Grímsey is an island about 40 kilometers north of the Icelandic mainland. In summer, it is completely overrun with puffins. If you love these birds and want to enjoy them, Grímsey is an amazing place. And you don’t have to go far from the harbor; they are truly everywhere.
Even though the Arctic Henge is only a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle, the truth is that Grímsey is the only place in Iceland where you can actually cross the Arctic Circle. But hurry, the Arctic Circle is not a fixed location; it is constantly moving north at a rate of several meters per year. In a few years, the Arctic Circle will completely leave Iceland for several tens of thousands of years.
Grímsey Island covers just over 5 square kilometers and can be circumnavigated at a leisurely pace in half a day – between the arrival and departure of the ferry – I recommend going counterclockwise. If you’ve come just to relax and/or see the puffins, you don’t have to walk far. Puffins nest right on the slopes near the harbor, and then in many other places around the island.
P.S. A few hundred kilometers to the west, there is another Icelandic island with the same name, so don’t mix them up.
You can get to Grímsey Island either by the Sæfari ferry from Dalvík or by plane from Akureyri. The ferry ride has the added advantage of being more affordable and also gives you the chance to spot dolphins and whales along the way, as well as one of Iceland’s highest waterfalls – Mígandi, which is also interesting because it falls from a cliff directly into the ocean. Another advantage is that the ferry usually stays on the island for 4 hours between arrival and departure in summer (though this can vary on some days), giving you plenty of time to explore the island. The plane to Grímsey always has a layover of exactly 90 minutes between arrival and departure.
If you’re tired after a day of walking around the island, you can rent a lounger on the ferry.
The Sæfari ferry departs from the town at 9:00 AM and costs 7,000 ISK for a round trip.
The plane costs 19,490 ISK for a round trip.
