Whale & Puffin Watching Tours from Reykjavik: Two Boats, One Day

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/12

Duration4h–6h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Watch puffins nest on island cliffs, then spot whales from a warm, glassed boat cabin

This combo tour from Reykjavik pairs a 1-hour puffin watching trip on a small boat to one of three nearby islands with a 3-hour whale watching tour in Faxaflói Bay, where you search for humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins and porpoises with a marine biologist guide. Between the two tours you have about 2 hours free to explore Reykjavik and eat lunch. The whale tour includes a sighting guarantee: if no cetaceans appear, you can try again free of charge.

4h–6h

Step-by-step itinerary

Whale and puffin watching tours

Join puffin watching boat tour
Observe puffins on nearby island
Enjoy free time and lunch in Reykjavik
Join whale watching boat tour
Spot whales, dolphins, and porpoises

The Experience

You start with the puffin tour, boarding a smaller passenger boat that sails to Akurey, Engey or Lundey—islands thick with thousands of puffins during breeding season. Bring a zoom camera or borrow the boat's binoculars to watch them up close in their natural habitat. The naturalist guide shares what you're seeing as the boat moves among the colonies. After you return to Reykjavik's Old Harbour, you have roughly two hours to walk around, visit a museum, or grab lunch at one of the restaurants nearby—the crew can point you toward their favorites.

The whale watching tour departs later and runs for 3 hours into Faxaflói, the largest bay in Iceland. You board a larger boat with a heated indoor saloon, big viewing windows and complimentary WiFi. The marine biologist guide narrates in English as you search for minke whales, humpback whales, porpoises and dolphins. The boat carries the sighting guarantee: if you don't see cetaceans, you get a free return trip on another day. The saloon stays warm and dry, and you can move between decks to watch from outside or stay sheltered depending on the weather and what you spot.

Both tours include the use of protective clothing and binoculars. Children under 13 are required by law to wear life vests for the full duration. The boats have steep stairs between decks and high thresholds into the saloon and toilets, so wheelchair users should contact the office before departure to discuss boarding assistance; foldable chairs are welcome on the larger whale-watching boat.

What’s included

Two separate tours—1 hour puffin watching and 3 hours whale watching.
heated indoor saloon with large viewing windows on the whale boat.
use of protective clothing and binoculars.
live commentary in English from a naturalist guide on the puffin tour and a marine biologist on the whale tour.
complimentary WiFi onboard.
access to a wildlife exhibition.
whale sighting guarantee (free return trip if no cetaceans are spotted).

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Elding Whale Watching

Is this one for you?Book this combo if you have a full morning or afternoon free and want to see two different marine habitats without arranging separate bookings—the puffin islands and Faxaflói Bay are covered in one ticket, with a built-in lunch break in Reykjavik between them. The heated saloon on the whale boat suits anyone worried about weather or wanting to stay warm while watching from the windows, and the sighting guarantee means a calm sea or unlucky day doesn't end the search.