Stopover Tour – The Wildlife in the West of Iceland

Day 1: Keflavik – Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Grundarfjordur

After we've picked up our participants from the Keflavik Airport we get on our way towards the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. (if you are already in Iceland we'll pick you up at your hotel).

Words cannot express the mystery, wonder and almost surreal energy of the Snaefellsnes peninsula! The major landmark is the Snaefellsjokull glacier which is renowned for its mystical powers and has captured the imagination of people all over the world, ever since Jules Verne wrote “The Journey to the Centre of the Earth” in 1871. Snaefellsnes Peninsula is with out any doubt one of the best places in Iceland for Nature and Wildlife watching during the summer. On this tour we can expect to see great variety of bird species, seals and possibly a few cetaceans. These will include birds such as Harlequin Duck, Atlantic Puffin, Brünnich's Guillemot, White-tailed Eagle, Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern, Northern Gannet and many more. In recent years we have been able to see both Grey Seal and Harbour Seal and the cetaceans we've seen from land include species such as Orcas, Minke whales and White-beaked Dolphins. After traveling around the Peninsula we make our way to our hotel on the north shore of the peninsula.

Day 2: Grundarfjordur – Breidafjordur - Flatey Island

We'll start the second day by travelling to the town of Stykkisholmur, from where we will go on a boat trip in Breidafjordur bay. Breidafjordur is located between the Westfjords in the north and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the south. The bay has both landscape and seascape of different kind. It consists of small fjords and bays and is literally dotted with around 3,000 islands, islets and skerries. The area supports millions of breeding seabirds with species such as Atlantic Puffin, Black Guillemot, Northern Fulmar and European Shag abundant. The area also holds most of Iceland's White-tailed Eagle population. Both Harbour Seal and Grey Seal can be found in the bay as well.

After making a tour among the islands we go on land at Flatey Island, were we stay for the night. Flatey is a small inhabited island, almost in the middle of Breidafjordur. The birds on the island are used to living close to humans, resulting in hundreds of extremely tame individuals. It is even possible for the eiderdown farmers to pick up some of the female Eider Ducks, collect part of their down and put them comfortably back on their nests. Other tame bird species such as nesting Black Guillemot, Redshank, Red-necked Phalarope and Snow Bunting can also be observed at extremely close range.

Day 3. Flatey Island – Reykjavik  

The morning on day three will be dedicated to the wildlife on Flatey island. For those who are interested in photography or behavioral study, this morning may be one of the best opportunities of the whole tour since the possibilities are endless. Wether you like to watch the Atlantic Puffins dive for eels, watch the Black Guillemots return to their nests with Butterfish in their beak, watch the Fulmars glide right by you, listen to the Black-legged Kittiwakes tell their stories in the cliffs, watch the spinning on water Red-necked Phalaropes or even look for the rare Red Phalaropes, it's totally up to you.

After lunch we travel back with to the town of Stykkisholmur and drive back to Reykjavik where you will have the late afternoon/evening for yourself.

Day 4: Reykjavik – Blue Lagoon – Keflavik airport

Today we will make sure everyone gets to the airport in time. Depending on when your departure is you might have some free time in the morning to look around in the capital before heading to the airport. We'll leave the hotel shortly after lunch and visit the Blue Lagoon before reaching the Keflavik airport at around 2:00pm.