Chincoteague Wildlife Tour: Ponies and More

Discover Chincoteague’s wildlife and ponies up close on a 2-hour boat tour. Enjoy breathtaking views, expert guidance, and unforgettable experiences. Book your adventure now!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Assateague Island - We will tour the southern and northern parts of Assateague island on the Virginia side searching for Chincoteague Ponies and Wildlife. We will travel in small guts and waterways to get as close as possible to all the wildlife. During the tour we will pass the Pony Swim and Assateague lighthouse. Sometimes we will cruise out…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
Additional Information

Introducing brand new luxury boats for 2026! Our mission is to ensure your tour becomes the highlight of your vacation! Captains Mike, Donnie, and Sandy are dedicated to making this a reality. These local captains have been navigating these waters for over 40 years. Additionally, Captain Mike is a professional wildlife photographer for Up The Bay…

Location
Up the bay Pony Tours
Curtis Merritt Harbor Drive
We will meet at FLOATING DOCK #2. Our dock is down past the Harbor Masters Building. Our "UP THE BAY PONY TOUR" sign will be on a telephone pole as well a red sign showing "FLOATING DOCK #2."
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(691 Ratings)
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Kelly_b
Apr 22, 2026
Great experience! Highly recommend! - The captain, Mike is very knowledgeable of the area and got us up close and personal to the ponies. He knew the history and the ponies by name.
Review provided by Viator
Sheri_y
Apr 22, 2026
Learn and enjoy - Wonderful! Tour guide is lifelong local with incredible knowledge of history, culture and wildlife of the area. His love for the ponies was on full display and we all benefited. No memorized script or corny jokes. Best tour ever!
Review provided by Viator
Jopw9847lh
Apr 21, 2026
The Fog - Mother Nature sent dense fog down which resulted in the cancelation of our pony boat tour. Capt. Mike was gracious and issued a full refund, no prob. It was a disappointing day for us AND the captain. We will try again in the fall and will certainly book Capt. Mike for sure. He knows the area well and is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brewha76
Apr 19, 2026
Learned a lot and had some laughs - There were several pony tours to choose from, but we went with Up the Bay because we liked the fact that it was a full two hours. Plus, we liked what we read about Capt. Mike. The tour easily lived up to the positive reviews we read. Capt. Mike was a great guide. His boat was clean and quiet, and we saw all the ponies and birds we could have hoped for. It was a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J9777bhkimc
Apr 19, 2026
Great way to enjoy the waters, and see the ponies, and get info. Very fun! - Thoroughly enjoyed! The beautiful sunny blue sky and warm April temps didn't hurt either. Our guide was great, and the tour covered a lot of area, and saw many wild ponies, and it was unique and fun. Only 6 customers in the boat, as intended, which made it very nice and we could ask lots of questions of the tour guide too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A5147opmichelleb
Apr 18, 2026
Fun experience - We had a great time and saw a herd of ponies right off the bat. Captain Mike was funny and knowledgeable about the area and history. Would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janicedh6695lr
Apr 17, 2026
Perfect - Captain Mike Gellis is an experienced boat operator, he's kind to everyone and is delighted to point out and answer questions about Chincoteague landmarks, the bay and of course, the stars of the tour, the Chincoteague ponies!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherry
Apr 17, 2026
Great time on the water. - Great trip. Very comfortable boat - up close ponies. Very good day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amypr510he
Apr 16, 2026
Up the Bay Pony Tours—A definite must! - A must do! Captain Mike is a great storyteller and shares stories about the ponies and life growing up around Chincoteague. There is not a better boat tour to be found. He works hard to give guests a memorable and fun experience and absolutely succeeds! He knows where to find the ponies, all their names and their histories, and where to find other wildlife (eagles, dolphins, osprey, etc.). Cannot say enough great things about Up the Bay Tours. A definite must do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jopk4928yb
Apr 20, 2026
Mother Nature Rules - Unfortunately the dense fog of the day of our reservation caused the captain to cancel. Disappointing but Mother Nature rules the weather. Will try again in the fall.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $75
up to 6 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).