Puffin Watching and Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur

The best reason to take this trip is simple: Hafnarhólmi can put you remarkably close to puffins without a boat ride. Wooden stairs lead toward the nesting cliffs, and with patience you may watch birds only a few feet away. The drive from Seydisfjordur is long, but it carries you into one of East Iceland’s quietest and most dramatic corners.

I especially like the chance to pair wildlife with Bakkagerði’s folklore and turf houses, rather than spending the whole day at one viewing site. I also like Gufufoss, a modest waterfall with a soft veil of spray. The main caution is time: five hours includes a lot of driving, and the puffin stop may feel short if the site is crowded or the birds are out at sea.

Key points to know before you book

• Puffins can be viewed from wooden stairs near the nesting cliffs, often much closer than from a typical boat trip.
• The drive is the price of admission to the East Fjords, with roughly one to one and a half hours each way reported for parts of the route.
• Bakkagerði gives the tour its cultural flavor, with Lindarbakki turf house and Alfaborg’s elf folklore.
• Late season can mean very few puffins, especially in August, when many birds have begun leaving the area.
• Crowding can affect the experience, particularly when several buses arrive together at Hafnarhólmi.
• Lunch is not included, so bring food or use the limited snack and café options along the way.

The long road from Seydisfjordur to Borgarfjordur-Eystri

This is not a quick port-side outing. The advertised duration is about five hours, and that includes the drive, stops, loading, and return to Seydisfjordur. Some departures have taken closer to six hours, so you should keep your ship schedule in mind.

The road leads through the East Fjords and toward Borgarfjordur-Eystri, a small fishing district far from Iceland’s better-known southern sights. You will spend a large part of the day looking through the bus windows at mountains, water, open valleys, and scattered settlements. If you expect constant attractions, the ride may feel long. If you enjoy remote scenery, the drive becomes part of the experience.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and has WiFi. The maximum group size is listed as 59 people, which means this can feel like a full coach excursion rather than a small personal tour. Several buses may also be operating on the same day. That matters because the puffin paths, restrooms, and viewing rails can become crowded quickly.

Restroom planning deserves attention. Basic facilities are available at the puffin site, and some departures stop in a village or roadside service area. Still, there are not many breaks, and one stop has reportedly involved a single toilet serving two buses. Use facilities when you can, and do not count on a relaxed café stop.

Hafnarhólmi: the tour’s real prize

Hafnarhólmi is a small rocky islet by the harbor at Borgarfjordur-Eystri. Its main attraction is a large Atlantic puffin colony, and the viewing setup is unusually close to the birds.

Wooden steps run along the cliff, allowing you to approach the nesting area without entering it. The best views may come from the stairs rather than the highest platform. One useful tip is to look for a position on the right side while going uphill, where puffins may appear within about ten feet.

This is a fine place to watch bird behavior, but you need patience. Puffins spend much of their day at sea searching for food. They may sit on the water, fly past quickly, or stay away from the cliff altogether. A large group of people, noise, wind, or the time of year can all affect what you see.

The word colony should not make you expect a wall of birds at every visit. Some departures have seen many puffins close by. Others have seen only a few distant birds. By mid-August, activity may be especially limited as puffins begin their seasonal departure. May through the end of July is the safer window if puffins are your main reason for booking.

The physical approach also deserves honest warning. The stairway can be steep and crowded, with roughly 100 steps mentioned by one passenger. The viewing site is not a good fit for anyone who cannot manage stairs or stand comfortably in a busy area. You can still enjoy the harbor and distant view, but the closest bird viewing requires effort.

The tour usually allows about an hour here. That sounds reasonable on paper, but it can shrink fast if buses arrive together, lines form at the stairs, or you need to wait for space along the rail. Some people will find an hour enough. If puffins are your top goal, you may wish the schedule gave you more time.

Bakkagerði and the green-roofed Lindarbakki house

The village of Bakkagerði is small, scenic, and tied closely to the old stories of East Iceland. The stop is intended to give you free time to look around rather than a tightly guided museum visit.

Lindarbakki is the most distinctive sight. This classic turf house has thick turf walls and a grass-covered roof, a practical design that helped protect Icelandic families from cold and wind. Houses of this type remained in use into the early 20th century, so the building offers a direct link to everyday life before modern construction became common.

Do not expect a large attraction with a long interior visit. The appeal is visual and historical: a small traditional house set within a remote village. You may have around 20 minutes here, and the exact amount of time can change if buses are being staggered or the group is running late.

The village is also a useful place to find food, but lunch is not part of the tour price. A few people have enjoyed soup with bread and butter here, while others have found that lunch arrangements were unclear or unavailable for a large group. If you need regular meals or snacks, bring something with you. This is especially important because the full outing can run beyond five hours.

Alfaborg and Iceland’s elf folklore

Alfaborg is a hill or rocky mound overlooking Borgarfjordur-Eystri. In Icelandic folklore, it is said to be the home of the elf queen.

You do not need to believe the story to enjoy the stop. The hill offers broad views over the fjord and surrounding country, and the tale gives you a glimpse into the way Icelandic folklore remains part of local identity. This is not a grand monument. It is a simple place with a good view and a strong sense of place.

A short hike is available for those who want it. The walk is described as easy, but the tour’s tight schedule means you may not have time for a long exploration. If you choose to climb Alfaborg, wear shoes with a firm sole and keep an eye on the meeting time.

