ACTIVITY DECISION · EAST ICELAND
Hafnarhólmi Puffin Viewing or a RIB: Which Should You Choose?
Start with the harbour boardwalk if close-up puffin viewing is your aim. Choose a RIB when you want fjord scenery, seabirds and the movement of a boat in the same outing. Both options are in Borgarfjörður eystri, but they ask different things of your timetable, clothing and tolerance for wind.
The short answer: Hafnarhólmi’s special appeal is that you can walk onto the viewing platforms without buying a boat ticket first, and see puffins, black-legged kittiwakes and Arctic terns at close range. A RIB earns its place through the view from the water and the movement through the fjord, not because it guarantees more birds than the shore.
ICENAVI WILDLIFE FIT · HAFNARHÓLMI
See the free platforms first; save the RIB for a day on the water
These scores cover only the cost, viewing distance, time and Route 94 transfer that can change the activity decision.
The boardwalk, platforms and sheltered spots bring you close to nesting birds without stepping into burrows. You do not need a boat, and you control the length of the visit.
From the water you can see the harbour, rocky shore and seabird habitat, in exchange for boat time, wind and waterproofs. A RIB is not a substitute for the shore platforms.
You can park, walk and leave once you reach the harbour, which suits anyone who still wants time for a short trail after driving Route 94 into the fjord.
EgilsstaðirLast major resupplyRoute 94Mountain-pass transferBakkagerðiAccommodation / foodHafnarhólmiPlatforms / RIB harbour
The shore platforms are already close to the birds—and that is easy to underestimate
Hafnarhólmi is a small island connected to the harbour. Its boardwalk, bird hide and platforms let visitors watch puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, fulmars and common eiders from a safe position. Local information places puffin season from mid-April to mid-August, with numbers usually stronger from May to mid-August; after the puffins leave, the harbour still has scenery, but it should no longer be sold as a guaranteed puffin stop.
The advantage of the platforms is that you set the pace. If a bird flies off, you can wait; if someone in your group wants to visit a café first, you can leave; with no boat departure to catch, your afternoon is not fixed around a timetable. For families with children, anyone who wants only 20 to 40 minutes, or travellers already driving Route 94, the free shore option will usually give you the answer.
There is also a particularly practical design here: you can stand close without walking to a cliff edge or stepping on a burrow. Seeing an entrance or hearing a call does not mean you should reach out with a camera; set up from the platform and stay there. The birds need quiet more than your composition needs one more step.
A RIB is not an upgrade; it adds the sea to the outing
RIB trips leave from the harbour, with the emphasis on seeing the fjord and rocky shore from the water while also looking for seabird habitat. Speed, waves and wind can make an hour feel long on land but disappear quickly at sea; wear a waterproof outer layer, hat and gloves, and keep your phone in a dry bag so the fare is not spent chasing a hat blown away in the wind.
A RIB suits travellers who have already decided to reserve time for a marine activity, and anyone who wants to understand the Eastfjords’ landscape from the water. If the only goal is to guarantee a puffin sighting, visiting the platforms first gives you a steadier decision. The boat adds a different angle; it cannot remove weather, departure-time or seasickness risks.
| What you actually want to do | Better-fit choice | What you get | What you take on |
|---|---|---|---|
| See puffins close up, with control over timing | Shore platforms | Free access, time to wait for birds, leave whenever you like | Only land and harbour viewpoints |
| See fjord cliffs and marine habitat | RIB | A water-level angle and a boat outing | Fare, wind and waves, waterproofs, fixed departure |
| Only one hour remains after entering the village via Route 94 | Shore platforms | No delay to accommodation check-in or dinner | Skip the time on the water |
| You are staying one night in Bakkagerði | Shore first, then check RIB availability | Space to fit the activity into a full day around the weather | One extra night and an additional activity budget |
Route 94 is why many people finally decide against it
From Egilsstaðir into Borgarfjörður eystri, Route 94 runs for about 70 kilometres, crossing a mountain pass before descending into the fjord. On a map it is one line; in practice, fuel, weather, parking and daylight all become less flexible as you go. Fill the tank and buy food in Egilsstaðir before leaving; in Bakkagerði, do not expect a small village’s food and supply hours to follow a city timetable.
For a same-day return, the shore platforms leave more room to adjust: see the puffins on the way in, stay for half an hour to an hour, then return to Route 94. A RIB must fit its departure schedule, and any delay can affect the return drive, dinner or the next night’s accommodation. If you want to walk Víknaslóðir or Stórurð, stay one night instead of forcing a boat trip and a long trail into the same morning.
