Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

Puffins make a fine reason to leave the ship. This five-hour outing from Seyðisfjörður takes you across East Iceland to Hafnarhólmi, where thousands of nesting puffins gather in summer, then adds a turf house, a fishing village, elf folklore, and Gufufoss waterfall. I especially like the close bird views and the chance to see Borgarfjörður Eystri, a quiet fjord community rather than just another roadside viewpoint. The main catch is the long bus ride, with roughly an hour each way to the puffin site.

I also like the guides, who bring useful facts, local stories, and a bit of humor to the drive. Guides such as Anna, Berglind, Eva, Petra, Denis, and Ritchie have received warm praise, while drivers have handled steep, difficult roads with care. You should allow for changing weather, limited bathroom facilities, and a busy port pickup where several buses may gather at once.

Key points to know before booking

• Puffins at Hafnarhólmi: The rocky islet is home to a large summer nesting colony, with close viewing points for puffins, kittiwakes, and gulls.
• A long but scenic ride: The journey to the wildlife stop takes about one hour, with scenery and a short sightseeing stop helping break up the trip.
• Borgarfjörður Eystri: This small fishing village gives you a look at a quieter corner of East Iceland, framed by fjord views and raw mountain country.
• Lindarbakki turf house: The small traditional home offers a compact but memorable look at older Icelandic building methods.
• Gufufoss on the return: A 20-minute stop lets you walk to this misty waterfall, one of the tour’s most peaceful moments.
• Best for cruise passengers: Pickup and return are at the Seyðisfjörður cruise terminal, making this a practical shore excursion for a five-hour port call.

Why the long ride is part of the experience

From the cruise terminal at Ferjuleira 5, you board a coach and head toward Borgarfjörður Eystri. The first major drive lasts about an hour, and the route is a central part of the outing. You are not simply being transported between attractions. You are watching East Iceland change outside the window, with fjords, mountains, open stretches of country, and small settlements appearing along the way.

Still, I would not pretend the ride is short. Several people have found the bus journey longer than expected, especially on the way to Hafnarhólmi. If you want a tour with constant activity, this may feel slow. If you enjoy looking out the window while a guide explains local places, folklore, and Icelandic life, the drive becomes useful time.

The quality of the guide matters here. Anna has been praised for her warm, personal approach, while Berglind was described as funny and engaging during the long drive. Other guides, including Eva, Petra, Denis, and Ritchie, have also added local facts and stories. One guide used a WhatsApp group to share information and destinations, and music on the bus helped keep the mood light.

The roads can be steep and difficult in places. Drivers such as Kuba, Torve, and Lucas have been praised for smooth, careful handling, particularly in misty conditions and over challenging terrain. You will want to keep your seat belt fastened and expect a few winding sections.

Hafnarhólmi: the puffin stop worth the ride

The main reason to choose this excursion is Hafnarhólmi. This small islet near Borgarfjörður Eystri is known for its dense puffin colony during the summer nesting season. You get about an hour here for wildlife viewing and photographs, which is enough time to watch the birds rather than simply stop, snap one picture, and rush away.

Puffins are entertaining subjects. They fly in with food, perch on the rocks, and shuffle around with their bright bills and comic expressions. The site also attracts kittiwakes and gulls, so you are not limited to one species. Several accounts of the day put the puffins clearly at the top of the list, and I can see why. For many cruise passengers, this is the kind of close wildlife encounter they hoped to find in Iceland.

The viewing area gives you a chance to get near the birds without needing a boat trip. That matters if you want a straightforward shore excursion with no extra water crossing or specialized equipment. Bring a camera, but do not forget to watch with your own eyes. The birds are the show, and they are far more entertaining than any carefully staged photo.

You may find the paths and viewing points easier in comfortable shoes. The tour specifically advises bringing rain gear, and that is sensible even on a bright morning. East Iceland’s weather can change quickly, and mist or rain can make exposed areas feel cold.

The timing also depends on the season. The tour describes the colony as active each summer, so the puffin experience is tied to the nesting period. If puffins are your top priority, check that your sailing date falls within the usual summer viewing season before paying for the excursion.

Borgarfjörður Eystri and the small village pause

After the wildlife stop, the coach takes you a short distance to Lindarbakki and the village area. Borgarfjörður Eystri is a small Icelandic fishing community set beside an attractive fjord. Its appeal is not a long list of monuments. It is the feeling of a modest settlement surrounded by powerful natural scenery.

Colorful houses add a human scale to the area. You get time to look around, take photographs, and appreciate how different this is from the larger ports on an Iceland cruise. The stop is also a useful change of pace after the puffin site. Instead of standing at a wildlife viewpoint, you are looking at homes, local architecture, and the shape of an Icelandic village.

The village stop is brief, so keep your expectations in check. This is not a full town tour, and the supplied schedule gives about 40 minutes around Lindarbakki. I would use that time for photographs, a look at the turf house, and a little quiet observation rather than trying to cover every corner.

Lindarbakki turf house and Icelandic building traditions

Lindarbakki is a traditional turf house and one of the most distinctive stops. Turf was used in Iceland because it offered insulation in a country with limited timber and harsh weather. The thick walls and grassy covering helped make homes more practical in cold conditions.

The building is small, so the visit is not a lengthy museum experience. Its value is in the contrast with modern Icelandic houses and in the glimpse it gives you of ordinary life in earlier times. I like stops such as this because they add context to the scenery. You are not only photographing mountains and waterfalls. You are seeing how people adapted to the place.

You will have about 40 minutes for photographs, free time, and sightseeing. Depending on the group and conditions, that may feel just right. It gives you room to look carefully without turning the stop into a long lecture.

