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Puffin and Volcano Tour: Vestmannaeyjar Adventure
4.9
17 Ratings
Vestmannaeyjabær
Explore Vestmannaeyjar’s volcanic craters and puffin colonies by land and sea. Discover history, wildlife, and adventure on this unique boat tour.
Explore Vestmannaeyjar’s volcanic craters and puffin colonies by land and sea. Discover history, wildlife, and adventure on this unique boat tour.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Vestmannaeyjahofn - Our base is located at the harbour and the tour starts from there.
- Sprangan - “Spranga” is a name of a very special activity in Vestmannaeyjar. The islanders used to rely heavily on gathering eggs from the various bird species of the area and so they spent alot of time swinging from ropes in the cliffs to get from nest to…
- Vestmannaeyjahofn - Our base is located at the harbour and the tour starts from there.
- Sprangan - “Spranga” is a name of a very special activity in Vestmannaeyjar. The islanders used to rely heavily on gathering eggs from the various bird species of the area and so they spent alot of time swinging from ropes in the cliffs to get from nest to nest.
“Spranga” is swinging from a rope that has been tied to the top of the cliff. Our local guide is an experienced egg gatherer and still has what it takes to swing in the cliffs.
- Herjolfsdalur - Herjólfsdalur is the valley of Herjólfur, the first settler in Vestmannaeyjar. His settlement is located in the valley, which holds a special place in the hearts of the locals.
- Puffin Lookout - During the land part of this tour, our travellers will be able to explore the rich birdlife of the area from the Puffin Lookout hut in Stórhöfði
- Eldfell - Eldfell is the name of the volcano that erupted in January of 1973. You will learn about the fateful night that sent the whole island down to the harbour and into all available ships and boats.
- Flakkarinn Scenic Overlook - Flakkarinn is a beautiful spot overlooking Klettsvík and Heimaklettur mountian. At Flakkarinn is an interesting vertical log with drilled holes in it. Each hole gives you a tunnel view of an island, glacier, mountain or another beautiful place.
- Skansinn - Built in 1586 to protect the Danish royal store from the English, Skansinn (The Fort) adds yet another layer to Vestmannaeyjar rich history. The area offers great views and is very popular by travellers year round.
- Tanginn - 1 hour lunch buffet at Tanginn restaurant. The restaurant is located close to our base and has some of the best views in the harbour area
- Heimaklettur (Home Rock) - The pride of the islanders. Heimaklettur is an iconic mountain towering over the town and our passengers will get to sail by it from our RIB boat.
- Heimaey Island - During our 1-hour RIB boat ride, travellers will get great views from all angles of Heimaey island (home island)
- Bjarnarey - During our 1-hour boat ride, travellers will see Bjarnarey island from distance
- Elliðaey - During the 1-hour boat ride, passengers can see Elliðaey island from a distance.
- Elephant Rock - Travellers will get a good look at the Elephant Rock from land. If the sea allows us, travellers will also be able to get a view from up close
What's Included
- Lunch
- All fees and/or taxes
- Lunch
- All fees and/or taxes
Additional Information
Puffin and Volcano Boat Tour is the most comprehensive adventure you can find in Vestmannaeyjar. This tour offers the best of both land and sea. Not only will you learn about the volcanic eruption in 1973 that swallowed over 400 houses and blanketed the whole island in ash - you’ll be able to stand in the crater.
The puffin colony in Vestmannaeyjar is…
Puffin and Volcano Boat Tour is the most comprehensive adventure you can find in Vestmannaeyjar. This tour offers the best of both land and sea. Not only will you learn about the volcanic eruption in 1973 that swallowed over 400 houses and blanketed the whole island in ash - you’ll be able to stand in the crater.
The puffin colony in Vestmannaeyjar is one of the largest in the North Atlantic and we offer the best possible way to experience this: A trip to The Puffin Lookout cabin, located in Stórhöfði and during our RIB boat adventure, you will be able to see the puffin from sea as well!
Travellers will also learn about the first settler in Vestmannaeyjar, how to “spranga” and much more!
