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Puffin Watching at Cape Ingólfshöfði

Guided Wildlife Hike to a Remote Coastal Nature Reserve

Product-ID: FE100

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atlantic puffin landing in the south coast in Iceland

puffin trying to fly off the cliff in ingolfshofdi

small puffin with fish in the beak in summer

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About Tour

This guided tour takes you to the remote Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve by tractor-drawn hay cart, crossing coastal sands and shallow streams before setting out on a relaxed wildlife hike. Led by a certified tour guide, the walk follows a 2–3 km (1–2 mi) loop through grassland and cliffs known for puffins, great skuas, and other seabirds. Along the way, you’ll learn about the area’s nature, history, and protected birdlife.

Highlights

See Icelandic puffins
Visit Cape Ingólfshöfði
Ride a tractor-drawn hay cart
Go bird watching along the coast
Take a short scenic hike

Included

Puffin sightseeing
English-speaking tour guide
Ride to Cape Ingólfshöfði

What to bring

Warm, waterproof & windproof outdoor clothing

Tour Snapshot

Availability May-Aug

Duration 2.5 hours

Departs From Cape Ingólfshöfði

Difficulty Easy Suitable for most people in fair condition.

Minimum age 6 years

Meet on Location Yes

Pick Up No

From

104

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Adult

Small Group Experience
Expert Guides
Free Wi-Fi
Best Price Guarantee
No Booking Fees
Fast & Secure Payment

From

104

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Itinerary

To reach Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve, you’ll travel across coastal sands, shallow streams, and marshland in a tractor-drawn hay cart adapted for passengers. The ride covers about 6 km and takes roughly 25 minutes each way. Once at the reserve, you'll spend around 1.5 hours hiking and bird watching. The walking route forms a loop of about 2–3 km (1–2 mi) around the cape.

The hike begins with a short but steep walk up a sandy slope. After that, the terrain becomes much easier, with mostly flat grassland. You’ll walk at a relaxed pace and make frequent stops to observe wildlife and enjoy the views, making the hike manageable for most visitors.

Your puffin watching adventure will be led by a certified local guide with extensive knowledge of the region and its wildlife. They lead the full loop around the cape, point out key natural and historical sites, and ensure that all bird nesting grounds are approached with care and respect.

Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve is one of South Iceland’s key seabird nesting sites, best known for its puffin colonies that gather along the cliffs each summer. The cape is also home to great skuas, large and protective birds that breed in the same area. Learning about both species gives context to the reserve’s importance and the need to protect these nesting grounds.

Puffins are often seen on the cliffs and grassy slopes, sometimes in large numbers and at close range. Atlantic puffins nest in Iceland from late spring through summer, with peak viewing from May to August. During peak season in July, puffins may be less visible on some days because they spend more time at sea fishing, particularly when the weather is calm. Even when puffins are scarce, this tour offers rich scenery, diverse birdlife, and insights into the area’s history.

Weather conditions in this coastal environment can change quickly, adding to the sense of adventure. Tours are always operated with safety in mind, and the experience remains rewarding for travelers who enjoy nature, wildlife, and Iceland’s remote landscapes.

MEET ON LOCATION INFORMATION

Meeting time
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time. Exact times are shown during booking. Early arrival allows time for check-in and preparation before the tour begins.

Meeting point
The meeting point is the Ingólfshöfði parking lot, located on a side road off Ring Road 1, Iceland’s main highway. The turnoff is about a 30-minute drive east of Skaftafell Nature Reserve and about 30 minutes west of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

The access road lies between Hofsnes and Fagurhólsmýri farms and is clearly marked with a sign reading “Ingólfshöfði 2 km.” Follow this road to the parking area.

GPS coordinates
Use the following coordinates in your navigation app to reach the parking lot:
63.879167, -16.659000

FAQ

How should I prepare myself for a pick-up for tours?

The pickup time is stated on your voucher and therefore we recommend you to review your voucher carefully. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated as you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the right pick up time that you chose when booking the tour.

Wait for your guide at your assigned pick up location.

Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.

View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.

Am I allowed to drink alcohol before or during the tours?

Alcohol is prohibited on all of our tours before and during activities. If we find the participant to be intoxicated, we will prohibit them from taking part in the activity.

After the activities of the day are finished then you are more than welcome to have a drink and relax.

Are there any family friendly tours, for younger children?

Yes, we do have a tour into Langjökull Ice Cave that has no minimum age and it is a fantastic option for the whole family. As a Whale Watching with our partner company Special Tours, enjoyable tour for a family traveling with young children, these guys have an enormous success rate in seeing whales (upwards of 98% in the summertime).

If you want to explore parts of Icelandic Highlands than we have our magnificent Landmannalaugar Safari tour that also offers you to bathe in natural hot springs. Almost all of our jeep tours are suitable for children over the age of 6 years old. Then we also have a relaxing experience that we highly recommend, our Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour.

Can the tour itinerary change?

We reserve the rights to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Your safety is our number one priority.

Please read more information in our terms and conditions in regards to this matter.

Do you have a guide on each tour?

Yes, we have specially trained and certified guide on all of our tours, expect on our self-drive tours.

All of our tours are English guided.

Are your tours rated in terms of difficulty?

We have four different categories that help participants to get a better understanding of what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. All of our tours are rated to make it easier for you to find a tour that suits you.

For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.