The area also connects with Icelandic folklore through Álfaborg, known as Elf Rock. Local stories describe it as the home of the elf queen. You do not need to accept the tale literally to enjoy it. Icelandic folklore is part of how people explain and relate to the land, and the rock also offers broad views over the surrounding fjord country.

The folklore makes this stop more than a quick architecture break. Your guide may share stories that help you see Icelandic culture from a local angle. Eva, in particular, has been praised for bringing Icelandic culture to life, while other guides have been noted for useful stories and facts along the route.

Gufufoss: a quiet waterfall on the way back

The final major stop is Gufufoss, reached on the return to Seyðisfjörður. You get about 20 minutes for a short walk, photographs, and sightseeing. That is not enough for a long hike, but it works well as a final stretch after several hours in the coach.

Gufufoss sends a fine mist into the air, giving the waterfall a calm, almost hushed character. The falling water and surrounding scenery provide a softer ending than the busy excitement of the puffin colony. If the day is wet or misty, the waterfall can blend into the weather in a pleasing way, though rain gear becomes even more important.

The stop is short, so wear shoes that let you walk comfortably and keep your camera protected. You will not have time for a leisurely picnic or extended exploration. Think of Gufufoss as a scenic pause that breaks up the return drive, not as the main attraction.

Some accounts also mention a church in the wider scenery around the waterfall. The exact focus of the stop is Gufufoss, but the area gives you another chance to photograph the quieter side of East Iceland before returning to port.

What the $213 price includes

At $213 per person, this is not a cheap bus ride. The price includes pickup and drop-off at the cruise terminal, an English-speaking live guide, transportation, and WiFi on the coach. It does not include food or drinks.

The value depends on what you would otherwise need to arrange. From Seyðisfjörður, reaching Hafnarhólmi, Borgarfjörður Eystri, Lindarbakki, and Gufufoss independently would require your own vehicle and careful timing. A cruise passenger also needs to return to the ship on schedule, so organized transport removes a major worry.

I would call the price fair for someone who places high value on seeing puffins and wants several East Iceland sights in one outing. It feels expensive if your main goal is only a waterfall or only a short village walk. The puffin colony is what gives the tour its strongest value.

The coach’s free WiFi is a useful extra, though the real benefit is the guide. A good guide turns the long drive into part of the experience, and the strongest accounts repeatedly praise the guides for warmth, humor, facts, and local stories.

Timing, comfort, and port-day practicalities

The tour lasts five hours, with pickup and return at Ferjuleira 5. That makes it easy to connect with a cruise schedule, but you should still confirm the exact starting time when booking because availability varies.

The beginning can be confusing when several buses are loading at the port. Clearer signs would help passengers identify the correct vehicle, and one departure was delayed while people waited for others. Arrive with enough time to find the meeting point and check the destination with staff before boarding.

Comfortable shoes are important for Hafnarhólmi, Lindarbakki, and the walk at Gufufoss. Bring waterproof rain gear rather than relying on a small umbrella. Mist, wind, and rain can arrive even when the port looks pleasant.

There is no food or drink included, so bring something from the ship if you need a snack. Bathroom facilities may be limited during the day. One stop was criticized for having only a single bathroom, so plan ahead when a facility is available.

The tour is not suitable for children under two. It is a better fit for older children, adults, photographers, bird lovers, and cruise passengers who are comfortable spending a good part of the day on a bus.

The strongest and weakest parts of the day

The puffins are the clear highlight. You get close views at a well-known nesting site, and the hour-long stop gives you time to enjoy the birds without feeling hurried. The combination of puffins, kittiwakes, and gulls adds variety.

The guides are another major strength. Anna, Berglind, Eva, Petra, Denis, and Ritchie have all been singled out for being friendly, funny, informative, or culturally engaging. That consistency matters because the drive is long.

The main weakness is also clear: the distance. You spend a lot of time on the road, and not everyone will find the scenery enough to offset it. A few people wanted more stops along the way, while others appreciated the scenic breaks and felt the time passed quickly.

The port organization could also be improved. Several buses serving different tours can make the starting area hectic, and clearer signs would make the first few minutes less stressful. One isolated complaint described a driver who did not open the bus during rain, so it is worth staying alert to instructions and confirming where you should wait.

Should you book the puffin and Gufufoss tour?

I would book this tour if puffins are your priority, you want to see a remote part of East Iceland, and you prefer a guided shore excursion with ship-terminal pickup. The combination of Hafnarhólmi, Borgarfjörður Eystri, Lindarbakki, Álfaborg, and Gufufoss gives you wildlife, village life, folklore, architecture, and scenery in one day.

I would skip it if you dislike long coach rides or want a relaxed outing with plenty of free time. At $213, the price needs to be justified by the puffin colony and the convenience of organized transport. For many cruise passengers, those two things make it worthwhile. Just bring rain gear, wear sensible shoes, carry a snack, and expect the road to be part of the adventure.

FAQ

How long is the Puffin and Gufufoss Waterfall Tour?

The tour lasts five hours, including transportation from and back to the Seyðisfjörður cruise terminal.

Where does the tour start and finish?

Pickup and drop-off take place at Ferjuleira 5, the cruise ship terminal area in Seyðisfjörður.

Are puffins guaranteed on the tour?

The tour visits Hafnarhólmi, a rocky islet with a large nesting colony each summer. Puffin viewing depends on the season and natural conditions.

How much time is spent at Hafnarhólmi?

The scheduled wildlife and photography stop at Hafnarhólmi lasts about one hour.

Is food included?

No. Food and drinks are not included, so bring your own snack if needed.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes and rain gear. These are useful for the outdoor viewing areas, village stop, and walk near Gufufoss.

Is the tour suitable for young children?

The activity is not suitable for children under two years old.