Isles of Scilly

Tour Code: GBR02

An 8-day birdwatching holiday to the relaxing and beautiful Isles of Scilly.

8 days from
£1,695 (Inc ferry)
Land only price from
£1,495
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

The fabulous Isles of Scilly lie just a short distance from the south-west tip of Cornwall yet seem a world away from the mainland. Renowned as a staging post for migrant birds, the archipelago also boasts a fine selection of resident seabirds, is home to many Grey Seals, and supports a huge diversity of tropical flora flourishing in the almost frost-free environment. This wildlife holiday concentrates on the birdlife and natural history of the Scilly Isles, visiting the inhabited islands of St. Agnes, St. Martin's, Tresco and Bryher from a comfortable guesthouse base on the largest island, St. Mary's. Our holiday departures in both spring and autumn guarantee some of the finest coastal scenery in Europe, numerous boat trips and superb natural history walks.

  • Scenic boat journey from Penzance along Cornish coast
  • Enjoy Scilly’s white sandy beaches, turquoise seas & amazing granite forms
  • Exciting birdwatching includes residents, migrants & regular rarities
  • Grey Seals & seabird colonies (in spring)
  • Plenty of inter-island boat trips
  • Comfortable guesthouse accommodation 
  • A chance to observe the unique Scillonian way of life
  • An extraordinary flora includes many species rarely seen on mainland
  • Natural history walks, each day exploring a new area or island

Grading

Grade A/B. This tour consists of day walks only (all of which are optional), of between two and ten miles per day, but this will be at a slow birdwatching pace and does not entail any steep climbs. 

Travel between islands is by boat, so you must be comfortable in stepping on and off the tenders.

The fabulous Isles of Scilly are just 28 miles from Land's End, easily visible from the mainland on a clear day, and yet all the stresses of daily life seem to vanish within hours of reaching the islands. They are a supremely relaxing place to spend a holiday with decision making reduced to choosing which island to visit or which cafe to patronise.

The Scillonian population of approximately 2,000 is mostly concentrated on the largest island St. Mary's but small communities are also found on Tresco, St. Martin's, Bryher and St. Agnes. Flower farming is still a major source of income for the islanders but decreasing in importance as the traditional advantage of being able to supply early spring flowers to the market is negated by the mass import of blooms by air from places like Israel. As the flower industry diminishes, tourism is booming and the very high level of repeat bookings from one year to the next is evidence that few visitors are ever disappointed! It might even be advisable to issue a warning to all first time visitors stating that the islands are highly addictive and likely to feature in your holiday plans for many years in the future!

A passenger ferry, Scillonian III, sails from Penzance to St. Mary's each morning Monday-Saturday, returning later in the day. The cruise provides superb views of the West Cornwall coast from Newlyn to Land's End. It should be stated however that the stretch of sea between the islands and the mainland is where Atlantic swells meet the currents of the English Channel and the resulting turbulence can make the cruise an uncomfortable experience for poor sailors, particularly after recent gales. Fortunately, alternatives exist with a regular helicopter service from Penzance and the fixed wing Skybus flights from St. Just near Land's End. Both these options are more expensive than the boat but the journey time is reduced to 20 minutes. Limited Skybus services also operate from Exeter and Newquay. The holiday price is calculated on the basis of travelling by sea but we will gladly book air travel from St.Just or Penzance at a supplementary cost (fares are subject to annual increases - we charge the difference between Scillonian III fare and the relevant air carrier).

Like most island groups, the Scillies have relatively few resident birds and the selection of nesting passerines is generally unremarkable, although an abundance of confiding Song Thrushes is an exception to their national decline and some familiar mainland birds such as Dunnock and Blackbird exhibit a few island differences in the brightness of their plumage or in the case of the latter, tone of bill colour. The colonies of seabirds around the archipelago are, however, of national importance and include Shag, Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwater, Puffin and Kittiwake. At times of spring and autumn migration Scilly is host to an astonishing diversity of birds seeking temporary rest and food on the islands. Few of these travellers make landfall intentionally but like the Shetlands in the north, Scilly appears to be in exactly the right place to provide succour for disoriented migrants carried over the ocean by unfriendly weather systems. The global movements of migrant birds are still imperfectly understood but it exercises the imagination to understand how individuals from North America, Siberia and Southern Europe can arrive on Scilly in the same week as so often seems to happen in the autumn! In the spring the rarities tend to be of Mediterranean origin such as Bee-Eaters, Golden Orioles or rare herons but even then surprises are frequent and recent occurrences at this season have included Terek Sandpiper, Tree Swallow and Calandra Lark! The regular arrival of unexpected vagrants has boosted the Scilly bird list to nearly 400 species, an astonishing total considering the size of the islands and the paucity of resident birds.

