The 15 Best Puffin Tours in Iceland

North Iceland Tours & Experiences, Puffin Cruises, Safari, Tour Reviews, Whale & Orca Watching, Whale Watching in North Iceland

Húsavík: Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

/ August 15, 2026

1.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,221 reviews · 2 hours · from $175Our pick

Húsavík RIB safari to Puffin Island and Skjálfandi Bay. Modern boat, warm overalls, expert guide, big-whale odds in 2 hours.

“We had such an unforgettable whale-watching tour! For the first two hours, we searched without any luck, but that only made the adventure more exciting. The typical Icelandic weather — strong wind and rain — added to the atmosphere and gave us some pretty high waves, which made the whole experience feel even more real and adventurous. Spotting whales was definitely more challenging in those conditions, and although we didn’t get to see any humpbacks, the tour ended in the most magical way. In the last five minutes, a group of bottlenose whales appeared right next to the boat! Absolutely fantastic and a memory we’ll never forget.”

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Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Boat Tour

/ August 15, 2026

2.Puffin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,052 reviews · 1 hour · from $64

Reykjavik puffin boat tour from Old Harbour to Lundey and Akurey in Faxaflói Bay, with binoculars and 100% puffin sightings in about an hour.

“Enjoyable tour with entertaining guide and boat captain. The puffins were out and very active during the 8 am tour.”

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Húsavík: Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

/ August 15, 2026

3.Big Whales and Puffin Island Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 979 reviews · 2 hours · from $198

Speedboat whale watching in Húsavík, plus Puffin Island in season, from a warm RIB ride with a pro guide.

“This tour was fantastic! Our guide Ignacio was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We saw multiple humpback whales, puffins and arctic tern. The boat was comfortable and gear is provided to help keep you warm and dry. Tour is a good amount of time (not too long) and is run in small groups which was really nice! Highly recommend!”

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Puffin and Volcano Tour with Ebbi

/ August 15, 2026

4.Puffin and Volcano Tour with Ebbi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 731 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $114Top rated

A 2-hour Heimaey Island tour with Ebbi, mixing puffin colonies, Elephant Rock, Sprangan, and a walk into Eldfell’s crater.

“Wonderful tour, very entertaining. Appreciated all the local info on the island. And of course the puffins were amazing.”

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Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

/ August 15, 2026

5.Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 636 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $63

Quick Reykjavik puffin cruise to Akurey Island, with an expert guide, included binoculars, and close-in boat time for prime seabird spotting.

“Cruise was good, our guide Patrick was quite the showman and made the best of a rainy day with few puffins left. I do think this tour is probably not worth it after the first week in August because there weren't too many puffins to see-- we saw maybe 20 if I'm being generous. However, not at all the fault of the tour operator at all, just wanted to let future travelers know that mid-August is slim pickings for puffin sightings.”

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Reykjavik: Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

/ August 15, 2026

6.Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 552 reviews · 4 hours · from $153

Chase humpback whales and puffins from Reykjavik with warm overalls, two boats, and smart timing for Faxaflói Bay wildlife.

“What a wonderful experience to see these fantastic birds. Our tour guide was excellent.”

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Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

/ August 15, 2026

7.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203

RIB whale watching from Húsavík in Skjálfandi Bay, with Lundey puffins during season, warm suits on board, small group views.

“Overall fun experience even though we took the 9am tour which was the first tour of the day hoping to see Whales, but only saw a few fins, not that exciting. Very cold, wet and rough waters getting out there so expect to get wet! They provide great gear for all. Austin our guide was great, very informative. I will say the negative was that it was also suppose to be whales & puffins, but the puffins aspect of the tour was never addressed, so not sure if what happened with that (?) overall no regrets.”

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Húsavík: Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

/ August 15, 2026

8.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

3 hours on a traditional oak boat from Húsavík in Skjálfandi Bay, warm overalls, hot chocolate, whales and puffins.

“I would have given it a 4 star to be honest with you, neither of us were too impressed with the puffin tour. We didn't imagine what that part of it would be like, and I think I expected more from that, though in hindsight I can see why a) we couldn't get closer to the colony and b) the rocking boat didn't make using binoculars easy with the potential for motion sickness with continued use. And therefore, again, with hindsight, we wouldn't have taken the puffin tour option. With regards the whales - I believe we struck lucky with decent weather, plenty of sightings to get excited about. It…”

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Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

/ August 15, 2026

9.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

RIB speedboat whale and puffin safari from Húsavík with expert guides, warm suits, and a 2-hour Skjálfandi Bay chase for giants.

“Fabulous day with an expert crew. We saw several whales and dolphins that were close to the boat. It was a truly magical experience. The size and maneuverability of the rib boats sets it apart from any other experience. Highly recommend!”

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Reykjavik: 1-Hour Puffin Watching Tour

/ August 15, 2026

10.1-Hour Puffin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 305 reviews · 1 hour · from $66

Reykjavik 1-hour puffin cruise with Elding. Warm overalls, free binoculars, and close views of Lundey, Akurey, or Engey.

“we enjoyed the tour and enjoyed seeing wonderful wildlife and the harbor”

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Reykjavik: Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

/ August 15, 2026

11.Whale and Puffin Watching RIB Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 293 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

2-hour Reykjavik RIB tour for whales and puffins with marine experts, warm gear, and Harpa views from the water.

“The tour in the small boat and our guide were excellent. We were fortunate to see several whales.”

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Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Tour

/ August 16, 2026

12.Puffin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 277 reviews · 1 hour · from $101

1-hour RIB cruise from Reykjavik to Faxaflói Bay for close puffin viewing, binoculars and warm coveralls with an English guide.

“Staff was very welcoming. They explained the floatation suit and life preserver that we had to wear and helped us as needed. The rib boat was a great way to get close to the 2 islands where the puffins were nesting. Our guide was excellent and discussed puffins’ habitat and habits. He also took puffin photos to send us later. We saw many, many puffins, with the first island stop close enough to see the puffins and their burrows, and the second island stop to see very large numbers of puffins flying, swimming, and carrying capelin fish in their mouths. For us, the beginning of August was the perfect time…”

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Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík

/ August 16, 2026

13.Classic Puffin Watching Cruise from Downtown Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 276 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60Best value

Classic puffin cruise from Reykjavík for close bird viewing, binoculars, English narration, and big harbor views. 1 to 1.5 hours.

“Our trip got cancelled due to bad weather conditions. To cancel I received an email and they even phoned me to make sure I received the message. It was was we couldn't do they trip, but great service!”

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Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík

/ August 21, 2026

14.Premium Small-Group Puffin & Bird Watching tour from Reykjavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $105

RIB puffin and seabird watching from Reykjavík. Small group, warm gear and binoculars included. Watch nests at Akurey in Faxaflói Bay.

“If you have back issues maybe think twice as you crash down on rough waves. However, the tour was Perfect! We saw sooo many puffins up close and if you like speed boats this is for you. They ensure your comfort with special clothing and our guide Rachael was knowledgeable, super friendly and right there for any issues. Loved this adventure!”

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Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

/ August 15, 2026

15.Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 114 reviews · 5 hours · from $213

A 5-hour shore tour from Seyðisfjörður to see thousands of puffins at Hafnarhólmi, then visit turf houses, Elf Rock, and Gufufoss.

“Everything was wonderful—only downside was the long bus ride to the puffins—but the scenery was SO spectacular that it went by fairly quickly. Berglind is an excellent, warm, and funny guide and Torve handled the tricky and steep roads very well as our driver. The day was sunny and beautiful and showed the puffins, kittiwakes, and gulls off!”

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