Westman Islands Adventure
Sustainable Adventures in Iceland
Private Guided Westman Islands Adventure
Discover Vestmannaeyjar Islands with this all inclusive tour, See the puffins and wildlife on a Rib-Boat excursion, Enjoy lunch at the harbour, visit the world famous Eldheimar museum to discover one of Icelands most tragic volcanic eruptions and explore the crater of Eldfell that destroyed the town, Heimaey. You can also visit the Sealife trust and the puffin rehabilitation centre and book a viewing for the beluga whales.
Begin the day with an early pickup at 7:00am in our electric Mercedes vehicle, travel in style, class and sustainability with on-board local snacks, private guide, Icelandic woollen blankets and wifi to name a few.
VESTMANNAEYJAR – WESTMAN ISLANDS
Your journey will take you to Landeyjahöfn where you will transfer to the Vestmannaeyjar Islands via an electric ferry, the crossing takes about 40mins. Once on the other side we will first see the ruins of the destructive eruption that woke the town in 1973, The eruption of Eldfell destroyed over 400 homes, showering the town in lava bombs and lava flows, these homes can still be seen in the lava fields.
ISLAND BOAT TOUR
Next you will visit the bays on a Rib Boat in a small group (max 12), you will have the chance to spot, seabirds such as fulmars, kitty-wakes, gannets, puffins and sometimes even whales and seals during your ride, the boat will visit the famous elephant rock and caves before you return to the harbour. (The rib boat is not suitable for pregnant women or those that suffer back pains. we can make alternate arrangements for a slower boat if needed.)
HARBOUR RESTAURANT
With you feet back on the land, you can enjoy a lunch menu at the harbour restaurant, with local fish and Icelandic delicacy’s on the menu.
SEALIFE CENTRE
After lunch you will visit the Sealife centre where the puffins are rehabilitated before being released the next year, you can get up close with these fascinating birds and watch them swim, jump and play. You can also learn about our resident whales “little grey and little white” the rescued beluga whales, The whales are in the bay and looked after by volunteers, Additional tickets can be booked to visit the whales if there is availability.
ELDFELL VOLCANO
Next you will visit the Eldfell Crater and walk the rim (optional),towering 200 meters above the surrounding islands. It boasts an incredible view of the Myrdalsjokull and Eyjafjallajokull glaciers on the mainland and overlooks the loneliest house in the world… if the clouds allow :o) The crater erupted in January 1973 and caught everyone by surprise, early warning detection systems had not been adopted yet and the lava spread quickly through the town. You can view the destruction from above.
ELDHEIMAR MUSEUM
Last but by no means least is the Eldheimar museum, The museum is a must-visit while you are on the island of Heimaey, The interactive displays walk you through the tragic eruption of Eldfell first hand, The centre piece of the display is the excavation of one of the properties destroyed in the lava flows. You will walk through the time line while listening to the audio guide. Guides in 4 languages, Dutch, English, French, Icelandic.
Eldheimar also has a discovery centre detailing the world heritage Island, Surtsey, that erupted above sea level in 1962 from a sub-marine eruption, this Island is one of the Vestmannaeyjar Islands and can be seen from the top of Eldfell Crater. Surtsey was made a world UNESCO Site in 2008, there is a scientific study to watch how an eco-system evolves without human intervention.
After we will journey back to the ferry and return to the main land, so you can dine in the city.
All ferry transport has to be booked in advance, and schedules must be adhered. Tours will be subject to change/cancelation dependant on the running of the ferry service. Tours can be affected by weather and availability of tickets. To guarantee a spot for this tour early booking is advised. If no spots are available at the time of booking a full refund of the tour will be given.
INCLUDED
- 1 Tree planted for every tour
- Experienced Driver / Guide
- Pickup / drop-off
- Ferry to and from Vestmannaeyjar
- Rib-Boat ride and wildlife tour
- Reservation at the harbour restaurant.
- Eldfell Crater Walk
- Eldheimar museum & audio guide
- Sealife Centre & puffin rehabilitation centre
- Walking Poles if needed
- Crampons If needed
- Water / Local Snacks
EXCLUDED
- Water Proof Clothing
- Hiking boots / Sensible footwear
- Meals
- Warm layers
- Hat and gloves.
- It is not Guaranteed that you will see puffins, but we will do our best.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- Maximum of 5 participants per vehicle
- Tour duration 12 – 13 hours
- Pickup time is 8.00am, choose the most convenient place to be picked up for this tour in the checkout.
Icelandic weather conditions can change in an instant, it is common to experience all 4 seasons in one day, it is highly recommend to bring adequate clothing to suit all conditions for the experience. They can of course just be left in the transportation if not needed.
