A Complete Guide to Seeing the Puffins on Hornøya (in Vardø)

A few years ago, I decided to travel to Vardø, Norway to see the puffins on Hornøya, an island off the town’s coast that is one of the best places to go birdwatching in Norway.

I arrived to Vardø at the end of July, and the day before we were set to make the 10-minute boat trip to Hornøya, the island closed for the rest of the season due to bird flu.

Fast forward to last summer. I decided to venture there in August to see if the puffins were still around, and sure enough, they had already departed.

Finally, in early April this year, I unexpectedly added Vardø to a road trip itinerary at the last minute, hoping to see the puffins. Turns out… third time’s a charm!

In this guide, I will give you all the details you need to see the Hornøya puffins on your trip to Vardø, including some dos and don’ts (I made a few mistakes!), booking advice, and some expectations for your birdwatching adventure.

If you have any questions, comments, or tips, please add them in the comments below. Thanks! And a major shoutout to my partner, Ed, for helping me get the photos in this guide. The good ones are his.

About Hornøya in Vardø, Norway

Hornøya and its sister island, Reinøya, are nature reserves that are only a 10-minute boat ride from Vardø Havn (Vardø harbor). It’s one of the Arctic’s most-accessible seabird colonies and one of the few places around the world where you can consistently see puffins in the snow (more on that later).

These were dedicated as nature reserves in 1983 to protect the 100,000 seabirds that call it home for part of the year.

You can find Atlantic Puffins, Kittiwakes, Common and Brünnich’s Guillemot (Thick-billed Murre), European Shags, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and Razorbills. There are also frequently Falcons, Eagles, and Skuas hanging about.

Today, you can only visit Hornøya as Reinøya is off-limits.

On Hornøya, there are designated paths and a dock. There is also a lighthouse that you could previously sleep in, but it does not appear to be an easily booked experience currently. There are no shelters or toilets currently on the island.

How to Visit Hornøya from Vardø

So, this is the fun part! Vardø is not exactly a location that greets guests with gorgeous weather and a subtle breeze. In fact, Vardø’s erratic weather is kind of what makes me love the place.

But, that does not make it a reliable destination if you’re pressed for time. I will discuss more about this in the next section, but I am warning you that a lot of visiting Hornøya is dependent on the weather in Vardø.

Hornøya Boat Schedule

Boats run from the Vardø harbor to Hornøya starting from Week 11 until the end of the season. Week 11 in 2026 runs from March 9-15. During Week 11, however, boats can only be booked on demand. Regular boat trips begin running from Week 12 (March 16-22, 2026) until the end of the season (usually sometime in late July or early August).

The boat trip schedule is as follows:

• Monday to Friday: 9 am, 10 am, 12 pm, 2:30 pm, and 5:15 pm (last return)
• Saturday and Sunday: 10 am, 12 pm, 2:30 pm, and 5:15 pm (last return)

The boats return from Hornøya at 10:10 am, 12:10 pm, 2:40 pm, and 5 pm. The harbor is pretty flexible, and the captains may ask when you’d like to return and will schedule accordingly.

You cannot book this boat ahead of time. You must show up at the Tourism Information Office in Vardø (it is right on the harbor and there is a wooden puffin statue in front of it).

The information online can be rather conflicting and not up-to-date, but I made this trip in 2025 and will be checking for updates this year and next to see if things change. For now, this is where you meet.

The tourism info office opens 30 minutes before the first boat (so 8:30 am on weekdays and 9:30 am on weekends).

Hornøya Ticket Prices

For the 2025 season, Hornøya ticket prices are as follows:

• Adults: 630 NOK ($60)
• Children: 320 NOK ($30)

My Experience (from Start to Finish)

After You Get Your Ticket

Once you purchase your ticket from the Tourism Information Office, you will need to head directly out the back door of the same office to the boat marked ‘Hornøya’. There will be a line formed there and you will need to wait to board.

The Boat Ride to Hornøya

This is merely a 10-minute boat ride from the Vardø harbor to Hornøya. You will pass Reinøya on the way. The seas will likely be calm within the harbor, but as soon as you exit the harbor, they may get rough! Luckily, this is only a 5-minute journey or so, but be prepared. You’re in the open Barents Sea for just a moment.

