Lisbon: Birdwatching Boat Tour - Tagus Estuary

My partner and I booked this tour so we could see as many birds as possible while we're in Lisbon and we were not disappointed! Plenty of gulls, spoonbills, egrets, wading birds like pied avocets, black-winged stilts, and redshanks, and even some raptors like marsh harriers and a black kite gathering nesting material, almost all of which were new for our life list. Our guide was excellent and even though we were there for birds we appreciated the extra natural history information about the aquatic animals in the estuary and the landscape. I would definitely recommend sunscreen since we got a little crispy on the boat, and make sure you have sweatshirts to stay warm on the water. If you're a birder visiting Lisbon this is definitely the tour to take.

That was really great! Sid and Bart were super nice! We have seen a large number of species! Purple herons, black ibises, white spatulas etc... really great. And we enjoyed a good drink together watching the sun set over the vile! I would advise everyone.

Pleasant outing in the Tagus estuary in search of birds, Laughing Gull, Eigret, White squirrel , White stilt, Elegant avocado , Gull, Ruffed snails ,Gambette Knight, Teal, Falcon and Reed Harrier without forgetting the view of Lisbon and the breathtaking estuary.

Knowledgeable guide, beautiful variety of birds like flamingos , herons….in Tagus estuary so close to Lisbon

When the birdwatching tour I had hoped to do was cancelled due to lack of numbers, Sid kept me well informed and kindly offered to transfer my booking to the dolphin spotting tour. I certainly wasn’t disappointed and had a wonderful trip with this very experienced and knowledgeable crew. I would highly recommend this trip and hope to do the birdwatching trip another time. Thank you for such a great experience.

We have been keen on birdwatching for few years and were eager to add some new species to our lifelist. Our trip started the oprators winter season (more migratory birds around after summer). Before the trip we got a massage to bring our own jackets, since it will be cooler on the river. The jackets were needed when speeding to birdsites and back, but when moving slowly around the birdwatching sites, it was quit warm. Big rubber boat was steady and going was smooth since the river is seldom rough. You could sit quite comfrotably, a bit like on horseback. Biologist who guided the tour knew well the local birds and had a leaflet of pictures of the birds and used them to help us identify what we saw. For birdphotographing, we would have liked to get more closer to the subjects, but that was not possible because of the shallow water. This was a little disapointment, but with Sony RX10iv, we could get enough good pictures. And the life list - most of the birds we had already seen elsewhere, but there were also four new ones to us, like black-winged stilt and spoonbill. So for us the birdwatching boat tour near Lisbon was worthwhile.

We joined Sid and his mate for a birdwatching tour of the Tagus Estuary. Saw hundreds of Flamingos, along with other shore birds (avocet, whimbrel, osprey, little egret, shelduck, marsh harrier, Kentish plover, ruddy turnstone, terns and gulls galore, etc.). Boat is fast and gets you to birding grounds (across a very wide section or the Tagus) in no time. Was a windy day, but not cold, so the boat kicked up some spray, which added to the excitement. Sid is knowledgeable and very amiable, so couldn’t ask for a better guide. Also, the views of Lisbon from the water are stunning.

Wild bumpy ride to the estuary. The leader pulled over to check on us and offered to cancel. We wanted to go forward. Birding was average but you can only see what was there. Everyone was nice and helpful. The leader was very kind and knowledgeable.

Having such a possibility to observe seabirds from this close is amazing! Sid and the team did a great job on keeping us engaged all the time. We saw many interesting species in their natural habitat, drifting or hunting in the water. If you go in winter months, make sure to dress properly, as ocean breezes are very chill. Highly recommended!

We had a blast on out sea birds boat tour. It was my first ever time watching birds in the open waters and it was amazing! I haven't even dreamed to see this wonderful creatures so close! The main highlight for us was a small puffin and a dozen of razorbills. If you are a fan of birds I sincerely recommend you this tour. And one important tip for you - get dressed well! The wind is very strong and in winter is very cold, so be prepared!