skomer island tours

Top Tours in Skomer Island, Wales

Skomer island tours.

• Private Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. David Astins

• Local Information
• The Islands
• How to Book

SKOMER AND RAMSEY BOAT TRIP

Head out to Skomer Island, home to 35,000 Puffins, before returning to explore some of Ramsey’s dramatic scenery and wildlife.

Head out across St Brides Bay to the island of Skomer, home to 38,000 puffins

This trip runs from April to the end of July, subject to demand and weather.  The puffins have left Skomer by the beginning of August after which this trip will be run as an extended Ramsey and offshore islands trip. 

The trip is generally suitable for all ages, but please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns.

Skomer and Ramsey Trip

Terms and conditions apply

On this trip we head out across St Brides Bay to the island of Skomer, home to around 17,000 pairs of Puffins, 360,000 pairs of Manx shearwaters and the only Marine Conservation Zone in Wales. Sit in the tranquil waters of Skomer harbour watching the antics of the charismatic, technicolour Puffins as well as their larger cousins, the Guillemots and Razorbills, and learn about the flora, fauna and history of Skomer.  

You can also expect close encounters with Ramsey Island’s seals and possibly some of our resident Harbour porpoise (tide dependent), as we complete our excursion with an exploration of some of Ramsey’s coastline on our return from Skomer.

Impressive experience

Highly recommend the Falcon Boats Skomer/Ramsey island tour! It was particularly special as we have never seen puffins before and there were literally thousands of them all around. Quite magical! Also treated to porpoise, grey seals, other rare seabirds and a close up tour of caves/rock formations and a hairy but amusing shortcut through rapids! Comfortable sturdy rib with excellent Skipper and very knowledgeable commentary on the wildlife, the islands and the maritime history.

Fantastic – loved every minute!

Fantastic trip with knowledgeable boat staff. We had a brilliant journey round the islands including sightings of seals, porpoises, puffins and lots more!! Would recommend it to any and everyone. Thanks from us again!!

Amazing wildlife, expert team

How lucky we were to catch the end of the Atlantic puffin season this year. There were thousands flitting from the sea to their nests and it was wonderful to see. We also saw Common dolphins and porpoise during our two trips to Skomer and then Ramsey, not to mention the grey seals. Ffion and her team offered expert commentary throughout, teaching us about the fascinating behaviour and physiology of the animals, while remaining careful not to disturb them. The experience also felt Covid-safe. We’ll definitely do it again.

What You Can Expect to See

You can expect to see large numbers of Puffins as well as Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes.  Also many other resident birds, such as Oystercatchers, Shags and Cormorants, as well as the rare Chough and Peregrine falcon.

Year-round we are fortunate to enjoy the company of the Atlantic Grey seal; whilst they mostly frequent the shores of Ramsey Island, they also can be seen in the harbour at Skomer and along the coastline there too. We also regularly encounter our pod of Harbour porpoise as they feed in the tidal waters of the Sound and occasionally we are treated to sightings of Common dolphins.

Other Trips with Falcon Boats

Ramsey island special.

Adult £38 Child £25 Charter Price 375

Explore echoing sea caves, towering rock gorges, see complex and intricate geology and sit under the staggeringly tall sea cliffs

More Details

Skomer and Ramsey Puffin and Seal Trip

Adult £60 Child £40 Charter Price £600

Head out to the island of Skomer, home to 24,000 breeding puffins as some of Ramsey’s dramatic scenery and wildlife

Sunset Puffin and Shearwater

Adult £42 Child £32 Charter Price £400

Witness one of the wonders of the natural world as 360,000 Manx Shearwater return to their burrows at dusk

Grassholm and the Celtic Deep

Adult £70 Child £45 Charter Price 675

Go to the most remote of the Pembrokeshire islands, the offshore reefs and edges of the Celtic Deep

Latest Sightings

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•Wildlife Boat Trips in Pembrokeshire. A love and passion for the Pembrokeshire Coastline and Marine Life. #AWildlifeExperience

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For an experience to remember

24 hours on Skomer Island

Book a bed on the island and enjoy a night to remember with 300,000 breeding manx shearwaters..

Puffins and porpoise make up the daylight story, while at night it’s a glimpse of the short-eared owl and a shower of shearwaters will make your heart sing.

Dale Sailing

Your adventure begins before you even board the boat, as you watch the crew row out to the ‘ Dale Princess ’ – your ride to Skomer Island. Standing in a line, passengers pass bags down to the boat before boarding and then it’s off to sea.

