A vessel harvesting apparatus including a shaft and a tip formed as a unit with, and positioned at a distal end of, the shaft. A handle is connected to a proximal end of the shaft for allowing an operator to feed and manipulate the tip. The tip defines a vessel receiving aperture extending longitudinally through the tip and being laterally offset from and generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The tip has a smooth, contoured outer surface narrowing toward the distal end thereof wherein the tip may be passed along and surrounding a vessel without substantial disruption of surrounding tissue. Transacting and ligating of the vessel positioned in the aperture and side branch vessels against the outer surface of the tip by dissection and/or cauterization is provided. The tip releases the vessel from surrounding tissue while being moved there along wherein the transfected portion of the vessel is more easily removed from surrounding tissue.