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The Westman Islands, called Vestmannaeyjar in Icelandic, are one of Iceland’s best-kept secrets! This volcanic archipelago is packed with jaw-dropping landscapes, wild history, and friendly locals—including thousands of puffins. Sail over, explore Elephant Rock, step into the past at Eldheimar Museum, wander Skansinn harbor, and hike the lava-covered slopes of Mt. Eldfell. This island adventure is anything but ordinary!
Vestmannaeyjar was selected as a top travel destination for 2024 by The New York Times.
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This full-day tour takes you to the stunning Westman Islands off Iceland’s southern coast. After a scenic ferry ride, you’ll explore the island’s most fascinating sights—from the iconic Elephant Rock and puffin nesting grounds to the historic Eldheimar Museum and the volcanic landscapes of Mt. Eldfell. Along the way, you’ll learn about the island’s unique history and wildlife before returning to Reykjavik in the evening.
Your day begins with a morning pickup in Reykjavik before heading to Landeyjahöfn Ferry Terminal. The ferry ride to the Westman Islands takes about 30 minutes, with incredible views of the surrounding ocean and towering cliffs of islands in the archipelago. Keep an eye out for seabirds and, if you’re lucky, whales or playful dolphins in the water.
Once on the island, the first stop is the legendary Elephant Rock (Halldórsskora). This massive basalt formation, shaped like an elephant with its trunk dipping into the sea, was sculpted by the volcanic eruption of Eldfell. It’s one of those natural sights that looks almost too perfect to be real. Standing at the viewpoint, you’ll see the powerful forces that shaped the island’s rugged coastline.
Next, we head to Stórhöfði, one of the windiest places in Iceland and also one of the best spots to see puffins during summer! Thousands of these colorful little birds nest here between May and August, digging burrows into the cliffs. You’ll have time to watch them waddle around, take off for a clumsy flight, or pose for the perfect photo. Even outside puffin season, the panoramic views from the cape are worth the stop.
The 1973 volcanic eruption reshaped Vestmannaeyjar, forcing residents to evacuate overnight as lava buried houses and reshaped the landscape. At Eldheimar Museum, you’ll step into this dramatic chapter of history, seeing homes frozen in time beneath layers of ash. It’s an emotional and eye-opening experience that gives you a real sense of the islanders’ resilience.
After exploring the museum, you’ll have free time to grab lunch at a local restaurant (not included in the tour price). Vestmannaeyjar is known for its fresh seafood, so this is the perfect chance to try something local.
Next, we visit Skansinn, a historic area by the harbor where an old fortress once stood. Here, you’ll find the striking Stafkirkjan, a Viking-style wooden church gifted by Norway, sitting against the dramatic coastline. Nearby, a small lighthouse keeps watch over the harbor, and the cliffs provide a great vantage point over the rugged shoreline. It’s a spot that feels like stepping into the past, with the sound of waves and seabirds all around.
For the grand finale, we hike up Mt. Eldfell, the volcano that erupted in 1973 and changed the island forever. The hike is short but rewarding, leading to sweeping views over the town, lava fields, and surrounding ocean. After soaking in the views, you can explore the lava field on your way back to town, where the new land formed by the eruption tells a story of destruction and rebirth.
After a full day of exploring, we meet at the harbor for the afternoon ferry back to the mainland. The tour wraps up with an evening drop-off in Reykjavik.
You’ll get picked up from Reykjavik around 8:45 am based on your chosen pick-up location. It is important to be ready on time to allow the Westman Islands tour to run to schedule. We’ll drop you off back in Reykjavik around 8:00 pm at the same place we picked you up.
Available pick-up points: Arctic Adventures’ pick-up list.
This is a great question. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated. This is because you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the start time that you chose when booking the tour.
Here you should wait for your guide.
Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.
View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.
Before and during activities on the multi-day tours consumption of alcohol is prohibited. If we suspect that a participant is intoxicated, we will prohibit them from joining the activity.
After the activities of the day are finished, you are welcome to have a drink and relax.
Your safety is our number one priority! Keeping this in mind, Arctic Adventures reserves the right to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Please read more information in our cancellation policy.
Yes, there is a specially trained and certified guide on each of our tours. The only exception to this is for our self-drive tours.
All of our tours are guided in English.
No, for all your questions and concerns you would need to contact our customer service.
Our tours are split into four different categories that help participants to understand what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. Each tour is rated making it easier to find tours that suit you.
For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.
We’ve partnered with the Kolviður Fund in a new carbon offsetting program, which passengers can select to participate in at the time of booking.
The Kolviður Fund is the oldest, most respected carbon offsetting program in Iceland. With your support, one tree will be planted in special Kolviður forests in Iceland to carbon offset your tour with us.
Kolviður forests are strategically planted to absorb the maximum amount of CO2 and the forests are protected for a minimum of 60 years. During their lifetime the trees absorb carbon and store it in their root system, trunk, and branches. Trees also prevent soil erosion and maintain storage of carbon in the soil.