Location
Ægisgata 1
Ægisgata
Our base is located on the harbour, opposite Sea Life Trust
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(17 Ratings)
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Impossible50
Aug 21, 2024
See Heimaey from a local perspective. - Our tour with Halli gave us a really comprehensive view of Heimaey through the eyes of a local. He was great company, and his explanations and anecdotes really brought the history and life of the town to life. He looked out for all members of his group and it was so nice to be in a small friendly group of six. I was so pleased that there were still lots of puffins on the island in mid August, and we were blessed with a clear sunny day. The included lunch was also great.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dougielonglegs
Aug 19, 2024
It Takes You There - This was an absolute highlight of our time in Iceland. Halli is a tremendous human being who clearly loves the Westman Islands and sharing it with folks like us. Getting to walk up to the rim of a volcano was surreal...the Puffin observatory area was so wonderful, just watching hundreds and hundreds of puffins in their natural habitat, beautiful. The lunch was also delicious and may I recommend the mushroom soup? Then onto the boat we went and despite rather blustery/rainy conditions, we felt safe and secure in Halli and his assistant's hands. In and out of caves and around incredible rock formations, we zoomed around the Westman Islands and felt the raw magic of the place. When we asked Halli which direction we should walk to get to our overnight caravan, he looked at the address and simply said 'I'll take you there.' He sure did.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_k
Aug 16, 2024
Wonderful people. Very knowledgeable. Top-notch tour. - Loved boating around the island. Knowledge of history of 1973 volcano explosion was awesome. Very helpful with questions.
Review provided by Viator
Richardrn9612na
Aug 7, 2024
Excellent experience. - Excellent experience. An hour in a rubber boat exploring the coast, then a driving tour of the island to see the old volcano and puffin colony. Nice lunch at a nearby restaurant was included. The guide is super friendly and knowledgeable, eager to share information. Our whole group enjoyed the day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andreas_b
Jul 28, 2024
Highly recommended - The tour guide and his wife did really took care of everything, had a wonderful time. He even took the tour just with the 2 of us (actually much bigger group, thanks again for that!)
If you the trip to Westman Island don't miss that out !
Review provided by Viator
Carllh
Jul 27, 2024
Highlight of our time in Iceland! - I highly recommend this tour. It is a local family owned operation, and Halli, owner and operator has much to offer as he has lived on the island his whole life. Some of the stories, especially around the 1973 volcano my children found fascinating. His daughter joined us for the tour, making the family feeling even better! We did the boat and puffin tour, highly recommended, and the lunch was great as well!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jay_k
Jul 24, 2024
The Best!! - When you visit such a remote place, spending your time with a delightful man born and raised on this island is a unique experience. He still sleeps in the room in which he was born! Hailee (sp?) is amazing. We learned history and behind the scenes events from the 1973 Volcano , watched him rope swing from huge rock formations and visited caves and out islands he’s frequented since he was a child. We can’t imagine a better experience!
Review provided by Viator
Stacy_k
Jul 15, 2024
Amazing puffin, volcano, boat tour! - This tour was amazing from beginning to end. Our tour guide, Halli (I hope I am remembering that correctly?!) was so nice and knowledgeable. He has lived on the island all of his life and obviously loves to share the history and the beauty of his home with visitors. He was the kindest man and made sure my whole family enjoyed the tour. The puffins were adorable and very close and the grand finale was the incredible boat tour that his wife accompanied us on. She was very sweet as well and the boat ride was just amazing. We went into caves and
explored quite an extensive area. Last but not least, my family and I wanted to hike the volcano after the tour was over and he kindly offered to drive us up to the start of the trail. We were so appreciative. I can’t say enough about this couple and their tour. It was the highlight of our trip!
Review provided by Viator
Amy_p
Jul 14, 2024
Fun, Fun and more fun - We loved our day and highly recommend this tour It was very personal and we will never forget it! Thank you so much for our tour
Review provided by Viator
Arden_m
Jul 10, 2024
A special and very memorable experience - This was our most memorable excursion of our two week Iceland trip. The guide was a man who has lived on the island since birth. Sharing his knowledge and experiences with the volcano and history of the island, he made the visit to the island much more meaningful. We saw thousands of Puffins. The lunch was superb and the boat ride was memorable. I certainly give it my highest recommendation.
Review provided by Viator