Two-In-One: Whale & Puffin Watching Tours from Reykjavik

The clever part of this experience is that it gives you two different wildlife trips in one booking. A smaller boat takes you toward a puffin island near Lundey, then a larger vessel heads into Faxaflói Bay in search of humpback and minke whales, dolphins, and porpoises. You are not sitting on one boat all day, which makes the change of pace welcome.

I like the built-in break at Reykjavik’s Old Harbour, where you can eat, warm up, and see more of the waterfront before the longer trip. I also like the practical comforts: waterproof overalls, a heated indoor saloon, large windows, binoculars, WiFi, and lively English commentary from marine-focused guides.

The main catch is simple: puffins are small, fast, and often farther away than photographs suggest. The two boat trips are separate, and the best sightings depend on weather, season, and the animals themselves. Some days bring a mother and calf close to the boat. Other days bring only brief glimpses.

Key points to know before booking

• Two boats, two separate trips: A one-hour puffin cruise and a three-hour whale watch are scheduled as separate outings.
• A useful Old Harbour break: You usually have around two hours between trips for lunch, coffee, or a short walk.
• Best in the summer wildlife season: Puffins are present during breeding season, while whale sightings can vary from excellent to limited.
• Comfort matters at sea: Protective clothing, heated indoor seating, large viewing windows, and onboard snacks help on cool or rough days.
• A whale sighting guarantee adds value: If no cetacean appears, you can try the whale trip again for free on another day.
• Bring better optics for puffins: The supplied binoculars help, but your own binoculars or a camera with a strong zoom may serve you better.

Two wildlife trips from Reykjavik’s Old Harbour

This experience begins at Elding Whale Watching, at Ægisgarður 5c in Reykjavik’s Old Harbour. The setting is handy for a day on the water, with restaurants and waterfront walks nearby. You return to the same meeting point after the whale trip.

The combined price is about $140 per person. That is not a bargain basement outing, but you are paying for two boat trips, rather than one short cruise. You also get protective clothing, binoculars, a warm indoor cabin, live commentary, WiFi, and access to a wildlife exhibition.

The schedule matters. The full experience takes roughly four to six hours, depending on departure times and the gap between boats. Read the times carefully before you book. You are buying a combination of two independent tours, not one continuous excursion with the same crew and vessel.

That distinction is important. The puffin boat is smaller and gets near the islands. The whale boat is larger, roomier, and travels farther into Faxaflói Bay. If you expect one ship to handle both jobs, you may be confused at check-in. Make sure you receive information for both parts.

The one-hour cruise toward Lundey

The puffin outing uses a smaller passenger boat and heads toward one of three islands where puffins gather during breeding season. Lundey is the named stop here, and the aim is to get close enough for a good look without disturbing the birds.

You do not land on the island. That means the experience is about watching puffins from the water, often with binoculars, rather than walking among burrows or seeing birds at arm’s length. The boat may bring you close to the island, but the birds can still sit on the rocks, float on the water, or flash past in flight.

Puffins are charming but not easy photographic subjects. They are small, quick, and constantly moving. An ordinary phone may record little more than distant dots, especially in gray weather. Borrowed binoculars are available, but bring your own if you have a decent pair. A camera with a strong zoom is far more useful than a standard phone lens.

The boat design is worth considering. Some passengers find the smaller vessel comfortable and appreciate getting nearer to the island. Others find it crowded at full capacity, with limited views from inside. Reaching the top deck may require climbing a ladder, so anyone with limited mobility should ask about the vessel and seating before booking.

This is also the shorter and more weather-sensitive-feeling part of the day. A calm sea can make the island approach pleasant and easy to watch. Wind or swell can make standing outside less comfortable, although the tour provides protective clothing and indoor shelter.

The payoff can be excellent. On a good day, you may see many puffins on the island and in the water. On a less generous day, you may see only a few, and perhaps from a distance. That is the nature of the outing, not a flaw the crew can fully solve.

Your Old Harbour intermission

The break between boats is one of the strongest features of this package. You generally have about an hour and a half to two hours between the puffin and whale trips, giving you time to get off the water and reset.

I would use the pause for a proper meal rather than relying on snacks onboard later. The Old Harbour has restaurants and cafes, and the staff can suggest places nearby. You can also take a short waterfront walk, use the facilities, or simply sit somewhere warm before the longer trip.

Check the next departure time before wandering far. The port is easy to explore, but the boats do not wait for late arrivals. If you have a tight Reykjavik schedule, allow extra time for returning to the meeting point and finding the correct boat.

The break also makes the package less tiring than one long cruise. Three hours at sea can feel like a lot, especially in wind. Splitting the day lets you stretch your legs and gives you a chance to decide how warmly you need to dress for the second trip.

Three hours across Faxaflói Bay

The whale-watching boat is larger than the puffin vessel and designed for a longer run into Faxaflói Bay. This is where the main wildlife search takes place. The usual targets include minke whales, humpback whales, porpoises, and dolphins, along with seabirds.

The first part of the trip may be spent traveling out toward the areas where animals are being seen. That helps explain why the three-hour duration is useful. A whale can surface once and disappear for several minutes, so staying on the water gives the crew more chances to search and gives you more chances to spot movement.

The guides provide live English commentary and point out where to look. That help matters. A whale’s back may appear as a dark curve for a second, while a blow can be easy to miss if you are staring at the wrong side of the boat. The crew also shares information about the animals, the bay, and Icelandic waters.

Sightings can range from a brief minke whale to repeated views of humpbacks, dolphins, and porpoises. Some fortunate departures see several humpbacks, a pod of dolphins, or a mother and calf close to the vessel. A few people have even seen a whale show its pale underside.