Although the focus of this tour will be birds, Scilly can boast many other natural history attractions for visitors. The flora is of great interest and includes many rare species which flourish in the largely frost free climate. Because of these mild conditions it has been possible to fill the famous Abbey Gardens on Tresco with delicate exotic plants from all over the world creating a collection that could not survive in colder climes. The White-toothed or Scilly Shrew is found nowhere else in Britain and whilst mainland mammals such as Fox and Badger are absent from the islands, the population of Grey or Atlantic Seals is of international significance. Migrant moths and butterflies visit Scilly in much the same way that birds do and a period of light southerly winds can often bring scores of Clouded Yellow butterflies or Hummingbird Hawk Moths to the islands. Much rarer vagrants also occur and the same fast-moving Atlantic fronts which deposit Neotropical landbirds on Scilly can also carry over spectacular Monarch butterflies.

The itinerary for our our tour will be completely flexible to allow for weather conditions and local reports. There will be a reasonable amount of walking each day but this will be at birdwatching pace and punctuated by regular stops. Included in the tour price are four full day visits to 'off-islands' which will entail catching the 1015 tripper launch from St. Mary's returning 1600-1700. These vessels carry about 70 passengers and fully conform to EC safety regulations. The journey time from St. Mary's is about 20-25 minutes.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Meet at Penzance; sail to St Mary's
Day 2/7
Natural history excursions on St Mary's, St Agnes, Tresco & St Martin's
Day 8
Excursion before afternoon return to Penzance
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Ferries
  • Accommodation:

    Accommodation is in comfortable guest houses and the majority of rooms will have private facilities. 

  • Food:

    Only breakfast is included in holiday price; allow approximately £40 per day for lunches and evening meals.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Mon 5th May – Mon 12th May SPACES £2,495
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,375
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Mon 8th Sep – Mon 15th Sep SPACES £1,695
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Neil McMahon
TL Neil McMahon

Tour Leader: Neil McMahon

Neil McMahon grew up in Northamptonshire and, from a very young age, developed an interest in the natural world. His first love is the study and identification of wild birds and he enjoys the challenge of trying to identify birds by the way they move and act as well as by their calls and songs. His passion for bird and wildlife-watching has taken him all around the world and he's visited more than 50 countries. Neil is a retired Police Officer and, when not leading Naturetrek tours, spends much of his time completing various conservation and wildlife management surveys as well as volunteering for his local Wildlife Trust. He is also a licensed Bird Ringer and Trainer. During the winter months he maintains numerous wild bird feeding stations in central Northamptonshire and is a serving committee member of the Northants Bird Club.

Sat 4th Oct – Sat 11th Oct SPACES £1,695
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£445
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Neil McMahon
TL Neil McMahon

Tour Leader: Neil McMahon

Neil McMahon grew up in Northamptonshire and, from a very young age, developed an interest in the natural world. His first love is the study and identification of wild birds and he enjoys the challenge of trying to identify birds by the way they move and act as well as by their calls and songs. His passion for bird and wildlife-watching has taken him all around the world and he's visited more than 50 countries. Neil is a retired Police Officer and, when not leading Naturetrek tours, spends much of his time completing various conservation and wildlife management surveys as well as volunteering for his local Wildlife Trust. He is also a licensed Bird Ringer and Trainer. During the winter months he maintains numerous wild bird feeding stations in central Northamptonshire and is a serving committee member of the Northants Bird Club.

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Thu 7th May – Thu 14th May SPACES £2,595
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,475
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Sat 3rd Oct – Sat 10th Oct SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,575
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£495 
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Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

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Flight-free Wildlife Holidays


At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.


It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!




Our specialist recommends...






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Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager




All No Flight Tours

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!