Overview

Lying far out into the North Atlantic Ocean, the volcanic island of Iceland is the land between two continents; a land of fire and ice with its Viking heritage. While Iceland doesn’t have a long list of breeding birds, those that do occur are in many cases abundant, with globally important populations of waders, wildfowl and seabirds. In fact, its towering cliffs are among the largest seabird colonies on the planet, with five species of breeding auk, including Atlantic Puffin and Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich’s Guillemot), while the numerous lakes and wetlands are teeming with an array of divers, ducks and waders, such as Harlequin Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red‐necked Phalarope and Purple Sandpiper. Top of many people’s wish list is the world’s mightiest falcon, Gyr Falcon, and Iceland has a healthy population of this supreme predator. As a backdrop to all this there is also the country itself, with its volcanoes, lava fields, glaciers, spouting geysers, mud pools, dramatic coasts and black sand beaches making for spectacular and other-worldly scenery at every turn!

*2024 Prices are estimated and dates may change*

Tour Facts Top Birds
Atlantic Puffin; Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich’s Guillemot); Harlequin & Long-tailed Ducks; Barrow’s Goldeneyes; Red‐necked & Red Phalaropes; Purple Sandpiper; Gyr Falcon; Common Loon (Great Norther Diver); Whooper Swan; Snow Bunting; Razorbill; Black-legged Kittiwake; Glaucous & Iceland Gulls; Rock Ptarmigan; Pink-footed Goose; European Golden Plover; Red-breasted Merganser; Horned (Slavonian) Grebe and Short-eared Owl.
Top Mammals
White‐beaked Dolphin; Minke, Killer, Humpback or even Blue Whales; Arctic Fox.
Habitats Covered
tundra, coast, pelagic, lagoons, wetlands, lakes, volcanic landscapes, rivers
Expected Climate
day time temperatures average between 16 - 20ºC, while coastal wind and evenings are cooler
Max Group Size
7 with 1 Rockjumper leader
Tour Pace & Walking
relaxed, with some long days (due to Iceland's latitude and the time of year, daylight is almost 24hrs a day)
Accommodation
comfortable
Ease of Birding
mostly easy
Other Attractions
Lake Myvatn, Godafoss Waterfall, Gullfoss - the ‘Golden Waterfall’, Great Geysir and Strokkur Geysir, Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, Reykjanes Peninsula
Photographic Opportunities
good to excellent
Tour Route Map Route Map Client Testimonials
Dates, Leaders and Pricing
2023 DEPARTURES
2024 DEPARTURES
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