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    Wildlife Adventures

    The Scottish Highlands

    34 reviews

    Next Trip: 17th - 23rd Jun 2023 Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

    From £2,195 View Prices & Dates

    Travel Planning & Advice

    Book With Confidence

    Trip created by Stevie Christie
    View Stevie's Profile

    Region: Multi-Location
    Trip Type: Wildlife
    Accommodation: Classic
    Max Group Size: 8
    Confirmed: When 3 Travellers Book
    Deposit From: £548.75 £548.75

    Grading:

    Carbon Footprint: 176kg ? 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

    This wildlife holiday in Scotland is a fresh way to experience the fantastic and diverse wildlife of the Scottish Highlands.

    Rather than being a list-ticking trip, it’s designed to be a fun and informative multi-activity trip across the Highlands.

    Led by our expert guides, we’ll seek out species such as dolphins, red deer and golden eagles as we explore Scotland’s wild places. And while we will visit a hide or two, most of the wildlife will be encountered as we enjoy activities such as boat trips, walks and even some sea kayaking. All activities will be conducted at an easy pace, so are suitable for everyone to enjoy.

    Trip Highlights

    • Dolphin-watching on an exciting boat trip.
    • Finding Scotland's largest birds of prey - sea eagles, golden eagles and ospreys.
    • Sea kayaking with seals in the West Highlands.
    • Visit a wildlife hide at dusk to see pine marten and badgers.

    Day by Day Itinerary

    Day 1 – Loch Ness

    On the way to Strontian, we stop at Loch Ness and visit Urquhart Castle, the spectacular ruined castle on the banks of the loch. Rumour has it that Nessie resides in a sub-aqua cave beneath the castle, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled and may end this wildlife trip with a sighting of the most elusive creature of all. (D)

    Day 2 – Isle of Mull, Eagles and Otters

    From our hotel, it’s a short transfer to the pier where we jump on the ferry for the 15-minute crossing to the Isle of Mull. We’ll go in search of its famous sea eagles and golden eagles, as well as spending time on the coast looking for otters. Even the ferry journey offers the chance to look for dolphins, whales and basking sharks. (B, L, D)

    Day 3 – Sea Kayaking with Seals

    Today, we enjoy sea kayaking in the sheltered waters of the Arisaig skerries. This relaxed day will allow us to enjoy close encounters with seals, and perhaps even otters or porpoises. No experience is needed to enjoy the sea kayaking and you’ll be looked after by qualified, expert guides. (B, L, D)

    Day 4 – RSPB Reserve and Evening Hide Visit

    Today we transfer east to the beautiful Cairngorms National Park, where we enjoy an afternoon stop at the RSPB Reserve at Insh Marshes. One of the most important wetlands in Europe, we can look out for many bird species such as lapwing, redshank and curlew. Roe deer can also be seen here. After checking into our hotel and having dinner, we head out for an evening excursion to a wildlife hide. As dusk falls, we hope to see species such as pine marten and badger. (B, L, D)

    Day 5 – Mountain Species of the Cairngorms

    Today we explore the wildlife of the Cairngorm mountains. Accessing the mountains from a high-level car park at 2000 feet, we enjoy an easy hike into the Northern Corries, where we hope to see Scotland’s only herd of reindeer. We’ll also look out for red deer, mountain hares, ptarmigan and golden eagles – as well as enjoying the spectacular scenery. (B, L, D)

    Day 6 – Dolphins and Dunes

    Show-casing the diversity of the Scottish Highlands, a short transfer from our hotel in the mountains takes us to the coast where we hop onto a boat for a dolphin-spotting excursion in the Moray Firth, one of the best places in Scotland to see these playful creatures. Back on dry land, we’ll enjoy a beautiful coastal walk, exploring the sand dunes and nature of this often overlooked coastline. (B, L, D)

    Day 7 – Ospreys and Red Squirrels

    Leaving the hotel after breakfast we visit a nearby nature reserve where we should be able to see ospreys, red squirrels and a number of other species which inhabit this beautiful and ancient Scots Pine Forest. (B)

    X
    Wildlife Adventures
    The Scottish 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.

