Bird Watching
When spring arrives in Iceland the bird population rises. Around 345 bird species had been spotted in Iceland by the end of 1998. On this guided Bird Watching tour we travel around the Western part of Iceland. We start at the tip of Reykjanes in the south and travel to Látrabjarg. Europe´s most western point. We will attempt to spot birds including the Great Northern Diver, Red-throated diver, Harlequin Duck, Oystercatcher, White-tailed Eagle, Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owl, Puffin, Razorbill and Shag.
Tour facts:
| Departure date: | 26.05.2011 - 30.05.2011 (THU-MON) |
| Duration: | 5 days/4 nights |
| Group size: | 2 - 10 persons |
| Rate of difficulty: | Easy to medium walks. |
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Price per Person in a Double room: Price per Person in a Single room: |
EUR 1.665.- EUR 1.750.- |
Price includes:
| Accommodation: | 4 nights in hotels & guesthouses with private facilities. |
| Meals: |
Breakfast day 2 till last day. Mixture of picnic lunch and restaurant lunch day 1 till last day. Dinner day 1 till second last day. |
| Transportation & guiding: |
Professional English - speaking driver guide. Transportation in a 4x4 vehicle. |
| Activities & fees: |
Ferry over Breiðafjörð. |
Tour outline:
| Day 1: Reykjanes - Borgarfjörður |
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From Reykjavik we drive to Reykjanes Peninsula and spend few hours there exploring this volcano area and the bird colonies on the coast line. After lunch we continue to the Borgafiord-Valley with its beautiful sights of nature. Before arriving at our accommodation we go through the area Mýrar with its richness in bird life. |
| Day 2: Snæfellsnes National Park |
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This day will be dedicated to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. By the village Hellissandur at the northern part of the peninsula there are amounts of the admirable Arctic Tern and by Arnarstapi at the southern part there are Kittiwakes to be observed in the strange natural potholes at the cliffy shore. There are some Gulls too and at the neighbored ponds we can observe some Red-necked Phalarope and even Divers. |
| Day 3: Flatey Island & The West Fjords |
| From town Stykkisholmur we take the ferryboat across the Breiðafiord-Bay to the port of Brjanslækur. We will make a half day stop on the island Flatey, where we would find the rare Grey Phalarope among all the Eider ducks. We jump again aboard the ferry and catch the afternoon cruise. The hotel is located close to the sea and just below you find a hot natural bath in the rocks by the shore. Enjoy an evening bath with fantastic views over the fjord. |
| Day 4: Látrabjarg cliff |
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Today we drive to Europe's western most point Látrabjarg. Látrabjarg is Iceland´s greatest bird cliff and also the largest in the North Atlantic. It is about 14 km long and about 450 meters high. There we can watch the Puffin by an almost incredible close-up, apart from having there the largest continuous Razorbill colony in the world. An imposing mountain road leads us down to the wide open golden-red beach of Raudasandur, where seals are often to be seen. |
| Day 5: Back to Reykjavík |
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In the morning we load the luggage in our vehicle and head to the beautiful curved coastal road through the fjords and the valleys towards south, passing through some nesting areas of the White-tailed Eagle. By travelling around the peninsula Klofningur we have a magnificent view to the islets and skerries of the shoreline. We continue to the Saga surroundings of Laxárdalur, where you'll have the opportunity to visit the restored Viking farm of Erik the Red, Leif Eriksson's father. We will be back in Reykjavík around 18.00. |
