Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour from Seydisfjordur Port

Puffins up close, with waterfall mist at the end. This 5-hour shore excursion from Seyðisfjörður focuses on East Iceland nature plus a few cultural stops, with pickups right at the port. The route is part sightseeing, part wildlife time, and it’s paced like someone actually planned it.

I love the Hafnarhólmi puffin viewing: a small rocky islet with a large summer nesting colony means you get real chances to see puffins, not just a quick drive-by. I also like the balance of stops, where you’re not stuck only on one theme, you get a village feel, a turf-house glimpse, and then Gufufoss to slow the day down.

One thing to weigh: the day involves a long bus ride with several stretches of driving, so you’ll want patience and good outer layers for changing weather and road conditions.

Key highlights at a glance

• Hafnarhólmi islet for serious puffin watching and easy photo angles
• Gufufoss Waterfall with a short walk and mist in the air
• Lindarbakki turf house as a rare look at traditional Icelandic home life
• Álfaborg (Elf Rock) for folklore and panoramic views
• Borgarfjörður Eystri village time, with colorful houses against dramatic fjord views

From Ferjuleira 5 to Borgarfjörður Eystri, the ride matters

Your day starts at Ferjuleira 5 in Seyðisfjörður, with pickup and drop-off included. Then you’re on the coach for about 1 hour, plus additional driving segments and short sightseeing pauses along the way. On paper, that sounds like a lot of transit for a short tour, but it’s also the only way to reach the puffin areas and the remote stretches of East Iceland in a cruise-day timeframe.

This is where I’d make your biggest practical choice: come ready to enjoy the journey. The route includes timed sightseeing stops and a break in the middle of the drive, so you’re not simply sitting for the full duration. Still, you should plan your expectations. The best part of the excursion is the time outside, especially at Hafnarhólmi, so the bus portion is really the lead-in.

I also like that the tour includes a live English guide. Even if the road is wet or visibility is limited, a good guide helps you keep track of what you’re seeing and why it’s here, and several guide names have popped up in feedback, including Anna and Berglind. Their style seems to be part storytelling, part clear logistics, which makes a difference on a short shore day.

Hafnarhólmi puffins: how to make the most of an hour on the islet

The heart of the tour is your stop at Hafnarholmi (at Hafnarhólmi), a small islet with a major nesting colony of puffins in summer. You get about 1 hour there, and that hour is the difference between seeing puffins as a lucky moment versus seeing them as an actual event.

You’ll spend your time on a photo stop and wildlife viewing. The viewing is the real point: these aren’t puffins far out at sea. This is the kind of place where you can watch activity and get the classic close-up look, with birds moving in and out as they go about their nesting routines.

A few practical notes for your own comfort:

• Wear rain gear even if the morning looks decent. Mist and damp air are part of Iceland life, and puffin sites are often exposed.
• Bring comfortable shoes with solid grip. You may be standing for a while on rough ground and looking outward.
• If it’s windy, position yourself where you can see the islet without fighting gusts constantly. Quick repositioning is normal here.

If you care about photos, you’ll likely appreciate the setting too. A rocky islet gives you multiple angles, and you’re not stuck with one viewpoint. That flexibility matters when birds do what birds do, they move fast and they don’t consult your camera plan.

Borgarfjörður Eystri village time: colorful houses, quiet fjord rhythm

After puffins, the tour shifts from wildlife focus to village and folklore. You’ll move toward Borgarfjörður Eystri, a small fishing village set in an idyllic fjord setting. You get time to enjoy the village atmosphere and the contrast between colorful buildings and the surrounding raw nature of East Iceland.

This is also a good moment to reset mentally. Puffin viewing can be exciting, but it can also make you feel like you’re constantly scanning for movement. A village stop gives your eyes a different kind of work: architecture, small details, and the broad fjord view.

While the tour is compact, it still includes specific cultural anchors, which is what you want on a cruise shore day. A village stroll without a few “stop points” can feel random. Here, the stops give the area structure: turf house, elf rock, and viewpoints.

Lindarbakki turf house and Álfaborg Elf Rock: culture with a view

At Lindarbakki, you’ll have a 40-minute stop that includes free time and sightseeing. One of the highlights is the Lindarbakki turf house, described as a fine example of typical Icelandic home from times past. Turf houses are more than a photo moment. They’re a window into how people used insulation and landscape materials to handle Iceland’s weather.

In plain terms, it’s a reminder that Icelandic life has always been practical. People didn’t just build for looks. They built for wind, cold, and long seasons. Even if you don’t go deep into architectural details, it’s a real connection to everyday survival, not just scenery.

Then there’s Álfaborg, the legendary Elf Rock, described as home to Iceland’s elf queen. This is folklore, yes, but it’s also a viewpoint and a story stop. You get that mixture Iceland does well, ancient tales layered onto physical places, so when you stand where the story says something happened, the view does the rest.

I’d treat this segment as your “slow-down” portion of the day. The puffins are active. The waterfall is atmospheric. Turf houses and elf rock are about standing still for a bit, looking, and letting the guide’s stories connect the dots.

Gufufoss Waterfall: a calm finale with mist in the air

On the return leg, you’ll stop at Gufufoss Waterfall. You get a photo stop plus sightseeing and a short walk of about 20 minutes. The description emphasizes that it’s serene and that it sends mist into the air, and that matches the kind of waterfall moment where you can relax instead of sprinting for the next stop.

