Skip the crowds: Group Puffin Experiences | Birdlife-watching in Reykjavík

Embark on a premium Puffin and Birdwatching excursion, facilitated by purpose-built RIB boats with a maximum capacity of 12 passengers along with a professional birdlife guide. These offerings operate daily, up to nine times per day, from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour, running from May 1st to August 20th.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Whale Safari - The tour begins and concludes at our ticket office located at Reykjavík’s Old Harbour. Please arrive 30 minutes before departure to prepare for the tour. Our guide will then escort you to the boat docked at the Harbour.
  • Akurey - During the tour, we sail near 2-3 islands where puffins nest. As the islands are nature reserves, we remain on the boat but get you very close to the islands using our RIB speedboats.
What's Included
  • All necessary safety equipment including warm overalls, gloves, and goggles
  • Binoculars provided for each passenger
  • Inclusive of all local taxes
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Minimum age is 10 years
  • Minimum height is 145 cm
  • Not recommended for travellers with knee problems
  • Not recommended for young children
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(69 Ratings)
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Brandie_h
Aug 24, 2024
Puffins!!!! - Really enjoyed our tour. The boats and guides were great. Loved that we had suits to keep is warm It was late in the season but we were still able to see quite a few puffins on the water (not super close, but from a distance so as not to disturb them) AND we got a bonus whale sighting!!! Appreciated the care the driver took around the Wildlife and the naturalist knew her stuff.
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer_t
Aug 21, 2024
Wonderful intimate tour - Our guide, Rachel, was amazing. It was really wonderful doing such a small tour. Everyone was able to ask questions and interact.
Review provided by Viator
Karen_g
Aug 18, 2024
Fun Puffin and Birding experience - We had a wonderful experience. We saw many puffins as well as other types of local birds. Trausti, our guide, was knowledgeable of the area and answered all our questions! I highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Viator
Alex_r
Aug 13, 2024
Awesome birding experience with passionate tour guide! - One of the highlights of our Iceland trip! As birdwatchers, we absolutely loved seeing the adorable puffins in their natural habitat and approaching them in an intimate yet respectful way. Our guide Rodrigo had lots of great knowledge about the puffins and other sea birds, but his passion and appreciation for the puffins is what really made it special. On this tour, Rodrigo and the ship captain ensured that we really got up close and personal with the puffins and other birds, without disturbing or disrupting their natural habitat, which we really appreciated!
Review provided by Viator
Clpearson1130
Aug 8, 2024
Absolutely Amazing! - We absolutely loved this Puffin excursion! From the start, donning our red outfits to boarding the RIB, we were having fun. They know exactly where the Puffins are!! So many, and beyond our wildest expectations. Loved this excursion. A+
Review provided by Viator
I9242tccarolg
Aug 7, 2024
Whaling and Puffin Experience - This experience was amazing. We'd never done one before and really didn't know what to expect. You report to the office in the harbor and after checking in are given overalls to place on over your clothes to keep you warm once you are out on the ocean. They have extra hats, gloves and goggles for those who forget them. On a sunny day, you really want sunglasses because of the sun reflection off the water and because the boat travels so fast it's like having your head out of moving car for 2 hours. The rib boat is one of the best ways to see the whales because the number of participants is small, 12, and they maneuver quickly to the sighted whales. We saw 3 humpback whales that surfaced time and time again, often within 10-20 yards of the boat. The beaked-nose dolphins were an added bonus. My son's GF had a go-pro and she got some amazing video and pics; but phones worked just as well. My kids are in their late 20s and they were so excited and loved it. The boat and its speed was kind of an added cool feature. Captain Gunni did a lot of the spotting and maneuvered the boat expertly, while Guide Trausti gave us broader context of what the whales and dolphins were doing with plenty of descriptive information about both the dolphins and whales. He's an avid and knowledgeable birder so the birds spotted were identified and he provided a list at the end along with several videos from our trip. We ended our trip by boating over to Engey Island where the puffin colonies are. Breathtaking and not to be missed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christina_s
Aug 7, 2024
Excellent small group tour - Excellent guide. Small boat limited to 12 people. Got very close to the islands and saw many many puffins and other birds. Appreciated being given my own binoculars. Everything about this tour was great and I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Shawn_j
Aug 1, 2024
AWESOME PUFFIN EXPERIENCE - The entire excursion from start to finish was AWESOME. Both our skipper and guide were excellent. They made it so much fun! We loved seeing the puffins!
Review provided by Viator
Donna_s
Aug 8, 2024
Good, but could have been better. - Great trip, saw lots of puffins! However, guide was very hard to hear (no device used for projecting her voice) and no binoculars were provided as stated in the Viator tour details. Could have really used them to see puffins up close. Not sure what made this a “premium” tour that warranted doubling the price of other similar tours.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_w
Aug 9, 2024
Very disappointed - There was no experience the person who booked us had the tours to close and we missed it very disappointing because we only had one day in Reykjavik
Review provided by Viator