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Ordinary Traveler / Blog / Scotland / How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

By Christy Woodrow, Last Modified: February 20, 2019

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

“Communing with the wild, and with birds like puffins, is as important as sunshine, sleep or vitamin C. Puffin therapy is a great way to get that fix.” — Dr. Nick Baylis

Puffins in Treshnish Isles, Scotland

 

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to visit Scotland was to photograph the wildlife and rugged landscapes of this gorgeous country. After I started planning my island itinerary, I learned about the puffins who make their homes in the Hebridean Islands.

From the Isle of Mull, I took a boat excursion to Staffa and the Treshnish Isles — and on Lunga island, I got my dose of puffin therapy.

I literally spent the entire time sitting with these peaceful birds. They were not kidding about puffin therapy either! Everybody on the island, including myself, was grinning from ear to ear. It is easily one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

I find the lives of puffins fascinating. These birds breed on land from April to August, which is why I was able to see them during my visit in May. In the winter, they disperse and spend several months at sea. They have waterproofed feathers and they are able to drink salt water in order to survive on the ocean.

Puffins in Scotland

Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

Where to See Puffins Up Close in Scotland

Where to See Puffins Up Close in Scotland

Where to See Puffins Up Close in Scotland

Where to See Puffins Up Close in Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

Where to See Puffins Up Close in Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

How to See Puffins in the Treshnish Isles of Scotland

 

Know Before You Go: Turus Mara‘s daily cruises depart the Isle of Mull at 11:30 am and return at 5:45 pm. You will spend one hour on Staffa and two hours on Lunga. Ticket prices: €55 Adults, €27.50 Children or €140 for a family of two adults and two children.

For tips on what to pack for a trip to Scotland, see my women’s packing list for Europe.

 

Plan Your Trip to Scotland

After traveling consistently for over 10 years, we’ve come to trust and rely on a few websites to help us find the best deals on flights and accommodation.

Flights:

  • Momondo is the first place we check when searching for cheap flights. It searches hundreds of sites for the best fare and includes both standard and budget airlines. The price calendar feature shows the cheapest days to fly in your preferred month of travel.

Accommodation: 

  • Booking.com offers savings on hotels, apartments, and villas in 80,000 destinations worldwide. You can browse hotel reviews and find the guaranteed best price on hotels for all budgets.

 

About Christy Woodrow

Christy Woodrow is a travel photographer and professional blogger based in San Diego. She has been traveling around the world with her partner, Scott, since 2006. Join them in their quest to find off-the-beaten-path destinations by signing up for weekly emails. You can read more about her on our about page.

Filed Under: Scotland

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brad Bernard says

    This is an awesome post, Christy. And the pictures are amazing! Who doesn’t love puffins? What an awesome experience. I’ve featured this in my Best Travel Experiences.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      I’m pretty sure you would have to be heartless not to love puffins. 🙂 They are the coolest birds on earth.

      Reply
  2. Teresa Harris says

    How much do you think it would cost to go see the puffins. My mom loves birds. I would love to take her to see them for a few days or week if I can afford it.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      Hi Teresa. Ticket prices for Turus Mara: €55 Adults, €27.50 Children or €140 for a family of two adults and two children.

      Reply
  3. acoupletraveler says

    our dream is to see puffins like this! Your photos are downright amazing and making us super jealous! We were in Scotland in October but didn’t get to see any puffins!

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      Thank you! Sorry you didn’t get to see them. They must have been out to sea by then. There’s always next time. 😉

      Reply
  4. Ali says

    OMG they’re so cute!

    Reply
  5. kazspence says

    oh my that is so tranquil and Puffins are so cute !
    thanks for sharing your experience, on the list ‘to do’ in Scotland 🙂

    Reply
  6. hikebiketravel says

    What a superb collection of photos. I had a small dose of puffin therapy on the Skellig Islands off the coast of western Ireland and couldn’t get enough of them either.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      Wow. That sounds amazing. Another reason I need to visit Ireland! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Laurel says

    Puffins are sooooo cute and your photos are amazing! I was surprised at how there were when I visited the Hebrides a few years ago.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      Thanks, Laurel! Wow… I didn’t know you went to the Hebrides!

      Reply
  8. Sherry Viray says

    They look so beautiful and cute in the photos. I’ve always wanted to see them in person, too. I saw on the Travel Channel that they taste good, too. Hmmm?

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      Nooo… I would never eat a puffin. ;(

      Reply
  9. Jennifer Dombrowski says

    The puffins are so cute! I’ve missed seeing them in Iceland on both my visits since we were too late for their breeding season.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      I didn’t realize puffins lived in Iceland until recently. I just found out they are in Alaska too and we will be there in August! I should start traveling the world just to see puffins and turtles. 🙂

      Reply
      • Jennifer Dombrowski says

        Now that would be a fun project! We have something similar in mind – traveling to see a certain kind of animal around the world.

        Reply
        • Ordinary Traveler says

          What is your animal?

          Reply
          • Jennifer Dombrowski says

            We want to see bears around the world.

  10. Audrey says

    They really are adorable! I like the side profile shot where the puffin is spreading his wings. I want to kidnap one of them! 😉

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      That’s one of my favorites too. 😀

      Reply
  11. Amanda Williams says

    Ahhhh love love LOVE! Puffins are so adorable. And it looks like you had some gorgeous weather, too!

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      I was really lucky that day! I only had two sunny days during my trip and this was one of them, thankfully!

      Reply

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Meet Christy

Christy Woodrow
Welcome to Ordinary Traveler! I'm Christy Woodrow and I started this adventure travel blog in 2010 to provide trip ideas and helpful travel tips for people with limited vacation time.
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