Book a Skellig Michael Eco Cruise Tour around the Skellig Islands
This is the perfect tour for…
- Those who can’t secure a Skellig Michael landing tour but still want to see the Skellig Islands up close
- The budget-conscious; tours are less than half the price of a landing tour
- Families with young children; many boats won’t accept young children on their landing tours
- Anyone who is interested in the beautiful Skellig coastline and our amazing sea and wildlife, including puffins and dolphins
Eco Tour Locations
Locations visited include: Skellig Michael, Small Skellig, Puffin Island, Kerry Cliffs base, Bray Head.
Trips leave every day at 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. between March 17th and October 15th and at 11:00 a.m. before May 15th. Private charters are also available.
Eco Tour Duration
Trips last 2 and a half hours approximately and include sailing around both Skellig Michael, Small Skellig and Kerry Cliffs.
Wildlife
Dolphins frequently escort the boat out the harbour. Gannets, petrels and various other seabirds are always visible. Puffins between April and July. We’ve even seen humpback whales.
Family Friendly
Children absolutely love being out in the boat and love when they get to see wildlife like dolphins up close. It’s a memory that stays with them for a lifetime. Naturally, small children must also comply with the safety regulations while onboard.
Guide
All trips are guided in clear, easy-to-understand English with lots of individual interaction.
Activities
As well as viewing the sites, we encourage photography and videography.
Safety
Your safety is our primary concern. All passengers are provided with personal life vests and general flotations aids are available at all times. All trips are weather-permitting and please be aware that weather can change from the start of the trip to the end.
Charters
Individual and group charters are available on request. The boat accommodates up to 12 passengers at any one time. We frequently work with diving groups and sports fishermen. Family fishing experiences are also available.
Journey from Portmagee to Skellig Michael
This part of the trip allows you to view:
- Portmagee Harbour
- Illaunloughan Island, the site of an ancient Christian burial site.
- Bray Head on Valenitia Island, one of the Wild Atlantic Way’s Signature Points, and the site of Bray Tower, a coastal lookout post from the Napoleonic Wars.
- Kerry Cliffs, the stunning coastal cliffs overlooking Portmagee and the Skelligs.
- Puffin Island
Skellig Coastline Sea and Wildlife
- You can also see the rich variety of bird and sea life in the area.
- The boat is often accompaied by a pod of dolphins who playfully chase the boat and jump out of the water.
- Dive-bombing gannets and our iconic puffins are also visible during the Summer months.
- At certain times of the year, you may be fortunate and see either basking sharks or the awesome sight of humpback whales.
Circumnavigation of Skellig Michael
This takes in all aspects of the island.
- You will see the landing jetty and the Western approach to the island.
- You can see walls of the monastery at the top of the island and the roofs of the monastic cells that the monks used as their shelter.
- You can see the Wailing Woman Rock, made famous in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
- You will see the alternate approaches used by the monks to reach the island.
- Also, the lighthouses created in the 1840s to provide safe passage for ships in the area.
- There will be plenty of opportunities to take photos in front of the island.
Circumnavigation of Small Skellig (Duration: Approximately 10 minutes)
- This is the second largest gannet sanctuary in Europe, containing nearly 20,000 nesting pairs.
- Seals are often visible on the island’s rocks.
