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Scottish Wildlife Cruises
The family-operated St Hilda Sea Adventures has been offering scenic cruises to the beautiful Scottish islands for more than 15 years.
Their trio of vessels carry just 6 to 11 passengers each on a variety of 5- to 10-night cruises between April and October along Scotland’s western waters.
Discover breathtaking places such as the St Kilda archipelago, the Small Isles, the Isle of Mull, Skye, Jura, Islay, Staffa, Iona and the scenic Shiants.
And all the while, keep a look out for Scotland’s bewitching wildlife along the way, from the highland “coo” with its long horns and shaggy coat to adorable seals, humpback whales, dolphins, guillemots and sea eagles.
You’re bound to see a Scottish coo or two on a Scottish wildlife cruise. * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
Cruises operate from April through October and depart from a marina near Oban.
St Hilda Sea Adventures’ Scottish Wildlife Cruises
All of St Hilda Sea Adventures’ Scottish wildlife cruises explore some combination of the islands and sounds of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, a region boasting a rich variety of wildlife.
And so that means all of St Hilda Sea Adventures’ Scottish small boat cruises are wildlife cruises.
Sure, depending upon the weather and nature’s conditions, wildlife viewing varies, but you’ll surely encounter some beautiful wild creatures in Scotland’s Hebrides.
Wild horses on the Small Isles. * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
Here are the Critters to Watch for on St Hilda Sea Adventures’ Scottish Wildlife Cruises
- Puffins — April to July.
Puffins, in the breeding season, allow you to approach very close. Some cruises visit a puffin colony. - Humpback whales — quite rare, all season.
If you’re lucky, a humpback whale will breach near ship, offering a truly unforgettable example of wildlife in Scotland. - Eagles (white-tailed/sea and golden) — all season.
Traveling in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, soaring sea and golden eagles are often spotted. - Otters — all season.
Watching the sun set at anchor in a sheltered loch, cruisers can sometimes see otters playing in the shallows. - Stags/deer (viewed on the islands from the boat deck) — mostly September/October.
In the autumn the mountains and hills are truly magnificent in their red and gold colours, and they become alive to the bellows of the rutting stags. - Basking sharks — July to September.
The largest shark in UK waters can be as long as 12 meters. They survive on microscopic animals called zooplankton so there is no need to fear them! - Dolphins — all season.
Dolphins always enjoy “joining” the ships for part of their journey. Such a delight to see the bow riding! - Orca or the killer whale —rare, all season.
Last season, the fleet was very lucky to see a pod of Orcas (about seven) in the Outer Hebrides. - Seals — all season.
The grey and harbour seals are very common in Scotland. They are very curious animals and often swim close to the tender boats. - Minke whales — all season.
This is the most common whale seen in the Inner and Outer Hebrides. - Porpoises — all season.
Porpoises can be spotted as soon we leave the marina and during all of our cruises. They are usually travelling in small groups. - Birds — all season.
Keep an eye out for a range of seabirds such as the gannet, guillemot, fulmar, manx shearwater, corncrake, lapwing, razorbill, cormorant, shag, black guillemot and black headed gull.
See puffins on Scottish wildlife cruises. * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
These 3 Small Ships are Your Wildlife Viewing Home for the Week
- St Hilda. This traditional, wooden ex-tall ship carries 6 passengers and was originally a sail training vessel. It had raced across the North Sea on a number of occasions with merchant navy cadet officers being trained under highly experienced Master Mariners.
- Seahorse II. Carrying a max of 11 passengers, the Seahorse II is an ex-Norwegian Ferry that once plied the rough North Sea and the fjords of Norway.
- Gemini Explorer. Carrying up to 8 passengers, Gemini Explorer is an ex-cruising lifeboat that formerly spent days at sea in the Western Approaches (the area of the Atlantic Ocean to the west of Great Britain and Ireland).
RELATED: Read more about the St Hilda Sea Adventure fleet here.
The 8-pax Gemini Explorer. * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
Rates for St Hilda Sea Adventures’ Scottish Wildlife Cruises
Fares range from £190 to £350 per person a night (each vessel has the choice of both en-suite accommodation and cabins with shared bathrooms).
Why hello there Mr Seal! * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
Scottish Wildlife Cruise Rates Include:
- All meals (plus fruit, coffee break, afternoon tea, pre-dinner aperitif and wine with dinner).
- House wine and continental lager with dinner. (Guests can also bring their favourite tipple on board and each ship has a fine, if limited, selection of single malts for purchase in the honesty bar.)
- Services of the crew (Seahorse II and Gemini Explorer have a crew of three, the Captain, Chef and Deckhand; the smaller St Hilda has a crew of two, the Captain and Chef)
- Guidance on shore excursions. (Every day the Captain will discuss the plan for the next day with guests and he’s very happy to assist guests with organizing their time ashore, perhaps with the booking of a distillery’s tour for example. Each vessel also has a folder of things to do and places of interest to visit at every stop, plus there are useful books with walks and maps to help guests plan. The crew know the area well and will be able to recommend walks of various difficulty and length at every stop.)
- Theme cruises (on scheduled theme cruises there may be a wildlife guide, photography tutor, art instruction or complimentary whiskey tours)
Friendly dolphins typically say hello on a Scottish small-ship cruise. * St Hilda Sea Adventures
Charter One of St Hilda Sea Adventures’ 3 Small Ships
Full charters are also available and ideal for these small ships, carrying just 6 to 11 passengers.
For 5-night cruises, charters start at £7,500 for the 6-pax St. Hilda, £12,600 for the 8-pax Gemini Explorer, and £18,250 for the 11-pax Seahorse II.
Scottish Wildlife Cruises Special Offers for QuirkyCruisers
Have a look at St Hilda’s 2023 cruising schedule here.
A Bellowing Stag spotted in Scotland’s western Isles. * Photo: St Hilda Sea Adventures
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HEIDI SARNA
