Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour
One of a Kind Puffin Watching & History Adventure
Why do I highly recommend this tour?
If you want to see puffins in Iceland, this is the tour to do—hands down. It’s not your typical puffin boat ride; you actually ride a tractor across the black sand and hike to a remote cape where puffins nest all around you. It feels like you’ve stepped into their world. The family that runs it is amazing, and it’s such a unique, local experience. Totally worth it.
Mordy
Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour
If you're searching for one of the best places to see puffins in Iceland, the Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour offers a truly unique and authentic experience—unlike any other puffin tour in Iceland.
Tours to Cape Ingólfshöfði have been operated by the Hofsnes family since 1990. After stepping away from traditional sheep farming, local farmer Sigurður Bjarnason began leading these excursions. He was soon joined by his son, Einar Rúnar Sigurðsson, followed by Einar’s wife, Matthildur Þorsteinsdóttir, and their son Aron Franklín. Today, the tour is usually led by Einar, Matthildur (Matta), or their sons Ísak and Matthías—continuing a deeply personal family tradition.
Ingólfshöfði is a remote cape located between Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park and the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. This historically significant nature reserve is home to thousands of nesting seabirds, including Atlantic puffins and great skuas. Named after Ingólfur Arnarson—the first settler of Iceland, who spent his first winter here in 874 AD—this site blends Icelandic history with incredible wildlife.
Getting to Ingólfshöfði is an adventure in itself. Visitors ride a tractor-drawn hay cart across 7 km of sand flats, marshes, and shallow waters—an unforgettable journey that takes about 30 minutes each way. Once at the cape, you’ll spend approximately 1.5 hours hiking through the area, enjoying close-up views of birdlife and dramatic coastal scenery.
If you're looking for a puffin tour in Iceland that offers more than just a boat ride—and want something rooted in local heritage and raw nature—this is the tour for you!
Puffin Season & Sightings
While puffins are regularly spotted from mid-May to mid-August, sightings vary based on natural conditions. The best time to visit for puffin watching is from mid-June to early August, particularly during the late morning or early afternoon. Weather also plays a role—windy or overcast days can actually lead to better puffin visibility compared to hot, sunny days.
It's important to note that Ingólfshöfði is a nature reserve, not a zoo. Puffin activity changes day to day, depending on factors like feeding patterns, ocean visibility, and weather. One tour may have hundreds of puffins perched on cliff edges, while the next might see only a few flying overhead. That unpredictability is part of what makes this a genuine and memorable birdwatching experience in Iceland.
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Important Information
The circle we hike around the nature reserve is 2-3 km long. In the beginning we need to walk up a 15-25° steep sand slope, but then it gets more easy, mostly hiking on flat grass land and we make many stops along the way. We don’t recommend that people participate in this trip unless they can do this hike.
Be careful to bring good outdoor clothing for this trip, the area is exposed to winds and rain, and sometimes sand storms.
The minimum age is 6 year old. If you have booked the tour and we find out you are trying to bring a younger child than six year old it is most likely that one of you will have to stay behind with the child, and there will be no refund for your ticket.
Some Cool Info on the Puffins in Iceland
Puffins are one of Iceland’s most beloved birds, and spotting them in the wild is a highlight for many travelers. These charming seabirds spend most of the year out at sea, but from mid-May to mid-August, they return to Iceland’s coastal cliffs to breed. Iceland is home to over 60% of the world’s Atlantic puffin population during this time, making it one of the best places in the world to see them. They nest in burrows or crevices along steep seaside cliffs, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs and feeding their chicks. Puffins are especially active in the early morning and late evening, and they can often be seen flying in and out of their nests with food.
Puffins mainly eat small fish such as sand eels, herring, and capelin. They’re amazing divers and can flap their wings up to 400 times per minute to "fly" underwater while hunting. One of the most impressive things about puffins is their ability to carry several fish in their beak at once—up to 10 or more! Their colorful beaks become brighter during the breeding season and fade again in winter. Despite their cute and slightly clumsy appearance on land, puffins are strong fliers, reaching speeds of up to 55 miles per hour!
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Meeting Point
Ingolfshofdi Check In Hut, Oraefi 785, IS
Meeting point for the tour is Ingólfshöfði Check In Hut just south of the Ingólfshöfði Parking. The parking is 2 km south of the main road between farms Hofsnes and Fagurhólsmýri. The road is marked Ingólfshöfði and there is also a big puffin picture on a sign saying Puffin Tour, next to the main road. GPS position (in Hd.d° WGS 84) is 63.879167 and -16.659000. GSM: +354 8940894 -
Please check in 15 minutes before departure.
What's included?
Tractor-drawn hay cart ride.
Guided walk.
Sightseeing.
Bird watching.
Nature reserve visit.
The tour is conducted by a local person from the farms in the vicinity.
What do I need to bring?
Be careful to bring good outdoor clothing for this trip, the area is exposed to winds and rain, and sometimes sand storms.
In rainy & windy conditions, bring waterproof layers, gloves and hat. in those conditions. Dress according to the weather.
We do not provide protective cloths, so if you book in advance be careful to be equipped for any kind of weather, since we will not cancel the tour unless there are very strong winds. Rain and some wind is fine, and the puffins like that kind of weather anyway.
Don't hesitate to bring camera gear, binoculars or spotting scope. But be careful if the dry wind is blowing sand or volcanic ash, to keep the equipment in your bag on the way to the cape.
Important Information:
99% chances to see puffins. Best time to visit is in late June - early August, but we offer the trip in the period that we are confident to spot some on every trip.
Duration of this tour is approx. 2.5 hours. Hay cart ride takes 25 -30 min each way. 1.5 hour guided walk on Ingólfshöfði nature reserve.
Difficulty Level: This tour is considered easy but there is hiking 2 - 3 km involved. The first part is up a steep sandy slope. This tour is not suitable for people that have a problem walking on rough terrain.
The tour is available Monday through Saturday. There are no tours on Sundays.
Cancellation policy
We understand that plans can change! Here’s the cancellation policy to help you plan accordingly:
If you cancel 14 days or less before the event, a 10% cancellation fee will apply.
If you cancel 3 days or less before the event, a 50% cancellation fee will apply.
If you cancel 1 day or less before the event, a 100% cancellation fee will apply.
Would you like a private tour?
If you would like a customized tour or just want the tour on your own schedule, please send us a message and we will happily arrange things for you.