Puffin Express 1-Hour Close Encounter from Reykjavik

Reykjavik, Iceland

High interest

Booked 2 times today.

1 hour (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

Experienced guide & friendly crew on every tour!
Guided boat tour
Binoculars provided on board!
100% Sightings

Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Tour will be operated by Special Tours and starting point for this tour is at Special Tours Ticket Office, located at Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavík.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Akurey

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 33 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

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

Reviews

4.6

based on 10 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Quick trip to see Puffins was perfect!

Lori_S, Jul 2026

The boat looks a bit old, but it was exactly what was needed for the quick trip to see Puffins. Nice outside space to sit and some inside if rainy. The staff was funny and had great information about the birds. It was perfect to fit in our departure schedule and not miss the chance to see the birds. We got closer to the island than expected. Great views to see the birds in the water, sky, and land.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear the tour fit perfectly into your schedule and gave you the chance to experience the puffins up close. It's great to know you enjoyed the views from the boat, the informative and entertaining commentary from our crew, and the opportunity to see the birds both on the island and out at sea. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back on board for another adventure in the future! Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors Team

Easy Puffin viewing…

Mike_B, Jul 2026

It was a great way to see many Puffins and other local birds without having to go on a long excursion. The commentary was interesting and funny.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your lovely review! We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the tour and that it was a great way to see puffins and other local seabirds in a short amount of time. It's wonderful to know you found the commentary both informative and entertaining. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you on board again soon! Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors Team

Best last-minute decision

Beverly_C, Jul 2026

Quick and fun boat ride to island to view puffins. We had a few hours to kill and this fit our morning perfectly. Christina was a very knowledgeable and fun host.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear that our Puffin Express was the perfect way to spend your morning and that you enjoyed seeing the puffins around the island. It's wonderful to know that Christina helped make the experience both fun and informative with her knowledge and enthusiasm. Thank you for choosing Reykjavík Sailors. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back on board for another wildlife adventure in Reykjavík! Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors

Boat ride to Puffin Island

Elizabeth_M, Jul 2026

We traveled to puffin Island by boat. This was not expected. While the journey via water was smooth, I was disappointed at how far away we were and had hoped to “walk” among the Puffins as close as possible without stepping on them or their homes. The view from the boat even with binoculars was disappointing. I’ve since heard that there was tour that did walk near the Puffins.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the boat trip itself and had a smooth journey on the water. However, we're sorry to learn that the experience did not fully match your expectations. Our puffin tours are designed to observe the birds from the sea while maintaining a respectful distance from their nesting colonies. This approach helps protect the puffins and their fragile habitats, allowing guests to observe them in their natural environment without causing disturbance. For this reason, we do not land on the islands visited during the tour. We understand that you were hoping for a closer, land-based experience, and we're sorry if this was not clear before your departure. There are indeed other types of tours in Iceland that offer different wildlife viewing experiences, and we appreciate your comments as they help us better communicate what guests can expect. Thank you for joining us, and we're glad you had the opportunity to visit the puffin islands and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Reykjavík's coastline. Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors

Puffin heaven!

Michael_P, Jun 2026

A great trip with lots of puffins. We had a fine day with some sunshine and saw a surprising number of puffins in and out of their burrows and also flying. The trip exceeded our expectations.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that the trip exceeded your expectations. Seeing large numbers of puffins both in their burrows and flying around the islands is always a fantastic experience, and we're glad you were able to enjoy it on a day with some sunshine. Thank you for joining us and for sharing your experience. We hope to welcome you back on board for another memorable wildlife adventure in Reykjavík! Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors

Great boat ride with boat captain Patrick and the tour guide Blanca

Jayashri_R, Jun 2026

Very nice trip. We went to two islands, the second was a bonus. We saw loads of puffin, seagulls and other birds. Binoculars provided but if you have your own which is correctly focused, even better! The guide was knowledgeable and cheerful as was the boat captain. They made it a fun trip overall. Apparently the earlier group saw a seal.as well but we weren't that lucky. But so many puffins!

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your puffin tour and that the visit to the second island was a welcome bonus. It sounds like you had a fantastic time observing the many puffins, seagulls, and other seabirds around the islands. We're especially pleased that our guide and captain helped make the trip both informative and fun. We'll be sure to share your kind words with them. Thank you as well for mentioning the binoculars—having your own can certainly enhance the experience, though we're always happy to provide some on board. While seals are occasional visitors and wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, we're thrilled that you were treated to so many puffins! Thank you for choosing Reykjavík Sailors, and we hope to welcome you back for another wildlife adventure in the future. 🐧🌊💙 Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors

Puffin Around

Jami_M, Jun 2026

Allows you to see the puffins from a distance. Staff was really good. I recommend bringing binoculars. If not, they have some to borrow.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello, Thank you for your review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the puffin tour and found our staff helpful and friendly. As responsible wildlife operators, we keep a respectful distance from the nesting islands to avoid disturbing the birds, while still providing excellent viewing opportunities. Thank you as well for the helpful tip about binoculars. Bringing your own can certainly enhance the experience, and we're happy that our onboard binoculars were available for guests who didn't have any with them. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another wildlife adventure in Reykjavík soon! 🐧 Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors

Puffin Tour

Daniel_K, May 2026

The puffin experience did not disappoint. Guide was informative and we were able to get up close to the colony. We saw hundreds of puffins!!

Response from Host, May 2026

Hello, Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so glad to hear that the puffin experience lived up to your expectations. Getting up close to the colony and seeing hundreds of puffins is truly a special sight, and we’re happy our guide’s informative commentary made the experience even more enjoyable. Thank you again for joining us—we hope to welcome you back on board for another memorable tour in the future! Best regards, Reykjavik Sailors