When you come to visit us to take our tour, you might be staying in the area, taking a hike in the national park or just driving through. Here is a guide to the seasonal wildlife found in this area that you might be lucky enough to spot whatever your itinerary:

Summer

Sheep – Okay so these might not be wild as they are owned, however in the summer they get everywhere! Sheep are put to roam the countryside for the summer before being brought back in during the winter. They love to head up into the mountains however you will definitely find them along the road , I’ve found them in the middle of the night eating my vegetable garden and last summer one particular group favoured one of our guide´s font decks for their daily hangout so don’t be surprised if you wake up at your guesthouse with a  sheep looking back through the window.

Puffins – These beautiful and slightly clumsy birds come back to the island in late April/Early May and are here until mid-late August. Whilst you have to go on a specialist tour to see one (due to their cliffside location) it is pretty inexpensive and one of the more unusual and traditional tours you can do in this area.

Summer Birds – The summer in Iceland brings back the birds, just open the window and you will hear a chorus of bird song. The Arctic Terns come back to nest, as do the Great and Arctic Skua. Both of these birds are very protective over their nesting grounds and young meaning they can be a bit spiteful and swoop so watch your heads! The Loa, or Golden Plover in English is the sign that summer has come, so once the first bird is spotted on the island everyone knows that summer is on the way here in Iceland. The Snipe (Hrossagaukur) is one of the nosier birds with a comical warble as it flies around, and the Oyster Catchers (Tjaldur) have the prettiest call as they wander around in pairs although often by the main road!

Foxes – Not hugely common in this area, but as a wild animal they are around. We sometimes find their footprints in the snow during winter, and they’ve been seen up on the glacier’s edge. These creatures have very camouflaged fur so blink and you´ll miss them but you might be lucky enough to see one scampering around in the lava fields.

Winter

Reindeer – In the autumn and winter months the reindeer come down from the mountains to the lower ground. Often, we see them towards Höfn but this year they all decided to come and graze just next to Jökulsárlón. There is nothing prettier than a snow-covered landscape and a herd of reindeer standing proudly looking like something from a Christmas card, and they are so photogenic.