Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Tour

Hundreds of puffins can gather around the islands of Faxaflói Bay, and a small RIB boat gets you close enough to watch them fly, swim, feed, and return to their burrows. The ride itself is part of the fun, with the boat skimming across the cold water and bouncing over the waves.

I like the short one-hour format, which fits neatly into a morning in Reykjavik. I also like the provided coveralls, binoculars, and small-boat access to the colonies. The main caution is the ride: the RIB can hit the water hard, and some people may find the bouncing uncomfortable, especially those with back problems or motion sensitivity.

Key points to know before booking

• Puffin colonies from May through August: The birds gather around rocky islands and sea cliffs during their nesting season.
• A fast RIB ride: Expect an open-air boat trip with wind, spray, and repeated bumps over the waves.
• Close views, not guaranteed perfect photos: The boat can approach the islands, but puffins may move away and phone photos can be difficult.
• Warm coveralls included: The suits help block wind and rain and have useful pockets for small items.
• More than puffins: Watch for gannets, auks, fulmars, Arctic terns, and sometimes seals, porpoises, or whales.
• Best for active visitors: You must be at least 145 centimeters tall and able to handle the boat ride.

A fast start at Reykjavik Old Harbour

You meet at the Whale Safari office in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. This is a convenient departure point if you are staying in central Reykjavik, since the meeting place is walkable from much of downtown.

Before boarding, the crew gives you a safety briefing and helps you into the provided coveralls and life-saving equipment. The suits are more than a formality. They protect you from the cold wind on the outward and return journeys, and their pockets give you a safer place for a phone or glasses than holding them loose in your hand.

You should arrive dressed warmly underneath. Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe sports shoes, and leave suitcases and large bags behind. There is no hotel pickup, so allow time to reach the harbour on your own.

The RIB has grab rails and assigned seating. Listen carefully when the crew explains how to sit and hold on. One useful technique is to keep both feet planted and use the handles, rather than trying to protect a phone in your hand as the boat hits the waves.

Crossing Faxaflói Bay by RIB

The first part of the trip is a brisk ride across Faxaflói Bay. This is not a slow sightseeing cruise. The RIB covers water quickly, and the captain keeps the boat moving toward the colonies.

That speed has two benefits. You reach the islands in a short time, and the boat can cover more water than a larger conventional vessel. It also has a cost: the ride can be rough. One passenger described the boat repeatedly slamming onto the surface, while also explaining that lifting slightly off the seat and keeping feet firmly planted made the motion easier on the back.

I would take that warning seriously. The experience is not suitable for people with back problems, mobility impairments, or pregnant women. Children under 10 are not permitted, and passengers must be at least 145 centimeters tall. If you dislike fast boat rides, the puffins may not compensate for an uncomfortable crossing.

For most able-bodied visitors, though, the ride adds energy to the outing. You feel the wind, see the bay open around you, and get a real sense of moving out from the city into the birds’ world.

Reaching the puffin islands

The boat heads toward the small rocky islands and cliffs where puffins gather in summer. Lundey is one of the named colonies associated with this trip, and some departures also visit a second island or viewing area. The exact approach can vary with sea conditions and the birds’ location.

This is where the RIB earns its keep. Its compact shape allows the captain to approach rocky edges and small inlets more closely than a larger boat can. You may see puffins sitting on the water, flying low over the waves, carrying capelin, or standing near their burrows.

The boat does not land on the islands. You view the birds from the water, and the captain maneuvers for the best possible angle while respecting the colony. That distance matters. Puffins are wild birds, not performers, and they may leave a ledge when the boat approaches.

Do not expect every outing to put you within arm’s reach of a puffin. One visitor had a particularly good view from close range, while another found the boat stayed several hundred feet away. Conditions, captain decisions, and bird behavior all affect the distance.

That variation is worth understanding before you book. Promotional photos can make the birds appear extremely close, but your actual experience may involve binocular views and quick glimpses through a camera lens. The guides provide binoculars, though one past departure had only two pairs available, so do not assume every passenger can use one at the same time.

Watching puffins behave like wild birds

The best part of this tour is not simply seeing a colorful beak. It is watching the colony work.

Puffins may gather on the water in loose groups, fly toward the rocks, return to burrows, or carry small fish for their young. From a small boat, you can often follow several activities at once. Some birds sit quietly on the cliffs while others skim across the bay or vanish into the water.

The guide explains puffin habits, food, nesting behavior, and the way the birds use their burrows. Guides named in past trips include Anna, Maria, Mikel, Megan, Rachel, and Mel. Names and staff can change, but the strongest part of the guiding is the clear explanation of what you are looking at and why it matters.

You will also watch for other seabirds. Gannets are larger and easy to notice in flight. Auks, fulmars, and Arctic terns also use the local waters during summer. The trip is focused on puffins, but the surrounding birdlife gives you more to watch while the captain positions the boat.

Some departures have also included sightings of humpback whales, harbor porpoises, or seals. These are extra possibilities, not promises. Book this as a puffin trip first, and treat any mammal sighting as a welcome bonus.

Photography: close enough to see, tricky enough to miss

You can take photographs from the boat, but this is not an easy wildlife photography setup. The RIB moves, the birds move, and the boat may rise and fall as it sits near the islands. A phone can capture a good memory, but a sharp close-up is far from guaranteed.

Use the coverall pockets for your phone when you are not actively taking pictures. Keep one hand available for the grab rail, and avoid carrying loose items on the outward ride.

A camera with a longer lens gives you a better chance than a standard phone. Even then, puffins do not pose on command. You may get a clear view of a bird swimming beside the boat, followed by a blur as it takes off.

