These little creatures look like they are straight out of a fairy-tale. © 2021 VisitScotland. These day trips include all transport to and from the islands as well as hands on guidance on how to capture incredible pictures of these amazing animals on camera under the safest conditions. Camera Settings: Getting off on the right foot, How to capture Wildlife: Settings & Techniques, Editing Wildlife Photos & Post Production. The puffins only land for a few seconds before heading into their burrows. The puffins form pair bonds and spend the winter out at sea, heading back to the island around early May and stay till the start of August. Join us on an offshore trip to visit the stunning sheltered lagoon. The sharks are seasonal visitors to our coastlines so we also run many other wildlife & watersports tours, charters and overseas expeditions. When I was researching activities to do in Scotland, I came across a tour to the Treshnish Isles to see the Puffins in one of the largest breeding grounds in the world. Scotland is famous for its beautiful nature and isles and this one day tour from Oban is perfect to explore gorgeous landscapes, the unique rock formations on the island of Staffa, the puffins on Lunga island and the "post card perfect" harbor in Tobermory, on the Isle of Mull. Glasgow International Airport would be my first choice and closest to our route, but Edinburgh or Prestwick are suitable too. The guys that run Staffa Tours are very friendly and know their stuff about wildlife, too. Puffins spend the majority of their time out at sea, only heading to shore to breed during the months of April to mid August so this is the time you want to be here in Scotland. Time for dinners and hot meals will be available on multiple day trips. The drives, the locations, mountains, lochs, bothies, castles, stags and everything in between. As Staffa is a small island out at sea, its wildlife population is dominated by seabirds. We always have a guide onboard who will keep a sharp eye out for all the wildlife and will accompany you on the island. You’ll have a private room in a highly rated hotel or B&B close to the location of our next days adventures. Landings will be via small dingy so a basic level of fitness is required to hop on and off the boat and land on the island. A large colony of puffins breed on Staffa every summer and are always a firm favourite with visitors who can see them congregate on the cliffs, diving into … We run a variety of SUP ( Stand Up Paddle boarding) tours based from Oban and ar... Island Hopping, Wildlife, Adventure, Outdoor Activities. My job here is to use my experience to create the trip of your dreams. In addition to puffins, passengers have an opportunity to view endangered Roseate Terns, Arctic Terns, and Common Terns, along with Black Guillemots, Common Eiders, Laughing Gulls, and many other seabirds. Along the way, you’ll pass famed highland cattle and many single track roads. There are thousands of puffins found throughout Britain yet they are often very difficult to spot. We take up to 12 passengers per trip & are the perfect choice for tour groups visiting Shetland. Meet the most comical birds in Scotland, on an awesome adventure to the isles of Mull, Iona and Staffa. ), Ideal for: Wildlife enthusiasts | All Level Photographers | Animal Lovers. Isle of Staffa wildlife. Your personal itinerary will have a more detailed look at what we’ll need for the trip. Rooms are kept within budget and upgrades are available on request. We always ensure that we don't go too close and disturb the birds. 1 Week before offers 50% of your total cost refunded. Photo Mantas Ališauskas The Magical Puffins – Conservation status: Vulnerable. You will pass through the villages of Gulberwick and Quarff where you will see evidence of Shetland’s glacial past. The Puffins (Staffa & Treshnish Isles): 1 or 2 Day Tour from £695 (All Inclusive) West Coast Tours: Puffins! A full day excursion to the Treshnish Isles on the west side of Mull to visit the seabird colony is home over 3000 puffins, razorbills, guillemots and fulmars to name a few. For my full Scotland itinerary check out Epic Scotland Roadtrip Part 1 & Epic Scotland Road Trip Part 2 Prices include all transport for the day including car, boat, and ferry. A pick up is also available from Tobermory, Isle of Mull.=, Prices are subject to change depending on season. The island is part of the Treshnish Isles Special Area of Conservation which is a highly important area for seabirds. Puffin classics: a wildlife tour of eastern Scotland ... Puffins mate for life and always return to the same nest, where they will raise just one … 1 month or earlier offers a 50% refund of your deposit. For more advanced users, we’ll go over the techniques and settings used to take more difficult shots, such as feeding, flying and even diving in to the sea! There can be up to 3000 puffins on the island in addition to other seabirds such as razorbills, guillemots and fulmars. Photography was always just a passion, and it wasn’t until social sharing platforms like Instagram came along i realised my work was so widely enjoyed by others. Tour Description. Iconic Ben Nevis needs to be top of your Scottish to-do list. The fastest growing colony has been on the Isle of May. There can be up to 3000 puffins on the island in addition to other seabirds such as razorbills, guillemots and fulmars to name a few.