Client Reviews

Pre-Trip Service
I called to enquire about booking this trip only a few weeks before the departure date and was told they had released any spare rooms back to the hotels so would need to check on availability. They called me back within an hour to confirm all was ok.

Trip Comments
This was my second sea kayaking trip with Wilderness Scotland and once again I was impressed with the amount of organisation and thought that had gone into every detail. We had some amazing weather and the views where we paddled were stunning.

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide
Ali and Crayston were excellent guides and good fun to be with. Ali's knowledge and enthusiasm about the wildlife, geology and Scottish history was inspiring. I learned a lot. We also picked up a few kayaking skills along the way.

The Bottom Line
I recommend Wilderness Scotland to anyone looking for a fabulous sea kayaking adventure.

Pre-Trip Service
Prompt and helpful answers to questions.

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide
Tim brought a lot of knowledge, from plants to history. And discreetly adapted hikes to weather conditions and fitness.

The Bottom Line

Pre-Trip Service
I can not say enough about how great the pre-trip communication was. The staff was really prompt and patient with my festering in a great deal of minutiae! This was our first "group trip" and in retrospect I probably did not ask enough questions. I think it would have been helpful to have more specific details about the first day. I didn't know if we were traveling by train or van and I was a little unprepared for a delightful opportunity to walk on the beach.

Trip Comments
We had a great group of individuals on the trip which really added to the overall experience. It was really obvious that a great deal of work goes into planning and logistics and those were all excellent! We also had the luxury of a guide and an additional staff member. Rachael Gavan who was an absolute godsend to me personally. I had a great deal of difficulty navigating two complicated dietary issues and Rachael was instrumental in helping me suss those issues out all week long. I did feel like the days were way too long, especially two of the evenings we had dinner out together. I also did not feel like we did as much walking as I expected and that was a disappointment. There were probably three significant, actual walks that were wonderful with drop dead seascapes which is what I was interested in. I wanted more of that. There was also way more visiting to archeological sights with long lectures that were unexpected, especially the second day of the tour. So to make it excellent for me personally, more actual walking, less sightseeing per say and shorter days, getting back to the hotel by 4pm and earlier dinners!

Accommodation and Food
The room was very well appointed, large and comfortable. Fantastic bathroom, really hot water and a nice warming contraption for damp towels. Common space was lovely, large drawing room with all kinds of fun things and a nice bar area.The actual hospitality was lack luster. The inn keepers didn't seem at all interested in delivering on any hospitality. For example, they told me in an email that they do provide laundry service for a fee and in fact there was a laundry form in the room but when asked to actually provide the service they seemed very put out.

Your Guide
Our guide was good and clearly knew the Islands very well.

The Bottom Line
Overall it was a good experience. It is really obvious that Wilderness Scotland knows what they are doing and does it really well. I could tell that all the staff at Wilderness are very passionate about their work and willing to go to great lengths to deliver! I would caution folks with more than one dietary issue!

Pre-Trip Service
We really didn't use the website very much as most of the material was sent to us by our Travel Agent, so we just used the links.

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food
The hotel was very good - very traditional with very good food. The service was slow, but this gave us time to share stories around the table and get to know each other better.

Your Guide
Mark Cox was a knowledgeable guide in history, geography, flora and fauna and provided a great mix of historical sites and gorgeous walks with stunning vistas. He also had an abundance of stories. He was very consultative and took the interests of and the safety of the group in mind in all decisions. He was also a lot of fun.

The Bottom Line
Walking on the Orkneys was an excellent way to see the islands. We took in several islands, travelled by ferry, mini-bus and taxi to get to them and interacted with locals on many occasions. The walks were full of natural and historical sites with a nice balance between the two. We were never rushed - there was plenty of time to stand and stare and enjoy the gorgeous views and wild life, while listening to interesting stories from our guide.

Pre-Trip Service
I really liked the information about preparing for the trip, especially the packing list!

Trip Comments
The walk was enjoyable and relaxing. I loved exploring every village we stayed in, it was fun to be in a new place each evening.

Accommodation and Food
Overall, the accommodations were excellent. Some were better than others.

Your Guide
The route notes were spot on, thank you!

The Bottom Line
We had a great holiday, we hope to be back soon. I have already recommended Wilderness Scotland to two friends.

Pre-Trip Service
Bridget Brown's comments during my initial phone-call persuaded me that your organization is excellent.

Trip Comments
The venues and the guide were excellent. I think there was too much time spent driving around and too much time spent on eating meals.

Accommodation and Food
The Fortingall Hotel was wonderful and comfortable. I felt that the Glen Coe hotel was too luxurious.

Your Guide
Mike Brian was an excellent guide. His care and enthusiasm never wavered. He made an extra effort to find pools in streams where we could go swimming.

The Bottom Line
Thank you for a fine trip. It appears that you care deeply about your mission.

Pre-Trip Service
Your staff was very patient and eager to help during the Pre-Trip orientation.

Trip Comments
Our time in Scotland was truly a remarkable adventure! The only snag occurred when we lost some valuable luggage on our flight to Scotland. John Walker, our remarkable WS guide 'went to bat' for us in efforts to recover our luggage from the commercial air line. He even loaned us some gear and helped us to locally purchase the other trail necessities at a shop in Killin. We are very grateful for his kind support and expertise.

Accommodation and Food
We absolutely LOVED the accommodations that were provided!

Your Guide
Stu and John were wonderful! We loved their knowledge of the history, geography, culture, and spirit of the Scottish people.

The Bottom Line
My wife and I had a remarkable and unforgettable experience of journeying through the highlands. John and Stu were excellent teachers and led us on some wonderful hikes. They were very organized and anticipated every need along the way. We are returning to Scotland next year with Wilderness Scotland and look forward to more remarkable times with them.

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide

The Bottom Line

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide
I could not fault kirsty..excellent !

The Bottom Line
Very professional with excellent guides with good accommodation.

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation and Food

Your Guide

The Bottom Line