Westman Islands Boat Tour | 1-Hour RIB Boat

A 1-hour RIB boat tour around the Westman Islands, riding fast over the waves to sea caves and Elephant Rock with a guide pointing out wildlife along the way. A quick, punchy alternative to the slower sightseeing boats.

• A fast-paced RIB speedboat ride, not a slow sightseeing cruise
• Sea caves and the Elephant Rock formation up close
• A chance of seabirds, seals and occasionally whales
• Guided commentary on the islands' nature and history
• A shorter option if you're on a tighter schedule than the 2-hour trip

Your day, stop by stop

2Depart Heimaey harbourHead out from the harbour at speed toward the coastline.

The RIB speedboat picks up speed quickly once clear of the harbour, heading toward the sea caves and cliffs of Heimaey. You wear a flotation suit and hold on. The whole trip takes about an hour.

Time here · trip runs about 1 hour

3Sea caves and Elephant RockSlow down at sea caves and the elephant-shaped rock formation.

Elephant Rock, Fíllinn in Icelandic, is a basalt sea cliff on the north-west coast of Heimaey, in the Westman Islands. The sea has worn the rock into deep, wrinkle-like grooves, with a rounded head, an eye-like hollow and a trunk that seems to rest in the water. The creased grey surface looks so much like elephant skin that people ask whether it was carved. It was not. The best view is from the water on a boat tour, as there is no path down to it. The boat idles at each cave and at Elephant Rock so you can look and take photos before speeding off again.

Tip · hold on tight between stops, the ride is fast

Read our Elephant Rock guide →

About the Westman Islands RIB boat tour

This is the shorter of the two RIB boat trips around the Westman Islands: a fast, bouncy ride on an open speedboat rather than a slow cruise. You wear a flotation suit and hold on as the boat picks up speed between stops.

The route takes in sea caves along the coast of Heimaey and the Elephant Rock formation, with the guide slowing down at each one to point things out and share some island history. Seabirds are common along the cliffs, and seals or the occasional whale can turn up, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Because it's a fast open boat, it has more of an adventure feel than the other Vestmannaeyjar boat tour, and conditions on the water matter more here: it's a wetter, bumpier ride, so dress for it.

Questions people ask