Hebridean Princess, St Kilda Wildlife Safari ex Oban Return

Details

7 Night Cruise sailing from Oban roundtrip aboard Hebridean Princess.

7 Night Cruise sailing from Oban roundtrip aboard Hebridean Princess.

World Heritage and Nature & Wildlife interest cruise.

As the remotest part of the British Isles, St Kilda forms the most important seabird breeding site in northwest Europe. With cliffs, sea stacks and grassy slopes, the islands are ideally suited to nesting birds.

Your adventure begins as local boats take you to Lunga, where Atlantic grey seals and puffins are abundant. Cross The Minch to the Balranald RSPB Reserve on North Uist. Sweeping sandy beaches, a craggy foreshore peppered with rockpools, wind-sculpted dunes and wildflower-rich grassland are home to corncrakes and lapwing. Cruise the dramatic cliffs of the Shiant Isles to witness the myriad of breeding seabirds which nest there. Discover wading birds at Loch na Muilne nestling on the Atlantic coastline of Lewis, you may even spot the rare, red-necked Phalarope. Onwards to Tiumpan Head where some of the more elusive whales and dolphins might just appear. Venturing to St Kilda cruise the awe-inspiring bird cliffs and sea stacks, ahead of anchoring in Village Bay. Weather permitting, land on Hirta to explore the abandoned 19th century village where the indigenous Soay sheep roam. Cruise past the Monach Isles, a National Nature Reserve with a large breeding grey seal population and experience the thrill of a beach landing on the uninhabited Bishop's Isles where white sands and flower-scattered machair offer tranquil walks. Your final port of call is Staffa, home to the famous Fingal's Cave and a large colony of puffins and other sea birds.

Guest Speaker - Andy Bunten:
Andy has been an obsessive wildlife enthusiast ever since he can remember. Educated at Cambridge, Newcastle and Imperial College, he then embarked on a career in nature conservation. He has worked for local government, wildlife trusts, and, for 26 years, the RSPB. Initially working in RSPB Scotland he headed south to be the South-East England Regional Director before moving to the North of England to take up the reins of director there. Andy has cruised and lectured extensively completing over 20 trips ranging from Costa Rica to the Philippines and from Argentina to Svalbard. Now an environmental consultant, Andy is an enthusiastic traveller and has led wildlife groups to numerous places around the world including the Seychelles, France, Egypt, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Ethiopia, Sweden, Spitzbergen and, of course, Scotland.

Itinerary:

Tuesday 3rd June
Oban Embarkation.

Wednesday 4th June
Tobermory, Mull - Local boat wildlife cruise to Lunga.
Cruise The Minch.

Thursday 5th June
Lochmaddy, North Uist - Balranald RSPB Reserve.
Shiant Isles Seabird cliffs.

Friday 6th June
Stornoway, Lewis - RSPB Loch na Muilne.
Stornoway, Lewis - Whale watching at Tiumpan Head.

Saturday 7th June
Hirta, St. Kilda - Village Bay and cruise the sea stacs.
Cruise past the Monach Isles National Nature Reserve.

Sunday 8th June
Bishop's Isles - Beach landing.
Cruise the Sea of the Hebrides.

Monday 9th June
Staffa - Fingal's Cave and puffin watching.
Cruise the west coast and Sound of Mull.

Tuesday 10th June
Oban - Disembarkation.