Iceland July Excursion choices
Hi
I am taking the Iceland trip in July and just received the excursion choices. Two of the reasons I wanted to visit Iceland was to see the Puffins and ride an Icelandic Horse. Both of these were listed in the promotional materials for this trip, but now I don't see them at all. Can anyone shed light on this? This is my first Tauck trip and it seems like false advertising. Thanks in advance!
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Check Day 2 of the itinerary. "There are places on Earth that simply must be experienced and the geological children, Heimaey and Surtsey islands in the area of Iceland called Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands), are among them. Named "islands of the western men" for a group of rebellious slaves whose daring exploits are the stuff of Icelandic legend, this remote part of Iceland – far off the beaten track, with its scenic beauty, huge seabird colonies and intriguing human saga – has an aura of adventure and magic. In 1973, a volcanic eruption on Heimaey, the only populated island, destroyed the small town and changed the island's landscape forever. Come ashore on Heimaey for a day of exploration that includes a visit to Sprangan cliff, where young islanders are taught the sport of rope-swinging and cliff-side egg-collecting;** a stop at Storhöfdi, home to the island's largest colony of puffins and an incredible vantage point for breathtaking views of the island and the massive glaciers of the mainland (weather permitting); and a walk up the youngest mountain in the world – which was born when Mt. Eldfell spewed lava over the island, creating the new "Pompeii" of the north. You won't have to look too hard to see **puffins, Arctic terns, and other birds that inhabit the cliffs and coves. Tonight, join us for the Captain's Welcome Dinner as your ship charts a course for Grundafjordur."
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We also saw lots of puffins on Grimsey Island - day 4 of your itinerary. You probably aren't seeing an excursion choice for that day because, weather permitting, everyone will do that activity.
Pre pandemic when we went, we went to an Icelandic horse center for demonstrations but there was no opportunity to ride them.
We were very lucky to have the ship’s captain invite my husband and I to go out into the sea in a dingy and view the puffins from that perspective.it was so awesome.
You don't see them mentioned in the excursion choices because days were you should see them, day 2 on Heimaey, and day for on Grimsey, have no excursion choices. Everyone has the same excursion.
We're on the June 15 cruise and looking forward to it.
Okay. Thank you for the responses. That makes sense. I don't want to go all the way to Iceland and miss the puffins! The horseback riding was mentioned in the marketing materials, but I don't see it anywhere else. Maybe I will try to see if I can do it during my pre stay.
Any other input on excursions is appreciated.
We went early and did an excursion that included riding the horses. See https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2016Iceland-01.htm
We went in 2025. You'll see plenty of puffins- both small and large
We visited a farm for a wonderful lunch in one of their large green houses. The owners grew tomatoes, etc. and flowers hydroponically, and raised and trained Icelandic horses. We visited the stable to see the horses up closely and watched a show/demonstrating their smooth ride and variety of gaits, but we did not have the opportunity to ride the horses ourselves. https://fridheimar.is/tourist-services/