About 30.000 puffins nest on the islands off the coast of Reykjavik, and they’re only a 15-minute boat ride away. The Puffin Express tour is a great way to see those tiny (and somewhat clumsy) birds up close in their natural habitat.
It takes only 15 minutes of sailing from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour to reach the puffin island Akurey. The boat ride also gives an excellent cityscape view of Reykjavik. During the 1-hour tour, the expert guide will share information about the islands and Reykjavik’s buildings you can see on tour. Don’t forget your camera!
The boat’s captain will try to get you as close as possible to the Puffins without disturbing them. When you reach the islands, the boat’s engines are turned off, so you can observe the birds and the beautiful surroundings in peace. The islands in Kollafjörður, in Faxaflói bay, outside Reykjavik, are known for their colorful birdlife, so you will probably see more exciting bird species than just the puffin. The expert guide will tell you all the facts and fun stories about the cute puffins and other wildlife that might be seen on tour.
We recommend you download the Special Tours Iceland app, which has five languages for Android and Apple. It is available for passengers before or during the tour and has text and audio information. It is as close to an audio-guided wildlife adventure as possible.
Please note you will be asked to show a valid ID upon arrival for check-in. There’s also no parking spot on the harbor, but plenty of pay-to-park and parking garages are nearby. There are free parking spots in the next port, about 5 minutes walking distance away.
The puffin is one of the more fun birds in Iceland. They are a bit like the bumblebee – a tad too heavy for flying, which makes them incredibly fun to watch. The fact so many of them nest just outside Reykjavik is a huge bonus and as this is is an express tour, you will also have time to go enjoy more activities like a Walking Tour with us or a visit to a museum!
