fbpx
Close
Articles by Year

<<     >>

Articles by Category
Close
+44 (0)1479 420 020

Activities

Selected Trips

    Locations

    Selected Trips

      Themed Travel

      FAQs

      The Great Family Adventure

      Treasure Highlands

      15 reviews

      Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

      From £1,465

      Travel Planning & Advice

      Book With Confidence

      Trip created by Stevie Christie
      View Stevie's Profile

      Region: Multi-Location
      Trip Type: Family
      Accommodation: Classic
      Deposit From: £366.25 £366.25

      Grading:

      Carbon Footprint: 57kg ? What does this mean?
      Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

      All you need to know about your trip, this essential document is a must for all adventures.

      Download Itinerary

      The famous novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, is perhaps the classic children’s adventure story.

      What a lot of people don’t know is that it was written in the Cairngorms National Park in 1881!

      With this in mind, we’ve designed this spectacular family adventure holiday, combining lots of activities, a treasure hunt, desert islands and the Cairngorms National Park, to create an adventure holiday which is sure to be a hit with all of the family. You will visit ruined castles, enjoy spectacular scenery and try activities including sea kayaking, canoeing and mountain biking as you explore the Scottish Highlands – a land of myths and legends.

      Our guides are highly-qualified so you can be sure that safety is a priority at all times – even though it will feel like an adventure! As well as being qualified to take people out into the wilds, our guides are also great with family groups – they enjoy introducing our clients to the local environment and helping them explore it.

      Trip Highlights

      • An action-packed family adventure holiday visiting both the beautiful west coast and the spectacular Cairngorms National Park.
      • Enjoy lots of family-friendly activities, all suitable for beginners, including sea kayaking, mountain biking, canoeing, wildlife watching and a treasure hunt.
      • Learn about the great outdoors and the natural environment from our expert guides.

      Did you know?


      This trip can be booked as a private departure


      Learn more

      Day by Day Itinerary

      Day 1 – Travel to Fort William

      This is a self-drive itinerary so you make your way to Fort William in the West Highlands. If you are coming from Edinburgh or Glasgow, you can drive via the stunning Glencoe valley. Or, if you are starting from Inverness, you will drive along the banks of Loch Ness. Settle into your B&B accommodation and overnight.

      Day 2 – The Harry Potter Steam Train

      A relaxing day to recover from your journey. After breakfast jump aboard the Jacobite Steam Train – widely known as the Hogwarts Express from the Harry Potter movies, to enjoy one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. Sit back and enjoy the views as you cross the famous Glenfinnan viaduct on your way west. A short stop in the fishing port of Mallaig provides the perfect break for lunch before you return to Fort William. (B)

      Day 3 – Sea Kayaking to Desert Islands

      Today we take to the water to try sea kayaking on this beautiful coastline. The normal location is in the Sound of Arisaig but this may vary depending on sea conditions. The Sound of Arisaig has lots of tiny desert islands, quite possibly with hidden treasure buried somewhere! This beautiful stretch of water offers excellent sea kayaking in fairly sheltered waters. It is also an excellent place for seeing marine wildlife such as seals, otters or even dolphins. There will be plenty of breaks during the day to ensure that no-one gets too tired. Late afternoon, return to Fort William. (B)

      Day 4 – Canoeing in the Great Glen

      A fun day which starts and finishes near Fort William. First head to Neptune’s Staircase – the impressive series of 8 canal lock-gates where the Caledonian Canal meets the shore of Loch Eil. Here you collect your canoe equipment and start with a canal-side briefing on how to paddle canoes. Then jump in and paddle north up the canal, enjoying the easy paddling on the calm canal waters and the beautiful views of the  hills, including the north face of Ben Nevis – the highest peak in Scotland. On reaching Gairlochy you’ll be collected and transferred back to the start point. Fort William. (B)

      Day 5 – East to Cairngorms National Park & Mountain Biking

      You’ll enjoy a leisurely morning before driving east to the Cairngorms National Park (1 hour & 30 minutes). On the way, you may choose to stop for a short walk or perhaps visit a whisky distillery. After lunch, meet your guide for a mountain bike trip through the ancient Caledonian Pine Forests of Rothiemurchus Estate. These forests are well-known for wildlife, which includes red deer, reindeer, ospreys, golden eagles and cute red squirrels – though it’s not always easy to spot! We’ll take our mountain bikes on an off-road journey through the ancient forests, seeking out the wildlife as we ride. The trails are suitable for all abilities and pass through spectacular scenery. (B)

      Day 6 – Hiking & Treasure hunting

      Your guide will lead you on a hike around a beautiful local loch, doing some exciting treasure hunting along the way. You’ll learn basic navigation skills and then use them to find the clues that lead to the treasure. Towards the end of the day, we’ll hopefully locate the hidden treasure, and you can share the booty among yourselves. Enjoy a final night in the Cairngorms. (B, L)

      Day 7 – Depart … or continue with an extension

      After breakfast, you can then begin your journey home … or continue on a short extension to take in a real Highlands Games. Please download the trip dossier and contact us for more details. (B)

      Download Itinerary

      X
      The Great Family Adventure
      Treasure Highlands

      To download a PDF copy of our Trip Itinerary, containing full details about this holiday, please complete the form below:

      Fields marked with * are mandatory

      The phone number field is not required but if you would like us to give you a call to help find the trip for you, then enter your telephone number including the country code.

