Get up close to puffins, gannets, sea eagles and the bustling birdlife of Norway's largest seabird colony.
Get up close to puffins, gannets, sea eagles and the bustling birdlife of Norway's largest seabird colony.
Discover Norway’s vibrant seabird life on a boat trip to Gjesværstappan, home to puffins, gannets, sea eagles and thousands of nesting birds.
The excursion starts in Gjesvær, about a 40-minute drive from Honningsvåg. From there, it's a ten-minute boat ride to the bird cliffs. Warm clothing and equipment are provided for the trip.
Outside the small fishing village of Gjesvær, warm and cold ocean currents meet to create a rich feeding ground that draws a vast diversity of Norway's seabirds. The result is Gjesværstappan, a 283-metre-high island that has become one of the country's largest seabird cliffs, where tens of thousands of birds gather to nest and raise their young each summer.
Just ten minutes after leaving the pier, you reach the bird cliffs. Thermal suits are available on board for a more comfortable trip, and you're free to move around the boat — with binoculars, you can get even closer to the birds. Keep an eye on the water too, as the area is also home to seals.
At the cliffs, puffins with their colourful beaks share the rock face with elegant cormorants, black-and-white guillemots, kittiwakes and auks, while northern gannets dive vertically into the sea in pursuit of their prey. Above it all, the white-tailed eagle often circles in search of a meal.
Thousands of seabirds fill the sky, the cliffs and the sea with life — gliding through the air, diving for fish, or guarding their nests high on the rock.
Northbound
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