15 Birdwatching Tours in Iceland Worth Booking

Húsavík: Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

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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Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Boat Tour

2.Puffin Watching Boat Tour

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

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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Húsavík: Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

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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Puffin and Volcano Tour with Ebbi

4.Puffin and Volcano Tour with Ebbi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 731 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $114Best reviewed

Explore Heimaey Island with local guide Ebbi on a two-hour minicoach tour covering puffin colonies, Elephant Rock, Viking settlement history, Sprangan, and Eldfell crater. The tour starts at the harbour, includes Viking Town admission, and uses frequent short stops. Puffin sightings depend on weather and season.

“Ebbi was so knowledgeable about the island. One of the best tour guides I’ve had on a vacation! Highly recommend this tour!”

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Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

5.Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 636 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $63

From Reykjavik’s harbor, you’ll take an express boat around Akurey Island, home to nesting puffins from May through August. Guides such as Patrick, Peter, and Joe have shared facts about puffins, fulmars, gulls, terns, and Icelandic sea life. The one-hour trip includes binoculars and several island circuits for better views.

“OK tour, guides were knowledgeable and seemed very interested in educating the passengers on the boat about puffins and their behavior. Unfortunately, the sea state was rough and this made for a bit unpleasant ride as well photographing the birds hard.”

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Reykjavik: Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

6.Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 552 reviews · 4 hours · from $153

Combine a one-hour puffin cruise on the shallow-draft Old Skúli with a 2 to 3.5-hour whale trip aboard the spacious Andrea. Guides such as Patrick, Alex, Oscar, and Celine have brought sharp wildlife knowledge and humor to recent outings. Expect seabirds, possible dolphins, minke whales, humpbacks, and a free whale-watching ticket if nothing appears.

“Enough time to watch the wales/ puffins (special stop in the way Back of the puffin tour to watch some Orcas). Very good organisation and discribtion of the tour and the animals.”

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Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

7.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

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

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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Húsavík: Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

8.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Sail Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík aboard a traditional Icelandic oak boat with an English-speaking guide. Look for humpback, minke, blue, and northern bottlenose whales, dolphins, porpoises, and puffins near Puffin Island. Warm overalls, hot chocolate, and a cinnamon bun are included. The trip usually lasts about three to three and a half hours.

“Great trip on a sailboat - we have seen 3 different whales from very close. Amazing experience. Only drawback: we have seen puffins but from quite a distance. Had expected to get closer.”

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Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

9.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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Reykjavik: 1-Hour Puffin Watching Tour

10.1-Hour Puffin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 305 reviews · 1 hour · from $66

From Reykjavik’s Old Harbour, sail to Akurey, Engey, or Lundey with Elding Adventure at Sea. A naturalist guide explains puffin life while you watch birds from the boat and borrow onboard binoculars. The cruise is advertised as one hour, though tides, weather, and boarding can stretch it closer to 80 or 90 minutes.

“This was a nice tour but I wish there were some binoculars offered because it was difficult to see morale than just blobs given that the birds aren’t very big.”

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Reykjavik: Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

11.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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Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Tour

12.Puffin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 277 reviews · 1 hour · from $101

From Reykjavik’s Old Harbour, you’ll ride a rigid inflatable boat across Faxaflói Bay to puffin colonies on rocky islands. Guides such as Anna, Maria, and Mikel have shared useful facts about nesting, feeding, and flight, while the captain brings you close without landing. Expect seabirds, cold spray, and a lively ride, with the best puffin numbers from May through August.

“Well organised, good group size, friendly staff, knowledgeable guide. Seeing the puffins in their natural habitat was delightful. Recommend this to everyone. Booking was easy. Finding the location easy. Good facilities and clear communication. Need to book in advance as very busy. An hour to see the puffins was enough time. Saw some great other birds too.”

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Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík

13.Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 276 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60Cheapest here

Meet Elding at Reykjavík’s Old Harbour for a 1 to 1.5-hour cruise to Engey, Akurey, or Lundey. Your guide explains puffin life and other seabirds while the captain brings the boat close to protected nesting islands. Binoculars and raincoats are supplied, and crew photos may be shared afterward.

“It was an excellent experience and very informative. We saw many more puffins that expected! We would definitely do again.”

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Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík

14.Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $105

From Reykjavík’s Old Harbour, you’ll ride a small RIB boat toward two or three protected puffin islands in Faxaflói Bay. Guides such as Maja, Alex, Sam, and Ricardo share facts about the birds while the captain cuts the engine for quiet viewing. Warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and binoculars are included.

“Alma was an excellent guide who took great photos for us. We get pretty close to the puffin island but If you have good binoculars bring them because the ones provided weren’t that great.”

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Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

15.Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 114 reviews · 5 hours · from $213

From Seydisfjordur port, you’ll ride with an English-speaking guide to Borgarfjordur-Eystri, where puffins gather at Hafnarholmi. You’ll also see Lindarbakki turf house, Álfaborg folklore, a small fishing village, and Gufufoss waterfall. Guides such as Anna, Berglind, Eva, and Petra have led recent departures.

“Loved the puffins! It was a long drive but so interesting to see. We made several scenic stops including seeing turf house and Gufufoss waterfall. From an improvement perspective, the tour may want to consider stopping at a place that has more than 1 bathroom for the bathroom stop. The highlight of the tour was the puffins. Denis our guide was very nice and informative. We enjoyed talking with him.”

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