Reykjavik Premium Puffin tour | Close Up and Personal
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Reykjavik, Iceland
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Have a better chance of seeing puffins in the wild than you otherwise could—and enjoy a new perspective on the Old Harbour in Reykjavik—on this small-group tour. Traveling aboard a custom-made rigid inflatable boat (RIB) means you get as close as possible to the islands of Faxaflói Bay, where puffins come to breed in the summer. While looking out for the distinctive birds, learn more about local wildlife and ecology from your guide.
- Traveling by RIB means you get as close as possible to the islands
- This small-group tour is capped at 12 to keep things personal
- Includes safety equipment and a warm flotation suit
- This quick tour is easy to fit in a full day of Reykjavik sightseeing
What's Included
- Warm flotation suit
- Excellent live guidance
- Necessary safety equipment
- 1 hr RIB tour
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Snacks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Elding Whale WatchingÆgisgarður 5c, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Meet us in the ELDING ticket office located at Ægisgarður 5c by the Old Harbour district in Reykjavík. Once at the pier, simply follow the red colour to find us! Be sure to arrive at least 30 min. before departure to ensure enough time to check in and to board the boat.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Lundey
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Minimum age is 10 years or 145 cm
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Class act! Very organized and customer friendly. Love the small group of just 10. Our Zodiac captain was a pro and felt very safe with him (a local fellow). Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and told us so many interesting facts about the Puffins. And yes, we saw hundreds of them! So beautiful and fun!
They help you with all the gear you need to keep safe and warm. It was a very fun experience for us! Highly recommend!
Reviews
4.6
based on 93 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
This was terrific! Our guide Maria is a marine biologist, enthusiastic and full of information about puffins as well as other wildlife we saw. We went to two puffin islands, got as close as we could given it was low tide. Then we sat still and watched hundreds of puffins on shore, in the water around us, flying over us.
Fun easy excursion, very informative. We knew going in you weren’t going to be right beside the puffins, but we still got a good look, and it was nice that the tour sent us pics they took with their telephoto lens. Would recommend.
You see Puffins on the island, in the water and flying. We were also lucky enough to see a seal swimming.
Amazing rib boat experience. Great crew and perfect close up sighting
Staff at desk very helpful and crew was great. Plus, which we didn’t realize, one of the crew, Matteo, took pictures and emailed us. Amazing
12 person RIB boat pretty much ensures you will get close to the Puffins. We saw over a thousand, and were able to get good shots with my iphone. Our guide Rachel was very knowledgeable and answered all questions.
A wonderful time seeing the puffins on two islands in the bay. All safety precautions and climate protection provided as well as binoculars made available. Seeing these small birds whizz by is awesome. Hannah was a knowledgeable guide and receiving professional photos after the tour was an unexpected bonus.
I didn’t get as close to the puffins as I would’ve liked but our wonderful tour guide took pictures with a really nice camera and sent them to anyone who wanted them.
Overall ai had a nice time on this experience. The people were professional and organized. I think based on how it was described I was hoping to be closer to the puffins. Also, the boat only stayed on the opposite side of me so it was harder to see with people in front of me, they did not move the boat around so both sides of people can get clear sights/pictures. They said they would send their professional pictures they took after but I still haven’t received.
Everything about this tour was excellent. We were worried about getting wet, but the suits they give you keep you both dry and warm. Our guide Mia is super friendly and had answer for all the questions we had. The boat ride out was exciting for the kids, but comfortable enough for their grandmother to enjoy as well. Thankfully the puffins were out and very active the day we went out. We had plenty of time to take all the pictures we wanted and made several passes of the breeding island. The fact that Mai took a bunch of photos that was provided to us was just an extra bonus.
I would recommend this tour to everyone.
Very rich experience. Excellent guide. But don't take valuables with you because there are no safety locks where you can put your things.
