Skellig Michael Tours from Portmagee
Licensed OPW permit holder operating sea tours and landing tours to Skellig Michael, UNESCO World Heritage Site from Portmagee, Co. Kerry.
Two Ways to Experience Skellig Michael
Skellig Michael Tours operates two distinct tour types from Portmagee marina. Both circle the Skellig Islands and both run seabird colonies past Little Skellig. Only one lands on the rock.
Circle the islands, see the seabirds
A 2.5 hour guided boat tour around both Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. Sea caves, rock formations, gannet colony, puffins, seals, and commentary on the history and wildlife.
Three departures daily, 10am, 12:30pm, 3pm. Season 1 May 2026 to 30 September 2026. Book online, day-before or same-day availability when not fully booked.
Book the Sea Tour
Land on the rock, walk the monastery
A full day trip including 45 minute sea crossing each way, and around 2.5 hours on Skellig Michael itself. Climb 600 stone steps to the 6th century monastery at 180 metres (600 feet).
Minimum age 18, good fitness required. Season 9 May 2026 to 30 September 2026. 2026 bookings are on a waiting list basis, join the list and receive a discounted Sea Tour rate if a landing place does not become available.
Join the Waiting ListWhen can I visit Skellig Michael?
Skellig Michael is only accessible by boat, from Portmagee on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. Sea Tours operate 1 May 2026 to 30 September 2026. Landing Tours operate 9 May 2026 to 30 September 2026. The island is closed to visitors from October to April each year.
Sea Tours run three times daily and do not require a landing permit. Landing Tours require an Office of Public Works permit, which Skellig Michael Tours holds. Both tour types depart from Portmagee marina.
Sea Tour or Landing Tour
Both tour types circle Skellig Michael and pass the gannet colony on Little Skellig. The difference is whether you step onto the rock itself.
Circle the rock
- 2.5 hour guided boat tour
- Three departures daily, 10am, 12:30pm, 3pm
- No age minimum, families welcome
- Gannet colony, sea caves, seals
- Puffin views from the water
- Book online, often same-day availability
- Season 1 May to 30 September 2026
Land on the rock
- Full day trip, 45 minute crossing each way
- Around 2.5 hours on Skellig Michael
- Climb 600 stone steps to 180 metres (600 feet)
- 6th century monastery, beehive huts
- Puffins close up during nesting season
- Minimum age 18, good fitness required
- Season 9 May to 30 September 2026
What You’ll See
Three reasons people cross twelve kilometres of open Atlantic to reach this rock.
1,400 years on a rock
Six beehive huts, two oratories, and a cemetery, all dry-stone construction. Built by early Christian monks in the 6th century and occupied for more than 600 years. The monastery sits at 180 metres (600 feet), reached by 600 hand-cut stone steps. UNESCO inscribed the site in 1996.
Puffins, gannets, seals
Atlantic puffins nest on Skellig Michael from April to early August. Little Skellig holds the world’s second largest Northern gannet colony, around 70,000 birds. Grey seals haul out on rocks below. Razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes, and fulmars nest on the rock formations. Dolphins and basking sharks pass through the area. Both tours see the gannet colony.
218 metres of Atlantic rock
Skellig Michael rises 218 metres (714 feet) from the Atlantic, 12 kilometres from the Kerry coast. Twin peaks separated by a saddle. Devonian sandstone weathered into ridges, terraces, and near-vertical rock faces. Sea caves at water level, only reachable by boat on calm days. On the Sea Tour the boat passes through the tight channel between Skellig Michael and Little Skellig.
Three generations from the same harbour
Skellig Michael Tours is a family operation based in Portmagee, Co. Kerry, holding an Office of Public Works permit to land visitors on Skellig Michael, and operates both landing tours and sea tours throughout the season.
The Tours depart from Portmagee marina, 45 minutes from the Skellig Islands by sea. Every morning the skipper assesses conditions, and tours only proceed when it is safe. The fleet is inspected annually by the Marine Survey Office. Life jackets are available on board for any passenger who wishes to wear one.
Safety & Operating StandardsPortmagee, Co. Kerry
Portmagee is a working fishing village on the Iveragh Peninsula, on the Wild Atlantic Way. The village sits at the end of the road from Cahersiveen, with the Skellig Ring drive and the Kerry Cliffs a short distance away. All Skellig Michael Tours boats depart from Portmagee marina.
The drive from Killarney takes about 75 minutes. From Dingle via the Shannon ferry takes about 2 hours. Portmagee has several places to stay, pubs, and a cafe by the marina. The village pier is where the boats load each morning.
Ready to see Skellig Michael
Sea Tours run three times daily from 1 May 2026. Landing Tours operate from 9 May 2026 on a waiting list basis. Book online or join the waiting list now.