Staffa and Treshnish Isles Bookings for 2024 are now live.
Turus Mara online bookings are now live on the website with both our Mull and Oban based trips available to book. From April we offer a range of different options to visit Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. In the peak bird breeding season May – July we include our popular Big Bird Trip which gives longer on the main seabird colony island of Lunga. Take a look at our Trips Page for more info on the different options. Our trips from Oban, incorporating the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Craignure to join our courtesy transport are published here.
Staffa and Treshnish Isles wildlife Trip
The Staffa and Treshnish Isles trip lands for up to 2¼ hours on the unique Island of Lunga allowing plenty time for ‘Puffin Therapy’ and also for communing with the many other species of birdlife. Lunga is one of the most access seabird colonies in the UK and, alongside the iconic and mesmerising puffins other notables include guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes and fulmars as well as numerous other species on and around the islands. A large colony of Grey Seals also inhabits the Treshnish Isles with over 1200 seal pups born there each year. One hour is also spent on Staffa, allowing the visitor to marvel at the unique hexagonal basalt rock formations and spend time in the awe inspiring Fingal’s Cave.
Staffa Visit trips sail twice daily on Tuersdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This trip concentrates on Staffa allowing more than enough time to experience the natural cathedral that is Fingal’s Cave and explore the rest of Staffa. A smaller colony of puffins also nest on Staffa and these can be seen from April to early August. Our journey all takes place within the Loch na Keal National Scenic Area. This allows great views of the community owned island of Ulva, Inch Kenneth, Little Colonsay and the Burg. We also sail under the looming splendour of Ben More, Mull’s only Munro (mountain over 3000ft).
The aptly named Big Bird Trip spends a full four hours on Lunga giving ornithologists, photographers and those just keen to have more time the opportunity to take things at a more relaxed pace. Four hours gives ample time to really do Lunga justice, and it is not surprising that a less hurried approach to visiting has become increasingly popular in recent years. This trip runs from the end of April until the end of July to coincide with the height of the bird breeding season.