It tales approximately 7-10 mins by water taxi to get to Ulva Island from the Golden Bay Wharf and 20 mins from the Halfmoon Bay Wharf in Oban. Rakiura Charters offers scheduled trips and on demand Ulva Island water taxi trips.

There are several walking tracks on Ulva Island which allow you to explore at your own pace. Shorter options include Flagstaff Point Lookout (20 mins return) and Sydney Cove Picnic Area (20 mins return).
Longer options take in Boulder Beach (1.5 hrs return) and West End Beach (2 hrs return). Longer walks give you more bird watching opportunities, but even the short tracks will introduce you to the unique flora & fauna of Ulva Island.
We recommend allowing 2-4 hours for our freedom walk, and our guided walks take around 3-4 hours.

Ulva Island is free to visit but you need to take a water taxi (7-10 mins one way) to get there. Our on demand Ulva Island water taxi service is $30pp (adult) & $15pp (child). The island is supported by the Ulva Island Charitable Trust. We recommend purchasing their Ulva Island Guide from our booking office or from the Ulva Island wharf to help their efforts.

You can’t stay on Ulva Island as it is an uninhabited sanctuary and a section of it is also privately owned.

A freedom or guided walk on Ulva Island is the best way to experience this unique island sanctuary. By allowing at least 2 hours on the island you will be able to explore the forested tracks, the pristine beaches and the wonderful native birdlife.

Around 7.9 hectares of Ulva Island is privately owned with the rest managed by DOC (Department of Conservation), supported by the Ulva Island Charitable Trust.

Yes, join a guided tour of Ulva Island with internationally renowned guides. On this trip you will explore 4.5km of easy walking tracks while spotting rare and endangered native birds..