Private Westman Islands Walking Tour

by Your Friend in Reykjavik · Puffins · South Coast

4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator

Suits older travellers
Eco-certified

from €345 per person

Next departure: Fri 23 Oct

Book Fri 23 Oct · €345 Other dates

Private Westman Islands Walking Tour — Your Friend in Reykjavik

Tour participants enjoying views of puffins

View of Heimaey village with traditional Icelandic buildings

Rocky coastline and sea surrounding Heimaey

Guide talking to visitors on a walking tour of Heimaey

1 / 5

Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
May – Sep
Starts in
Vestmannaeyjabær
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Heimaey Harbor
Básaskersbryggja, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, Heimaey
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 …
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Step into the living history of Heimaey, the only inhabited island in Iceland’s Westman Islands, where volcanic eruptions, the sea, and centuries of resilience shape every street and story. On this private walking tour, a knowledgeable local guide will take you through the island’s iconic sites, from volcanic peaks to seabird cliffs, and through the rebuilt town center that blends lava, culture, and daily life.

Climb Eldfell volcano, witness the bustling harbor, explore Herjólfsdalur Valley, and spot puffins along the cliffs in summer. Learn about the island’s fishing heritage, Viking legends, and the dramatic 1973 eruption that almost buried the town. Optional stops include the Sæheimar Aquarium, Brothers Brewery, and charming local cafés. This immersive tour is perfect for curious travelers eager to experience Heimaey’s unique natural and cultural landscape.

Description from the operator, Your Friend in Reykjavik. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Start – Heimaey Harbour
Harbor Walk
Eldfell Volcano Hike
Skansinn & Stave Church
Puffin & Seabird Spotting (May–August)
Herjólfsdalur Valley
Town Center Stroll
End – Heimaey Harbour

Included

Private guide for the duration of the tour
Expert commentary on history, culture, and wildlife
Flexible, tailored experience

Not included

Food & drinks (optional stops available)
Transportation to/from Heimaey (ferry or flight not included)

Good to know

Sturdy walking shoes
Warm and waterproof layers
Hat, gloves, and sun protection depending on season
Camera for capturing wildlife and dramatic landscapes

Puffin spotting is best between May–August
Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing
Tour may be adjusted depending on weather or local conditions

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. 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.

1Your Friend in Reykjavik 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 1 day before departure, 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

Your Friend in Reykjavik 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 Your Friend in Reykjavik

Read all 1,779 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Sanket Das
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Your Friend in Reykjavik is the best tour company in Reykjavik . I took Walk with a Viking Tour , Snaefellsnes Peninsula day tour and 6 days around Iceland Adventure tour . I spent 8 Nights in Iceland . I stayed 2 nights at Hotel Reykjavik Grand , 1 night at Hotel Geirland , 1 night at Hotel Hofn , 1 night at Wilderness Center , 1 night at Akureyri Berjaya Iceland Hotels , 1 night at Hotel Laugarbakki , 1 night at Hotel Keflavik . It was an amazing tour . My experience in Iceland was magical and heavenly . I also visited Blue Lagoon and it was a nice experience. I enjoyed my every second in Iceland . Iceland is one of the most beautiful country on our planet . I would keep visiting Iceland in the future . Thank you for making my Iceland journey special and memorable .
Wendy Uhlig
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
We had a great time on our Iceland Folklore tour. Our guide was Einar. He was a fantastic storyteller!! Hidden people/elves, trolls and ghost stories - and a lot of Icelandic history. Thank you Einar!!
Nanci Ritter
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Petra was an incredible guide. We asked her to show us as much as she could before taking our crazy family of 10 to the airport for our flights to three different cities ! First stop was the beautiful church in downtown Reykjavik that had just opened with an organ recital. Next stop a lovely spot and observation sight overlooking the city by the Pearl. Cold and wet she found us a lovely coffee shop with the best pastries for a welcome mid morning rest next to the sea. Back in the van we drove for a bit before having the opportunity to explore a geothermal field on our way to the airport. A perfect day and ending to our time in Iceland. Petra shared alot of history and information from the perspective of a local which we all appreciated and enjoyed!
Vincent Damas
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
Nice walking trip in Reykjavik city centre with our local guide Hrafn, very friendly and knowledgeable. A good introduction to Iceland on the very first day of our 2 weeks road-trip around the island 👍

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Private family tours in Iceland: what they costTaste Iceland's private family tours run €1,024 to €1,595 per booking. What you get for that, which age limits apply, and when a cheaper family tour wins.
Private self-drive guided tour in IcelandA guide leads, you drive your own Land Rover Defender. What the Volcano Trails tours cost per vehicle, what is included, and who should skip it.
Sólheimajökull glacier hike: public or private?A public Sólheimajökull glacier hike costs about €95 to €104 a person. A private one lists from €256 for the group. Here is when private is worth it.

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 Hella & Hvolsvöllur, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in South Coast →

One checkout, any number of operators
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If it falls short, we fix it

from

€345 per person

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

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs10:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:00

Hella & Hvolsvöllur: light 08:32–17:39, 9 h 7 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Your Friend in Reykjavik 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: Your Friend in Reykjavik'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 €22 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.