Puffin Watching in Iceland: When and Where

Iceland hosts one of the largest Atlantic puffin populations in the world — but only for part of the year, which trips up more visitors than almost any other Iceland wildlife question.

The season: roughly May to August

Puffins come ashore to nest in burrows on coastal cliffs from around May through August, then head back out to sea for the rest of the year. Outside that window, you simply won’t find them on land — no exceptions worth planning around.

Best places to see them

• Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara, on the South Coast — accessible cliffs within a normal day trip from Reykjavík.
• Látrabjarg, in the Westfjords — one of the largest bird cliffs in the North Atlantic, though it needs a bigger detour to reach.
• Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) — a short ferry from the south coast, with some of the highest puffin density in the country.
• Boat tours from Reykjavík’s old harbour, which combine puffin viewing with the standard whale-watching route in season.

Watching responsibly

Puffins nest in burrows that are easy to damage underfoot — stick to marked paths and keep a respectful distance, especially near cliff edges where getting close risks both the birds and your own safety.