Crossing the waters between Martin’s Haven and  Skomer  only takes 15-minutes and as you approach the island you’ll get your first glimpse of a seal or a puffin, the first of many!

You’ll be the first boat to the island that morning and last night’s residents will be standing on the shore, ready to take your luggage. Then it’s your turn to get their luggage on. It’s a brilliant system, so be sure to get stuck in!

Old Farm self-catering accommodation

The Skomer Island Visitor Officer will meet you at the boat and walk you to the Old Farm for a quick tour of the accommodation, followed by a wildlife talk. Here they share the latest sightings and the best place to see wildlife before you’re free to head out and explore for the day.

The Old Farm accommodation provides overnight visitors with all the equipment required to make a mouth-watering meal or a quick snack on the go in the communal kitchen.

The comfortable lounge with log burner is a cosy place to reflect upon the days magic and prepare yourself for an evening filled with wildlife.

The must-see on the island

When you land off the boat lookout for the colony of grey seals on the beach, just below the island office. Your first taste of island wildlife!

Keep your eyes on the skies as you walk North through the island, you’ll see curlews, gulls and maybe the short-eared owl if you’re lucky.

At Garland Stone look for porpoise in the surf and as you walk around the Western edge you might see peregrine and chough on the wing.

Skomer Head is the Westerly point, another great spot for porpoise and seal spotting, and then you will be walking onto the Wick, where the only thing on your mind will be puffins!

At night there’s a gathering at the Island office to record the birds, porpoise and seals everyone has spotted that day – a great place to meet the island’s team of wardens and volunteers and find out more about this extraordinary place.

After dark make the effort to go outside and experience for the Manx Shearwater’s arrival – you won’t be disappointed.

You will be sharing an island with 50% of the world’s population of Manx Shearwaters, who have flown all the way from Argentina to raise their young here.

Manx’s are designed for flying and they are pretty clumsy on land, which makes them vulnerable to predators and black-backed gulls. However, the darkness saves them and their numbers thrive on this island nursery.

Remember to bring

The 3-star hostel is extremely comfortable and well equipped with cooking utensils, hot and cold running water, a gas hob and guest fridge. Rooms have pillows and duvets; you’ll just need to bring linen.

Packing light is the key: camera, sturdy footwear, binoculars, water bottle, warm clothing, torch, food and bed linen.

Most of all enjoy – this will be one Pembrokeshire experience you will remember long after the shearwaters have returned to Argentina.

For the latest news from the island check out the  Skomer Island Blog  and to book your overnight trip contact  The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

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THE BEST Skomer Island Tours & Excursions

Skomer island tours.

• Private Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. David Astins

• Pembrokeshire
• Visiting Skomer

Visiting Skomer Island

The beautiful island of Skomer is famous for its colourful puffins, vibrant wildlife and is a brilliant family day out. It’s about a mile off the south west coast of Pembrokeshire and just 23 miles from Bluestone.

The island's worth a visit during your stay for the spectacular views and rugged island walks. Keep an eye out for Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Razorbills, Great Cormorants and Black-legged Kittiwakes, as well as the unique puffins.

The island is also home to Short-eared Owls and Peregrine Falcons as well as Grey Seals, and Harbour Porpoises. It also has a very special resident, the unique Skomer Vole, of which numbers can reach up to 20,000 during the summer months.

Planning your Skomer trip

The trips are organised by Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips who have been operating boat trips for over 40 years. The boats operate out of Martin’s Haven which is also where you need to go to buy your tickets.

Due to the island being a national nature reserve they are restricted to the amount of visitors that can land on the island every day, so it is first come first served until all the places are filled.

The ticket office opens at 8am and there is a car park in Martin’s Haven which is operated by the National Trust, free if you have a National Trust Membership.

On the water

The first boat is usually scheduled to leave at 10am, but it’s best to get there early and beat the queue. There is some fantastic scenery to take in if you have to wait for a while.

The booking office has souvenirs, drinks, and some snacks; this will be your last chance to buy any bits and pieces during your trip as there isn’t a shop or cafe on the island itself.

It’s only a 15-minute journey by boat on the Dale Princess to Skomer and there are some great photo opportunities as the island comes in to sight.

Between mid-April and July the island is home to the Atlantic Puffin, and you’ll see them flying around overhead and bobbing around on the sea.

Numbers are above 20,000 for plus 300,000 Manx Shearwaters - which make up half of the world’s entire population!

