Wildlife Holidays in Scotland

Pre-Trip Service
Very good at sending out important info upon booking and prior to trip. Thank you!

Trip Comments
The ferry rides to different areas were nice. The beaches we visited were beautiful. The food we ate at various hotels was wonderful.

Accommodation and Food
The hotels on this trip were very comfortable and served wonderful food. The Langass hotel is a great location with a nice walk right from the hotel. The food was superior.

Your Guide
Our guide Malcolm O'Reilly is genuinely interested in providing a special adventure for the group. Very nice and responsible.

The Bottom Line
Wilderness Scotland is great about providing a special trip through beautiful country. They are mindful of all details which allows for participants to fully enjoy themselves.

Read Full Review

Trip Comments
The boat trip was a real highlight, and the walk on the Hermaness reserve out to Muckle Flugga. And the trip to see the storm petrels as well.

Accommodation and Food
The staff were all great, and the bedroom very comfortable. Bonus points for a bath, and for windows that you could actually open.

Your Guide
As on each previous trip, Kirsty was brilliant and a delight to be with.

The Bottom Line
I think this was my best ever Wilderness Scotland trip, and as on each previous occasion I hope to be back again.

Read Full Review

Trip Comments
It was just magical!

Accommodation and Food
You and our wonderful guide thought of everything, the Busta House Hotel was marvellous and their packed lunches were a highlight of each walk.

Your Guide
Kirsty was absolutely marvellous, she thought of everything, and we quickly developed such confidence in her. Her positive personality lifted even the stormiest day. A credit to herself and Wilderness Scotland.

The Bottom Line
Wonderful, magical, not to be missed, I came home on a high.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
I requested a single room and the staff were very helpful despite sharing being normal. Staff gave a prompt , friendly and understanding response.

Trip Comments
Beautiful hotels in wonderful locations with friendly staff. Malcolm our guide was amazing at spotting wildlife; a highlight for me was seeing a short eared owl at close quarters. He was also very knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited and about the wildlife we saw - I loved learning about moth caterpillars. He also knew all the best locations and good beaches.

Accommodation and Food
Both hotels were wonderful with great friendly staff, lovely, comfortable rooms.and good locations. I particularly enjoyed Langlass Lodge; such a great location and surroundings and the staff were great.

Your Guide
Malcolm is a great guide and good company. He is knowledgeable, ( I loved learning about moth caterpillars and dragon flies), great at spotting wildlife, a highlight for me was seeing a short eared owl at close quarters. He is good humoured and friendly and sorted out the day's programme to ensure everyone got the best experience and accommodated our different wishes with patience and good humour. He worked very hard to ensure we had a good time and I would like to thank him for this. He is an asset to Wilderness Scotland.

The Bottom Line
A wonderful trip which I will recommend without reservation to friends. All aspects of the trip were great. Obviously a lot of care and thought had been put into every aspect of the planning and during the trip our guide worked very hard to ensure we had a great time.

Read Full Review

Accommodation and Food
Very helpful, extremely friendly go out of their way to be helpful

Your Guide
Amazing, so well organised, does small things to please individual guests - these smaller things just make the whole experience so special

The Bottom Line
Above expectations

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Very swift response from the Wilderness team to my questions.

Trip Comments
We were very well looked after by our guide (Ken Keith) and the lovely hotel staff. The organisation of the trip was very smooth, including changes to the itinerary due to the weather. We had a great time with all the lovely people in our group and felt very lucky with the weather and all the wild and bird life we were able to see. We definitely recommend this trip!

Accommodation and Food
Busta House Hotel is a lovely old building with character (and a ghost!), ideally located to explore the Shetlands. The food was great, and the hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Your Guide
Ken Keith is a great guide with lots of experience. He very quickly has a good understanding of the individual abilities and interests within the group and is very good at matching that with walking route options and other things to do and see on the day. He is very approachable and always has an interesting story to tell.

The Bottom Line
The Shetland trip was our third with Wilderness Scotland and another wonderful experience also due to the smooth organisation and the great guide. We are already looking into our next trip. Can't wait!

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
The toll-free number made it easy to get in touch with the office if I had questions or something came up, like when my departing flight was changed by the airline and I wanted to know if I then would have to leave the tour early to make the flight.

Trip Comments
Second trip with WS and already planning the third! Shetland was beautiful and we had a great guide in Ken.

Accommodation and Food
Busta House was the best! Friendly and hardworking proprietors and staff, good food (and gin and whisky), clean and pretty rooms and modern bathrooms, centrally located. It was so nice to stay in one place for the entire trip instead of constantly moving hotels.

Your Guide
Ken was awesome! Knew Shetland like the back of his hand and his love of the place was contagious. Great sense of humor and all-around lovely guy.

The Bottom Line
Shetland is a must, and you can't go wrong going there with Wilderness Scotland.

Read Full Review

Trip Comments
Kirsty was an outstanding guide

Accommodation and Food
Busta House provided very comfortable accommodation and excellent food; the daily picnic lunches were excellent.

