Puffin Watching from Reykjavík and Golden Circle

You’ll be picked up from a designated location in Reykjavík at 9:00 AM and transferred to the Old Harbor in downtown Reykjavík. From there, you board Old Skúli, a boat specially designed for puffin watching, and head to a small island just off the coast.

The boat ride will take about 15 minutes. Along the way, you’ll see Reykjavík’s shoreline and Mount Esja, the mountain range across the bay. Seals are sometimes spotted in the area, and whales may occasionally be seen.

The islands visited are home to around 30,000 nesting Atlantic puffins during the summer season. Puffins nest in burrows and rocky crevices near the shore. The boat’s low profile allows for careful coastal viewing. The engine is turned off near the nesting grounds to avoid disturbing the birds.

An experienced guide will provide information about puffins and other seabirds in the area. This short tour offers a close look at one of Iceland’s most iconic summer wildlife species.

The puffin watching tour will end at around 10:30 AM, giving you ample time to grab a bite to eat before the journey will continue from Old Reykjavik Harbor at 12:00 PM.

The Golden Circle begins at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its historical and geological importance. Iceland’s parliament, Alþingi, was founded here in 930. Assemblies were held at Þingvellir until 1798, and the parliament was later re-established in Reykjavík in 1845. The site is considered the birthplace of Icelandic democracy.

Þingvellir National Park also lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates slowly drift apart. Visible cracks and fissures in the landscape show this geological boundary. You can walk through the rift valley and experience the meeting point of two continents.

The next stop is the Geysir geothermal area in Haukadalur valley. This active geothermal field features hot springs, steam vents, and erupting geysers. The original Great Geysir, now mostly dormant, gave all geysers their name. Nearby, Strokkur geyser erupts every 5–10 minutes, sending hot water up to 20–30 m (65–100 ft) into the air.

The final stop is Gullfoss waterfall (Golden Falls), one of Iceland’s most visited natural attractions. The waterfall is fed by the Hvítá river, which originates from Langjökull glacier. Gullfoss plunges in two dramatic tiers into a rugged canyon, sending up clouds of mist that often catch the sunlight and form bright rainbows. From the marked walking paths, visitors can stand close enough to feel the spray and take in full force of the falls.

This product consists of two separate tours operated independently. In the event that one tour is canceled due to weather or operational reasons, the remaining tour will proceed as scheduled.

If a cancellation happens, the affected part will be handled according to the cancellation policy.