Skellig Michael island does not need introducing, people from all over the world are coming to the west Irish coast to travel to the most famous islands on the Atlantic Ocean. Skellig Islands gained global attention after being a filming location in Star Wars. But the real fame is based on the great Skellig’s surreal beauty and uniqueness. Skellig Michael landing tour can be done only with a pre-booked boat trip.
More importantly, to know is that there is are limited number of boat operators and they only run in certain months. Here is how to prepare for this wonderful, adventurous journey to the Star Wars World.
Magical Skellig Michael landing tour.
There is only one type of tour that will give you access to the Skellig Islands and the magnificent Monastery hike – the Skellig Michael Landing Tour.
Each boat takes up to 12 passengers. There are two types of tours: Skellig Michael Landing and Eco Tour (see all detailed information below).
Skellig Michael Landing Tour is the only tour that allows you to walk and explore the island including the ancient Monastery. Therefore, before booking the tour there are number of useful things to know.
Best time to visit the Skellig Islands.
First of all Skellig Islands are a protected area on the Atlantic Ocean and landing on Skellig Michael is very restricted and only licensed boats are permitted to do that. The season is strictly from mid-May till the 1st of October.
Tickets are available online and there are several tour operators. It is very difficult to purchase tickets for the Skellig Michael tour for peak season-summer months and all are booked months in advance. So if you are looking for a spontaneous Skellig Islands landing tour, it may not be possible. Unless you want to regularly check online for cancellations. I did it in September and I was able to find few seats.
Best time to visit Skellig Michael.
The best time to visit Skellig Michael for a tour is typically between mid-May to late September.
Tours to Skellig Michael.
Be aware that in September, the air visibility is much poorer and the sea gets rough. It can be rainy and cloudy. I’m not mentioning wind, as the island is windy all year round 😉 However, foggy conditions made my Skellig Michael tour very original and made my photos unique.
The other advantage of the poor weather is cancellations. On a usual day there are 180 people brough on the island (maximum capacity per day) -and it’s a bit crowdy. We had only 50 on the day and having more would be a torment.
If you are looking for touring along the incredible irish coast there are two unbeatable tours I can recommend:
Skellig Michael tour.
Most importantly, there are two types of Skellig Islands tour, both departing from Portmagee Marina (Co. Kerry):
- Skellig Michael landing tour – the boats leave once per day and the total trip takes 5-6 hours. The boat lands on the island and you have free time (usually 2- 2.5 h) to hike up the monastery, have lunch and spend some time on the top. After you are back on the boat, it goes round Skellig Michael and sails toward Little Skelligs for wildlife watching.
- Skellig Islands Eco tours – multiple departure times throughout the day. The boat tour gets near Skellig Michael and the Little Skelligs. A total trip takes up to 2.5 hours.
Skellig Michael boat trip prices.
- Skellig Michael landing tour – (usually costs around €120)
- Skellig Islands Eco tours – (usually costs around €45)
It is not guaranteed that the boat will operate on the day – it all depends on weather and sea conditions. If it’s too windy or the ocean is too rough, the boat will not operate. But don’t worry – tour operators are professional and they provide full information in advance. If the Skellig Michael landing tour is cancelled, you will be booked for another day (depending on availability – it may be difficult in the summer season) or get a refund if preferred.
How to prepare for Skellig Michael island tour?
There are no facilities on Skellig island, so you would need to bring everything in your backpack (food and drink). There is a toilet on the way to the monastery.
Hiking shoes is a must. There are 700 steps to the Monastery and the guide will tell you how slippery they are and how carefull you need to be hiking up and down. Another guide will meet you at the top to tell more about the Irish Monastery and bird protection. You’ll have free time to explore the top of the mountain and enjoy your lunch. Make sure you have enough time to hike down to reach your boat, as most people would be going down at the same time.
Boat to Skellig Islands - how to cross the Rough Sea?
The boat crossing to Skellig Michael takes about 50 minutes. I’m a diver and I should be used to sea cruises, but I’m far from it 😉 I took a motion sickness medication, just to be on the safe side and to make sure I’ll be able to explore this unique island treasure. The boat trip can be bumpy – don’t forget you are crossing an open ocean.
You should take warm clothes, even in summer months, it can be windy and rainy. A raincoat is a must, if you are taking an outside seat on the boat, you’ll feel the waves. This is a fast boat and you won’t stay dry.
Portmagee port village.
All boats go from Portmagee – a small fishing village and it’s a ferry crossing point for the Skellig Michael landing tour. There is a small harbour where you’ll see a crowd of people waiting to their name to be called for the right boat. Boats for landing tours usually leave around 8-9 am, however, it all depends on weather conditions, so pay attention on the information you are receiving from your tour operator.
They usually send an email but you can call them as well. Sometimes they decide on the day in the morning, of the sea gets too rough to operate, they will cancel the trip last minute. Don’t get annoyed, it is for your safety. If you are staying in the village here are the best accommodation options for lovely port Portmagee.
What to see on Skellig Michael landing tour.
The truth is the whole trip is a stunning experience. We were sailing in a dense fog, which made the whole scenery highly mystic. Suddenly a huge spine rocks arose ahead of the boat. The impression is unforgettable and a dramatic look of the island is just overwhelming. If you are taking Skellig Michael landing tour the boat arrives in a tiny pear and leaves you for 2-2.5h to explore the island and the magic Star Wars Monastery on the top.
Wildlife of the island is fascinating. The island is a significant nesting place for the puffins (from April till end of June). After this period they are migrating back to another island, which I wasn’t aware of this fact and brought my camera specifically to take some great shots of the birds.. 😉 However the fog created an amazing scenery for a unique foto shoot.
Hiking Skellig Michael.
From the pear you’ll take a short walk along the cliff to meet a local guide who will welcome you and give some guidelines and safety advise around the trail. The guide was a lovely woman, who actually lives on the island, although there are no other inhabitants.
A beautiful route of 700 steps takes you right to the top of the rocky island. Be careful when walking the steps, they slippery and they are steep. What’s more there are also few spots close to the edge, so don’t leave the path on the way up.
Star Wars Monastery.
Skellig Islands are timeless scenery. The most incredible site to see on the island is the ancient monastery, which is a handwork of the monks dating some 1400 years ago.
The history of this place is unreal. The great Skellig was originally inhabitat by the Monks, who were sacked around 580, but there was an evidence of life up to a year 1000, which means they lived there for hundred of years. In 812 the Skellig monastery was sacked but the Vikings, but 10 years later Monks came back to the island.
The Skellig Michael Monastery is one of the most famous sites in the ancient Christian world. How the monks managed to survive on this island is still a mystery! No doubt they enjoyed fish, seabirds and eggs but it’s hard to imagine how they survived winter months, nobody can explain even these days.
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