BirdLife Malta Shearwater Boat Trips 2026

May 8, 2026 10:13 am

Dates (June): Thursday, 11 / Thursday, 18 / Friday, 19 of June 2026
Dates (July): Thursday, 9 / Thursday, 16 / Friday, 17 of July 2026 
Time: 18:30-21:00
Location: Ta’ Ċenċ Cliffs, Gozo

What is summer without our boat trips? The hottest events of the season are back!

Join us for a delightful sunset sail by the dramatic and breathtaking Ta’ Ċenċ Cliffs in Gozo where we will witness the little-known spectacle of flocks of Scopoli’s Shearwaters (Ċief) rafting on the surface of the sea before they head back to their nests in the cliffs after sundown. This is one of Malta’s most spectacular natural phenomena, and something you should not miss! 

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀: 
 
We will be organizing six boat trips this year in June and July: 

  • Thursday, 11 June 2026 
  • Thursday, 18 June 2026 
  • Friday, 19 June 2026
  • Thursday, 9 July 2026 [in collaboration with Wave of Change]
  • Thursday, 16 July 2026 
  • Friday, 17 July 2026 

The boat trips will be departing and returning to Ċirkewwa Comino Ferry Jetty, beneath the kiosk (meeting point below). 

📍 https://goo.gl/maps/PQ2Rq2ZuQX3wsbz38  

Please arrive at 18:30 for a 19:00 departure. The boat will not wait for latecomers, so be sure to leave with plenty of time to spare. The boat will return to the jetty at around 21:00.

Yelkouan and Scopoli’s Shearwaters (Photo by Aron Tanti)

Booking and payment (required):

PRICE PER PERSON: €20 per adult; €10 per child 12 and under

To book, click the boat trip you wish to board and select the ticket/s. If you are purchasing tickets for multiple people, please kindly insert their names and Email addresses in the checkout page. Please note that no form of payment other than through the online facility will be accepted. There is a limited number of people per boat trip and bookings will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Scopoli’s Shearwater (Ċiefa) by Antoine Monnier

After booking, you will receive an automatically generated email receipt, which will act as confirmation of your booking. Please bring this with you on the day of the boat trip as proof of booking. You need to register and present this receipt to attend the boat trip. We will send an email to confirm bookings the week before the trip.  

Refunds will not be issued for cancellations made after the booking deadline. In the unlikely event of cancellation due to bad weather, we will reschedule the cancelled trip. 

BirdLife Malta will be taking photos and footage before and during the trips for promotional purposes. Depending on sea conditions, safety of birds or any other factors deemed important by the boat captain, the trip could return ashore earlier than planned.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. Follow the event on our Facebook page for updates!

Have a look at this video from 2024!