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Region: Inner Hebrides including Skye
Trip Type: Wildlife
Accommodation: Deluxe
Max Group Size: 8
Confirmed: When 2 Travellers Book
Deposit From: £338.75 £338.75

Grading:

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

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Join us on a journey to the beautiful Hebridean island of Islay, one of the most wildlife-rich locations on the west coast of Scotland. Home to some of the most incredible spectacles, including Barnacle Geese, which flock to Islay in their thousands each year. Here, you will experience the incredible wealth of birdlife and marine life that seek refuge in the wild places of this intriguing island. Let your guide bring this island to life with their knowledge and interpretation of behaviour so that you don’t miss a thing. Set foot on white sandy beaches, coastal trails and the endless expanses of grassland found in the famous coastal ‘machairs’ as you gain a fascinating insight into the tapestry of island life.

Experience Islay’s true spirit and hospitality with a tour and tasting of one of the island’s famous whisky distilleries. Relax in your handpicked luxury hotel accommodation and enjoy delicious, locally sourced produce each evening.

Trip Highlights

Explore the profound and natural beauty of the Queen of the Hebrides.
Witness the magnificent diversity of wildlife that visit Islay each year.
Visit one of the islands world famous distilleries for a tour and tasting.
Relax in the comfort of our warm and cosy handpicked accommodation.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Argyll's Beavers

Meeting in Oban this morning we’ll transfer a short distance to Knapdale – where beavers were reintroduced to Scotland in 2009 after a 400 year absence. We take a fascinating tour with the knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff and find evidence of their presence, from gnawed trees to footprints in the sand. Later this afternoon, settle into your historic accommodation for the night, tucked away just a few miles from Tarbert, on the northern tip of the peninsula. (L, D)

Day 2 – Islay Sea Cliffs and Eagles

Approaching Islay by ferry this morning, we set out to explore the Oa Peninsula in the far south of the island. Our hike today goes through the Oa Nature Reserve, an area of breathtaking beauty which includes dramatic sea cliffs, freshwater loch, and wide-open moor and grassland. We’ll visit the American Monument, commemorating the loss of two troops’ ships in 1918. The viewpoint here is just 200m high, but it offers expansive views of the Atlantic and, on a clear day, the coast of Northern Ireland can be seen. Continuing through the Nature Reserve, we’ll keep a close eye out for a few island locals, including twite, hen harriers and the majestic golden eagles that soar through the endless skies. (B, L)

Day 3 – The Geese of Loch Gruinart

Today we head north to the sweeping white sands of Loch Gruinart and Loch Gorm. During October, around 20,000 geese arrive here from Greenland for the winter. There are sometimes so many that they turn the fields black. The sight and sound of such abundant life is an incredible experience. We’ll explore this area on foot, looking to identify other species. This is a good area to see birds of prey, including hen harriers, sparrow-hawks, merlin, peregrine and golden eagles as well as the flocks of small birds that feed in the stubble fields. (B, L)

Day 4 – Whisky and Wildlife

Embark on a coastal walk along an easily accessible pathway that links the distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. We’ll stop here for an intimate tour and dram at one of these renowned distilleries before continuing to Claggain Bay and Ardtalla beach. Your guide will help you spot the local birdlife, and if you’re lucky, you may get a visit from a native seal colony lounging on the rocks along the shore. (B, L, D)

Day 5 – Port Askaig to Kennacraig

After a relaxing breakfast, we will take the morning ferry back to the Argyll mainland. Keep a lookout for marine wildlife and admire the captivating backdrop formed by the Paps of Jura as we go. Once back in Kennacraig, it’s a 90-minute transfer back to Oban. We should arrive at the train station by 2pm, where your trip will end. (B)

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Wildlife Adventures

Autumn Wildlife Islay

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Trip Dates & Prices

Trip Dates for 2023	Availability	Status	Price	Book
6th Oct - 10th Oct 2023	4 places left	CONFIRMED	£1,355	Book Now
27th Oct - 31st Oct 2023	2 places left	CONFIRMED	£1,355	Book Now
10th Nov - 14th Nov 2023	8 places left	UNCONFIRMED	£1,295	Book Now

Trip Details

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Accommodation Read More

This itinerary is based in two different locations throughout the course of the trip, with one night on the mainland and three nights on the Isle of Islay. Each of the accommodations offer double and twin rooms, most with en-suite facilities.