Island life

After you dock you are free to explore as long as you stick to the designated pathways. In five hours you can walk around the majority of it.

On your average walk you can expect to see puffins, Manx Shearwaters, gannets, peregrine falcons, Atlantic grey seals, kittiwakes, choughs and a pod of porpoises!

Top tips for a day out on Skomer

• There isn’t a cafe on Skomer so you have to bring a picnic but that is part of the fun! • Get to the ticket office at Martin’s Haven in plenty of time, we recommend being there for when they open at 8am. • Bring your camera as there are lots of amazing things to take photos of • Pack a waterproof coat even if the weather is fine as it can get quite windy on the island. • Use Bluestone National Park Resort as your exploring base as it’s nice and central

Puffins on Skomer

Each year Puffins arrive to make Skomer and Skokholm Islands their homes for spring and summer. These beautiful birds with brightly coloured bills make up part of the largest colony of puffins in Southern Britain.

Puffins can generally be seen on Skomer from April until August. With the best time to see them between mid-June and mid-July, when the chicks have hatched as the parents are busy providing food.

They arrive in Pembrokeshire in late March and meet in groups called ‘rafts’ at sea. Before long they start to make their way onto the cliff tops where they compete for underground burrowing space with Manx Shearwaters. Puffins prefer the burrows closest to the top of the cliff since the parent birds can make swifter exits and avoid predatory gulls.

Puffins line these burrows with dead grass, Sea Campion and Bluebells and in the early part of May the female will lay her single egg here. The parents then take it in turns to incubate the egg for about 6 weeks.

Puffins are small birds, measuring around 30cm from beak to tail. When the chick hatches, they weigh about 40 grams and are covered in dark grey fluffy feathers. The little chick spends its first 6 weeks in the burrow where it is fed a diet of Sandeels by its parents. They are fed five to eight times a day and this is enough food for them to put on around 250 grams in weight.

By July the chicks are ready to leave the island, thanks to the food provided by their parents, despite not being fully grown. They can fly surprisingly well now but they are very vulnerable to attacks. They work their way down the cliff and take off under the cover of darkness and are out of the sight of land by the time the sunrises. After this they are on their own in the world!

They will then spend the next two years at sea before they start to spend more times at the colonies in the summer. Most won’t start breeding until they are five but they will be looking for a suitable mate and burrow from their first summer in the colony. When they do start breeding there is a low success rate. On average each pair rears a chick every two years, but less than one in five of these chicks survives to reach breeding age.

It’s not all bad news though; the ones that do make it to breeding age are expected to live long lives. These birds are expected to live for around 25 years, sometimes even longer! The current Skomer Island record is held at over 38 years old.

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RAMSEY ISLAND BOAT TRIPS

Thousand islands expeditions.

2 HOUR SKOMER ISLAND PUFFIN BOAT TRIP

JOIN ONE OF OUR 2 HOUR SKOMER PUFFIN BOAT TRIPS, A MIXTURE OF EXHILARATION AND SENSITIVE APPRECIATION OF THE WILDLIFE.

Puffins can be seen around Skomer from April to August.   By mid April the Puffins have settle on Skomer and have started building theirs nests.

In June to mid July the Puffins fly to and from the nest taking fish to their young. By the first week in August they have left the island and we won't see them again until next spring.  

Arriving at Skomer you will find yourself amongst 100's of Puffins in the bay. Look up at the cliffs and grassy banks, yet more comical puffins.  

On your trip you will see various seabirds, Guillimots, Razorbills, Gannets, Atlantic Grey Seals and possibly porpoise. Occasionally we may see Common Dolphins as we cross the bay between Ramsey Island and Skomer Island.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Departure times.

Daily:   Daily boat trip usually in the afternoon, enquire

Duration:       2 hour boat trip

Adults    £54.00         Child  £27.00

Child 4 - 13 years

YOU WILL NEED

You must dress up warm, it is always colder at sea.

Please don't forget your face masks.

For over 40 years we have been providing boat trips to Pembrokeshire’s offshore islands, and in this time we have realised that one person’s idea of the perfect trip can vary greatly from another’s. We aim to offer a wide range of services catering for all ages and interests, from 15 minute crossings to 3 hour offshore voyages. Take a look through the options below to see which trip is for you . . . if you still can’t quite find what you’re looking for please just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Skomer Landing

• Land on Skomer Island – spend the day exploring the beautiful island nature reserve and see the thousands of Puffins, Guillemots, and Razorbills, along with a host of other birds and wildlife.