Your Guide
Kirsty was a superb guide: her extensive knowledge of the area, together with her courtesy, humour, common sense and patience made the trip a wonderful experience for us all. She worked our schedule around the weather so not one hour was wasted - perfect!

The Bottom Line
This was my second trip with Wilderness Scotland; I am already looking forward to my third. The whole experience was superb.

Read Full Review

Trip Comments
We enjoyed our week with Ken Keith who was a great guide and company. Well organised always listened and went the extra mile

Accommodation and Food
The hotel staff made every effort to ensure we enjoyed our stay breakfast,packed lunches and dinner certainly kept us going

Your Guide
Thanks to Ken Shetland met and went beyond our expectations his efforts were greatly appreciated by all the group a lovely guy.

The Bottom Line
A great experience your ticking all the right boxes

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
There were a few glitches that I experienced with the website initially and later some issues regarding payment of the final balance of the cost. In each case, I was able to talk to a real, courteous and helpful person quickly and got everything sorted easily. Web sites are great but having real helpful people in easy touch is a great asset so please keep it up.

Trip Comments
Our guide made the trip particularly special. Her enthusiasm for the landscape and the floral and fauna was infectious and her support for those of us that occasionally needed to walk a bit slower was much appreciated.

Accommodation and Food
We stayed in a very interesting hotel and the food and service was great. My only concern is that it would have been nice to be able, on day 1, to check into the hotel at the start of the day so that we could change into appropriate hiking/rain gear before the day 1 walk.

Your Guide
I already mentioned this in an earlier comment but our guide was great. Her enthusiasm for the places we hiked and her knowledge and interest in the floral and fauna we saw was exemplary. Also, she was always ready to accommodate particular concerns of each of the trip members and allow for the rather large range in hiking stamina that was evident in our group.

The Bottom Line
This was a great trip and I highly recommend it.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
I had a few emails back & forth with Bridget which were helpful!

Accommodation and Food
Each & every staff atBusta House worked 150% so thoughtful $ helpful! Rooms were comfortable & well serviced by cleaning staff!

Your Guide
Ken Keith was exceedingly helpful , thoughtful & caring! I had an asthma attack about 5 weeks before the trip. It impacted my ability to hike hills in the Shetlands. Luckily we were a small group of three so Ken was able to provide me with options & still made me feel included! Can’t say enough great things about him!!!!

The Bottom Line
I think Wilderness Scotland is an organization that takes it’s mission very seriously! It’s very obvious every step of the process registering, being welcomed & then being guided & cared for!

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
I would have appreciated more if I could have charged the rest amount directly on my credit Card MYSELF as I could with the downpayment, instead of mailing you my Card Details. I thought that was too insecure. Mistakes happen fast.

TEAM WILDERNESS RESPONSE:

Thanks so much for your feedback. We would not generally recommend sending any card details by email. You can now pay your balance online however you can also pay over the phone or by bank transfer so you certainly should not need to email your card details.

Trip Comments
Highlights every day! Seeing animals that we don't have here! Like badgers, 2 kinds of owls incl. chicks, hunting dolphins at Canonry Point, sea otters very relaxed, sealife in ponds a.s.o, and of course exploring new Areas. Lots of time everywhere we went.

Accommodation and Food
Accommodations excellent. As for Food, I'm not a great fan of Scottish Food, but had to cope with it ;)

Your Guide
I thought he was very knowledgeable about everything to do with Flora, Fauna, sealife, knew all the best places to go and often found the animals he and we were looking for. He worked hard trying to meet our expectations [which HE thought we had :) ], and to show us what was in the program, which is almost a miracle as wilderness is not a zoo. Very friendly and cheerful. We could share his Passion for wildlife. Unforgettable!

The Bottom Line
Unique and awesome!

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
All my queries I had were answered promptly and courteously.

Trip Comments
Our guide (Malcolm) was very accommodating and gave us good and interesting information throughout the trip. Felt little "trapped" at The Lodge for dinner where the minimum charge was £23. I understand that this was part of your agreement with the Lodge maybe in securing the rooms. However, it was not part of my agreement with you.

Accommodation and Food
Felt little "trapped" at The Lodge for dinner where the minimum charge was £23. Although the food was excellent and I understand this was part of your agreement with the Lodge maybe in securing the rooms. However, it was not part of my agreement with you. The food was excellent throughout the trip.

Your Guide
Malcolm was extremely patient with the group which consisted of many different personalities. He endeavoured to give us interesting information during the many miles we travelled ....and he succeeded. Always had a smile on his face which is very important to make people feel at home.

The Bottom Line
I enjoyed every minute of my trip from the Isle of Mull to the Moray Firth. Great memories of the views with beautiful fauna and flora will stay with me forever. Thank you Wilderness Scotland!

Read Full Review

Trip Comments
The trip highlight was the day on Hirta, including the boat ride out and back. St. Kilda is an awesome place, in an historic and ecological sense.

