Iceland’s Best Wildlife-Watching
Iceland’s animals, found on land, sea, and air, are quite special, starting with everyone’s favorite bird, the puffin. These adorable birds are the unofficial mascot of Iceland, and there are numerous opportunities for tours in the summer months. Whales, dolphins, and seals are the main attractions of the sea; on land, you will see plenty of horses and sheep, but it will take a little more effort to catch a glimpse of the arctic fox (in the Westfjords) and reindeer (in the east).
Puffins
May-August, it’s possible to see puffins in several parts of the country.
- Heimaey: Thousands of visitors flock to this island off the South Coast to walk along the sea cliffs and spend time with its puffin population (June-Aug).
- Látrabjarg: In West Iceland, trails allow you to access the colossal Látrabjarg cliffs, where puffins gather to nest in intricate crevices (May-Aug).
- Borgarfjörður Eystri: Get a close-up view of puffins at this fjord in East Iceland, which has an observation platform connected to a small islet that the birds love (mid-Apr.-mid-Aug.).
Whales and Dolphins
Several whale-watching tour companies operate around the island. Some head out year-round, while others only operate in summer. The main whale-watching destinations are in the south (Reykjavík), west (Grundarfjörður), and north (Dalvík and Húsavík).
- Reykjavík: Operating from Reykjavík’s harbor, whale-watching tours offer opportunities to see minke, blue, and fin whales as well as dolphins and porpoises (year-round).
- Grundarfjörður: This western town is your best shot at catching a glimpse of orcas. It’s possible to see orcas year-round, but it is more likely during the winter months.
- Dalvík: You may see humpback whales, minke whales, blue whales, harbor porpoises, and dolphins on tours leaving from the harbor of this small northern fishing town (year-round).
- Húsavík: The unofficial whale-watching capital of the island has several species off its shores, including minke, humpback, pilot, northern bottlenose, sperm, sei, fin, orca, and blue whales (mid-May-late Oct.).
- Heimaey: Iceland’s beluga whale sanctuary is a lovely place to visit if you are heading to the Westman Islands.
Seals
Six species of seals have been spotted off the coast of Iceland. Most commonly sighted are gray seals and harbor seals. The other four species (hooded, harp, bearded, and ringed seals) are hit or miss.
- Vatnsnes Peninsula: In summer, you have a good chance of spotting gray seals and harbor seals around this peninsula in the north.
- Icelandic Seal Center: Also on the Vatnsnes Peninsula, the Icelandic Seal Center contains some wonderful exhibits, along with information on the best sites for seal-spotting.
Arctic Fox
The arctic fox is the only land animal native to Iceland, and you’ll see the largest populations of them where birdlife is most abundant: in the Westfjords.
- Arctic Fox Center: At the Arctic Fox Center in the Westfjords, travelers can meet some kits on-site.
- Hornstrandir Nature Reserve: Foxes are protected from hunting in this region, and they thrive at this reserve.
Reindeer
Iceland’s reindeer herds live only in East Iceland. The best places to view them during the summer are the areas around Mount Snæfell.
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