Dolphin & Whale Watching (4hrs) + Blasket Island Landing (3hrs)
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Cultural and historical tour of deserted village on Great Blasket Island by OPW guides
- Snacks
Itinerary
Our tour boat leaves from Ventry pier at 10am. We head out into Dingle Bay towards the Blasket Islands keeping an eye out for common dolphins and Minke whales along the way. We also sometimes see bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins and basking shark (in season). We arrive at Great Blasket Island at approx. 11 am and tie up to our mooring off the White Strand. We disembark passengers by licenced Zodiac dinghy / tender to the Great Blasket Island slipway. Passengers have 3 hrs. to enjoy the island either hiking the loop walk (1.5 hrs), swimming in the pristine waters off the beach or just relaxing and watching the seals off the rocks. There is a small island tea room and access to toilets. We pick up passengers again at 2pm and continue on our marine eco tour around some of the outer Blasket islands where you can see puffins, lots of other sea birds, fantastic landscapes and seascapes and hopefully pods of dolphins and the occasional humpback whale as they migrate past our shores.
Cathedral Rocks on Inish na Bró, which is one of the outer Blasket islands, is a fantastical rock formation on the north east promontory of the island and is so called because it looks like a vast, naturally- formed gothic cathedral with "windows", "doors" and buttresses. You can wonder at the power of the ocean and sea that carved out this imposing natural structure in winter storms, as you pass close underneath
In order to see puffins on the Blaskets you have to travel out to the outer islands like Inishvickilaun and inish na Bró as there is too much (marine) traffic off the main island of the Great Blasket. The puffins can be seen near Inishvickillaun as they congregate in "rafts" on the water. They are smaller than you expect but their bright coloured beaks are apparent when viewed through binoculars. As you pass by the cliffs on Inishvickillaun look up towards the tops of the cliffs and you might see some of the native red deer stags silhouetted against the skyline!
Pass by: Depending on the course that your skipper decides to do for the day we may travel northabout towards Inish Tuaisceart which is another of the (7) Blasket Islands. It is best viewed from a distance from a point just off Slea head and it is then very obvious why the island is more commonly known as "The Dead Man" and / or "The Sleeping Giant". If you have a good imagination it looks very like old Abe [Lincoln]!
Pass by: Tearaght is the most westerly of the Blasket Islands and has a lighthouse on the westerly end which is the most westerly lighthouse in (mainland) Europe. Due west from here is St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada which is the same N latitude as the Blaskets. The tour boat only goes around Tearaght island in fine settled weather and light swell, which is rare around the Blaskets.
Meeting point
Start Location
Ventry pier, Ventry Harbour, Co. Kerry, Ceantra, Ventry, County Kerry, Ireland
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Service Animals Allowed
Good to know
- Passengers must arrive at the departure point 15 to 20 minutes before departure time of 10:00 am in order to park car on pier
- The boat departs at 10 am and under no circumstances will the boat wait for passengers
- Put on suitable warm, windproof clothing and for Safety meeting.
Traveler reviews
Superb trip to Blasket island
Excellent trip. The crew on board were very knowledgeable and professional. Blanket Island was stunning and we saw plenty of wildlife throughout the day. I’d definitely recommend this trip if you are in the area.
Blasket Islands Eco Tour
My wife and I did the tour on the 27th May. From start to finish it was a wonderful experience. Our Skipper, Vincent, was very accommodating and went out of his way to find as much marine life as possible for us to see and enjoy. His assistant, John, was equally as helpful and very knowledgeable. I would recommend the landing on the Blaskets. It was a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours. Pat & Marie.
Fantastic day trip!
We went for the full day tour including a few hours on Great Blasket Island. The Captain and our guide, Vincent and John, were brilliant, really informed and passionate and so great with the kids. We saw lots of wildlife including dolphins, seals and whales. We had a swim when on the island, the water was clear and fresh!! Lots of great knowledge shared about the ocean and the local wildlife. Highly recommend this tour, such a great day trip when in the Dingle area.
Perfect.
Perfect from start to finish. The Captain and Guide are really great, Great Basket Island is a little gem to visit and we got to see whales, dolphins and others. REALLY GREAT.
Highlight of our week on the Dingle peninsula
My husband and I did the seven-hour trip to Great Blasket on July 10. It was easily the highlight of our week on the Dingle peninsula. Weather was spectacular. After landing on the island, we easily had time to hike up to the top and stop for a picnic on the way down. On the return boat trip, we saw dolphins up close, plus Minke whales, seals, and puffins. Guides were very friendly and knowledgeable about local wildlife. Highly, highly recommend!