Puffin Express by RIB Speedboat from Reykjavík

Puffins feel close on a RIB. I love how this trip turns bird watching into a real water adventure, starting at Reykjavik’s Old Harbour and heading out to the puffin islands of Lundey or Akurey. You’re kitted out for the elements before you even step aboard, and the boat is built to reach rocky shorelines where seabirds actually hang out.

Two things I really like. First, the guide focus is strong, with feedback calling out Celina for staying upbeat and explaining puffins, plus how they interact with this part of Iceland, in English. Second, the comfort details matter: warm overalls, life jackets, goggles, gloves, and suspension seating help you stay steady and focused on what you came for, not the cold.

One consideration: if you’re expecting a nonstop thrill ride the whole time, you might be surprised. A review mentioned the ride felt slow despite safety gear and the RIB boat, and puffin spotting can always depend on conditions, especially around the shore.

Key points worth knowing before you go

• Close-to-shore approach on specially designed RIBs, so you can see puffins near the rocky edges
• All-weather gear included (warm overalls, lifevests, gloves, goggles) to help you stay comfortable
• Small group size with a maximum of 12 travelers, making it easier to hear the guide and spot birds
• Guide-led seabird talk in English, including puffins plus other seabirds like fulmars, terns, and gulls
• One hour on the water, long enough for multiple bird-spotting moments without a full day commitment

Getting ready at Old Harbour: gear, meeting spot, and how the day starts

Your experience kicks off in central Reykjavik at the meeting point by boat, Ægisgarður 5F, 101 Reykjavik. It’s a practical setup because you’re starting right downtown, and it’s marked as near public transportation. That matters in Iceland, where weather can change fast, and you do not want to waste time commuting across town.

Before boarding, you get the full puffin outfit. You’ll be provided with warm overalls, a life jacket, gloves, and goggles. The tour also mentions suspension seats for extra comfort once you’re on the water. Even if you’ve been on boats before, that combination helps a lot. On a North Atlantic day, the cold and wind can distract you from spotting birds, and this tour tries to remove that problem.

The timing is set for 12:00 pm. Since the whole trip is about one hour, you’ll feel the schedule tightly. This is not a wandering day. It’s built around getting you out, seeing what’s out there, and returning to the same meeting point.

The RIB speedboat ride: fast water time with comfort in mind

This is a RIB speedboat tour, which tells you two things right away. One, you’ll move quickly enough to get to the nearby bird islands off Reykjavik. Two, you’ll feel the water. That’s where the provided comfort features become more than nice extras.

The tour includes suspension seats, warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and lifevests. That’s important because on open water, “comfortable enough” affects everything. If you’re cold, you stop paying attention. If you’re distracted, you miss the smaller bird behavior you came for. With the kit provided, you can focus on scanning the shoreline and watching how puffins pop in and out.

There’s also a second comfort factor built into the plan: the boat is designed to get you close to rocky coasts. You’re not just cruising past from far away. You’re going toward the habitat, which is where most of the action happens.

One more detail I appreciate is the cap on group size, with a maximum of 12 travelers. That usually means you’re not fighting for space at the rail or struggling to hear. In a bird tour, hearing and sightlines are part of the experience.

Lundey or Akurey: why puffins near Reykjavik are so special

The big payoff of Puffin Express is that you go to islands off Reykjavik where puffins nest. The tour notes that puffins nest between May and August. If you book outside those months, you may still see seabirds, but the classic puffin viewing is tied to nesting season.

The itinerary is described as a cruise to Lundey or Akurey. In practice, that means you’ll aim for puffin hotspots close to the harbor, and conditions will determine which island you visit. Both are known for seabird life, and both are rocky. That rockiness is the whole point, because puffins and other seabirds feed and rest right along the edges.

The boat is specially designed for this kind of viewing, because rocky shorelines are tricky. You don’t want to be too far out. You also need a craft that can safely approach where you can actually see birds on the water and near the shoreline. This tour is built for that exact viewing problem.

What makes the shoreline approach worth it

A lot of bird tours sell close-up photos, but not all of them deliver. Here, the tour specifically highlights that the shoreline is rocky and that the boat gets you as close as possible. That translates into more opportunities to spot:

• how puffins move along the waterline
• moments when birds surface close to the boat
• group behavior, like multiple birds showing up around the same area

And when you’re close enough, the guide’s explanations make more sense. You start connecting what you see to how the birds use the coast.

What you’ll see at the puffin islands, and how the guide helps

Once you’re on the water, you’re not just watching in silence. The tour is set up with an expert guide who explains the puffins and other seabirds you might spot in the area. The tour information calls out likely sightings beyond puffins, including northern fulmars, gulls, and arctic terns.

That matters because puffin watching gets fun fast when you can label what you’re seeing. Otherwise, everything looks like “a bird” and you end up with random photos and not much understanding. A good guide turns the tour into a quick field lesson.

From the feedback you shared, the guide style is a strong part of the experience. Celina is named as a guide who kept things entertaining and taught guests about how puffins interact with their surroundings, including timing when birds become more active. That kind of guidance helps you make the most of the one-hour window.

Lundey details to look for

Lundey is described as an island just off the coast of Reykjavik, known for its puffin population. The tour notes that it has small hills and slopes, plus lots of colorful bird life. Puffins nest there during the May to August nesting period. The rocky shore is also emphasized, which ties back to why the approach matters.

So when you’re scanning the shoreline, you’re not doing it blindly. The guide and the boat setup aim to put you where puffins are likely to be visible. Keep your eyes on:

• rocky edges where birds land or rest
• water surface zones where birds pop up during feeding
• moments when multiple seabirds react at once, which can hint at food activity

The tour is built for close viewing, not just distance cruising.