Easy to find location at the harbor. We went end of May. They provide one piece coveralls type flotation suit which blocked the wind and cold too so didn't need so many layers of clothes. Sizes up to 4xl. Also had to wear a life vest. They had lockers to put our day packs in (not allowed on boat). They provided binoculars to everyone (but I used my own). 2 guides/boat drivers were excellent. Boat brought us near to puffins at 2 islands. Puffins are only 7 inches tall so iphone cameras only catches them very small. But tour guide also takes pics with telephoto lens which they email to everyone after. Only got a little wet in face from water spray - otherwise stayed dry. Great experience to see puffins in person! Loved that this was a short tour as one of us gets easily seasick but they got to enjoy seeing the puffins too! Highly recommend!
I liked the short tour, was an interesting experience from the beginning to the end.
Go in the speed boat was very fun, not dangerous at all and the velocity makes it feel an adventure.
We saw a lot of puffins, they made a show for us flying around and very near of our boat, I loved this little birds!!!
I recommend this tour.
My husband and I decided to book this on our last day in Iceland, and I am so glad we did! The boat tour was a great way to end our trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and truly cared about helping us see the birds. The boat ride was not rough at all.
Very Good Trip - Very well Organised and very well Run.
Felt Safe all the time.
Not as, "Physical", as you might expect.
Good and Helpful Guides -
Adam, Naina, Tarzan, Andy, and the Driver ( forgot his name...), and there was another Boatman, ( also forgot his name...).
Lastly Sara, in the Office, for helping with the Special Transport Requests, for my Disability, and for Transporting us, back and fourth, to our Cruise Ship.
Thanks.
Our guide was an informative chap and had interesting commentary. We didn’t get as close to the land as I thought we would and the binoculars they handed out sucked so it was hard to see details of the puffins on the cliffs. Bring your own binoculars. There were hundreds of them in the water at our 2nd stop. It was fun watching them trying to fly and diving for fish. The RIB tour was not as rough as I expected but they did say the seas were much calmer than usual.
We were disappointed that we were so far away from the puffins, We expected to be up close and personal as advertised
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Cheryl_C,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations.
While the Premium Puffin Tour does bring guests closer to the island than our classic tour, we still observe the birds from a respectful distance to ensure their nesting grounds are not disturbed.
We appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoyed the opportunity to see these unique seabirds in their natural habitat.
All the best,
The Elding team
Just what I was looking for - a chance to get up close to see the puffins. Knute the guide was excellent and the ride on the speed raft was super comfortable. Warm overalls hat and binoculars provided and were great.
Although this is a short tour, we were able to see thousands of puffins. They even floated around our boat a few times. The guide was very informative.
There were so many puffins but hard to get photos on a rocking boat. Guide was amazing ! I enjoyed stopping at multiple sites.
This was a great tour. We saw many, many puffins and were able to get close enough to get some decent phone camera pics. Awesome!
ride out to the puffins was quite rough. There were a lot of puffins flying around and swimming, many with fish in their mouth. Bonus was seeing a humpback whale in the same location.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Dear Bette_H,
Thank you for taking the time to share your puffin tour experience! It sounds like you had quite an eventful trip, with plenty of puffins and even a surprise visit from a humpback whale.
We’re sorry to hear the ride was a bit rough, but we hope the wildlife sightings made up for it.
All the best,
The Elding team
The company dressed us nice and warm with full suits, hats, gloves, goggles, etc… in case you forgot your gear. The puffin nesting islands were only about 10 minutes away. The boat was equipped with these wonderful cushioned seats that moved with the boat, including handles on the seat in front of you. You must stay on the boat away from the puffins; there’s no getting on the island. Although they attempt to get as close as possible, it’s very difficult to get good pictures with just a phone. Other than that, the guide told us all about the puffins. They also shared their photos taken with a big lens camera.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Dear Kimberly_M,
Thank you for your thoughtful review! It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the puffin tour and appreciated the warm gear provided to make your experience more comfortable.
While the puffins can be hard to capture up close with a phone due to their small stature, we’re glad our guide’s photos helped enhance your experience.
We hope you left with some lovely memories of the puffins and your time on the boat.
