Westfjords Iceland Birding Tour

Iceland really is a magical and mystical place.  The natural geological wonders, landscapes, birds and ocean life are unforgettable! 

Please join us! You will see and experience amazing waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, fantastic birding, eating at the finest restaurants in Reykjavik, walking the incredible landscape of this amazing island, soaking in natural thermal hot springs, sleeping at great hotels, snuggling in cozy cabins, Nordic shopping, Icelandic horses and charming Vikings!

We start out this 10-day trip in Reykjavik. This is a great area for birding and walking the shore line. Reykjavik is a great city for art and culture.  We will fly to the Westfjords and spend four days visiting some of the most amazing landscapes, waterfalls and birding colonies in Iceland.  We will spend our last day back in Reykjavik.  

Printable Bird List
(This is a checklist of birds that we have seen in the month of May)

• Travel Dates: May 12 - 21, every year, dates don't change
• Group Size:  6 Travelers plus guides
• Trip Length: 10 days
• Rates: Rate per person = $3,750 (based on double occupancy)
• Rates include: Domestic transfers, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, scheduled group tours, entrance fees & Allianz travel medical insurance.
• Not included:  International airfare, customs & immigration fees and visas, alcohol, trip cancellation insurance. 

Tap here to see a map of the Travel Route (opens in new tab)

Basic Itinerary

May 12th:  Fly to Iceland
Flights are usually overnight with arrival on day two. Lately there have been an increase of flights that will leave the States in the morning and arrive very late at night. 

May 13th:   Arrive in Reykjavik
Flights usually arrive in the early morning at the Keflavik International Airport.  It is a 45-minute shuttle ride to Reykjavik from the airport. There are many great and interesting lodging places in downtown Reykjavik... we have many favorites. Breakfast is a traditional Icelandic offering of fish, cheese, meats, breads, cereals, etc. In Iceland the hot water is all from the thermal heat coming from the ground, so there is always plenty of hot, hot water and sometime it smells a little like sulfur. Common birds to be seen:  Eurasian Blackbirds, Redwings, Ravens and Common Redpolls. 

May 14th:  Reykjavik 
Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and is rich in maritime history and close to numerous geological wonders. Options for today are hiking along the peninsula, birding and checking out the shops and museums of Reykjavik. In the harbor and along the peninsula birds like Northern Fulmars, Gannets, Shags, Common Eiders and Long Tailed Ducks are a few of the species we will see. 

May 15th:  Ísafjördur
The flight from Reykjavík to Ísafjördur takes 45-minutes.  Once we arrive in Ísafjördur, we will be staying at the Ísafjördur Hotel.  Dinner will be in town. There will be time for birding, hiking and exploring Ísafjördur.

May 16:  Patreksfjörður
From Ísafjördur it is a beautiful drive and amazing road to the quaint little seaside town of Patreksfjörður with many sights to see, including some amazing waterfalls like the Dynjandi.  For the next three nights we will be staying at lodging in town. 

May 17th:  Patreksfjörður
The Westfjords is all about birds and amazing landscapes.  We travel to the Látrabjarg cliffs to view puffins, razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, fulmars, gulls and kittiwakes nesting colonies.  We will also see arctic foxes and many other species of birds. This will be a full day of watching the birds and the arctic foxes of Látrabjarg cliffs and the Westfjords.  This area has great hiking, too.

May 18th:  Patreksfjörður
We will be visiting the Látrabjarg cliffs very early in the morning to find foxes and birds.  During the midday we will be visiting a village called Tálknafjörður for lunch and a swim in the geo-thermal pool.  In the afternoon we will be visiting one of the most spectacular beaches in all of Iceland called Rauðasandur. Dinner will be at Breiðavík on our way back to the Látrabjarg cliffs for an evening with the puffins. We will be returning to Patreksfjörður late enough to see the sunset at 11:30pm.

May 19th:  Stykkishólmur
From Patreksfjörður it is a 1-hour drive to the villages of Brjánslækur and Flökalundur.  From here we will be taking a 2.5-hour ferry boat across the Breiðafjörður to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula where we will be spending the night in a town called Stykkishólmur.  In this area we have seen White-tailed Eagles and Gyrfalcons.

May 20th:  Reykjavik 
We will take the day to get back to Reykjavík because we will stop at lava fields and birding areas along the way.  

May 21st:  Fly Home 
Flights back to the States usually leave in the late afternoon.  On our way to the airport, we will stop and visit the wonderful and amazing thermal pool called the Blue Lagoon for a swim and a soak.

Please note:  The lodging described in this itinerary is always our first choice based on availability.  If we must book with our second choice, the lodging type and style is comparable.