The tour starts right on the Ísafjörður harbour front close to the centre of town and less than 100m walk from your ship or tender drop-off point. A scenic 30-minute boat ride across the majestic ĺsafjarðardjúp fjord in a comfortable cruiser, with commentary, brings you to Vigur (watch out for likely whale sightings on the way). Guests are welcomed to Vigur on arrival by one of the island’s resident family or naturalist guides who will explain something of the eventful history of Vigur stretching back to the original settlement of Iceland in the 9th Century, introduce some of the historic structures that can be explored (which includes Iceland's only remaining windmill and oldest seaworthy boat) and the uniquely Icelandic tradition of harvesting eiderdown which still thrives on the island today. Then it is time to explore the island on a walk to the best locations for getting close to the abundant birdlife on Vigur including the stunning Lundaleiðin (Puffin Path).
There are more than 60 bird species on Vigur – which is internationally recognised as an IBA (Important Bird Area) - including large colonies of puffin, eider, black guillemot and Arctic tern. Exactly what you see depends on the time of year of your visit and the weather on the day. As well as birds, there are good opportunities to observe seals and whales all year round.
The tour ends at the post office (the smallest Post Office in Europe!) coffee room and shop where you can send a postcard or enjoy complimentary home-baked ‘Happy Marriage Cake’ and coffee before free time to enjoy the various wildlife viewing points or the historical exhibitions.
The same boat will return you to Ísafjörður harbour which is immediately next to the tender departure pier and a short (less than 100m in most cases) walk back to your ship.
Please kindly be aware that the time on the island is approximately two hours with a 30-minute boat ride each way. Some tours have additional time built-in for boarding and disembarking the boat but this does not affect the time on the island or alter the experience.
