7 BEST Birding Tours in Iceland! (2025)
Are you looking to go on a birding adventure in Iceland?
That’s wonderful news. But here’s the thing:
DECIDING to go on a bird-watching trip to Iceland is the easy decision. The hardest part is finding a reputable company that you feel comfortable traveling with.
Below, I did my best to find 7 highly-rated companies that offer birding trips in Iceland.
Before picking a trip, make sure to pay attention to the itinerary! Some tours are for hardcore birders, where you can expect to be birding in Iceland from sunrise to sunset. By comparison, other birding excursions are more relaxed and integrate other wildlife and cultural experiences. And lastly, some experiences in Iceland are designed specifically for bird photography.
Each tour is unique, and none are better or worse. It depends on what YOU want (or what your traveling companion wants). 🙂
Lastly, please do your own independent research before selecting a birding trip in Iceland!
My list is designed to point you in the right direction and narrow your choices. Before booking a trip, contact the companies directly to make sure they are a good fit for your travel needs.
#1. Birding Ecotours
Tell them Bird Watching HQ sent you and get $100 off your trip!
Birding Ecotours is one of the BEST birding tour companies in Iceland, combining an incredible overall experience with a competitive price. Their typical birding tour focuses on small groups of between 6-8 people, along with staying at exceptional lodging and vehicles.
In my opinion, here are a few of the things that make Birding Ecotours different:
- Their guides are some of the best in the business. Highly personable and fun, but also excellent birders.
- Everyone at Birding Ecotours is extremely passionate about conservation. And they put their money where their mouth is, as they donate a minimum of 10 % of net profit to local communities and bird conservation.
- Their CEO and founder (Chris) is an enthusiastic birder who has been in the birding tour business for a long time. He started Birding Ecotours in 2004 and has been running and growing the company ever since. You can read his story here.
To view a list of upcoming birding tours to Iceland, click HERE.
And don’t hesitate to talk to them about creating a custom birding tour just for you or your group. Creating unique trips that mark off everything on your wish list gets Birding Ecotours very excited.
Many of these trips are incredibly popular, so if you are interested, please fill out the form below, and Birding Ecotours will contact you directly to answer questions, discuss pricing, etc.
You can also send Chris and his team a message HERE.
Make sure to use the link above to receive the Bird Watching HQ discount! 🙂
*Some exclusions apply*
#2. Rockjumper Birding Tours
Rockjumper is one of the best birding tour companies that travel to Iceland.
Their stellar reputation comes from their commitment to quality trips led by excellent guides. The average ratio of tour leaders to guests is excellent, with most trips having a maximum of eight participants.
Rockjumper has ONE birding tour that visits Iceland.
- Spend 8 days exploring this wonderful country and learn why it’s called the land of FIRE and ICE! The scenery here is epic, as you will see glaciers, volcanoes, lava fields, black sand beaches, spouting geysers, and dramatic coastlines. Birding highlights include seeing the Atlantic Puffin, Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich’s Guillemot), Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks, and Gyrfalcon.
And if this trip doesn’t meet your needs, you can work with Rockjumper to design your own adventure.
If you want to learn more about a specific tour in Iceland, discuss pricing, or have other questions, it’s best to speak with Rockjumper Birding directly. They have a team of birding experts ready to help!
Lastly, Rockjumper donates a minimum of $50 per scheduled tour to a conservation fund to support bird projects worldwide.
#3. Adventures by Disney
Even though YOU may love birds and are excited to go on an Icelandic birding trip, your spouse, friends, kids, etc., may not want to look for birds from sunrise to sunset. 🙂
So that’s why I have included Adventures by Disney. They offer an amazing FAMILY vacation package that visits Iceland.
- View details HERE – Whale watching, hot springs, horseback riding, and beautiful waterfalls!
Using Adventures by Disney is perfect if you want an amazing adventure with your family in Iceland that is safe and well-planned. You will definitely see birds and other animals, but the emphasis on the trip is not seeing as many species as possible, like most of the other birding tours on this list. Instead, the focus is on experiencing all that Iceland has to offer.
If you are interested in traveling to Iceland, you should use an authorized Disney travel agent.
First, you will get help from someone who has lots of experience planning these sorts of trips. Second, it doesn’t cost you anything. In fact, a Disney-authorized travel agent can usually find a better deal and save you hundreds of dollars!
- Are you looking to go to Disney World, Univeral Studios, or go on a Disney Cruise soon? If so, check out my list of AUTHORIZED Disney Vacation planners HERE. They will help save you time, headaches, and, best of all, MONEY. 🙂
Adventures by Disney is the best way to see birds in Iceland if you want to take along kids or people that don’t want to go birding every day.
#4. WINGS Birding Tours
If you are a serious birder and want an unforgettable adventure in Iceland, then going on a trip with Wings Birding Tours might be a perfect choice. Many other companies on this list try to accommodate people with different interests and physical levels and include things to do on their trips that don’t involve birding.
Wings Birding Tours makes no such promises. They know their target market and try to appeal to them as best as possible. In fact, If you have never been on a bird-watching tour before, they recommend that you contact them first before booking to make sure it’s a good fit.
Almost all of their trips are designed to see birds, regardless of where or when they are to appear. So prepare to be up early and spend your days having incredible adventures and doing a lot of walking. Your trip may take you onto uneven terrain or up and down countless hills.
If you are ready for a hardcore birding adventure in Iceland, then make sure to check out their trip list.
#5. Naturalist Journeys
Founded over 20 years ago, Naturalist Journeys offers numerous nature and birding tours to Iceland and many other places around the globe. On their website, you can see a calendar of their upcoming birding trips to Iceland.
A typical trip by Naturalist Journeys tries to incorporate different aspects to your adventure. The guides are not obsessed with seeing a bird just to check it off a list. Instead, the goal is to savor each experience by immersing yourself in the local Icelandic culture while enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow travelers.
What’s neat is they also offer Independent Birding Ventures (IBVs), which are trips where YOU design the itinerary and pace yourself. You just tell Naturalist Journeys what you are looking for, and they plan the entire thing.
#6. Field Guides Birding Tours
I can almost guarantee you will find your dream bird watching trip to Iceland with Field Guides Birding Tours.
I like that the trip caters to different interests. In addition to birding, you will go whale watching and trawl for shellfish!
#7. Tropical Birding
Tropical Birding offers birding adventures in Iceland for a few different interest levels. Here are both of their current options!
- Iceland Birding Tour AND Whale Watching – I love that in addition to the unique birds that call Iceland home, like the Gyrfalcon, you get to go on a few whale watching trips!
-
Iceland: Birding with Camera®: If you love to take pictures, then this trip might be perfect. It’s designed to provide time for photographers. You may also see the famous Atlantic Puffin!
In addition, their logistics team can also organize a custom tour in Iceland to satisfy everyone in your group’s interest.
A considerable part of what makes or breaks a birding trip is your guide. Tropical Birding prides itself on its full-time professional tour leaders. Their guides promise to bring as much joy as possible to every trip. They do this by seeing as many birds and wildlife as possible but also having fun in the process.
Tropical Birding almost always receives excellent reviews from those who have traveled with them.
Final Thoughts About Birding Tour Companies in Iceland:
I hope today that you found a birding tour in Iceland that intrigues you. I did my best to find a variety of companies that offer many different birding experiences, including many Icelandic trips that cater to bird photography.
The next step is contacting the company directly and deciding the best option for your adventure!
I’d love your feedback below if you have gone on a birding trip before in Iceland.