This stop is also where the tour becomes more than a wildlife run. The puffins are the draw, but Alfaborg and Lindarbakki help explain the people and stories connected to the fjord. Some visitors may find the rock, village, church, or cemetery less compelling than the birds. That is a matter of taste, but you should know that the itinerary mixes nature, folklore, and local culture.

Gufufoss, a quieter waterfall near Seydisfjordur

Gufufoss is smaller than Iceland’s famous Skógafoss, but it has an appealing shape and a gentler mood. Water drops over a rugged cliff, creating a soft mist. Its name comes from gufa, the Icelandic word for steam or vapor.

The waterfall is close enough to view without a long hike, though the path toward the base can be uneven and rocky. You can enjoy the sight from a distance if uneven ground is difficult. If you want to get closer, take care on the rough section and do not assume the stop is fully accessible.

The usual stop lasts about 30 minutes. That is enough for photographs and a short look, but not enough for a slow walk around the area. Gufufoss can also be crowded when several buses arrive together. I would treat it as a pleasant final nature stop, not the main reason to book the excursion.

Its location near Seydisfjordur makes it a sensible addition to the day. You get one last waterfall before returning to port, and the stop breaks up the long drive. Still, if you must choose between more waterfall time and more puffin time, most people booking this experience will prefer the birds.

How the guides shape the day

The guide matters here because the drive is long and the route offers few formal attractions between stops. A strong guide can explain puffin behavior, local customs, geology, folklore, and the communities along the road. Guides named Annalise, Eva, Nicki, and Brin Treva have been praised for friendly, clear, and entertaining hosting.

The standard is not perfectly consistent. Some departures have had guides who spoke little during the drive, focused on music, or were difficult to understand. One guide played guitar and sang, which some people enjoyed and others found unrelated to the purpose of the tour. Your experience can depend heavily on who is assigned that day.

The company has also used separate drivers and guides. Drivers such as Kuba and Lukas have been praised for handling the roads safely and helping with local information. Since this is a large-coach outing, the guide may release you to explore each stop independently rather than escorting everyone together.

That approach gives you freedom, but it also means you need to listen carefully to meeting times and directions. At Hafnarhólmi, a guide may leave the group to use the stairs on its own. If you want help identifying behavior or finding the best viewing position, ask before walking away from the bus.

Is $214 a fair price?

At $214 per person, this is not a cheap half-day trip. You are paying for transport into a remote part of East Iceland, a driver, a guide, WiFi, an air-conditioned vehicle, and several stops. There is no lunch, and admission fees are not really a factor because the listed sites are free.

The value depends on your starting point. From Seydisfjordur, reaching Borgarfjordur-Eystri independently would require your own vehicle, route planning, and confidence on remote roads. For a cruise stop, the coach provides a practical way to reach the puffin colony and return to the ship without arranging a separate car.

The price feels stronger when the birds are active and the guide adds useful local context. It feels weaker when you see only one or two puffins, lose time in restroom queues, or spend much of the day on the bus. This is a wildlife trip, so there is no guarantee that the central animal will perform on schedule.

I would book it for the combination of remote scenery and a real chance to see puffins at close range, not for guaranteed puffin photographs. If you are paying mainly for a long period at the viewing rail, the one-hour stop may disappoint.

Who will enjoy this outing most

This tour suits you if you are visiting Seydisfjordur by cruise ship and want to see a less populated side of East Iceland. It is also a good match for bird lovers, photographers, and people who enjoy small villages, folklore, and scenic bus rides.

You should be comfortable with a long ride, winding roads, limited restroom stops, and a fairly full coach. The puffin stairs are not suitable for everyone, and Gufufoss involves uneven ground if you want to approach it closely.

Bring warm layers, rain protection, water, snacks, and shoes with good grip. The weather can change quickly, and the tour requires good conditions. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before departure.

Should you book the Seydisfjordur puffin tour?

Book it if close puffin viewing is your priority and you accept that wild birds, crowds, and weather control the result. Hafnarhólmi offers one of the better land-based chances to see puffins near eye level, and the drive introduces you to a remote corner of the East Fjords that is hard to reach during a short port call.

Think twice if you dislike long bus rides, need frequent facilities, have difficulty with stairs, or expect every minute to be spent with birds. For the best odds, choose a date from May through late July, arrive ready with food and water, and treat the village, folklore, waterfall, and scenery as part of the day rather than filler.

FAQ

How long is the Puffin Watching and Gufufoss Waterfall Tour?

The advertised duration is approximately five hours, including driving time. Some departures have taken closer to six hours.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Ferjuleira, 710 Seydisfjordur, Iceland. The tour ends back at the same meeting point.

Are puffins guaranteed?

No. Puffins are wild birds and may be out at sea, difficult to see, or already leaving the area later in the season. August can offer fewer puffins than May through late July.

How close can I get to the puffins?

Hafnarhólmi has wooden stairs along the cliff, allowing close viewing. Puffins may be within about ten feet, depending on their location and how crowded the viewing area is.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the tour price. Food and snack options may be available at some stops, but bringing your own food is sensible.

Is the tour suitable for people with limited mobility?

The puffin viewing area includes a substantial stairway, and the route toward Gufufoss can be uneven. You can view the waterfall from farther away, but the closest puffin viewing requires managing the stairs.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, WiFi on board, and all listed fees and taxes. Lunch is not included.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund. The activity also requires a minimum number of participants, and cancellation for that reason brings the same choice of another experience or a refund.