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Hop on-Hop off & Puffin Express
  • Birdwatching
  • Sailing / Boat Tour

Hop on-Hop off & Puffin Express

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Join a Hop-on Hop-off bus tour of Reykjavík & take a boat ride to visit the city’s puffin colony!

Tour type
Day Tour / Activity
Duration
2 hours
Difficulty
Very Easy
Pickup service
Yes
Pickup time
30 min before
Booking in advance
2 days
Availability
May
Minimum age
No age limit

The experience

About this tour

The puffin watching tours with Special Tours, Puffin Express, have been popular for over 20 years! Our great experience, and especially designed boat, Skúlaskeið or “Old Skuli”, makes us the leading expert in the area. There are about 30.000 puffins nesting on the islands off the coast of Reykjavik and we are only a 15 minute boat ride away.

We sail out from the old harbour in Reykjavik and it only takes us about 15 minutes to reach the puffin island, Akurey. On the journey out you will be able to view Reykjavik from the seaside [remember your camera] and the guide will also share information about the buildings & islands that can be spotted along the way.

The islands we visit are covered with small hills and slopes and both are well known for their colorful birdlife. The island’s shores are rocky but our boat Old Skuli is specially designed to take us as close to the islands as possible due to its shallow draft. When we arrive to the islands we turn off the engine so our passengers can observe the birds and the beautiful surroundings.

Our expert guide will tell you all the facts and fun stories about the cute puffins and other wildlife that might be seen on the tour.

For the Hop on – Hop off part of this combo tour, join Reykjavík Excursions for a bus tour with City Sightseeing and get the chance to explore Reykjavík at your leisure. There are a series of conveniently located bus stops for you to hop on or hop off at allowing you to truly take your time in exploring the city.

The Hop on – Hop off pass is valid for 24 hours, and there are daily departures every 30 minutes from Harpa Concert Hall at 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00 & 16:30. The last arrival is at 17:30 at Harpa. The tour duration is approximately 60 minutes, but you can choose to spend as much time as you want at each stop.

You can do these tours in whatever order you prefer, but we recommend starting with an early Puffin Express tour and then heading to the nearest Hop on – Hop off stop to see Reykjavík!

 

NEW

Special Tours Iceland app with 5 languages (English, German, French, Spanish and simplified Chinese) available for Android and Apple. It is available for all clients to download during their tour, with both text and audio information. The app will is as close to an audio guided wildlife adventure as possible

  • Family Friendly
  • Group Friendly

What the price covers

Ticket types
  • Adults (16 - 100)
  • Children (7-15)
  • Children (6)
  • Children (0-5)

Where it starts

Meeting
Meet on location or pick up
Pickup
Yes
Be ready
30 min before departure
Location code
Reykjavík (RVK, IS)

Please meet at our ticket office (Geirsgata 11, 101 Reykjavik) at least 15 minutes prior to departure.

Good to know

  • Please Note That The Time You Select Is For The Puffin Express Departure - The Hop On - Hop Off Ticket Is An Open Ticket, Valid For 24 Hours.
  • The Puffin Express Tour Is Guided In English. The Hop On - Hop Off Bus Tour Has Audio Guide Commentary In 8 Languages (german, Italian, Swedish, Icelandic, French, Spanish, English & Russian).

Your ticket

* Please note that you may be asked to show a valid form of ID upon arrival for check in. 

* The Special Tours Iceland app is now available for Andriod and Apple. It is available in 5 languages (English, German, French, Spanish, and simplified Chinese). Download before or during your trip for in-depth information about our tours, boats, wildlife, and more!

Type
Day Tour / Activity
Season
May
Cutoff (relative to start time)
24 hours before
Requests confirmed within
2 days
Details updated
22 Sep 2026