Â. Puffins in Scotland. This is a photographer's dream and trying to capture the 'puffin with fish in beak' shot is the frustrating but challenging task. All payments can be made via PayPal or Bank Transfer. Shetland Seabird Tours offers you the best guides, the best boat, the best wildlife experiences & without doubt, the best value for money. Puffins are without a doubt the star attraction of any of our wildlife boat tours. Puffins have the most fascinating lives. Although there are puffins on the Isle of Staffa, the Treshnish Isles is home to huge numbers of puffins during the breeding season and visitors can get incredibly close to these inquisitive birds.. During the spring and summer months the comical Atlantic Puffins come ashore from the … The birds have no fear or concern for tourists walking among them and go about their day fishing, feeding their young and having the odd scuffle as we adorer them from afar. PUFFINS! All transport including pick up and drop off. Sumburgh Lunch and Puffins BOOK NOW . If your time in Scotland is limited and you don’t have time to spend a day visiting both islands, I recommend doing a multi-day tour such as this Iona, Mull, and Isle of Skye: 5-Day Tour from Edinburgh. No tour of Scotland is complete without a visit to the excellent visitor centre and exhibition and battlesite walk. There are even a few Puffins and seals around if you know where to look. As a kid my family would do a lot of walks in the country, climb hills and explore islands, I didn’t quite realise that 30 years later it would be part of my job! We are the no1 worldwide operator to see basking sharks in the biggest basking s... Island Hopping, Wildlife, Landscapes, Family, Adventure, Outdoor Activ... Departs: Craignure & South Mull, Tobermory & North Mull, Oban, Mull, Oban, Mull and Lorn. Photography, Island Hopping, Wildlife, Whisky, Landscapes, Family, Adv... Departs: Tobermory & North Mull, Oban, Mull, Oban, Mull and Lorn. Look for puffins in Scotland on steep grassy cliffs, or those parts of cliffs with scree or, in general, where it’s that bit greener (indicating soil rather than bare rock). The Isle of May, a small island in the mouth of the Firth of Forth is a National Nature Reserve and home to many seabirds, including thousands of puffins. Puffins on the Isle of Lunga Near Mull. The cruise is narrated by the National Audubon’s Puffin Project so you get the history of puffins and the Eastern Egg Rock restoration directly from people involved with the project. Two puffins looking at each other, the Treshnish Isles wildlife tour, Scotland. VAT Registration no: GB345928959. This is close to the Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, and is not in the Atlantic at all but the North Sea, but someone forgot to tell the puffins! Puffins. And hopefully I have convinced you to go see puffins in Scotland! A comfortable, newly detailed car, capable of handling the rough terrains and tracks of Skye (Upgrades available). To reach the island from Oban is a long day, approx 90 nautical miles (~160km) and with small passengers numbers and personailsed service this is not a budget trip. If you change your mind, not a problem! Absolutely fantastic tour - we were on an epic 14 day cruise through Norway, Scotland & Iceland, and the whole family (kids ages 9 & 15) comes back to this tour as one of our favorite highlights!! From the colourful houses of Tobermory to the long stretches of wildlands filled with life, Mull has been a bustling hive of activity and a perfect place to set off on our Puffin adventures. Breakfast will be included on overnight stays and stops can be made along the way for lunches. Scotland is a place full of character, and i’ve found no greater place on earth to have a camera in your hand. Your entire cost is fully refundable up to 1 month before your trip. What really blew my mind during my research was that the Puffins were actually on the SAME TOUR as another tour I was looking for–Fingals Cave Tour! Dive in to explore stunning cold water reefs, wrecks and unique wildlife around... Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley. Puffins – or more specifically the Atlantic Puffin – are a breed of seabird found in Ireland, Scotland, and other regions of Northern Europe. The quaint East Lothian coastal town of North Berwick has a lot going for it. Time your arrival at low tide so you can cross the concrete causeway. Experience the beauty of Loch Lomond, photograph the Insta-worthy facades of Tobermory, and try to hide your amazement at Fingal’s Cave. As well as encountering the most inquisitive birds in Scotland, you’ll explore the Isles of Mull and Iona, sample local seafood, and visit some iconic Scottish destinations. Adorable tuxedo-ed puffins actually live in Scotland! Getting up close and personal with hundreds and thousands of tiny, expressive little seabirds during their short stay on the land. This can be frustrating at first, but the pay off of getting those puffin action shots are worth every second. Realize your dreams of seeing wild whales during a 2.5- or 3.5-hour whale-watching tour and marvel at adorable puffins as you sail the rugged shores of Akurey island on a 1-hour puffin cruise. For emergencies I will likely provide a fresh pack of Scottish shortbread in the glove box, remember to have a look. Spots are very limited and given on a first come first serve basis. Lunga is simply a magical island, and Staffa isn’t far behind. There can be up to 3000 puffins on the island in addition to other seabirds such as razorbills, guillemots and fulmars to name a few. All entrance fees, Ferry and Boat tickets (when applicable), parking and tolls. The little birds will be all around us and even shotting from your phone will deliver some amazing results. Lunga, the largest of the Treshnish Isles boasts one of the most accessible seabird colonies in Scotland, with puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars and shags galore. The puffins are adorable! The island is part of the Treshnish Isles Special Area of Conservation which is a highly important area for seabirds. Castles, fairy glens, waterfalls and….Puffins, Scotland here we come! Around the cliffs of the island there are numerous burrows where the puffins nest, and later in the season you sometimes watch the hatched pufflings (baby puffins) poke their head out for a look. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration. Along with an active science programme on the sharks. I’ve always been the one with the camera and taking photos, i wa creative in school and followed a career in art focused on graphic design before leading in to marketing and advertising. I had to go check out one of the best places to see Puffins in Scotland. ... Company registered in Scotland with company number SC530983. Staffa is home to the majestic Fingal's Cave and hosts its own colony of puffins. Private room accommodation in 3 Star BnB / Hotel for multi-day tours (upgrades available), I’ll be with you every step of the way as we visit our locations and explore the wilds, A wide selection of candid photos from the tour for you to download and keep, Full access to all my images taken (edited + RAW), Planning starts on day one, and we’ll keep in close touch as the big day approaches, Editing, presets, my RAW files from your trip and some tips and tricks on my workflow (for those that want it!). As it's such a distance we also need minimum numbers to run the tour along with favorable weather. The Puffin Tour is very popular, the only downside is that people don’t want to leave! An experience like no other. Visiting the Puffins on the Treshnish Isles is an incredible experience, and it’s impossible to go home disappointed with your photographs. There is a wide variety of seabirds around the islands including guillemots, gannets, razorbills, shags, graylag geese, etc. Boat tour to Staffa and Puffin Island: the verdict. Although this tour only visits Staffa, you’ll still have a chance to see some puffins between April and July. We would advise you to wear sturdy footwear for the island landing. We specialise in adventure wildlife tourism, offering transformation experiences swimming with basking sharks around the Inner Hebrides. this sounds like a brillant experience! You can usually find puffins on the cliffs around the island, particularly close to the lighthouse on the west side. They have a wingspan of roughly 47cm-63cm and can reach about 20cm in height. I started searching for how to get there and I was looking for Oban Boat trips, Boat trips from Oban, and Isle of Mull tours. Enrich your knowledge of the majestic creatures while listening to commentary from a knowledgeable guide on each captivating cruise. Due to each trip being different this does change all the time. The Isle of Staffa and a tour to see puffins in Scotland had been on my bucket list for ages, and my recent weekend trip to Mull was the perfect occasion to finally tick off both! Why not stay in a castle, a lighthouse or on a working farm? Standard tickets do not include accommodations (Premium and Luxury Tours include overnight stay in Oban). Scotland’s largest single colony is found on the island of St Kilda (136,000 pairs). We visit the Treshnish Isles Special Area of Conservation, a highly important area for seabirds. Puffins! Bookings are currently open for the next season. The one and a half hour tour departs New Harbor for Eastern Egg Rock, where the boat slowly circles the island for 30 minutes. - See 567 traveler reviews, 605 candid photos, and great deals for Oban, UK, at Tripadvisor. No questions asked. The tour was a not-so-cheap £65 but absolutely worth it; I had an amazing time and couldn’t believe how much wildlife I got to see. Difficulty: Short walks, ferry and boat trips (sea sickness