Our island cruises are run aboard our 98 seat catamaran the Dale Queen. Step on board and cruise gently around the islands, guided by our expert crew. Our cruises are a low-speed option offering you the perfect way to experience the beauty and tranquility of the islands and their wildlife at close quarters.

Skomer Cruise

• Explore Skomer from the water. See the vast colonies of Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, and thousands of other seabirds rafting on the water and soaring above the cliffs

Seabird Spectacular

• As the sun is setting on Skokholm and the Skomer Marine Nature Reserve, the Manx Shearwaters are rafting, awaiting the cover of darkness to return to their nests on these beautiful Pembrokeshire Islands.

Dale Sea Safari

Our Sea Safaris are run on board our comfortable high speed catamarans. Join us on an adventure, as we explore the islands and their surrounding waters, experience the wildlife at close quarters, and take in the spectaular scenery as we cruise across stretches of open ocean. These trips are a great option for those of you after a little more excitement.

Skomer and Skokholm Safari

• Both Skomer and Skokholm Islands are home to vast colonies of nesting seabirds

Grassholm Gannetry Experience

• Grassholm Island is home to one of the world’s largest Gannet colonies with around 39,000 breeding pairs!

Pembrokeshire Islands Adventure

• Keep an eye out for migrant birds, seals, and porpoise.

Private Charter

• How about a special trip around the islands, or a trip that stops at some of the many pubs and restaurants along the Waterway?

Terms and Conditions

Full T&C’s will be received upon booking.

Tickets are refundable only if we have to cancel the trip. Every effort is made to contact you prior to the trip departing if we feel that the conditions are not appropriate for the trip to go ahead. Cancellations are at our discretion and will be subject to tides, forecasts and sea conditions. We will endeavour to offer an alternative trip or the possibility of rescheduling.

Full Terms and Conditions

Skomer Island Puffins

Join us on a boat trip to see the skomer island puffins, a mixture of exhilaration and sensitive appreciation of the wildlife., this is a 2 hour trip to see the skomer island puffins. we head out of ramsey sound and across st brides bay to skomer island. keep your eyes open, you may see diving gannets, shearwaters and if you are lucky some dolphins. ​.

Puffins can be seen around Skomer Island from April to the end of July.  By mid April the Puffins have settled on Skomer and have started building their nests.

In June to mid July the Puffins fly to and from the nest taking fish to their young. By the first week in August they have left the island and we won't see them again until next spring.

Arriving at Skomer you will find yourself amongst hundreds of Puffins in the bay. Look up at the cliffs and grassy banks, yet more comical puffins.

On the Skomer Island Puffin trip you will see various seabirds such as, Guillemots, Razorbills and Gannets, with Atlantic Grey Seals and possibly porpoise. Occasionally we may see Common Dolphins as we cross the bay between Ramsey Island and Skomer Island.

BASIC INFORMATION

Departure times

Trips depart daily 7 days a week

Adult £54.00 Child £27.00  (4 - 13 yrs)

You will need

Warm waterproof clothing, it is always colder at sea and sunscreen for sunny days.

would you like to know more

INFORMATION

Educational Trips To Skomer Island

Peter Cairns/2020VISION

An Adventure Awaits...

Packed full of seabirds, endemic species, rare plants, unique geological features and archaeological remains, there's something for every school and university group to get out of a trip to Skomer Island.

Check out the wildlife and history of Skomer Island

Education visits to the island last for five hours. When you first moor on the island, one of the island team will give your party an introduction to the island which will be tailored towards your visit. After that, you're free to explore the island - there may be an opportunity to run additional activities with island staff, but please contact the Visitor Officer to discuss this ahead of your visit. At the end of your trip, a member of staff will meet you back at the boat to look at photos and answer those burning questions!

Planning Your Trip

The information below will guide you through booking your trip to Skomer. 

Please note, due to staff availability, no bookings can be taken between 21 st  December and Tuesday 9 th  January so please do not call during this time.

For any booking questions, please contact the bookings team on [email protected] .

For any questions about your time on the island, please contact the Skomer Visitor Officer on [email protected] .

When Do Skomer Education Boats Run?

Educational groups are reserved spaces on the 10.30am sailing (returning at 3.30pm). These are available on Thursdays and Fridays in 2024.

The boat, the Dale Queen, carries visitors to Skomer Island from Martins Haven (two miles from Marloes on the B4327 from Haverfordwest) under contract to The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales. The boat is licensed by the Department of Trade and Industry and is owned and run by Dale Sailing.