Single Rooms

For solo travellers: Accommodation is based on sharing a twin room with another solo traveller of the same gender. A limited number of rooms for single occupancy are available on a first come first served basis, subject to a single supplement of £280. Please enquire about availability at the time of booking.

Meals Read More

Included on this trip are lunch and dinner on day 1, breakfast and lunch on days two through to four, with dinner also included on day four and breakfast only on your last morning. Please see the daily itinerary for inclusions. Included dinners are two courses as standard.

Throughout the journey, varied island produce will be served up in hearty meals. Enjoy some of the finest local produce from the land, air and sea, and of course, any special dietary requirements are happily catered for.

On this trip, we generally eat dinner as a group; however, if you would like to make alternative arrangements, you are free to do so. Your guide will have an evening off during this trip where they do not eat with the group. They will recommend dinner options that evening and help you make any necessary reservations.

Inclusions Read More

4 nights accommodation in handpicked accommodation
Meals as indicated in the itinerary (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Tour and tasting of one of Islay’s world famous distilleries
The services of an experienced and knowledgeable guide/driver throughout
All transport throughout the trip, starting at the train station in Oban on Day 1 and finishing back there on the last day.

Trip Grading Read More: Green Graded 1-3
Green graded walking holidays are suitable for active travellers who are reasonably fit and enjoy moderate hikes. We walk at a comfortable pace, and you can expect to be out for 5-6 hours a day. The terrain will be mostly good paths and hill trails, but these can still be muddy and rough in places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. Distances will typically be 8-10km, but there may be the odd slightly longer day. Daily hike details are available in the itinerary.

Travel – Arrival and Departure Read More

All transport and travel is included from your pick up point on Day 1 at 11:30am at Oban Train Station until you are dropped back there on Day 5 at 2:00pm.

If you would like to use your own vehicle on the trip please get in touch with our team to discuss.

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

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Rachael Gavan

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.

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Meet Your Guide

Keith Miller
6th Oct - 10th Oct 2023

Jen Towill
27th Oct - 31st Oct 2023

Kirsty Chuchla
10th Nov - 14th Nov 2023

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Difficulty Grades Explained

Green Graded Wildlife Holidays 1-3
All of our wildlife trips are graded Green and involve straightforward hiking with no major ascents, as well as other activities which are pitched at novice level. You can expect to be active for around 5 hours each day so you will need a reasonable level of fitness. Please note that there may be some early starts and late nights as we seek to maximise our chances of finding wildlife, although you can always opt out of activities if you prefer an early night or long lie in the morning!

So to help you decide if you are fit enough for this kind of trip, ask yourself:

Are you generally active and, for example, happy to hike for 6 miles (10km), including some ascent, with rough ground in places?
Are you up for a challenge and trying new activities such as sea kayaking or boat trips?
Are you looking for a wildlife trip which involves more than simply sitting in a hide?

Compare wildlife trip grades

Trip Reviews

Rated 4.67 out of 5 based on 6 reviews of Wildlife Adventures – Autumn Wildlife Islay

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.

Richard McCombs

Reviewed on 06/11/2022

Age: 70 - 80
Country: United States
Trip Date: 21/10/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

Marion Fyfe

Reviewed on 04/11/2022

Age: 70 - 80
Country: United Kingdom
Trip Date: 21/10/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Holiday well worth the cost a great experience

Susan Mitchell

Reviewed on 30/10/2022

Age: 50 - 60
Country: Scotland
Trip Date: 21/10/2022
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

This was an amazing short trip combining the amazing scenery of Argyll and Islay with a knowledgable and caring guide. The accommodation on Islay was above excellent as was the food and the company.

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Wilderness England

Autumn Wildlife Islay

Travel Planning & Advice

Trip Highlights

Did you know?

This trip can be booked as a private departure

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Argyll's Beavers

Day 2 – Islay Sea Cliffs and Eagles

Day 3 – The Geese of Loch Gruinart

Day 4 – Whisky and Wildlife

Day 5 – Port Askaig to Kennacraig

Trip Dates & Prices

Trip Details

Single Rooms

Green Graded 1-3

Photo Gallery

Make This Trip Private

Speak to an Expert

Rachael Gavan

Meet Your Guide

Difficulty Grades Explained

Trip Reviews

Your Guide

Pre-Trip Service

Trip Comments

Accommodation & Food

Your Guide

The Bottom Line

Trip Comments

Accommodation & Food

Your Guide

The Bottom Line

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