Still, you should set your expectations sensibly. One trip has produced only a small whale and dolphins for some passengers. Another has offered several humpbacks and a close mother-and-calf encounter. Wild animals do not follow a schedule, and a high rating cannot change that.

The operator offers a whale sighting guarantee. If you see no cetaceans at all, you can take the whale tour again for free on another day. This is especially useful if you schedule the excursion early in your Reykjavik stay. A later departure gives you a second chance if weather or luck fails you the first time.

The guarantee does not mean you will see a whale at close range, and it does not cover a merely disappointing sighting. It is best understood as protection against a completely empty search.

Staying warm and comfortable offshore

I like the practical setup on the larger boat. You can borrow waterproof and windproof protective clothing, and a heated indoor saloon has large viewing windows. That gives you a sensible fallback when the weather turns cold.

Food and drinks are not included, but you can buy snacks and hot drinks onboard. Coffee and hot chocolate can be useful on a chilly afternoon, though I would eat a real meal during the harbour break. The boat also has a bar area, according to the available details.

Free WiFi is included, and binoculars are available to borrow. The binoculars may not offer the sharpest view, so serious wildlife watchers should bring their own. For photography, remember that whales and puffins move quickly. A zoom lens gives you a much better chance than a basic phone camera.

The smaller puffin boat is less forgiving for comfort and viewing position. If you want the clearest look, try to get a place with an unobstructed outside view, but do not block other people. At maximum capacity, some inside seats may have limited or no direct window view.

Children under 13 must wear life vests throughout the tour by law. Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. The group is capped at 30 people, which keeps it smaller than some large harbor excursions, though the puffin boat can still feel crowded depending on the vessel used that day.

Timing, seasons, and the luck factor

Puffins are seasonal visitors, with the strongest chance during breeding season. Summer is the sensible time to choose this outing if puffins are a main goal. Even then, numbers and viewing distance can vary.

Late summer can be less reliable for puffins. Birds may be harder to find or farther from the boat, and a trip in August is not automatically equal to a trip earlier in the season. If seeing puffins is your top priority, ask about current conditions before you commit.

Whales are also unpredictable. Peak summer can offer strong sightings, including minke whales, humpbacks, dolphins, and porpoises, but no operator can promise a close encounter. Wind can cancel a departure, and rough water can make the ride less pleasant even when the tour runs.

The company can cancel for poor weather and offer another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

I would plan this tour early in your Iceland visit, not on your final afternoon. That gives you room to use the whale guarantee and leaves space for a weather-related change.

How the price compares with the experience

At $140, this package costs more than a single short harbor cruise, but the comparison is not quite fair. You receive about four hours of time on two boats, plus gear, indoor seating, commentary, binoculars, and a free retry if the whale search produces no cetaceans.

The value is strongest if you genuinely want both wildlife experiences and can spare most of a day. The harbour break prevents the schedule from becoming one long stretch at sea, and the two boat types suit their separate purposes.

The value is weaker if you mainly want to see puffins close up. You cannot land on the island, and the birds may be too distant for easy photographs. In that case, you may prefer to book the whale trip alone and seek puffins elsewhere during your Iceland itinerary.

The package also works well for people who like being on the water even when the wildlife is quiet. You get changing views of Reykjavik from offshore, seabirds, open water, and a crew that keeps the search active. But if you need guaranteed, close-up animal sightings, no boat tour can deliver that.

Who should book this combination

I would choose this for a first Iceland visit, especially if you have a free half-day in Reykjavik and want a simple way to add marine wildlife to your plans. It suits couples, families, photographers with proper zoom equipment, and anyone who enjoys a guided boat ride without needing a high-adrenaline adventure.

The experience also suits you if comfort matters. The heated cabin and protective clothing mean you do not have to spend three hours exposed to Icelandic wind. The live commentary adds useful context, and the whale retry policy reduces the risk of losing your money to an empty search.

I would think twice if you dislike boats, get seasick easily, or need guaranteed close views. Rough conditions are possible, and the puffin boat may have tight viewing areas. Seasickness tablets have been available from the operator, but you should ask at check-in rather than assume they are included.

The group size is limited to 30, which is reasonable for a guided wildlife trip. Still, the smaller puffin boat may feel busy, and access to the best outside viewing spots is not guaranteed.

Should you book the whale and puffin combination?

Book it if you want a full marine wildlife day, appreciate warm facilities, and can accept that nature controls the schedule. The whale portion is the stronger draw for many people, with a larger boat, more room, and the chance to see humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Book with more caution if puffins are your main reason for going. You may see hundreds, but you may also see only a few distant birds. For the best odds, choose a summer date, bring binoculars, and use the tour’s free whale retry by scheduling early in your stay.

At $140, I consider it a fair package for two distinct outings and useful protection against an empty whale search. Just remember what you are buying: not one grand wildlife cruise, but a short puffin trip, a harbour pause, and a longer whale search.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts and ends at Elding Whale Watching, Ægisgarður 5c, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.

How long does the full experience take?

The combined experience takes about four to six hours, depending on the departure schedule and the time between the two boat trips.

Are the puffin and whale trips on the same boat?

No. The puffin trip uses a smaller passenger boat, while the whale-watching trip uses a larger boat.

How long is the puffin trip?

The puffin-watching portion lasts about one hour.

How long is the whale-watching trip?

The whale-watching portion lasts about three hours.

What wildlife might I see?

The tour searches for puffins, minke whales, humpback whales, porpoises, dolphins, and other marine wildlife and seabirds.

Are binoculars and warm clothing provided?

Yes. Protective clothing and binoculars are available, and the larger boat has a heated indoor saloon with large viewing windows.

What happens if I see no whales?

You can take the whale-watching trip again for free on another day under the whale sighting guarantee.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. If poor weather cancels the experience, you will be offered another date or a full refund.