat with a maximum capacity of just 12 people.
We hope you have the best time spotting these adorable little seabirds in Iceland!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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