The boat is old and only fits 12 people at a time. There is an inside area, so you will not get wet or cold during the journey. Be sure to hold your camera tightly so you don’t break a lens (I did this on a penguin boat tour in Patagonia – not fun).

Our crew asked us individually when we wanted to return to Vardø, so we were able to give them our desired times.

Arriving on the Island

When you arrive on the island, you will arrive at a very small dock and some stairs. There may already be birds waiting for you on the dock (European Shags hooked us up with the loveliest of greetings). From here, you are free to wander about… but be sure to stay on the trail and not stray from it.

You can snap photos, venture to the other side of the island via the trail (which takes you to the lighthouse), and that is about it.

Returning to Vardø

After you’ve done your rounds and admired the birds in their natural habitat, you will return to Vardø on the same boat you came in on.

My Experience (& Honest Thoughts)

Okay, so here is where things get a bit interesting.

We had HORRENDOUS weather the day I went to Hornøya. There was a huge storm that was arriving, and I had monitored this all with a lovely man at the harbor for several days leading up to the day of our trip.

We were in Vardø for three nights in total, and thankfully, the weather shifted, and we were able to get out on the 9 am boat before the storm officially hit later that day.

Boats ended up canceled later that afternoon and the following days as the storm came through, and eventually blew away the dock on the island anyway (they have since repaired it).

The boat ride was rough. I don’t get seasick, but this could be an issue if you do. But the real issue was the wind.

Once we arrived on Hornøya, the wind and rain were unbearable. I quickly found out that my pants were, in fact, not waterproof, and I wasn’t sure how I would stay out there longer than one hour. I didn’t even feel safe enough to walk around the cliffs on one side of the island.

There were plenty of people from a group photo tour sticking around, but some of them looked downright miserable. One person departed from the group early with my partner and me. I was going to have to wait 3 hours for a boat, but I had emailed the harbor and asked for an early pickup for three of us. They came right away.

Useful Tips for Visiting Hornøya

1. The boats are first-come, first-served.

Everyone gets on, but since the boat can only fit 12 passengers at a time, they will take 12, come back and grab more, take another 12… you get the picture. I guess photography tour groups knew this, so they were instructed to stand in line while the leader went inside to purchase tickets.

When we went outside after purchasing ours (we were first in line for the actual purchase), we couldn’t even get on the first boat because people were waiting in line even without their tickets. I found this a little annoying, but what can you do?

If you’re traveling in a group of 2 or more, have people go stand in line while one person does the purchasing to ensure you can get out there on time.

2. Wear waterproof clothing.

Waterproof, waterproof, waterproof! If there is rain at all, make sure your clothing is truly waterproof. There is no shelter, and you will get soaked!

3. Give yourself enough days to make the trip.

I mention this below, but make sure to give yourself enough days to make the trip. Cancelations happen, and bad weather is no stranger to Vardø.

The storm that came after my trip actually ruined the dock on Hornøya, and the island had to close over a weekend to fix it. Be flexible.

4. Stay on the path on Hornøya.

Stay on the path on the island. It is clearly marked. There are more birds on the side you’ll dock on than on the exposed side of the island or up near the lighthouse.

5. Stay up-to-date with the locals before your trip.

Keep an eye on Vardø Havn (the harbor) and Vardø Turistinfomasjon’s (tourism information center) Facebook pages for updates ahead of your trip.

They will post cancellations and news. It may only be in Norwegian, so be sure to translate to make sure the island is open, bird flu is not an issue, and the weather isn’t causing chaos.

6. There is no shelter on Hornøya. Or toilets.

There is currently no shelter on Hornøya. It has been removed since birds were nesting in it. If you see photos of a shelter there, they are old.

There are also no toilets on Hornøya. There is also not one on the boat that shuttles you back and forth between the island and the mainland.

7. Proper footwear is a must.

If you are visiting in March or April (or even May), you will be walking through mud and/or snow. Wear tall, waterproof shoes (insulated wellies would be good).

