Which Skellig Michael Tour Should You Choose?
A side by side comparison of our two boat tours to the Skellig Islands. The right choice depends on your fitness, your time and what you most want to see.
Skellig Michael Tours operates both the Skellig Sea Tour and the Skellig Michael Landing Tour from Portmagee marina. The Sea Tour is accessible, reliable, and covers both islands from the water. The Landing Tour is demanding, weather dependent, and open only to adults aged 18 and over who want to set foot on the island and climb to the monastery.
Compare Every Detail
Nine points compared across both tours.
Choose Based on Your Situation
A quick way to find the right tour for your group, your fitness, and your schedule.
Better for you if
- The group includes visitors under 18, or members with mixed fitness levels
- The group includes children, older visitors, or anyone with mobility concerns
- You mainly want to photograph wildlife and rock formations from the water
- You have limited time in the area and a shorter tour fits better
- You want a tour that runs reliably and cannot give up most of a day
- Seeing the gannet colony on Little Skellig is a priority
Only suitable for you if
- Everyone in the group is 18 or over
- The visitor is physically fit and comfortable with steep, exposed climbs
- Reaching the monastery and walking among the beehive huts is the main goal
- Most of a day is free for the tour, with some flexibility if the weather changes
- You can plan well ahead and join the waiting list
- Seeing the monastery up close is worth the climb
Which Tour Is Right for You?
Both tours get busy in peak season, so enquire early.
For most first-time visitors, the Skellig Sea Tour is the more practical and reliable choice. It operates consistently across the season from May to September, has no age restriction, and suits visitors with children, mixed fitness levels, or limited time in the area. It also offers the only close view of the gannet colony on Little Skellig, which cannot be landed on.
The Skellig Michael Landing Tour is open to adults aged 18 and over with the fitness for a 600-step climb. It is the only way to climb the old pilgrim path and walk among the beehive huts. Places are allocated from a waiting list.