Birdwatching Boat Trips in Iceland: Our Top 7

1.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,221 reviews · 2 hours · from $175Our pick

From central Húsavík, you suit up in a warm safety overall and board a 12-seat RIB with a guide such as Matteo, Clara, or Jo. The boat reaches whale sightings quickly, visits Puffin Island from mid-April to mid-August, and covers Skjálfandi Bay in two hours.

“Amazing tour! Much recommended! We saw whales and got the best time with Jo and the lovely captain which unfortunately I don’t remember his name but he was the best- making the most of the tour by changing direction and spot according to the whales, thank you we really enjoyed it!”

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2.Puffin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,052 reviews · 1 hour · from $64Cheapest here

From Reykjavik’s Old Harbour, you’ll cruise aboard the wooden Puffin Express, also called Old Skuli, toward Lundey and Akurey. Expect close views of puffins, fulmars, gulls, Arctic terns, and black guillemots, with binoculars on board and an English-speaking guide such as Patrick or Joe.

“Lots of puffins. Weather was great. Everything on time. Great experience”

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3.Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 979 reviews · 2 hours · from $198

Join a guide and captain aboard a 12-seat RIB from Húsavík for two hours on Skjálfandi Bay. The fast boat covers ground quickly, helping you reach whale sightings, while summer trips visit Lundey, or Puffin Island. Warm overalls and life vests are supplied, but bring gloves, a hat, and extra layers.

“Fabulous! Zina was a wonderful guide and the whole trip was brilliant!”

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4.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203Best reviewed

Join Husavik Adventures for a two-hour RIB boat trip across Skjálfandi Bay. A captain handles the boat while a guide explains whales, dolphins, porpoises, and puffins. The boat carries no more than 12 people, includes warm waterproof overalls and a life jacket, and visits Puffin Island during the April 15 to August 20 season.

“Easy and enjoyable! From booking to the event we were informed and provided a memory we will find challenging to forget. The outfit kept us warm and dry and we saw the whales and puffins as close as possible. The driver and guide were knowledgeable and pleasant. The trip fulfilled all of our expectations.”

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5.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

You’ll ride a fast RIB boat from Húsavík into Skjálfandi Bay with a guide and captain searching for whales, dolphins, porpoises, and puffins. Guides such as Nicoletta, Clara, Mario, and Victoria have been praised for clear wildlife commentary. Puffin visits run roughly April 15 to August 15, while whale watching remains the main focus outside that period.

“So it was early in the season, so we were a bit worried if we would see anything. Lets just saw we walked away stunned. Saw a couple of humpback whales within the first 20 mins, and then found a blue whale. The tour guide went speechless for about a min, she was just as amazed as we were. We tracked it for about 30 mins. The boat and captain were great, saw the larger boats in the distance, but they could not pivot quickly enough to catch it like we did. Probably one of the biggest highlights of the trip.”

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6.Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 293 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

Join a small group of up to 12 at Reykjavik’s Old Harbour for a two-hour RIB trip with a marine biologist guide. You’ll visit puffin islands, search for whales and dolphins, and return past Harpa and Sun Voyager. Warm waterproof gear, gloves, goggles, and safety equipment are supplied. Expect a bouncy, windy ride.

“Liked the entire whale watching trip! Saw a hump back and a few minkie whales!”

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7.Stykkishólmur: Puffin and Wildlife Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 40 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $104

From Stykkishólmur, you’ll spend 1.5 hours cruising Breiðafjörður Bay with an English or Icelandic-speaking guide. The boat visits puffin nesting islands and pauses for photos of seabirds, seals, and perhaps a white-tailed eagle. Tours run from May through August, with the best puffin activity earlier in the season.

“Thank you very much for the tour, we were able to see puffins in the water up close, northern fulmars nesting and other species, seals and even a white-tailed eagle. Besides the amazing opportunity for bird watching you will get nice explanations about the birds, the island and it's history. We enjoyed the tour at 09:00 with a small group of 4 people in total. Mid August is near the end of the breeding season for the puffins, which is why we were really happy to get the chance to see them before they depart for the sea. The boat captain was really skillful getting us close to the birds…”

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