Puffins in Iceland
Eye-catching, friendly and a little elusive, puffins are one of Iceland's natural tourist attractions. Find out where and when is best to see the birds on your trip!
Where to see puffins in Iceland?
Puffins are the de facto national bird of Iceland - at least that's what the numerous themed souvenirs would suggest! The country is home to the largest number of Atlantic puffins in the world, and the biggest single puffin colony on earth is on Iceland's Vestmannaeyjar islands. This means that you're likely to encounter the bird no matter where your trip takes you!
Látrabjarg in the Westfjords and Vestmannaeyjar off the southern coast of Iceland are the natural habitat of thousands and thousands of puffins. In fact, there's millions of them during the summer months!
Another area considered a puffin paradise is Borgarfjordur Eystri, one of the most popular places to see puffins in Iceland. Here, while there are fewer birds, an observation hut located a short distance from their nests makes it a perfect place to see the puffins and study their behaviour.
When to see puffins in Iceland?
As with whale watching, the best time to see puffins in Iceland is during the summer. Between late May and mid-August, when the weather is milder and daylight hours are longer, these small birds nest in their millions on the country's rugged cliffs.