All the best,
The Elding team
Worst experience. Saw no puffins. Only had a very fast boat ride in the harbor. Book another tour and save your money.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Dear Sheryl_F,
Thank you for your review. We’re sorry to hear that you did not see any puffins and felt disappointed with the Premium Puffin tour. We suggest booking the Classic Puffin tour for a more calm experience.
All the best,
The Elding team
Puffin fun facts. Large amount of puffins that we got to see. Guide was kind and knowledgeable. Boat felt safe and stable, were given eye gear and proper outer layer. Brought binoculars to better see puffins
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Dear JuliannaZieno,
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear that you had a fun and relaxing time on our puffin tour.
It’s great to know that you enjoyed learning fun facts about the puffins and appreciated the care taken with safety and gear on board.
Bringing binoculars was a great idea, and we’re glad you had the chance to see so many puffins up close!
All the best,
The Elding team
We had fun on this tour. My husband did feel a little seasick since this is a RIB and the wind makes the water rough. We felt safe throughout the duration of the tour. The tour guide was patient and shared bird knowledge. We got to see many sea birds. Iceland has the largest colony of puffins and this is really the only way to get somewhat close to them. They are skiddish and nest in the small islands off the coast. They were really cute. The guide took pictures with a nice camera that he shared at the end of the tour which is really great since phone cameras might not work the best with how small and quick the puffins move. But this tour is the closest you will get to the puffins!
The seats were a little uncomfortable for a short person because your feet dangle a bit but still worth the trip.
We saw many puffins! They are only in Iceland during their nesting season so be sure to plan for that if you want to see puffins.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Morgan_E,
Thank you for your detailed review. We're pleased to hear you enjoyed the Reykjavik Premium Puffin tour despite the rough seas.
It's wonderful that you felt safe and appreciated the guide's knowledge and patience. We're glad you enjoyed seeing the sea birds and that the guide's photos enhanced your experience.
Your note about the seats are appreciated - that's exactly why we have height limits (for safety reasons).
All the best,
The Elding team
This quick opportunity to go out and see puffins was enjoyable. The guide was incredibly informative.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Marcy_S,
Thank you for your kind words!
We’re delighted to hear that you found the puffin trip enjoyable and informative. Our guide takes pride in providing an enriching experiences!
All the best,
The Elding team
Class act! Very organized and customer friendly. Love the small group of just 10. Our Zodiac captain was a pro and felt very safe with him (a local fellow). Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and told us so many interesting facts about the Puffins. And yes, we saw hundreds of them! So beautiful and fun!
They help you with all the gear you need to keep safe and warm. It was a very fun experience for us! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Jerry_M,
Thank you for your wonderful review!
We’re so pleased to hear that you found our tour organised and customer friendly. It’s great that you enjoyed the small group, felt safe with our experienced captain, and learned many interesting facts about the puffins.
We’re glad you had fun and highly recommend us!
All the best,
The Elding team
The only way to see puffins in Reykjavik. The boat was close to the puffins. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. A great hour!
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Joni_L,
Thank you for your kind review!
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour and found it to be the best way to see puffins from Reykjavik. It’s wonderful to know that you got close to the puffins and appreciated the knowledge of our tour guide.
All the best,
The Elding team
Fun and exciting. The crew did a wonderful job of explaining not only the puffins we saw but also several other sea birds we saw.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Lynn_V,
Thank you for your lovely review!
We are pleased to hear that you found the Premium Puffin tour fun and exciting. It’s great that our crew did a wonderful job explaining not only the puffins but also the other seabirds you encountered.
All the best,
The Elding team
The ride on the high speed R.I.B [ridged hull inflatable boat] was as much fun as taking photos of the seabirds. The photos came out great since you get as close as is wise to the nests in the cliffs.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear ernest_p,
Thank you for sharing your outstanding experience with us!
We are thrilled to hear that the ride on our high speed RIB boat was just as enjoyable as photographing the seabirds. It's wonderful to know that you managed to capture great photos, getting as close as safely possible to the nests on the cliffs.
All the best,
The Elding team
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per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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