Reykjavík: RIB Speed-Boat Puffin Watching Tour

The main draw here is simple: you leave Reykjavík’s harbor on a fast, nimble RIB boat and reach puffin colonies that larger sightseeing boats cannot approach as closely. You’ll also get a fresh view of Harpa Concert Hall from the water, which makes this more than a quick bird trip.

I like the close range to the islands and the lively ride along the bay. I also like that the guide explains the birds and the effect of puffin hunting, giving the outing some purpose beyond taking photos. The main caution is comfort: the hard seats can be rough on your back, and the meeting point in the harbor may take a little finding.

Key points

• About 40,000 puffins: The boat heads toward islands known for large puffin colonies during the tour’s one-hour trip.
• A nimble RIB boat: The smaller craft can approach the islands more closely than larger boats.
• A sea-level view of Reykjavík: Look back toward the coast and Harpa Concert Hall from the bay.
• Warm protective gear included: You receive a full-body waterproof suit, goggles, and a life vest.
• A short city activity: The tour fits neatly into a busy Reykjavík day, with no long transfer outside the capital.
• A few practical limits: Bring warm clothes and comfortable shoes, but no large bags. The ride is not suitable for pregnant women, people with back problems, or anyone under 140 centimeters tall.

Leaving Reykjavík harbor for the puffin islands

This tour begins at a small wooden hut in a row of harbor huts marked REYKJAVIK BY BOAT. You need to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure, not just a few minutes before the boat leaves. That early arrival gives you time to find the hut, collect your gear, and get ready without a last-minute scramble.

The meeting point deserves extra attention. The harbor setup can be confusing, and a building may not always look open or obvious. One practical account described the location as hard to identify and found help next door. I would save the exact meeting instructions before leaving your hotel and allow extra time to walk around the row of huts.

Once you check in, you put on a full-body waterproof suit, goggles, and a life vest. The suit is supplied, but waterproof shoes are not. Wear comfortable shoes that can handle a wet boat environment, along with warm layers underneath. Iceland’s weather can shift quickly, and an hour on open water feels colder than an hour beside the harbor.

Large bags and luggage are not allowed. You should arrive with only the essentials, such as a phone or camera that you can manage safely in the boat’s conditions. The supplied goggles help protect your eyes from wind and spray, while the suit keeps your clothes dry if the ride gets wet.

What the RIB ride feels like

The boat is a custom-built RIB with suspension seats. That design gives you a more active ride than a standard harbor cruise, with the boat moving quickly across the bay and responding closely to the water.

The suspension seats are meant to soften the ride, but they are not a guarantee of comfort for everyone. One person found the seats hard on the back, so I would take the restriction on back problems seriously. If you prefer calm, slow sightseeing, this is probably not the right boat trip for you.

For many people, the speed is the point. A RIB can cover the short route to the islands quickly and maneuver near the colonies. You get the excitement of a speedboat ride without giving up the wildlife focus. It is a useful combination for anyone with only a few hours in Reykjavík.

You should also keep your expectations realistic. Puffins are wild birds, not trained animals, and their movement cannot be controlled. The boat may bring you close to the colonies, but the quality of your photos depends on weather, light, sea conditions, and where the birds are at that moment.

Seeing puffins in their natural setting

The boat travels toward islands known for large puffin populations, with about 40,000 puffins associated with the sites visited by the tour. Iceland is home to roughly 60 percent of the world’s puffin population, so this outing takes place in one of the key areas for seeing the species.

The appeal is the setting. You are not looking at puffins in a zoo or from a distant display. You are out on the bay, watching wild birds around their island colonies. That makes the experience feel direct and memorable, even though the actual wildlife encounter may vary.

The smaller boat is especially useful here. Large vessels must keep more distance and have less freedom to maneuver. The RIB can get closer to the islands, giving you a better chance to see birds in flight and on the water. The guide also provides commentary about the puffins and their environment, so you are not left guessing what you are seeing.

