Daufuskie Island Guided History Tour from Hilton Head
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Tucked between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, and accessible only by boat, Daufuskie Island is a real gem. This 4.5 hour Daufuskie Island trip provides a glimpse into a fascinating chapter of Lowcountry history on the undeveloped side of the island. Learn the rich history of the Native Americans, European settlers, the cotton trade, and the Gullah culture. We encourage you to wear weather-appropriate clothing and bring water, snacks, and sunscreen.
-Please be aware: Our tour is completely structured and does not include a stop for lunch.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Daufuskie Island
It begins with a boat ride from Shelter Cove Marina to the back side of Daufuskie Island. The ride is an important part of the tour! Along the way we will stop for dolphins and other wildlife, plus view and discuss the sites on Daufuskie and the neighboring islands that are best seen from the water. Once on Daufuskie, you'll get on golf carts and take a tour of the historic, undeveloped side of the island. We stop at all of the significant historic sites and artisan shops of Daufuskie.
What‘s Included
Boat ride there and back
Bottled water
Iced cooler
Historian
Golf Cart
Guide
Lunch
Options
Private Tour: Up to 6 guests
Private Tour with Historian
Daufuskie Island History Tour
4.5 Hour Daufuskie Island History and Artisans Tour
Reviews
1,078 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Once enough- Informational nature and history tour - must be bug tolerant!
Doris P,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Our tour was run by Outside and on a boat named O’hana. Captains Kelly and JC. Chilly day with rain near end that had us soaked and cold on the boat. Bugs as expected were really bad; we were prepared with long pants, sleeves, hat and bug spray… Boat ride over took an hour +, saw dolphin pods and they shared history and other info. Once on island, they set us up on golf carts to drive to see 4 stops. I cleaned off someone’s trash from our cart. It was interesting history and info but the rest of island underwhelming (what you should expect to see of a place where you must boat things in and out; and challenging to upkeep things). Stayed too long at each stop.. but guess that is because there isn’t much else to see or do. Overall; I’d say it’s a trip you do once and likely never again. Read about its history and read the book “The Water is Wide”
Daufuskie Boat Tour
mgd1281,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Pleasant voyage to the island and an outstanding tour. Well worth the time and price.
Wonderful Experience
EKadventure,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A perfect afternoon! Captain Dean was friendly and very knowledgeable about the history of Daufuskie. Don’t hesitate to book this excursion!
Captain Dean What A Pro!
Q3947RPtarao,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just completed our tour with Master Captain Dean Hager. What an experience as we stepped back in time and went on his tour of Daufuskie Island. Dean's knowledge was vast; he truly cared about the Daufuskie story and the people who make up that history. He cares about the whole of Hilton Head, its people, environment, and future. What a pro! I would recommend his tour to anyone. We had a bonus on the boat ride back, we watched a mama dolphin swimming with her three calves.
Great guides who shared a...
Charles B,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Great guides who shared a lot of information about the area, both historical and geographical. Unfortunately the weather was less than ideal which detracted from the boat rides going to and from the island.... as an aside, not sure if the water was responsible for the gnats, but they were numerous and annoying. Otherwise it was a fun day and very informative!
Interesting and Well Done Tour
Dean C,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Is spite of clouds and occasional light rain this was an interesting and informative historical tour of Dufuskie island. The tour guides were knowledgeable and did a great job. The boat ride to this part of the island takes about an hour and it’s a lovely ride through the sea islands. Be sure to bring along bug spray!
Cruising along to Daufuskie Island
Janet S,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00I highly recommend this tour to understand what makes up the history of not only Hilton Head Island but also the surrounding islands. In our previous visits to HH we never ventured far from the island and wish we had sooner. Our Captain Kelly was the best tour guide and gave us so many stories that we will remember about Daukuskie Island. Our tour size was perfect at 14 people and we were able to make many stops on the Island and meet some of the local people. Don't forget to bring bug spray!
Great Historical Tour
Peter a,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The boat ride there is 1.5 hours, but it was beautiful and filled with so much information from Captain Andy. We loved learning some history of Hilton Head, Daufuskie and more.
Loved our tour!!
Lori K,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Captain Dean was extremely personable and knowledgeable. He made the tour super enjoyable! We would definitely book additional tour in the future
Don't Miss This Tour!
Carolyn D,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Captain Dean's historical information about the island was excellent and humorous, the best way to enjoy history. Actually going into the old church, cemetery, and schoolhouse was a delight. What powerful people built our country. This tour also included watching dolphins, seeing oyster fields, and an interesting boat ride. Captain Dean made the tour fun and interesting.
From US$135.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
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Operated by Outside Hilton Head