- From Kirkwall Harbour
- Small-Group and Private Charters
Orkney Boat Tours & Charter Trips
Experience Orkney offers exclusive Orkney boat tours tailored for small groups and private charters. Our local and experienced skippers guide you through historic waters once sailed by Norse traders and wartime vessels.
Setting sail directly from Kirkwall Harbour, we connect every island and story, bringing you a unique perspective of the archipelago. Admire ancient cliffs, look out for seals and seabirds along the Atlantic and North Sea coasts, and explore archaeological sites that shaped island life for over 5,000 years. Book your Orkney boat trips today and experience the islands’ living history from a whole new perspective.
Explore the Isles with Orkney Boat Trips
Orkney boat trips reveal a uniquely historical perspective of the islands. From the water, you see Orkney as its first settlers did, brochs guarding the shoreline, seabirds tracing the wind, and stories rising straight from the sea itself.
Glide past Papa Westray, Rousay, Sanday, and Eday isles and discover unique treasures with Orkney island boat trips. Marvel at the Old Man of Hoy, a 137-metre sea stack rising from the waves. Observe Neolithic ruins and Iron Age brochs to lively seabird colonies and quiet coves where seals rest on the rocks.
Below are some of the remarkable journeys you’ll take:
Island Highlights: Orkney Boat Tour Destinations
Papa Westray
The journey to Papa Westray begins with calm seas and a view of history written in stone.
- The Knap of Howar: One of the oldest stone houses in northern Europe, dating back to the Neolithic period.
- Point of Cott: A coastal headland offering sweeping views of the North Sea.
- Holm of Papa Westray (South/North): Tiny isles dotted with prehistoric archaeological sites.
- Knowe of Blackiskaill: A mysterious burial site from Orkney’s prehistoric past.
- Saint Boniface Church: A beautifully preserved 12th-century church, still holding the spirit of Orkney’s medieval faith.
Sailing onward, the Atlantic breeze carries you toward Westray’s bright harbours and bird-filled cliffs.
Westray
Known for its lively community and maritime heritage, Westray combines everyday island life with timeless wonders.
- Experience the Shortest Flight in the World: Hop between Westray and Papa Westray in under two minutes.
- The Lady Kirk at Pierowall: A 17th-century church celebrated for its island architecture.
- Cross Kirk at Tuquoy: Medieval ruins revealing Orkney’s early Christian roots.
Watch seabirds wheel over fishing boats and hear your skipper share tales of island tradition.
Rousay
Nicknamed the “Egypt of the North”, Rousay holds more archaeology per square mile than anywhere else in Orkney.
- Taversoe Tuick: A rare double-chambered Neolithic cairn.
- Blackhammer: An impressive stone tomb with a corbelled roof.
- Knowe of Yarso: An ancient burial site once home to multiple generations.
- Midhowe Broch: A towering Iron Age fort overlooking Eynhallow Sound.
From sea level, these sites rise like sentinels, reminders of a civilisation older than memory.
Sanday
A haven of wildlife and endless beaches, Sanday feels like a meeting of land, sea, and time.
- Quoyness Tomb: A Maeshowe-type tomb from Orkney’s prehistoric era.
- Elsness Barrows: Ancient burial mounds rich with archaeological interest.
- Tofts Ness: Early Iron Age settlements beside the shifting dunes.
Keep watch for seals basking on the rocks and dolphins cutting through the surf.
Stronsay
Stronsay’s shores blend Iron Age heritage with thriving coastal life.
- Lambness Broch: A fine example of a stone-built broch from the Iron Age.
- Middle Banks: A stretch famed for birdwatching and sweeping ocean views.
Your boat ride here offers glimpses of seabirds diving through the spray of the North Sea.
Eday
Rugged and remote, Eday reveals the craftsmanship of Orkney’s early builders.
- Vinquoy Burial Tomb: A Maeshowe-type chamber built for eternity.
- Calf of Eday: A small isle with prehistoric settlements still visible in the grass.
- Warness: A site known for key archaeological discoveries.
- Linkataing Round House: A well-preserved Iron Age home demonstrating early island ingenuity.
Each site tells part of the maritime story that shaped Orkney’s people.
Egilsay
Quiet and contemplative, Egilsay carries the story of Orkney’s saints.
- St Magnus Church: A striking 12th-century landmark, the site of St Magnus’s martyrdom.
Its modest shorelines remind travellers that faith, too, travelled by boat.
Shapinsay
A short boat charter from Kirkwall Harbour brings you to Shapinsay, where Orkney’s past meets its present.
- Burroughston Broch: One of the best-preserved brochs in Scotland.
Look across Scapa Flow, once filled with wartime vessels, now a calm expanse of blue.
North Ronaldsay
The northernmost island and a fitting finale to your voyage.
- Broch of Burrian: A coastal Iron Age broch with commanding views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Here, puffins, other seabirds, and grey seals outnumber people, and the air still carries the call of Orkney’s wild frontier.