Accommodation and Food
Two very different hotels, old and new, each with its own attractions.

Your Guide
Don was patient, perceptive, professional, and personal! I would recommend going on a Hebrides birding tour with Don to all my friends and family.

The Bottom Line
Pick a tour that most intrigues you and go for it!

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Slightly over-bombarded with instructions before the trip so inclined to ignore them!

Trip Comments
Malcolm was such a good guide for wildlife, and so knowledgeable. Highlight was trip by boat to Shiant Islands.

Accommodation and Food
Hotels very comfortable and food good.

Your Guide
Malcolm was very knowledgeable and patient and ensured everyone was having a good time.

The Bottom Line
Very good. Hope to do another trip with Wilderness Scotland next year, although I know they get booked up far ahead. Our daughter is doing one ih 2018 to Knoydart.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Good website, staff helpful and friendly.

Trip Comments
Great guide, good itinerary, comfortable accommodation, fab weather and a lovely group - what more can I say.

Accommodation and Food
Interesting and comfortable hotel. Brilliant staff, owners and all staff without exception friendly, efficient and nothing was too much trouble.

Your Guide
Ken was a great guide, knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife, looked after us all, may have adapted the itinerary to suit us all without us knowing, and set the scene for a lovely friendly group experience.

The Bottom Line
This was my 5th WS trip, which must say something! Every one has been a great experience and this certainly lived up to expectations.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Prompt replies to inquiries, seemed friendly and helpful

Trip Comments
There was a lot of time spent driving. I was expecting to be walking more.
Dinners and breakfasts were excellent...packed lunches were OK, but sandwiches were lacking.
Our guide was great! He worked hard to be sure we a good experience. As a group, we understood that we were not in Disneyland, and that the animals might not show. Malcom seemed as excited as we were to see them! That kind of enthusiasm is infectious.

Accommodation and Food
Lunches could have been better. Accommodations and other meals were excellent!

Your Guide
See comments for trip overall. Malcom was great!

The Bottom Line
I will look to Wilderness Scotland when planning future adventures in Scotland!

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Timely responses to email inquiries always appreciated.

Trip Comments
It is at all the fault of WS or the guide, but we did not see as much wildlife as I had hoped on this trip. Would have been excellent to see more wildlife.

Your Guide
Malcolm was very knowledgeable, not only about wildlife and the environment, but also about history. I learned a lot!

The Bottom Line
This was my second trip with Wilderness Scotland, and I would definitely recommend them -- trips are well organized and high quality.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
ready and accurate responses to my phone calls.

Trip Comments
Brilliant guide and hotel, we were well cared-for. Guide ( the excellent and ever-helpful Kirsty) adjusted our itinerary to fit the weather, she cared for us and was always cheerful and ready to listen as well as tell us about wildlife, history, flora and fauna, and something of her own life and experience. Busta House meals and packed lunches were ace, staff always cheerful and ready to accommodate all our needs. Good size tour (just 8 of us) meant that we all heard and learnt together. And Shetland was beautiful, even in the rain (first day only).

Accommodation and Food
Think I responded to much of this in the last question(!). But can't fault the hotel on anything from food and rooms, to the banter with the managers and all the other staff.

Your Guide
Can't praise Kirsty enough, nor have enough superlatives for her. She made the trip for us all.

The Bottom Line
An excellent tour with the customer really well looked-after. I've been praising the company (and Shetland) to anyone who asks ever since I got back.

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
Office staff most efficient and helpful to me as planning my trip.

Trip Comments
Really interesting trip seeking different birds,animals and sea life. Walking was
delightful. Trip to Shianti island was special (sorry we couldn't go to St Kilda)
good weather but rough seas. Standing by cairns on No. Uist, viewing the many
lochs and lochans from a hilltop was a special treat.The hike over the runrigs and out
to the point on Harris(opposite the ancient church) was interesting and pretty.

Accommodation and Food
Breakfasts were wonderful. Langass Lodge had tasty and beautifully appointed
dinners, a treat to look at.

Your Guide
Malcom was a super guide. His knowledge and enthusiasm created enthusiasm in
all of us to look harder and to see the many flora and fauna which he pointed out to us. He went out of his way to make sure we had many opportunities to discover the
abundance of natural beauty in Scotland. I learned a lot and enjoyed the walks as
we sought otters, sea life, birds, plants, insects. He really gave us a lot of information, set a nice pace as we walked, and set up the telescope so we novices
could see lots that was far away (like red deer, seals, perhaps even an otter once.

The Bottom Line
overall experience was wonderful. This was my second trip in 2 weeks and hope to do more

Read Full Review

Pre-Trip Service
I have great problems trying to use this system so I am not really able to make a good judgement.

Trip Comments
Good leader poor weather.

Accommodation and Food
I did think about the price compared with my last trip. Clearly the hotels were better. Very happy with the result.

Your Guide
Very good local knowledge with a bit of luck.

The Bottom Line
I am considering next year but age will be a major issue. I am hoping for another enjoyable trip.

Read Full Review