On some trips, the guide or crew has taken photographs with a zoom lens and sent them to participants afterward at no extra charge. This has been a major help for people whose phone photos were shaky or too distant. It is not wise to assume this happens on every departure, though. Ask the crew to confirm your email address before leaving the harbour if they offer to share pictures.

The practical approach is simple: enjoy watching first, then take a few photographs when the boat is steady. You are more likely to remember the colony if you do not spend the full hour staring at a tiny screen.

How the one-hour schedule works

The advertised duration is one hour, including the ride out, bird watching, and return to Reykjavik. That is enough time for a focused wildlife outing, but it is not a full morning expedition.

The short schedule is a real advantage if you have other plans. You can fit the trip around museums, a food walk, a Golden Circle departure, or an afternoon drive. It also helps families and visitors who want a taste of the bay without committing to a longer cruise.

The tradeoff is that the boat cannot wait indefinitely for a perfect puffin photo. If the sea is rough or the birds are spread out, part of your hour may pass while the captain searches for the best position. The boat ride itself takes time, so you will not spend the entire hour stationary beside the cliffs.

Past trips have sometimes felt closer to 50 minutes because of waiting or loading delays. That is not the usual advertised plan, but it is a useful reminder to keep expectations realistic. The trip is short and tightly timed.

Price and value at $101

At $101 per person, this is an expensive one-hour activity. Iceland is costly, but price alone does not make the trip good value.

I think the price makes the most sense if puffins are high on your Iceland list and you want a convenient outing from Reykjavik. You get the captain, wildlife guide, coveralls, safety equipment, and binoculars, plus a fast boat that can reach the islands more closely than a larger vessel.

The small group feel and direct access to the colonies also matter. You are not spending several hours on a broad sightseeing cruise hoping to spot one bird at a distance. The outing is built around a specific goal and usually delivers many puffins during the nesting season.

Still, value depends on your priorities. If you are satisfied seeing puffins from shore, or if you dislike rough boat rides, $101 may feel steep. Food, drinks, and hotel transportation are not included. You should also remember that wildlife sightings can vary, especially near the end of the season.

The high rating of 4.8 from 277 reviews and the 88 percent perfect transport score point to a well-run operation, but they do not remove the basic risks of a wildlife trip. The boat can be excellent and the birds can still be farther away than you hoped.

The best time to see the colonies

Puffins use the local islands and cliffs from May through August. Early-season trips can still produce good sightings. One May departure saw many birds, while several June and July outings reported large colonies with puffins on the water, in flight, and around the cliffs.

The middle of summer is likely to offer the fullest activity, based on the number of birds described on June, July, and early August trips. At the same time, July and August are popular travel months, so reserve ahead if your dates are fixed.

By late August or early September, the colony may be thinning. One September trip had fewer puffins, and another late-season outing still saw birds but not in the same numbers as earlier departures. If the puffin colony is your main reason for booking, aim for the heart of the May through August season rather than the final days.

Weather remains important at any point. The coveralls help in rain and wind, but they do not make a rough sea smooth. Keep your schedule flexible enough to handle a change if conditions affect departures.

Who should book this RIB tour?

I would recommend it to adults, older children who meet the height and age rules, bird lovers, photographers who understand the limits of a moving boat, and anyone who wants a compact Reykjavik activity.

It is especially useful at the start or end of an Iceland trip. One person added it after struggling to find puffins elsewhere and finally got a close look from Reykjavik. The Old Harbour location makes it easy to add without arranging a separate day of driving.

You should think twice if you have back trouble, limited mobility, are pregnant, or dislike being jolted around on open water. The crew provides safety equipment, but safety gear does not change the boat’s motion.

The trip also suits people who value explanation. The best guides do more than point toward the cliffs. They explain the birds’ food, burrows, flight, and nesting patterns, helping you understand the colony rather than simply checking puffin off a list.

Practical tips for a smoother outing

• Wear warm layers beneath the provided coveralls.
• Choose closed-toe shoes with a secure fit.
• Put your phone, glasses, and other small items in a zipped or Velcro pocket before the boat accelerates.
• Keep both feet planted and hold the grab rail during rough sections.
• Bring a camera, but do not depend on getting perfect phone photos.
• Leave large bags and luggage at your accommodation.
• Confirm your email address with the crew if photographs are being shared afterward.
• Book early for the busy summer period, especially if you have only one day in Reykjavik.

The cancellation policy is generous: you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if Icelandic weather forces you to adjust your plans.

Should you book this puffin cruise?

Book it if you want a short, lively trip with a strong chance of seeing many puffins from the water. The combination of a fast RIB, warm suits, useful guiding, and close access to the islands gives the outing more character than a standard harbour cruise.

Skip it if a rough ride would spoil your day, or if you need guaranteed close-up photographs. For everyone else, this is a focused and memorable way to see Iceland’s puffins in their natural setting without giving up half a day.

FAQ

Where does the puffin tour depart from?

Meet at the Whale Safari office in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

How long does the puffin tour last?

The advertised duration is one hour, including the boat ride to the islands, puffin viewing, and the return to Reykjavik Harbour.

What birds might I see besides puffins?

You might see gannets, auks, fulmars, and Arctic terns. Some trips have also included seals, harbor porpoises, or humpback whales, though these sightings are not guaranteed.

Are warm clothes and safety equipment provided?

The operator provides coveralls and all necessary safety equipment. You should still bring warm clothing, comfortable clothes, and closed-toe sports shoes.

Can children join the tour?

Children under 10 are not permitted. Participants must also be at least 145 centimeters tall.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. The activity also offers a reserve-now-and-pay-later option.