What Is Skomer's Education Rate?

School-age child tickets (up to 16s) are £12 for a combined boat fare and landing ticket with adults with them paying £20.

College and university student tickets are £20 per head.

How Do I Book?

Please contact the booking office on 01656 724100 to make a provisional booking. You will then need to download a booking form and email it to [email protected] . Once the bookings team have confirmed the booking, you will be prompted to contact Dale Sailing (our boat operator) on 01646603123 to pay for your visit.

Please note, we are unable to take any bookings for school parties between 20 th May and 9 th June. Educational parties may book for trips of up to 50 people on Thursdays and Fridays only.

Booking Form For Education Trips To Skomer In 2024

A booking form for educational trips to Skomer in 2024

How Do Amendments And Cancellations Work?

Group amendments/cancellations - any amendments to the number of visitors must be made at least 30 days before your sailing date. Any amendments made after this date will remain subject to the booking fee, however please still update us on numbers on the day of travel to ensure the boat log is accurate. 

Island amendments/cancellations - If the sailing is cancelled due to prevailing weather conditions we will refund all payments made. We reserve the right to cancel up to the morning of sailing as weather conditions can change last minute. Please keep in contact if you are concerned about weather conditions.

Information For The Day

Upon arrival at Martins Haven, landing tickets must be collected from Lockley Lodge (our mainland visitor centre) by the group leader.

Appropriate clothing should be taken for all weathers as it can change very rapidly on the island - sun cream, sunhats and waterproofs are a must. Please wear appropriate shoes for rough island paths. There is a covered picnic area at the Farm.

We sell water for £1 and guide books for £3 on island. Lockley Lodge has a gift shop with lots of souvenirs available when you get back to the mainland.

Coach Trips

The National Trust charges £25.00 a day for all coaches (48 seaters +) staying at the car park at Martins Haven. You must also book a space with them on calling 01646 623110. 

Lucy Griffiths

Inspired by a sense of wonder and a desire to connect with nature, she is the author of Island Friends – a series based around the birds of Skomer Island. In the books, the island’s puffins and their friends show children resourcefulness and spread positive messages about the environment.

© Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown Copyright

Puffins on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Meet the puffins and other birds on Skomer Island

Lucy Griffiths tells us why you must visit Skomer Island. The puffins alone make the place worth visiting, however there are all manner of characterful birds on the island who help deliver an unforgettable experience.

My family have been in the area for hundreds of years and this place is in my bones, it’s a part of me. It is incredibly special. The people in the village hold  Skomer Island  really dear to their hearts.

I remember coming to Skomer for the first time, on a beautiful summer day when I was maybe five or six years old. Puffins, razorbills and guillemots surrounded the boat.

You may be just 15 minutes away from the mainland but it feels like a million miles away. I’ve been coming here ever since – the short boat trip takes you to a different world. I’ve travelled quite a lot, and the relationship that you’ve got with the wildlife here is unlike anywhere in the world. You can get so close to the puffins and seabirds.

Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

If you stay overnight , the Manx shearwaters fly past your head as they go to their burrows. It’s an unforgettable experience. The scale you have here, with the sheer number of creatures around you, is just incredible.

One of the most amazing things is to just sit and let them come to you. The puffins are cheeky and very quirky. The shearwaters are quite clumsy creatures on land, they’re best suited out at sea fishing. The razorbills are kind of cool and quite laidback. The guillemots are quite refined and elegant.

You’ll see the seal pups being born on the cliffs around the island. In August the shearwater chicks start to fledge. In early spring you’ve got the birds coming back and the wildflowers and the puffins. It’s great whatever time of year.

There are loads of lovely little coves and fishing villages with nice pubs to explore in Pembrokeshire. In Dale, there’s a lovely pub called The Griffin where you can sit on the wall with a pint looking over the harbour. You’ve got The Swan Inn in Little Haven – great food and another lovely little fishing harbour. There’s something nice about them being well-kept secrets.

The beaches are probably the number one for me, though. There are some just stunning ones around here that rival anywhere in the world. And you can always find a little corner just to yourself.

Marloes Sands  is an incredible beach. There’s also a lovely little bay on the Dale Peninsula called  Watwick Bay . It’s a little bit of a walk but it is just incredible, like you’re in the Caribbean.

Marloes Sands, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

There is a real mix in Pembrokeshire – really close-knit, small communities. It’s such a lovely thing to be part of. Just scratch that surface and people are really warm and welcoming.

Wildlife adventures on Skomer

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