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      Wildlife Adventures

      The Scottish Highlands

      35 reviews

      Next Trip: 6th - 12th Apr 2024 Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

      From £2,275 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 2 Travellers Book
      Deposit From: £568.75 £568.75

      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

      On a carefully crafted, fully guided adventure, discover the wonderful wildlife and beautiful landscapes of the Scottish Highlands.

      From wild coastlines to mountain plateaus, ancient forests to sandy bays, explore by foot, by boat and by kayak Scotland’s diverse habitats and the plants, animals and insects they support. Led by an expert and highly knowledgeable guide, enjoy spending time on the beautiful Isle of Mull, in the rugged Cairngorms National Park and on the quiet coastline of Moray. By the sea, search for sea eagles, otters, seals and dolphins. Further inland, hike in the hills with the chance of spotting ptarmigan, grouse, dotterel and golden eagles. Lower down, ribbon your way through ancient pine forests, keeping an eye out for red squirrels, red deer and the incredibly elusive capercaillie.

      Along the way, enjoy cosy accommodation, delicious food, and lovely company as you celebrate the wildlife of the Highlands.

       

      Trip Highlights

      • Search for Scotland's largest birds of prey: sea eagles, golden eagles and ospreys.
      • Sea kayak with seals in a turquoise, sheltered bay on the West Coast.
      • Visit a wildlife hide at dusk with the chance of spotting badgers and pine martens.

      Did you know?


      This trip can be booked as a private departure


      Learn more

      Day by Day Itinerary

      Day 1 – Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

      Meet your Wilderness guide at Inverness Train Station this morning and begin winding your way south along the shores of Loch Ness. Stop to visit Urquhart Castle, a site that has witnessed some of the most dramatic chapters in our nation’s history. Learn about its distinctly Highland heritage by exploring the iconic ruins and examining the remarkable collections of artefacts left by former residents. Continue towards the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, arriving at your friendly hotel, which looks out across the seaweed-strewn shores and shimmering waters of Loch Sunart. (L, D)

      Day 2 – Isle of Mull and Sea Eagles

      After a relaxed breakfast, catch the small white ferry to the Isle of Mull. Deeply indented by sea lochs and dominated by the impressive mass of Ben More (a Munro at 966 meters), Mull’s coastline both sheers into cliffs and flattens into round, sandy bays. Join your guide in a search for white-tailed eagles, known in Gaelic as iolaire sùil na grèineas –  the eagle with the sunlit eye. Once they have established their territory, they tend to stay there for life, so although rare, there is a good chance of seeing them when you know where to look. (B, L, D)

      Day 3 – Sea Kayaking with Seals

      Today, head out to explore the clear turquoise waters and white sandy beaches of Arisaig. Sea kayak around hundreds of tiny islands, looking out for otters and many coastal birds, including guillemots, shags, fulmars, kittiwakes and terns. The seal colony here is friendly and curious, often slipping beneath your boat only to pop up on the other side to peer at you with their big dark eyes. A wonderful, sheltered place to paddle, there’s no need for any previous sea kayaking experience as you’ll be looked after impeccably by an expert guide. (B, L, D)

      Day 4 – The Cairngorms and RSPB Insh Marshes

      After breakfast, wind your way east into the beautiful bounds of the Cairngorms National Park. This morning’s drive is incredibly picturesque, ribboning its way along the banks of Loch Laggan and through a handful of small Highland villages. After a lovely lunch, arrive at Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve, one of the most important wetland areas in Europe and home to curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe. Meet an RSPB warden and wander through the marshes. Learn about how the habitat is maintained, and spot birds as you go. Relax in your cosy accommodation this evening tucked in the heart of the Cairngorms. (B, L, D)

      Day 5 – Mountains and Reindeer

      Today, head up into the Cairngorm Mountains for a stunning hike into the wild landscape. An excellent path from a high-level car park means you are instantly rewarded with beautiful views of slate blue plateaus and rocky, heather-strewn hillsides. The aim of today is to see Scotland’s only herd of free-roaming reindeer, a complete delight to witness grazing contentedly on grass, lichen and birch leaves. After returning from the mountain, enjoy a delicious early dinner before heading out into the inky, star-studded night to a wildlife hide. In the soft quiet of darkness, look out for badgers and the elusive pine marten. (B, L, D)

      Day 6 – Red Squirrels and Ospreys

      After a slightly later evening last night, enjoy a very relaxed start to the day. After a leisurely breakfast and fresh, hot coffee, join your guide for a lovely local walk that showcases some of the most beautiful scenary in the area. Look out for chaffinches, coal tits and red squirrels as you walk, chatting to your guide about the flora and fauna of the area. After lunch, head to a nearby Nature Reserve, stopping in at the Visitor Centre to learn about Scotland’s ospreys. A powerful bird of prey once hunted to extinction in the UK, they have a wingspan of about 150cm and pluck fish from beneath the surface with their curling talons. (B, L, D)

      Day 7 – Dolphins and Dunes

      As the sun climbs higher into the sky, leave the pine-fringed lochs and wind-blown summits of the Cairngorms behind as you wind north towards the coast. Arriving by the sea, hop on a boat and cruise out onto the water to spot the resident colony of playful bottlenose dolphins. Enjoy the fresh, salty breeze as you learn about the wildlife of the Moray Firth before returning to the mainland for lunch. This afternoon join your guide for a lovely, final walk of your trip, exploring sand dunes and soaking up the far-reaching views of this quiet coastline. Finish your trip at Inverness Railway Station. (B, L)

      Download Itinerary

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      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:

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      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 2024AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
      6th Apr - 12th Apr 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,275Book Now
      20th Apr - 26th Apr 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,275Book Now
      4th May - 10th May 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,275Book Now
      18th May - 24th May 20246 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,275Book Now
      8th Jun - 14th Jun 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,275Book Now

      Trip Details

      Expand All
      Accommodation Read More

      In Ardnamurchan, we stay at a small, family-run Highland guest house with one of Scotland’s best panoramic loch and mountain views. The hotel offers comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi. The meals here are a delight, with a strong focus on locally sourced produce.

      We spend three nights in the Cairngorms National Park. Our base here is in a sleepy Highland village in a lovingly restored Victorian House. The guest house offers the highest standards of customer care, all in a welcoming and cosy environment.

      Single rooms

      No supplement is 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 lunch on day 1 to lunch 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 11:00am on Day 1 of your trip. You will be returned to Inverness station by 4:00pm 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

      View Profile
      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

      Joe Mann
      6th Apr - 12th Apr 2024

      Keith Miller
      20th Apr - 26th Apr 2024

      Dave Picken
      4th May - 10th May 2024

      View guides for all departures

      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 4.97 out of 5 based on 35 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.

      PG

      Pamela Grieve

      Reviewed on 28/06/2023

      Age: 60 - 70
      Country: England
      Trip Date: 20/05/2023
      Trips Taken: 2

      The Bottom Line

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      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.

      Show More
      TS

      Trent Stanley

      Reviewed on 16/05/2023

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

      The Bottom Line

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