Puffins and Pirates ATV Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

1 hour

Mobile ticket

Discover Vestmannaeyjar, where beauty meets history. Home to the world's largest puffin colony, this tour offers an up-close look at these charming birds, along with fascinating facts about them. Vestmannaeyjar also boasts a rich history of pirate encounters, and you'll visit famous sites where these clashes occurred, hearing thrilling stories along the way.

We'll begin our journey by driving to the west coast, stopping at the iconic Elephant Rock. Then, we'll head to Stórhöfði, were you'll see the puffins up close, observing their playful behavior as your guide shares interesting insights.

Next, we'll follow the path of the pirates, visiting the site of the 1627 invasion and exploring locations where locals defended themselves. Finally, we'll end at Herjólfstown, delving into the lives of Icelandic pirates. This family-friendly tour combines stunning scenery with captivating tales of puffins and pirates.

This is a non-offroad tour driven on pavement only.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Bookings from passengers on cruise ships – If cruise ship cannot enter Vestmannaeyjar due to weather or other circumstances – 70% Refund of booking

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Gloves

Admission to Herjolfstown

Helmets

Overalls

This is a non off road tour - driven on pavement only

What To Expect

We start the tour by going south along the island where we will, among other things, take a look at one of the most special landmarks on the island, the elephant or "elephant rock". a naturally formed sea rock that resembles an elephant dipping its trunk into the sea.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

At Stórhöfði the view to all directions is magnificent, despite the fact that the weather can make you spin around as it is one of the windiest place in the country. We will take the walk to a special place and give ourselves plenty of time to observe the crown jewel of Vestmannaeyjar, the puffins, watch them play around on the slope, take off and come in to land while the guide tells us interesting facts about the puffins and their surroundings. The drive to Stórhöfði offers breathtaking views of the Vestmannaeyjar cluster, and on clear days, you might even glimpse Surtsey, Iceland’s youngest volcanic island, formed in 1963.

20 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Share rider

Share rider: Each ATV is shared by 2 persons(2 adults or 1 adult + 1 child) Please make sure to select each person who will be sharing ATV

Solo rider

Reviews

5.00

4 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Puffins, Vikings, and ATVs (oh my!)
andercovny,
Aug 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Victoria was the perfect tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and friendly and she made sure we were safe and comfortable for the whole tour. We saw tons of puffins up close! We also got to see a replica Viking house and snacks were provided. We loved it so much we booked a second tour for the same day. Definitely do this - it is fun and memorable.
Wonderful trip for those with time constraints!
dobbsfamilyphoto,
Jul 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This is a wonderful tour for those that don't have a whole lot of time to spend on the trip. Their office is conveniently located within walking distance from the harbor. Check-in was easy with no issues. The trip on the ATVs it was great for those that don't really want to go off-roading as you stuck to the main roads to get out to where the puffins were. The hillside was covered with puffins and we had several land near us which was a delight! We wish we could have spent more time watching these amazing creatures but due to the amount of time we had we had to move on before too long. The pirate stop was informative and worthwhile. Beautiful country! Our tour guide was wonderful at herding cats and made the experience very enjoyable. Definitely would recommend. The only change I would make is I would take a longer tour that spent more time at the puffin hillside.
Unforgettable Puffins & Pirates Adventure — A Must-Do in Iceland
mateoh458,
Jul 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing experience! We did the Puffins & Pirates tour a few days ago and we’re still smiling every time we think about it. Riding the ATVs was super fun and surprisingly easy, even though we were total beginners. We felt like real explorers discovering the island. The scenery was stunning, and seeing so many puffins up close is something we’ll never forget — they’re adorable and watching them fly around us was just magical. We also learned so much about the island’s history, pirates, and all kinds of fun facts we didn’t expect. Mar, our guide, made everything even better. She’s so knowledgeable, friendly, and her enthusiasm is contagious. She explained everything with so much care and made us feel safe and confident on the ATVs. We’d do this tour again in a heartbeat and 100% recommend it to anyone looking for something different, fun, and with a bit of history. One of the best things we did in Iceland!
Wonderful tour!
raquelrL7486XI,
Jun 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did the Puffins & Pirates tour last week and it was amazing!! The ATVs were easy to drive, even though we were total beginners. The views were breathtaking and we had the chance to see so many puffins! These little guys made us so happy. We also learned so, so much about them, about the island, and about the Turkish pirate incursions of the 17th century. Our guide Mar was an absolute delight, we couldn't have been luckier. She was so knowledgeable about everything on the island, from the puffins to the history of Vestmannaeyjar. Her enthusiasm was contagious and made everything 1000 times better. Her instructions regarding the ATV and her constant attention made us feel taken care of and safe at all times. I would 100% recommend this tour!!