Westman Islands Volcano & World’s Largest Puffin Colony Tour: Cruise Ship Shore Excursion
A 2.5-hour guided shore excursion on Heimaey Island in Iceland’s Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) — specifically designed to fit cruise ship schedules. Four stops: Elephant Rock (natural basalt formation), Stórhöfði cape (world’s largest Atlantic puffin colony, over 1.1 million birds in summer), Eldfell volcano (1973 eruption site, lava fields covering 400 homes), and Stafkirkjan stave church (1,000-year anniversary gift from Norway). Air-conditioned coach, Wi-Fi, expert guide, bottled water. From $123 per person. Free cancellation.
About This Activity
Up to 24h, full refund
Book today, pay nothing until later
Optimized for cruise ship port schedules
Bus and guide meet you at the dock
Air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi
World’s largest Atlantic puffin colony — summer only
The BusTravel Iceland Version vs Ebbi’s Tour: Which to Choose
Two main bus tours operate on Heimaey Island: Ebbi’s Puffin and Volcano Tour (2 hours, $112.21, intimate local guide, max 25) and this BusTravel Iceland version (2.5 hours, $123, expert guide, max 59). The differences matter.
Ebbi’s tour is famous for its guide — Ebbi is a lifelong island native who has personal connections to every story he tells, brings occasional baby pufflings onto the bus, and has 736 reviews at 4.9/5. If you can get a spot on Ebbi’s tour, it’s the more memorable experience.
This BusTravel Iceland version is designed specifically for cruise ship passengers — the bus and guide meet you at the dock, the schedule is calibrated to cruise ship port times, and the capacity (59 travelers) accommodates larger cruise groups. It covers slightly different stops (Stafkirkjan church instead of Herjólfsdalur Viking Town and Sprangan) and runs 30 minutes longer. For cruise passengers needing a reliable, dock-to-dock shore excursion that won’t cause them to miss their ship, this is the right choice.
The tour is a new listing at time of writing — no Viator reviews yet, but BusTravel Iceland is one of Iceland’s most established tour operators with hundreds of thousands of reviews across their other tours. The itinerary is well-structured and the stops are genuinely extraordinary.
The Four Stops on the Westman Islands Tour
Elephant Rock
15 min · Free admission
A massive basalt sea cliff on Heimaey’s coastline that has been sculpted over millennia by crashing Atlantic waves into the unmistakable shape of an elephant’s head — trunk lowered to the water, ear visible in the cliff face, body formed by the rock behind. It requires no imagination to see it. The guide covers how basalt formations on the Westman Islands differ from those on Iceland’s mainland, and the role of ocean erosion in creating Heimaey’s distinctive coastline. Photo stop.
Stórhöfði — World’s Largest Puffin Colony
45 min · Free admission
Stórhöfði is the southernmost tip of Heimaey and the single most important location for Atlantic puffin observation in the world. Over 1.1 million puffins nest here during the breeding season — accounting for approximately 20% of the entire global Atlantic puffin population. You walk the coastal path by the lighthouse, where puffins nest in burrows in the grass and on the cliff faces within a few metres of the path. At close range, the birds are remarkably tolerant of human presence — they’re focused on feeding their chicks. The guide covers puffin biology, migration patterns, and the traditional Westman Islands relationship with the birds. Stórhöfði is also technically the windiest inhabited point in Europe — wind speeds regularly exceed 100 km/h.
Eldfell Volcano
30 min · Free admission
The defining event of modern Heimaey. On January 23, 1973, at 1:55 AM, a fissure opened on the eastern edge of town without warning. Within 24 hours, the entire population of approximately 5,300 people evacuated to the mainland by boat — one of the most efficient mass evacuations in recorded history. Over the following five months, lava flows buried over 400 homes and added a permanent new peninsula to the island. The eruption was eventually stopped by one of the largest volcanic engineering operations in history: seawater pumped onto the advancing lava front. The guide tells the story of the eruption, the evacuation, the battle to save the harbor (the harbor had to be saved — it’s the best natural harbor in Iceland and was essential for the island’s fishing economy), and the return. You walk on lava that is less than 55 years old — still warm in some spots — and look down into the crater where it all began.
Stafkirkjan — The Viking Stave Church
30 min · Free admission
Stafkirkjan is a detailed replica of a medieval Norwegian stave church, built by hand in Norway and gifted to Iceland in 2000 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the Christianization of Iceland. It’s modelled on Haltdalen stave church, originally from the 1170s. The church sits in the Skansinn area of the harbour — historically significant as the site of a 1627 Barbary pirate raid that captured 242 islanders and sold them into North African slavery. The guide covers both the church’s history and the Skansinn area’s darker historical significance. The backdrop — harbour cliffs and the water — is one of the most scenic spots on the island.
What’s Included
- Air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi on board
- Expert guide versed in Heimaey Island history and culture
- Bottled water
- All admission fees — all four stops are free to enter
- Dock pickup — bus and guide meet you at the cruise terminal
- Discounted rates for children
Not included: Ferry or flight to Heimaey Island (for non-cruise passengers). Meals. Gratuities. Puffins are only present June–mid August. Outside this window the tour still runs but puffins will not be visible. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
How the Shore Excursion Unfolds
| Season | Upsides | Downsides | Book Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun–Aug (Puffin Season) | 1.1M puffins at Stórhöfði, peak wildlife experience | Most cruise ships visit in this window — busier | Book 91 days ahead on average |
| May / Sept (Shoulder) | Still significant puffin numbers in May and early Sept | Numbers declining by mid-Sept | 4–6 weeks |
| Oct–Apr (Off-season) | Eldfell and island history tour still extraordinary | No puffins — tour is partly puffin-focused | Not applicable — check availability |
Important Information
Designed specifically for cruise ship passengers. The bus meets you at the dock, the 2.5-hour duration fits standard cruise port times, and the group capacity (59 travelers) accommodates larger cruise parties.
Puffins are only present June through mid-August. Outside this window, the Stórhöfði stop still offers dramatic coastal scenery, but puffins will not be visible.
Not wheelchair accessible.
Maximum 59 travelers. Larger group than Ebbi’s tour — if you’re a smaller independent group looking for the most intimate Heimaey experience, Ebbi’s tour is the recommendation. This tour suits cruise groups that need reliable scheduling and larger capacity.
New Viator listing. No reviews at time of writing. BusTravel Iceland is one of Iceland’s largest and most established operators — their other Iceland tours have thousands of reviews.
Know Before You Go
Dress for wind at Stórhöfði — it’s the windiest point in Europe and even in summer the gusts are significant. A windproof outer layer is essential. Wear comfortable walking shoes for the coastal path at Stórhöfði and the lava terrain at Eldfell. Camera with a zoom lens for puffin photography — the birds are close but a zoom helps. The guide’s account of the 1973 Eldfell eruption is the most powerful part of the tour — listen carefully to the human story behind the geology.
Book the Westman Islands Volcano & Puffin Colony Tour
2.5 hours, four stops, the world’s largest puffin colony, the 1973 Eldfell eruption site, a Viking stave church, and dock pickup optimized for cruise ship schedules. From $123 per person with free cancellation.
Looking for more Iceland experiences? Browse all tours on Iceland Volcano Tour or check out Ebbi’s Puffin and Volcano Tour (the intimate local guide version), the Katla Ice Cave Super Jeep tour from Vík, and the Iceland South Coast full day tour.