Reykjavik

Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

Badge of ExcellenceReykjavik, Iceland
  • 1 hour
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Get up close and personal with puffins on this eco-adventure from Reykjavik. With your local nature guide, step aboard a custom boat that lets you glide right up to Akurey Island's jagged shore and see the adorable animals in their natural habitat. Enjoy engaging commentary about the puffins's biology and behavior from your guide. Use of binoculars for viewing bird life is included.
  • 1-hour puffin express cruise from Reykjavik
  • Experience Icelandic native species and see puffin and other seabirds in their natural habitat
  • Learn interesting facts about seafowls from your knowledgeable guide

What's Included

  • Expert guide
  • Binoculars on board
  • NEW - Special Tours App (available in English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese)
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Hotel transfers (can be added for an additional cost - please contact supplier directly).

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

    Please make your way to the Special Tours ticket office. There you will check in and meet your guide, who will take everyone to the boat just before the departure time. Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the departure.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Following pickup, head for the shoreline and hop aboard the express boat to Akurey, an island off the coast of Iceland's capital that boasts a healthy population of puffins. You have the choice of five departure times throughout the day to suit your Iceland itinerary.

During your trip, learn from your expert guide about the puffins as well local seabirds, such as northern fulmars, gulls, arctic terns and black guillemots. Warm up with a fresh cup of coffee while watching the sweet seabirds nesting and diving into the sea after their next meal.

Between May and August every year, the puffins nest on the island. The rocky outcroppings and slopes that form protected areas are perfect for hatching and raising young puffins. Riding on a custom-designed boat means that you can get as close as possible to the funny little birds. Use of binoculars on your tour is also included. When you reach the island, you'll circle it a few times before the captain turns off the engines, allowing you to enjoy the bird life in peace. 

Your 1-hour tour ends with drop-off back where you started.

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Hotel pick up: Available to book directly with supplier (extra fees apply)
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 33 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Featured review
april_H
This was perfect. The departure location was only a short walk from the meeting point. The host was funny in a dad sort of humor way, I really like it. The puffins were plentiful and everyone was nice to the 2 year old in our crew. I would recommend this brief excursion to anyone.

Reviews

4.5
412 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 412 reviews
Have realistic expectations, the puffins are quite far away, and small.
Velvet_R, Mar 2024
Have realistic expectations, the puffins are quite far away, and small. There were plenty of them, but without binoculars you won't be able to see. The location you leave from is small, with no toilets or other facilities. Make sure you know what you are doing, as they didn't give clear instructions, and a few people got left behind. As with a lot of things in Iceland be prepared for the weather, waterproofs might be needed.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you for the feedback! We have just started our Puffin Express cruises up again for the summer and are excited to finally see the puffins again after a long winter without :)
fantastic
Mary_B, Aug 2023
The guide, Ramona was excellent. He was funny and very knowledgeable. He was able to speak in many languages and was very patient with children.
Puffins
Michele_G, Aug 2023
We just made it in time to see the Puffins before they left the island. Most were in the sea. Efficient crew and knowledgeable guide. Boat was a little crowded. We enjoyed the sunny weather and the excursion.
The Puffins did not disappoint!
Lisa_N, Aug 2023
Great tour by Massimiliano and Captain Sven - and the Puffins, of course!! Very informative and fun!
Great efficient way to see puffins
Tannis_S, Aug 2023
It was cold as it was raining but it was a super trip and saw puffins on rocks and flying around. The guide was so knowledgeable and really fun. He helped us gain some insight to these lovely birds. I forgot his name unfortunately but we was great.
We saw Puffins
brenda_d, Aug 2023
Good tour on time, pleasant knowledgeable crew and captain. Even though end of the season we saw Puffins and learned a lot about them. I would recommend this tour.
Lots of Puffins!
WMATTHEW_L, Aug 2023
We had read some of the recent reviews about disappointment with not seeing puffins. We saw lots of them yesterday. Was a great cruise. Nice boat and nice staff.
The Captain was very...
Jay_P, Aug 2023
The Captain was very passionate and knowledgeable about the puffins. The ship was historic and comfortable.
Enjoyable experience
Mark_S, Aug 2023
The tour was exactly what it was represented to be. We saw Puffins on the water, land and flying. The guide was very informative. Overall a very enjoyable experience.
Disappointing experience did not meet my expectations
Mike_C, Aug 2023
It was a disappointment did not meet my expectations, granted it was the end of the season not many puffins was unable to get any good photos or videos
Did see Puffins as...
William_S, Aug 2023
Did see Puffins as promised. However only at a distance so no great photos. Weather was great and was really a Harbour cruise due to small number of Puffins on the day.
Exhilarated !
Vaidehi_H, Aug 2023
It was awesome !!! My 10 year old was disappointed he could not see any puffins although our 1 week stay in Iceland. I did not want him to leave dissatisfied, so we booked an 8 am tour to see puffins the day of return . It was sooooooo worth it . While there would have been thousands during peak season , we went on Aug 13 and we got to see May be about one to two hundred of them. And the guide was soooo entertaining. It was a very engaging experience. Thank you!!!!
One of best tours we have...
urbaniz, Aug 2023
One of best tours we have taken. Low key, small boat, simple ride to see Puffins which were plentiful. Captain and narrator were both excellent and made the cruise seem special for us not like they had done it 100 times before. Thank so much!!!
We had a great time on...
Allison_G, Aug 2023
We had a great time on this tour. The boat ride was fun, we saw many puffins, and our tour guide was excellent.
We’ll worth it.
Troy_S, Aug 2023
Knowledgeable guide and saw a lot of puffins. Easy to get too and friendly staff. Willing to answer all of your questions.
Puffin Express
BRONWYN_H, Aug 2023
Pleasant and well run boat trip to see the Puffins. Quite a few flying around but probably too late in the season to see them on land.
Recommend tour for puffin sightings
Madeleine_W, Aug 2023
We enjoyed the puffin cruise ! We saw many puffins and other birds. The boat was ok but not as nice as I expected. All in all it was a great cruise!
Very worth doing to see Puffins
Jennifer_K, Aug 2023
Great small boat cruise with heaps of birds to see. Had calm seas so got in close. Photo opportunity was great
Fun with puffins
Kenneth_M, Aug 2023
The puffin cruise was fantastic. We were able to see loads of puffins and the guide and boat captain were very knowledgeable. It was a great experience.
A great tour to see puffins within the city
Steve_J, Aug 2023
All my 2-year-old daughter for weeks prior to our trip to Iceland could only talk about seeing puffins. So when I heard that there might not be many on the West side of the island during our stay (first week in August) I got a little nervous. Fortunately, after asking around a little bit and reading reviews, puffin express did not disappoint. We got close enough to see a bunch swimming and flying around. Though we never got within striking distance of them, you could still see them pretty well with the naked eye on the island and the free binoculars provided helped even more. My daughters need to see puffins was satiated and she also loved our friendly and funny tour guide Patrick. A final note, if possible I’d recommend going doing one of their late afternoon tours if getting close to the island is important. Otherwise, you’ll be at the mercy of what the low tide will provide.
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From $54.88

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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