Other seabirds: fulmars, terns, and gulls that show up around puffins

Even if puffins steal the show, this tour is also about the broader seabird community near Reykjavik. The tour includes guidance about other species you may spot, such as northern fulmars, arctic terns, and gulls.

Why I think that’s a smart way to structure a bird trip: it reduces the risk of a “nothing happened” feeling. Puffins are the headline, yes. But seabirds in this region often show up in overlapping feeding areas. So if the puffins are quieter at a particular moment, you still have bird behavior to watch and learn about.

It also helps you avoid the classic disappointment trap. Bird watching is never fully controllable. By giving you multiple targets to look for, the guide makes it easier to enjoy every segment of the cruise.

Time on the water: what one hour really means for your schedule

The total duration is about 1 hour. That’s a big reason this tour works well for many people. You can do it as a focused Reykjavik activity without losing your whole day.

One hour also changes your expectations. You’re going to spend time traveling to the island area, getting close to the shore, and then moving again. That’s also why the approach and viewing design matters. In a short tour, you want your best spotting opportunities to happen quickly, not after 40 minutes of open water with nothing to see.

The downside is obvious, but it’s also part of smart planning. If conditions are not ideal, or puffins are not active in the exact viewing zones that day, you have less time buffer than on a longer cruise. Still, the tour aims to maximize your chance by heading to puffin habitat near the harbor.

And remember that a review noted a slow ride despite the RIB setup. That could be due to real-time conditions, or simple pacing for safety near rocky shores. Either way, you should treat the one-hour plan as a bird watching outing, not a long adrenaline session.

Price and value: is $85.01 worth it for a one hour puffin trip?

At $85.01 per person, this is not a budget throwaway. But it also isn’t a full-day expedition price tag. The value is mainly in the combination:

• a RIB boat that can approach rocky shorelines
• warm gear included (overalls, gloves, goggles, life jacket)
• an English-speaking guide who explains puffins and other seabirds
• suspension seating for comfort on the water
• a small group cap of 12 travelers

When you compare that to paying separately for a boat transfer, cold-weather gear, or a guided experience, the total starts to look more reasonable. You’re paying for convenience and for better access to the birds.

One factor that pushes value up: you do not need to source your own specialized winter gear. The tour provides what you need for being on open water in Iceland. If you’re only in Reykjavik for a short time, skipping gear shopping is worth real money and real time.

If you’re the type of traveler who wants the birds, wants the shoreline access, and appreciates guided interpretation, this price is easier to justify. If you’re mainly after speed and thrill, the pacing might not match your expectations.

Logistics that matter: where you go, what you bring, and what’s not included

Food and drinks are not included. That means if you get hungry, you’ll need to plan a snack or meal around the tour. Because it runs for about an hour and starts at 12:00 pm, it often fits neatly between a morning activity and an afternoon plan.

Hotel transfers are not included in the base price. They are available for an additional fee, listed as typically 2200 ISK. If you are staying centrally near the Old Harbour area, you may be fine using public transportation. If not, consider the transfer option so you do not rush around in changing weather.

What you should bring is mainly about being comfortable in Iceland wind and cold, but the tour already covers a lot with warm overalls, gloves, goggles, and life jackets. I’d still plan your clothing under the overalls with the idea that you will be outside and moving around for the boarding and viewing time.

Also note: this experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Who this puffin RIB tour is best for

This tour fits best when you want:

• a focused Reykjavik experience
• close puffin viewing around rocky habitat
• a short guided outing rather than a long day tour
• provided cold-weather gear, so you can travel lighter

It’s also a strong match for families and most travelers because the tour states most travelers can participate and it keeps the group small.

If you get seasick easily, you’ll want to think carefully before booking. The tour includes comfort features like suspension seating, but it does involve open-water boat time.

If you are a hardcore speed-boat fan, set your expectation that puffin viewing will drive the pacing more than pure speed. One review mentioned the ride felt slower than expected, and the boat experience here is clearly designed for shoreline access and safety around rocky coasts.

Should you book Puffin Express by RIB Speedboat?

I think you should book this tour if puffins are a top priority and you want a practical, gear-supported way to see them near Reykjavik. The best reason to choose it is the combination of close-to-shore boat design and guided interpretation, with warm overalls, life jackets, gloves, goggles, and suspension seating making the time on the water more comfortable.

Skip it, or at least rethink it, if you’re mainly chasing speed and adrenaline. This is first and foremost a seabird viewing experience, and puffin activity depends on conditions and timing within the short one-hour format.

If you’re traveling in the May to August window, it’s even easier to feel confident about the puffin nesting season being active. And if you like small groups and clear guide explanations, the maximum of 12 travelers is a big plus.

FAQ

How long is Puffin Express by RIB Speedboat?

It runs for about 1 hour.

Where does the tour start in Reykjavik?

The meeting point is Reykjavík by Boat, Ægisgarður 5F, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.

What time does the tour depart?

The start time listed is 12:00 pm.

Which islands will the boat visit?

The tour cruises to Lundey or Akurey, both known for puffins.

What gear is included?

Warm overalls, life jackets, gloves, and goggles are included. Suspension seats are also provided for extra comfort.

Is the guide in English?

Yes, the guide provides guidance in English.

How many people are on the tour?

The maximum group size is 12 travelers.

Is food and drinks included?

No, food and drinks are not included.

How much does it cost?

The price is $85.01 per person.

What if the weather is poor?

This experience requires good weather. If it is canceled due to poor weather, you will be offered a different date or a full refund. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.