This is a smart placement for the itinerary. By the time you reach Gufufoss, you’ve already done the adrenaline-style wildlife stop and the culture stops. Waterfalls are a natural decompression. The sound of cascading water also makes it easier to mentally reset, even if the bus ride has been a little long.

Practical tip: bring layers you can tolerate getting damp. Even if you don’t plan to go right up to mist, the air close to waterfalls can feel cooler. Comfortable shoes still matter here because the walk is short, but footing is always worth respecting in Iceland.

Price and timing: does $213 feel worth it?

At $213 per person for a 5-hour tour, this isn’t a budget excursion. The value comes from the combination, not from any single item. You’re paying for:

• Cruise-port pickup and drop-off
• A live English guide
• Time at a place designed for puffin viewing, Hafnarhólmi
• A second anchor stop at Gufufoss
• Additional cultural stops like Lindarbakki turf house and Álfaborg

That’s a lot to pack into a short window, and on East Iceland geography, the driving time has real costs. You’re also not worrying about navigation or timing once you’re on the coach.

The one cost to remember: food and drinks aren’t included. With a short day, that matters. If you don’t want to spend your own time searching for snacks, plan to bring something you can eat quickly before or after the excursion, or at least have money set aside for a meal later. Also note that some stops may have limited bathroom options, so plan for the break times and don’t assume you’ll find a full service setup every time.

If you love puffins and you’re on a cruise schedule, the price is easier to justify. If puffins are a “nice to see” item for you, you might feel it more. This is a puffin-forward tour, and the rest supports that main event.

What the best guides seem to add (and why it matters)

A shore excursion can be just a bus with stops. The difference here appears to be the guide experience. Multiple guide names come up in feedback, including Anna, Eva, Petra, and Ritchie, along with drivers mentioned like Kuba, Lucas, Torve, and Denis.

The common thread in the positive feedback is simple: the guide made the day feel organized and explained what you were looking at, not just where you should stand. On Iceland roads, that matters because conditions can shift quickly. If the weather turns and visibility drops, having a guide who keeps you focused on what you can still see is the difference between a good day and a frustrating one.

So if you book this, judge the day by one question: are you the type of person who likes to learn a little while you wander? If yes, you’ll likely get more satisfaction from the turf-house stories and elf rock folklore, not just the wildlife photos.

Who should book this, and who should think twice

This tour is a strong match for:

• Puffin lovers who want real viewing time at Hafnarhólmi
• People who want a short, structured East Iceland day from Seyðisfjörður
• Travelers who enjoy a mix of wildlife + small cultural stops, not only one category

Think twice if:

• You hate long drives for a short day. The bus time is part of the deal, and you should be comfortable with that rhythm.
• You’re traveling with someone who needs lots of flexible free time. The stop timings are fixed, and the day moves.
• You’re expecting a full meal included. It’s not that kind of tour, so plan around food.

Children under 2 years aren’t suitable for this experience. Beyond that, the tour involves outdoor walking segments, and weather can change, so strollers or very young kids might be challenging, even if they are technically old enough for other travel.

Practical tips to keep your day comfortable

A few small moves can make a big difference on a rainy Iceland day like this:

• Wear rain gear and quick-dry layers. It’s not a “maybe,” it’s a “plan for it.”
• Bring comfortable shoes you trust on wet or uneven ground.
• Keep expectations realistic about wildlife. You’re there for viewing, not a guaranteed bird per second.
• Charge your phone and pack a power bank if you shoot photos. Puffins are quick, and you’ll want storage and battery.
• Bring a snack strategy. Since food and drinks are not included, you’ll avoid that late-day scramble.

Also, if you’re trying to coordinate with the port crowd, arrive with a little extra time at Ferjuleira 5. Some feedback has highlighted start-of-day confusion when multiple buses are involved, so your best defense is arriving early and checking your group instructions when you meet the guide.

Should you book the Puffin & Gufufoss tour from Seyðisfjörður?

If your main goal is puffins at Hafnarhólmi, and you want the day to include Gufufoss and a couple of cultural stops, I think this is a solid choice. The itinerary is built around the real payoff moments, and the combination feels efficient for a cruise day.

Book it if you like:

• wildlife time outdoors
• short walks and photo stops
• a guide who explains what you’re seeing, not just where to stand

Skip or reconsider if:

• you find long coach rides tiring
• you want meals included
• you dislike walking short outdoor stretches in misty weather

For most people visiting East Iceland on limited time, this tour hits the sweet spot: a real puffin experience, a meaningful cultural pause, and a calm waterfall finale with mist in the air.

FAQ

How long is the Puffin & Gufufoss Waterfall Tour?

The tour lasts 5 hours.

Where does the tour start in Seyðisfjörður?

Pickup and the start point are at Ferjuleira 5.

How long do you spend at Hafnarhólmi for puffins?

You have about 1 hour at Hafnarholmi for photo stops and wildlife viewing.

What is included in the tour price?

It includes a guide, pickup and drop-off from the cruise ship terminal, and free WiFi.

Is food or drinks included?

No. Food or drinks are not included.

What should I bring for this excursion?

Bring comfortable shoes and rain gear.

Is the tour suitable for young children?

It is not suitable for children under 2 years.

What language is the live guide?

The live tour guide is English.

Do you visit Gufufoss Waterfall, and is there walking time?

Yes. At Gufu Waterfall you’ll have a photo stop, sightseeing, and a walk (about 20 minutes).

Can I cancel for a full refund, and can I pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.