A strong part of the guide talk is the conservation message. The tour addresses the harm caused by puffin hunting and explains how people can help stop it. That gives the trip a useful connection to Iceland’s wildlife choices. You are not only collecting a few bird photos, but also learning why protecting these colonies matters.

The experience is still brief. One hour on the water leaves enough time for the ride and the puffin area, but not for a long naturalist expedition. I would choose this tour if you want a compact wildlife outing in Reykjavík. If you want hours at sea with several different species, this format may feel too short.

Reykjavík from the water, including Harpa

The ride is not only about the islands. As the boat travels along Reykjavík’s coast, you see the city from the bay and get a sea-level view of Harpa Concert Hall.

Harpa looks especially different from the water. From the harbor, its glass exterior becomes part of the coastal view rather than simply a building you walk past downtown. This gives you a worthwhile city angle even if the puffins are less active than hoped.

I like this two-part design: a short wildlife trip paired with a city view. It means you can fit the boat ride into a day that already includes Reykjavík sights. You do not need to spend a full morning or afternoon away from the capital.

The exact order of the sights can vary with the boat’s route and conditions. The key point is that you get both the coastline and the puffin islands within a one-hour trip. The compact schedule works well for a first day in Reykjavík, a free space between other activities, or a final morning before leaving town, provided your timing allows for the required early arrival.

How the one-hour itinerary works

The outing has a clear rhythm:

• You arrive at the harbor hut at least 30 minutes early.
• You put on the supplied waterproof suit, goggles, and life vest.
• You board the RIB and take a seat in the suspension seating.
• The boat heads across Reykjavík Bay toward the puffin-populated islands.
• The guide provides English commentary about the birds and the area.
• You approach the islands for wildlife viewing and photos.
• The boat returns to the original starting point after about one hour.

That may sound straightforward, but the short length is part of the value. At $81 per person, the price is not cheap for a one-hour activity. Still, you are paying for a specialized RIB boat, protective clothing, a guide, and access to a close wildlife view without arranging transport outside Reykjavík.

I would compare it with the time and cost of a longer boat trip before booking. The RIB offers speed and closer access, but it does not provide a full-day wildlife outing. If you want a focused experience and do not want to spend several hours on a large vessel, the price can make sense.

The trip also includes two experiences in one ticket: the boat ride itself and the puffin viewing. The ride adds energy, while the islands give the outing its main purpose. That balance is one of the strongest reasons to choose this option over a simple harbor cruise.

The guide and the conservation message

The tour is conducted in English with a live guide. Commentary is part of the experience, not an optional extra, and one account specifically found the explanations good.

No guide name is provided for this departure, so you should not expect a particular named guide. What you can count on is an English-language explanation during the ride, including information about puffins and the damage caused by hunting.

That conservation point matters. Puffins are appealing birds, but the tour does not treat them as photo props alone. Learning about hunting and ways to reduce its impact gives you a better understanding of the choices behind wildlife tourism in Iceland.

The best guide-led trips give you context while leaving room to watch. On a fast boat, commentary can be harder to follow if wind and spray are strong, so listen closely when the boat slows near the islands. You will get more from the outing if you balance camera use with simply watching the birds.

Clothing, seating, and comfort

The full-body waterproof suit is included, along with goggles and a life vest. These items remove some of the usual worry about getting wet, but they do not replace warm clothes. Bring layers and wear comfortable shoes, as requested by the operator.

Waterproof footwear is not included. That detail is easy to miss. If your shoes are not suitable for wet conditions, you may be uncomfortable even if the rest of your clothing stays dry.

The boat’s suspension seats may help with the motion, but the ride can still feel firm. I would not book this if you have back problems. It is also not suitable for pregnant women or people under 140 centimeters tall.

The tour has no listed food or drink provision. Since the activity lasts only one hour, that is not a serious issue, but you should eat and drink before or after if needed. Keep refreshments outside the boat unless the operator tells you otherwise.