    Trip Dates & Prices

    Trip Dates for 2023AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
    17th Jun - 23rd Jun 20231 place leftCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now
    Trip Dates for 2024AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
    6th Apr - 12th Apr 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now
    20th Apr - 26th Apr 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now
    4th May - 10th May 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now
    18th May - 24th May 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now
    8th Jun - 14th Jun 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,195Book Now

    Trip Details

    Accommodation Read More

    In Ardnamurchan, we stay at a small, family-run, Highland guest house which has one of the best panoramic loch and mountain views in Scotland. The hotel was renovated in 2008 and offers comfortable rooms with free wi-fi. The meals here are a delight, with a strong focus on locally sourced produce.

    We spend 3 nights in and around the Cairngorms National Park. Our base here is at the beautiful Dalrachney Lodge, located in a sleepy Highland village called Carrbridge. Dalrachney Lodge offers the highest standards of customer care and service, all set in a welcoming and comfortable environment.

    Single rooms

    There is no supplement charged to solo travellers, however, you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. For this itinerary, a supplement of £435 per person will be payable where a single, en-suite room is required. Single occupancy rooms are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.

    Meals Read More

    All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7 are included on this trip. The meals throughout this wildlife tour of the Scottish Highlands are a delight, with a strong focus on seasonal and locally sourced produce.

    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 options for dinner that evening and will help you make any necessary reservations. Included dinners are two courses as standard.

    Inclusions Read More
    • 6 nights accommodation in carefully selected guest houses and hotels
    • Most meals during the trip. (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
    • The services of an experienced and knowledgeable guide/driver throughout
    • All transport throughout the trip starting and finishing in Inverness
    • All boat trips and ferry transfers
    • Dolphin spotting boat trip
    • 1 Day guided sea kayaking including all equipment
    • Entrance fees to wildlife hides, nature reserves and historical sites as per itinerary
    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 be typically 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

    You will be met by your Wilderness Scotland Guide at the fixed seating area in the centre of Inverness Railway Station at 12:00 pm on Day 1 of your trip. You will be returned to Inverness station by 1:00 pm on the final day.

    For advice on getting to and from Scotland please our travel advice page on our website: www.wildernessscotland.com/faq/travel-to-scotland/

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

    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

    Jane Gillies

    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 Jane a Question

    Meet Your Guide

    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:

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

    Compare wildlife trip grades

    Trip Reviews

    Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 34 reviews of Wildlife Adventures – The Scottish Highlands

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    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.

    LG

    Libby Gilbert

    Reviewed on 18/05/2023

    Age: 60 - 70
    Country: United States
    Trip Date: 29/04/2023
    Trips Taken: 4

    The Bottom Line

    The Bottom Line

    This wildlife trip hits a staggering number of sites and habitats in a week--from western lochs and the Isle of Mull to the Cairngorms and Black Isle and seemingly everywhere in between--and one spends more time in the van than on Wilderness Scotland's wilderness walking trips, but the upshot is: eagles, otters, seals, osprey, seabirds, reindeer, songbirds, water birds, badgers, hairy coos, iridescent insects and a pine marten! It was all good, but the highlights for me were sea kayaking, Mull, climbing a Cairngorm peak, and seeing that pine marten up close.

    TS

    Trent Stanley

    Reviewed on 16/05/2023

    Age: 50 - 60
    Country: USA
    Trip Date: 29/04/2023
    Trips Taken: 1

    The Bottom Line

    SM

    Sandra Morris

    Reviewed on 15/05/2023

    Age: 50 - 60
    Country: Ireland
    Trip Date: 29/04/2023
    Trips Taken: 4

    The Bottom Line

    The Bottom Line

    This was my 4th Wilderness Scotland trip but most definitely not my last as I continue to explore different activities & sides to The Highlands. I couldn't rate Wilderness Scotland anything more than excellent. Food, accommodation, activities & guides always deliver exceptional quality. It's the only way to get the real Highland experience where you might travel solo but walk away with friends with lifelong memories

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