8. You can’t always see the puffins fighting in the snow.

Did you come to see puffins fighting in the snow? The fighting only takes place when they first arrive to Hornøya as they are battling for territory! Go in March if you want to witness this.

9. There is a puffin and whale watching combo tour you can take.

If you want a combo tour option, there is a daily puffin and whale watching tour that goes out on a RIB boat from the Tourism Information Center.

When I went in early April, the tourism center said that they hadn’t seen whales in quite a few days on the tour, and it seemed as though the tour wasn’t running due to the storms.

The tour departs daily from the Tourism Information Center at 10 am and 5 pm. It is a 2.5-hour tour and is 1200 NOK ($115) per person.

10. Be patient.

The process is not the most organized, but it gets the job done. Please be patient as tourism is still in development stages in Vardø, and they are doing the best they can with the people, time, and resources that have been allocated, and allow them to share Hornøya with visitors!

This is a remote region of Norway, and like remote regions in other places, it can get overlooked in terms of funding, but the community is doing its best.

FAQ

How close do you get to the birds on Hornøya?

You are very close to them on the island. The puffins tend to sit higher up, so you can easily see them, but will need a telephoto lens to get close-up shots.

The European shags, on the other hand, were hanging out a bit further down and would even stand on the path to the dock.

How many days do you recommend for a successful trip?

You can go as many days in a row as you’d like (but will need a new ticket each day).

But, I would recommend setting aside at least 2-3 days in Vardø to ensure you can get out there at all. If the weather takes a turn, the boats may be canceled.

What do you wear on the trip?

It depends on the weather, but one thing you can count on is that ‘warm’ in Vardø is not the same as ‘warm’ in other places. The warmest months are July and August, and the average high is 12C (53F).

Wear windproof clothing and good, waterproof shoes (just in case it is muddy on the island). If you are expecting really bad wind, wear waterproof everything as there is no shelter on the island.

Is the boat ride from the harbor to the island rough?

It can be! But it is only a 10-minute journey, and 5 minutes of that are in the harbor where it is protected a bit.

So, only 5 minutes will be rough at sea (maybe a little longer if it is really bad). Bring Seabands or Dramamine if you’re prone to seasickness.

What if tours are canceled and I don’t get to see the birds?

This, unfortunately, happens and can do so at the last minute unexpectedly. If this happens, here are a few places you can check out to see birds around Varanger:

• Ekkerøy: Kittiwakes, Ruff, Red Knots, and White-billed Divers
• Vadsø: Steller’s Eider
• Kiberg: Steller’s Eider, Kittiwakes (a new Kittiwake hotel has opened there)
• Båtsfjord: King Eider (they may still be around in March – contact the hotel there to check before going out there)
• Svartnes: Common Eider, Miquelon Duck, Steller’s Eider, and maybe the King Eider (this is right outside of Vardø and there is a new floating hide there that you can book – learn more here)

You can also learn more about the birds in the area at Birding Varanger (a Biotope project). There are many bird shelters and huts all over Varanger, and they are worth checking out!

Where to Stay in Vardø

Currently, there is only one hotel in Vardø and it fills up quickly! I have struggled to get in there on two of my trips (July and early April), so be sure to book ahead as much as possible.

The Vardø Hotel is no-frills but a comfortable stay for the duration of your trip. Breakfast is included, but nothing to write home about. The restaurant is exceptional, on the other hand, and worth enjoying in the evenings (as is ABC Thai in town).

If you have a heftier budget and want to stay in one of my favorite places ever, look into Varanger View. It is located on the other side of the tunnel in Svartnes, but it is truly an incredible stay.

Is Hornøya worth the trip?

I do think it is, even though I went at a bad time (and it took me three tries to get out there)! If you’re a bird lover, it is a must. If you like pretty nature and scenery, it is worth it – but only if the weather cooperates.

If it is very windy, rainy, and cold, so just be prepared that there is no shelter out there right now. Nevertheless, Hornøya is special and a one-of-a-kind place!

Please let me know if you have any questions about visiting Hornøya in the comments. Thanks!