Photos, weather, and realistic expectations

A RIB gives you a useful photo advantage because it can move close to the islands. You may be able to photograph puffins at a shorter distance than from a larger sightseeing boat, and the boat’s low position puts you close to the water.

The same low position also means wind and spray can affect your camera. The goggles protect your eyes, but camera equipment needs care. Use a secure strap and avoid carrying more gear than you can safely manage. Large bags are not allowed, so this is not the place for a full camera backpack.

Puffin viewing is seasonal in nature, although the supplied details do not give exact operating dates or a guarantee of bird numbers on a particular departure. The tour is designed around colonies with about 40,000 puffins, but wild animals do not follow a schedule. Book it for the chance to see puffins, not for a guaranteed pose or exact number of birds.

Weather can also shape the outing. The waterproof suit helps with wet conditions, but it cannot make a rough ride feel gentle. If you are sensitive to motion, keep that in mind when deciding between a RIB and a larger boat.

Who will get the most from this tour

I would recommend this trip to you if you want:

• A short wildlife activity that begins and ends in Reykjavík
• A faster, more active alternative to a large sightseeing boat
• Close views of puffin colonies from a small boat
• An English-speaking guide and conservation information
• A sea view of Reykjavík and Harpa Concert Hall
• A simple add-on to a city itinerary

It is a particularly good fit for people who value movement as much as sightseeing. The RIB ride is part of the attraction, not merely transport to the birds.

I would think twice if you have a back condition, dislike speedboats, need a very soft seat, or want a long wildlife cruise. The hard seating and open-water motion may outweigh the benefits for you. The height restriction also rules out children or adults under 140 centimeters.

The tour is not designed for luggage. If you are heading straight to or from the airport, arrange a place to store your bags before arriving at the harbor. Pickup and drop-off are not included, though they can be purchased as an add-on.

Is the $81 price fair?

At $81, this sits in the midrange for a short Reykjavík activity. The value comes from the combination of a specialized RIB boat, a one-hour guided outing, protective gear, closer access to the islands, and the city views along the way.

I would not call it a bargain if you measure the price by minutes alone. One hour passes quickly, and the meeting point, clothing change, and return to the harbor add preparation time around the boat ride.

I do think the price is reasonable if you specifically want puffins and prefer an active boat. A larger vessel may offer a gentler ride, but the RIB’s smaller size gives it more freedom near the islands. You are paying for that access and mobility.

The free cancellation option up to 24 hours before departure and the ability to reserve now and pay later also make it easier to fit into a changing Iceland itinerary. Those booking terms do not improve the ride itself, but they reduce some planning risk.

Should you book the Reykjavík RIB puffin tour?

Book it if you want a fast, focused puffin outing with a city view included. The close approach to the islands, lively boat ride, English commentary, and conservation message make good use of a single hour.

Skip it if you need maximum comfort or a slow, roomy cruise. The hard seats, open-water conditions, shoe requirements, and strict height and health limits deserve serious attention.

For the right person, this is an efficient way to see wild puffins without leaving Reykjavík. Arrive early at the marked harbor hut, wear warm layers and sensible shoes, carry no large bag, and treat the birds as wild animals rather than guaranteed photo subjects. That approach gives you the best chance of enjoying both the ride and the wildlife.

FAQ

How long is the puffin watching tour?

The boat trip lasts one hour.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet at the small wooden hut in the row of harbor huts marked REYKJAVIK BY BOAT.

How early should I arrive?

You should arrive at least 30 minutes before departure so you have time to prepare.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The tour has a live guide and is conducted in English.

Is protective clothing included?

Yes. A full-body waterproof suit, goggles, and a life vest are included.

Do I need to bring waterproof shoes?

Yes. Waterproof shoes are not included, so bring suitable comfortable footwear.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Pickup and drop-off are not included, but pickup and drop-off may be available as a paid add-on.

Can I bring luggage or a large bag?

No. Luggage and large bags are not allowed on the tour.

Who should not take this tour?

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with back problems, or anyone under 140 centimeters tall.