Skellig Michael Seabird Photography Tour with Pro Photographer
Puffins at arm's length, gannets at water level, a photographer guiding every frame
A small-group seabird photography activity from Kenmare led by a working professional photographer, not a tour guide with a camera. You depart at 7:30am, drive 50 minutes to the licensed boat, land on Skellig Michael to photograph puffins and razorbills nesting metres from the path, then circumnavigate Little Skellig's gannet colony on the return. Maximum 3 guests means genuine one-to-one guidance throughout. No photography experience necessary. Minimum age is 14.
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The experience
If you've landed in Kenmare with a free morning and a camera, this is the difference between snapshots from a moving crowd and images you're proud of. The boat leaves at 7:30am from Kenmare itself. Most Skellig operators depart from Portmagee, but the 50-minute scenic drive through the Ring of Kerry is part of the experience here, and it means you're not rushing from a hotel on the far side of the peninsula. The licensed boat takes you to Skellig Michael, where puffins, razorbills and guillemots nest in their thousands every summer, many of them within metres of the walking path.
A working professional photographer (not a tour guide who happens to own a camera) is with you the entire time. With only three guests maximum, you get genuine one-to-one guidance: where to stand for the light, how to frame the bird behaviour, what settings work when the wind picks up. On the return journey, the boat circumnavigates Little Skellig, home to over 30,000 gannets. You're at water level, close enough to photograph the birds diving and wheeling above the cliffs. Back in Kenmare by early afternoon.
No photography experience is necessary: the guidance covers everything from composition to camera settings. The only real demand is physical fitness: the island terrain is steep and uneven, and the boat crossing can be rough. Travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health should not book this one.
What’s included
- Pickup from Kenmare at 7:30am.
- scenic drive to the licensed boat operator.
- admission to Skellig Michael.
- professional photographer guidance throughout.
- circumnavigation of Little Skellig's gannet colony.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 22 days ago
Operated by Nick Cavanagh Photography
Is this one for you?With a maximum of three guests, you travel with genuine one-to-one attention from a working photographer, not in a larger group where the guide is spread thin. This suits anyone who came to Skellig Michael with a camera and wants to make images, not just collect them.
Top questions
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What's the difference between photographing puffins on Skellig Michael and the gannets on Little Skellig?
Puffins on Skellig Michael nest close to the walking path, so you photograph them on land at close range as they move in and out of their burrows. Little Skellig's gannet colony is photographed from the boat at water level as the birds dive and wheel above the cliffs: a completely different angle and light.
Do I need my own camera, or is there gear provided?
You bring your own camera. The photographer provides guidance on settings and composition. No equipment rental is included.
Is the 50-minute drive to the boat included in the 6-hour total?
Yes, the 6-hour duration is from Kenmare departure to return, so the drive to the harbour and back is part of that time.
Skellig Michael Seabird Photography Tour with Pro Photographer
6h · EN · at your hotel
from € 410 per person