Winter is especially unsuitable for copying a puffin-season plan. Puffins winter at sea, and the Route 94 pass can also be affected by wind and snow; this activity is suited to the wildlife window around mid-April to mid-August. In other months, treat the Eastfjords as a scenic and accommodation route. The related Borgarfjörður eystri destination guide covers accommodation, supplies and trails before you decide whether to make the fjord a dedicated detour.
Plan the timing this way: platforms before boats, accommodation for flexibility
A one-day version can leave Egilsstaðir in the morning, follow Route 94 into the village, visit the Hafnarhólmi platforms first, choose a short trail in the afternoon, then return to Egilsstaðir. Do not add a RIB to this version: the mountain-road return is already the main activity. For two days, stay in Bakkagerði, view the platforms on the first afternoon, then decide between a RIB and Víknaslóðir on day two according to the wind and departure time.
Staying in Bakkagerði lets you watch the puffins at a quieter time and avoids rushing Route 94 to catch a boat. Staying in Egilsstaðir saves the cost and effort of changing accommodation, but every puffin visit then costs you another stretch of mountain road. For the best accommodation option after a late arrival in the Eastfjords, read Where to stay after arriving late in the Eastfjords; that decision matters more here than a hotel star rating.
Photographers should think about timing: the platforms are close enough that a long lens may not be necessary; on a RIB, speed and vibration make shutter speed and waterproof protection more important than carrying the heaviest lens. Birdwatchers should put quiet and distance first rather than assuming that closer from the boat is always better. The value here is a managed harbour where birds can breed safely.
Does puffin season fit your Route 94 plans?
Check today’s Hafnarhólmi options before deciding
The shore platforms are free; a RIB depends on the day’s sailing time, wind, meeting point and accommodation direction.
Choose your puffin-viewing style
Ingólfshöfði puffin haycart tour · Puffins and boat trips in the Westman Islands
More to read
Continue through the Eastfjords
Borgarfjörður eystri · Three days in the Eastfjords · Eastfjords accommodation
Q&A: Hafnarhólmi puffin viewing
Do you have to take a boat to see puffins?
No. The harbour has viewing platforms and sheltered spots, and you can watch them close up from land; the RIB adds a fjord and water-level perspective.
Which months are best for puffins?
Puffins return to the breeding grounds around mid-April, with the main season running to mid-August; numbers are usually stronger from May to mid-August, but actual sightings vary.
Can you make a same-day return from Egilsstaðir?
Yes, but Route 94 runs about 70 kilometres into the fjord, so allow a buffer for pass weather and daylight on the return. If you want a RIB or a long trail, staying one night is the more sensible plan.
References
- Borgarfjörður eystri — Meet the Puffins (puffin season, breeding numbers, platforms and viewing facilities).
- Visit Austurland — Hafnarhólmi (harbour, viewing locations and local activities).
- OpenStreetMap contributors (the base map used for this location map).
Keep the free stop flexible, then decide whether to add the boat
Hafnarhólmi’s shore platforms do not require you to lock in a departure time, which matters in East Iceland. Once weather changes at the Route 94 pass, the ETA you started with may no longer mean much; put the platforms into the itinerary first, then use your actual arrival time and the wind to decide. That is more reliable than turning the mountain road into a timed race to catch a RIB.
While you are on the platforms, notice where the birds are flying and which way the harbour wind is blowing. That will tell you more about whether a trip suits the day than a sign at the attraction. If the wind is already making it hard to stand, the RIB’s value falls; with clear weather and a full day available, the boat may add an angle the shore cannot.
If someone in your group does not want to take a RIB, the platforms are not a second-best choice: the close nests, boardwalk and harbour facilities already make a complete short activity. One group can stay ashore while another goes out, provided the operator’s meeting and return times do not interfere with checking in.
You can still visit the village, mountains, harbour and trails after puffin season, but the title of the outing should shift from birdwatching to an Eastfjords route. Do not drive more than a hundred extra kilometres for a bird species that has already left; spend that time in Bakkagerði, at Álfaborg or on the next stretch of Route 1.
With older travellers and children, check the platform steps, toilets and parking distance first; a RIB also involves boarding, wind, noise and waves. For anyone prone to seasickness, shore viewing is usually the lowest-risk version and gives you the most useful information before committing to the water.
Take your rubbish with you, stay on the boardwalk and in designated viewing areas, and keep away from the burrows. These small choices do not add time to the itinerary, but they help keep this harbour suitable for people and birds to share.
Before leaving, take a screenshot of the village map and your accommodation address. Waiting until you are in the fjord and searching for a signal can mean missing the turn into the harbour.