Puffin Party

by Sjóferðir ehf · Puffins · Whale watching · Westfjords

4.7· 45 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own
Couples
Self-guided

from €104.55 per person

No published departures in the coming months — ask us

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9 photos from Sjóferðir ehf. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
2 hours and 15 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
May – Sep
Starts in
Ísafjörður
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Sjóferðir
Ásgeirsgata, Ísafjörður
Departs
09:00, 09:15, 09:30, 09:45 …
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 14 days.

About this experience

This 2 hour 15 minute boat ride takes you into the bay of Ísafjörður exploring wildlife and enjoying great mountain view. Along the way your guide will tell you about life in the Westfjords and about the amazing bird and marine life. Our goal is sailing to an abundant Puffin area, exploring puffins on the water, black guillemots and eiders. The tour also takes you through areas where it is very likely to see hump back whales, but we can not guarantee that. Please note that weather conditions as well as where the puffins are feeding are the factor that decides where we go exactly. we will head to a nearby fjord or close to Vigur island where puffins are abundant and the sea is often considerably calm. The destination largely depends on the weather and sea conditions. Remember to bring a camera, binocular is also very good for looking at the seals (if we go close to the islands) when the tide is low as they sit sunbathing on the rocks. Dress warm.

Kindly note that we need a minimum of 12 persons total for the tour to go ahead. We offer 100% refund if the tour does not go ahead due to minimum persons not being reached.

All passengers should arrive half an hour before the departure times.

Meeting point is the red harbour house with Sjoferdir´s sign on it.

Description from the operator, Sjóferðir ehf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Good to know

Warm clothing to enjoy the view from outside.

Camera and binocular can be a good for looking at the seals for example.

Kindly note that we need a minimum of 12 persons total for the tour to go ahead. We offer 100% refund if the tour does not go ahead due to minimum persons not being reached

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 14 days. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Sjóferðir ehf decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Who this is not for

Not available in winter; the operator runs it roughly May to September.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Sjóferðir ehf is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Sjóferðir ehf

Read all 45 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Lynn Meehan
★★★★★ · a month ago
Had a first rate whale watching experience with Sjóferdir today. Saw many whales. Judith, the guide, was excellent- enthusiastic and informative. Very competent captain as well. Comfortable boat. Small group. Gorgeous scenery. Highly recommend!!
Grace Mitton
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
This was such a magical, spectacular day and I’m so glad I booked with this company. Our tour guide was fantastic, keeping us at a pace that wasn’t too rushed where we had plenty of time to take in all of the beautiful sights. And she was so knowledgeable about the area and wildlife, and we were lucky enough to even spot a family of Arctic foxes. By far this was the highlight of my trip thanks to our amazing tour guide. Such a beautiful area.
Rebecca Douglas
★★★★★ · 9 months ago
One of the absolute highlights of my year was spending time at sea with these guys. A beautifully guided trip where the whale encounters were shared with care and integrity. We went out in late September and early October and saw SO many whales, it was absolutely mind blowing. Thank you so much for all that you do!
Kevin Gent
★★★★★ · a year ago
Today we went on our trip to see the whales and other wildlife. We weren't disappointed. Within 20 mins we were surrounded by groups of 4 and 5 whales. Absolutely awesome trip can't fault it. The Captain was exceptional and the young man who throughout the trip filled us with information was brilliant. We stayed out at sea for approx 2 hrs and my phone battery was empty after taking so many photos. The Captain turned the engines off and as we drifted we could here the whales calling each other..truly emotional. Cannot recommend this company and crew highly enough. There was one toilet on board which was easily accessible. But I must say the amount of narrow walkways and steps on board makes it non accessible for wheelchair confined persons. The weather was bright and a gentle breeze which made for a great trip. If I ever return I will be booking again. Thankyou again for a once in a lifetime experience.

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Best Puffin Tour in Iceland (2026): 5 Picks ComparedWhich puffin tour to book in Iceland, from a one-hour Reykjavík boat to the Eastfjords and Westfjords. Real prices, season and honest tradeoffs.
Ísafjörður tours: what to book, by time you haveThree hours in Ísafjörður: Vigur island. Half a day: Dynjandi or a whale boat. A full day: Hesteyri. Kayaking is for fit adults with eight hours.
Whale watching in the Westfjords: Ísafjörður or HólmavíkHólmavík if you're driving in, because it's on the way and the fjord is calm. Ísafjörður if you're already there, or off a cruise ship. Both are summer trips.

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Puffins — questions people ask

When can you see puffins in Iceland?

Mid-April to mid-August. Puffins arrive at the nesting cliffs in April, hatch chicks in June and leave for the open sea by late August. July is the safest month for numbers and for chicks being fed. Outside this window there are none on land, and a tour sold as a puffin tour in October is a boat ride. Reykjavík puffin boats usually run May to August; check the tour page for the exact dates each year.

Can you see puffins from Reykjavík?

Yes. Two small islands in Faxaflói, Akurey and Lundey, hold puffin colonies ten to fifteen minutes by boat from the Old Harbour. One-hour trips like Elding's classic puffin watching (/experience/1299/) circle the islands slowly; you do not land. Bring binoculars, because the boats keep a respectful distance and puffins are small. It is the easiest puffin option in Iceland and a good fit for children or a spare hour before dinner.

Where is the best place to see puffins up close?

On land, at a cliff, not from a boat. Látrabjarg in the Westfjords, Borgarfjörður eystri in the east and Dyrhólaey on the South Coast let you sit a few metres from birds that ignore you. Vestmannaeyjar has the largest colonies. Reykjavík boat trips are convenient but distant. If you are travelling the Ring Road in June or July, the puffin tour from Seyðisfjörður (/experience/973294/) gets you to the eastern cliffs with a guide.

Are puffin boat tours good for kids?

Yes, mostly. They are short, an hour or so, and stay in the sheltered bay, so seasickness is rarer than on a three-hour whale trip. Children usually enjoy the boat as much as the birds. The downside is distance: puffins look like specks without binoculars, so ask if the boat has some to borrow. Combined whale-and-puffin trips (/experience/1569/) run six hours, which is long for under-eights.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Ísafjörður, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site. Ourhotels is our sister company — the same people, a different business — so we list it first and say so.

All hotels in Westfjords →

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from

€104.55 per person

Sjóferðir ehf's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

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Departs09:0009:1509:3009:4510:0010:1510:3010:4511:0011:1511:3011:4512:0012:1512:3012:4513:0013:1513:3013:4514:0014:1514:3014:4515:0015:1515:3016:00

· Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 days of departure, rising to 50% within 14 days.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Sjóferðir ehf cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Sjóferðir ehf's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €6 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.