sufferers be warned! Having a few thousand people look at and appreciate your images every day is apparently a real motivator! The puffins have arrived! I had no idea you could organise such private tour to see the Puffins, if I am ever in Scotland it’s definitely something I’d definitely consider get in touch with Bryan for a tour! Photographing wildlife is always a tough task, photographing it while it flys by you at 60mph is somewhat more difficult! To get to the Isle of Staffa, you’ll have to take a ferry and guided tour from the Ulva Ferry Terminal which is a scenic one our drive from Tobermory. The route will take you past some of the oldest buildings in Lerwick, before heading south along the east coast of Shetland. Photography, Island Hopping, Wildlife, Geology, Landscapes, Family, Ad... Departs: Tobermory & North Mull, Coll, Oban, Tiree, Oban, Mull and Lorn. We booked an half-day tour with Staffa Tours, the ‘Staffa & Treshnish Isles Wildlife Tour’. On the journey we have chances to see whales, dolphins and eagles. You can now search our website to see what businesses are open and signed up to the Good to Go scheme. On the puffin tour we are able to get very close to the burrows and watch the adults fly back and forward bringing fish to the burrow. What odd, but beautiful creatures. Puffins are Scotland's most sought-after seabird due to their strikingly coloured beak, trademark waddling gait and unique behaviour - and spotting them in Scotland … You’re likely aware that the weather in Scotland can change rapidly through the day, so it’s always best to have a spare change of clothes for each day, as well as waterproofs. Our guide was great - she really made us fall in love with the Shetland Islands and was warm & incredibly knowledgeable. The Treshnish Isles are also an important Atlantic Grey Seal breeding area. No matter which tour company you pick a visit to Lunga to see the puffins is a must while in Scotland. The centre explains this historic site and the significance of the famous 1746 battle that accelerated the breakdown of the Highland clan system and the continuation of large-scale emigration from the Highlands . The Puffin Tour is very popular, the only downside is that people don’t want to leave! Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris & Stornoway. Like visiting another world completely inhabited by animals. Find more advice on exploring Scotland during Covid-19 on our dedicated page. This tour takes you to the South Mainlaind of Shetland. Puffins on the cliffs at the Brough of Birsay. In addition to the cute shops and cafes of the old fishing port there’s Tantallon Castle and Berwick Law (two of the counties top attractions) in the immediate area as well as pristine stretches of golden beach to the east and west. Visiting Puffins around the Ascrib Islands 90 minute trip to the Ascrib Island to visit the Puffin breeding colonies and the resident seals (common seals and grey seals). But for those looking for a challenge, it’s a great one to get stuck in to. Sure, they’ll pose about on rocks but, in the main, they’re usually a little aside from the main throng and nearly always in … A protected island, run by Scottish Natural Heritage, it can be accessed from Anstruther by ferry or from North Berwick harbour, 40 mins from Edinburgh. We began to make our list of best places to see in Scotland and of course where to see Puffins in Scotland. All tours are completely custom, 1 on 1 sessions, so whatever your skill level is, I’ll adapt the lessons to you. The puffins have once again left us and won’t return until April 2021. Don’t worry though, there will be plenty on the cliffs, burrows and scurrying around your feet for photo opportunities. A 50% deposit will secure your dates and initiate planning. Our road trip across Scotland was amazing. The Puffins are here, and they want to meet you! Puffins have always been on my bucket list and the closest place to Edinburgh that I could find these cute birds was on the Isle of May. Thanks to Staffa Tours for taking us to this wonderful place. We discovered the Isle of Skye had lots of attractions for us to experience. Pin now – Best Place to see Puffins in Scotland. Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice. Ancient molten rock formations rise from the sea surrounding the Isle of Staffa and create the spectacle of Fingal’s cave. All rights reserved. The rest of the year the puffins are out at sea resting on the waves when they aren’t ducking and diving for food. I’ve spent the majority of my life exploring Scotland, growing up on the outskirts of Glasgow, i always felt more connected to the forests than the city. This tidal island off the west coast of the Orkney mainland is a fantastic place to visit. Puffins at the Scottish Seabird Centre and Bass Rock. Other popular lessons include; Due to boat and ferry departure times, the day begins very early, departing Glasgow at . ... Tour Scotland in style with this trip through the Highlands and the magical Isle of Skye. 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