Birdwatching Boat Trips in Iceland: Our Top 12

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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8.Puffin Watching Tour by RIB Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · 1 hour · from $84

From Reykjavik’s Old Harbor, a small RIB boat reaches Lundey and Akurey in about 15 minutes. Your English-speaking guide points out puffins, fulmars, gulls, Arctic terns, and black guillemots, while the boat pauses with its engine off for viewing. Waterproof suits and goggles are provided, but you need waterproof shoes.

“Me and my ten-year-old grandson really had an absolutely wonderful whale watching trip. We were more or less surrounded by a number of Humpback whales, feeding at leisure despite our presence. On the top of this there were several groups of dolphins playing in the area, too. And our crew of two guides and the captain of the boat really did a wonderful job. We look forward to a second trip, hopefully later this year. Thank you all for making this possible.”

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9.Puffin Watching Speedboat Express

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $76

Leave Reykjavik’s Old Harbour on a 12-seat RIB speedboat and head toward the islands near the city. Your English-speaking guide, such as Celia, Rebecca, Joe, or Patrickgin, explains puffins, wildlife, and Reykjavik sights. Warm waterproof overalls, gloves, goggles, and a lifejacket are provided. The boat stops near the birds with engines off for quieter viewing.

“It was a great experience. Rebecca, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and very gregarious and helpful. We know everything there is to know about puffins. It was a small group and our safety was paramount without detracting from the enjoyment of the trip. From start to finish it was about an hour and a half so it doesn’t take up your whole day.”

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10.Vestmannaeyjar: Puffin, Island, and Volcano Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 7 reviews · 1 hour · from $96

Join a local Icelandic or English-speaking guide for a one-hour boat ride from Heimaey. You’ll pass Elliðaey and Bjarnaey, look for puffins and seabirds, see the famous house on Elliðaey, view lava from the 1973 eruption, and hear music inside a sea cave.

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11.Puffin and Wildlife Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $104

Set out from Stykkishólmur at 9:00 am with Ocean Adventures for a 90-minute puffin cruise on Breiðafjörður. A guide and captain take you along Iceland’s coast, where you can watch puffin colonies on sea cliffs, spot other seabirds, and enjoy views of islands and unusual rock formations. The boat holds no more than 20 people.

“Fantastic boat trip. Many many close up birds. Great captain and knowledgeable guide. 100% recommend.”

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12.Puffin Express by RIB Speedboat from Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 2 reviews · from $85

Join guide Celina or another English-speaking guide at Reykjavík’s Old Harbour for a one-hour RIB trip to Lundey or Akurey. You’ll wear warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and a life jacket while watching puffins, fulmars, gulls, and Arctic terns from a boat built to reach the rocky shore.

“Loved this experience! Truly a special time out on the water. Our guide Celina was *wonderful*. She kept us entertained and truly taught us a lot about puffins, this part of Iceland and how the puffins interact with it, and when we even spotteRead more”

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