      Book Now

      Price from: £1,465
      Duration: 7 Days 6 Nights

      Trip Details

      Expand All
      Accommodation Read More

      You will spend 4 nights staying at a comfortable B&B in or close to the West Highland town of Fort William. You then move east to Cairngorms National Park for your final 2 nights. If you book a 2 night extension, you will stay in a B&B close to the Highland Games that you will be attending. A warm welcome is assured in these family friendly accommodations. Accommodation is in double, twin or family bedrooms, en-suite wherever it is available. Breakfast is included each morning.

      Meals Read More

      Breakfast is included on this family adventure and will be provided at your accommodation.
      Lunch on day 6 is also provided.

      All other lunches and snacks will be readily available in local shops and deli’s.

      You may choose to dine each evening in your hotel or at local restaurants.

      Inclusions Read More
      • 6 nights accommodation B&Bs.
      • Breakfast each day.
      • Lunch on Day 6.
      • Day 2: Return travel on the Harry Potter steam train.
      • Day 3: A day of guided sea kayaking, inc all hire equipment.
      • Day 4: Canoeing trip, plus all equipment hire.
      • Day 5: Half day of mountain biking, including bike hire.
      • Day 6: Full day of privately guided hiking and a treasure hunt.
      Trip Grading Read More

      Green Graded 1-3

      Our family activity holidays and adventures are all graded Green. All that you require to join these group trips is enthusiasm to try out various outdoor activities and a basic level of fitness. No previous experience of any of the activities is required, as our guides are used to working with beginners and with families.

      A reasonable level of fitness is useful, as you will have a couple of full days outside. However, our guides will pitch all activities at a level suitable for the group.

      These holidays are designed for families with children aged 8 or 9 – 15 years old (please see the recommended age in the trip dossier). However, if you have slightly younger children who are fit and active, we may be able to tailor the trips – please contact us to discuss this.

      Travel – Arrival and Departure Read More

      This is a self drive adventure with guided activities along the way. Your itinerary begins in Fort William and finishes in the Cairngorms

      Photo Gallery

      Make This Trip Private

      Fancy this trip just for your group? Get together with family and friends spend quality time exploring wild places. A private trip allows you to benefit from all the features of the group departure, including hand-picked accommodation and expert local guides but with the advantage of the flexibility to tailor the days to your group. Make the trip more or less challenging depending on your experience or choose to add in some optional extras like castle or distillery visits depending on your interests. The price of a private trip will depend on the number of travellers in your group. Let us know your prefered departure date and we'll take care of the rest.

      Speak to an Expert

      View Profile
      Chris Page

      Our friendly office team hail from across the world but share a passion for the outdoor and wild spaces of Scotland. We are committed to providing you with the best customer service and are more than happy to chat through options and provide help and advice. Get in touch to find your perfect adventure.

      Ask Chris a Question

      Difficulty Grades Explained

      Green Graded Family Adventure Holidays 1-3

      Our family activity holidays and adventures are all graded Green. All that you require to join these group trips is enthusiasm to try out various outdoor activities and a basic level of fitness. No previous experience of any of the activities is required, as our guides are used to working with beginners and with families.

      A reasonable level of fitness is useful, as you will have a couple of full days outside. However, our guides will pitch all activities at a level suitable for the group.

      These holidays are designed for families with children aged 8 or 9 – 15 years old (please see the recommended age in the trip dossier). However, if you have slightly younger children who are fit and active, we may be able to tailor the trips – please contact us to discuss this.

      Trip Reviews

      Rated 4.93 out of 5 based on 15 reviews of The Great Family Adventure – Treasure Highlands

      14
      1
      0
      0
      0

       

      Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us. Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.

      That’s why we read each of our client’s reviews and although we don’t respond to all of them, if it’s glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.

      PS

      Parshav Shah

      Reviewed on 13/09/2021

      Age: 10 - 20
      Country: UK
      Trip Date: 26/08/2021
      Trips Taken: 1

      The Bottom Line

      The Bottom Line

      This was a fantastic holiday for us and the whole family hugely enjoyed our time in Scotland. Both the boys said it was one of their best trips and they would love to do it again and spend more time in Scotland. So we will definitely be looking into doing some more travels to Scotland some time! And I know where to come as Wilderness did a great job in sorting everything out for us including restaurant bookings - it was a brilliant, responsive and tailored service and just the perfect travel solution when we all needed a holiday and had little time to look into things ourselves.

      Show More
      CW

      Corrie Worner-Phillips

      Reviewed on 07/08/2021

      Age: 40 - 50
      Country: United Kingdom
      Trip Date: 25/07/2021
      Trips Taken: 1

      The Bottom Line

      Show More
      MD

      Marta Duran Delmas

      Reviewed on 31/08/2018

      The Bottom Line

      Show More
      Load More Reviews

      Want more Wilderness in your life?

      Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about trip news, blogs and offers.