Book Now
| Dates | Available all year round. Our local knowledge means we can advise on the best times of year to go to specific destinations and areas, when the best time of year is for particular species and what can be seen during the seasons. Or if you already have your dates in the calendar, we can build the best itinerary to suit that time of year.
All our scheduled holiday itineraries within the UK and overseas can also be organised for private groups, with optional extensions and different levels of accommodation and meals available for most destinations. So if you have seen a holiday in the schedule but would like to tailor it to your own needs please let us know.
|
| Guides | We have a pool of professional, local guides, each with specific knowledge and interests, covering birds, mammals, cetaceans, plants and insects. Our guides know the best places to go for the species and sites you hope to see, meaning you can sit back and let them do the planning. Once booked, your guide will contact you a couple of days beforehand to discuss the final details of your days out.
|
| Transport | Our guides will collect you from your accommodation using comfortable 8-seater minibuses, with large viewing windows. Collection from Inverness Airport or the local train station can be arranged for an additional charge along with transport to the Mammal Hide.
|
| Accommodation | You can choose to be based in either Aviemore or Grantown on Spey and we shall include 4* guesthouse or small hotel style accommodation with ensuite rooms as part of your package.
|
| Meals | Based on a bed and breakfast basis with packed lunches included for guided days out.
|
| Additional Activities | You may choose to add in visits to local attractions, such as whisky or gin distilleries, the Highland Folk Museum, Culloden Battlefield or maybe a local castle.
|
| Guided Days Out | There are many daily suggestions to choose from for your guided days out, which can be seen on the ‘itinerary’ page.
|
| Included | Your package will include accommodation, breakfasts and packed lunches on your guided days. We make all the arrangements, so you are left to enjoy yourselves. All necessary information regarding travel, walking, weather, insects, meals, clothing and accommodation will be provided in advance of the holiday, together with an appropriate species list.
|
| You can rely on our 30 years of experience, local knowledge and professional wildlife guides to help you plan and book your bespoke trip. We use small, friendly accommodation, that provide a warm Highland welcome and your own space to relax in during your holiday.
We have given an example below of a frequently requested bespoke package, but when you choose the elements of your own trip, we shall ask you how long you would like to stay, how many days out wildlife watching with one of our guides you would like to include and whether you’d like other cultural or historical experiences during the trip. Send that to us using the ‘book’ button and we’ll cost everything for you.
In addition, we’ve set out below the variety of days out wildlife watching that you can enjoy. On the booking form, just pick the number of days you’d like and we’ll ensure your guide makes the most of your time with us.
Example Packages
Three Nights, Two Guests - Choose to be based in either Grantown on Spey or Aviemore for three nights in a double or twin ensuite room. Your guide will collect you after breakfast on day two for a guided day in the Cairngorms, structured to the species or locations you hope to see. Day three will allow for time to explore the local area, or maybe the coast in your own time, before an early dinner and evening spent in our Mammal Hide hoping to see Badgers and Pine Marten at close quarters.
Seven Nights, Two Guests - Choose to be based in either Grantown on Spey or Aviemore for seven nights in a double or twin ensuite room. Your guide will collect you after breakfast on day two for a guided day in the Cairngorms of approximately 8 hours, structured to the species or locations you hope to see and there will be another day allocated in the week for an extended day out wildlife watching, allowing for an earlier start or later finish. Your other days will be your own, giving you time to explore the local area, maybe the coast or a local distillery and one evening you will be able to visit our Mammal Hide hoping to see Badgers and Pine Marten at close quarters.
For further details and to book please click here.
Guided Day Itineraries
Ancient Caledonian Pine Forest - Visit the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest, home to Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and other woodland birds. Mammals may include Red Squirrel and Roe Deer. This day involves a degree of walking on good tracks and trails through the forest.
Moorland and Moray Coast - Explore the vast open moorlands and windswept lochs for divers, Osprey, Merlin, Peregrine, Red Kite and Red Grouse, before heading to the Moray coast for Osprey, seaduck, waders and terns. Dependent on tide times, there’s a chance of Bottlenose Dolphin. Divers can be found on freshwater lochs during the breeding season from April through to the end of September.
Highland Glens - Visit a spectacular local glen for Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine, Merlin, Ring Ouzel, Red Deer, Mountain Hare and Wild Goats. We drive through spectacular scenery into the heart of the mountains and then take a low level walk further into the glen on good gravel tracks.
Woodland Walks - Local woods provide a tranquil location to look and listen for Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and other woodland birds. Peregrine breed on the crags and Ospreys are regularly seen throughout the spring/summer. We can walk to the viewpoint if you wish, to get stunning views across to the mountains and surrounding glens. This itinerary does require a reasonable degree of fitness. The best time to visit for migrant birds, is from late April through to August. We’ll combine this location with another lowland wood further along the Strath.
River Spey Walk - During spring or early summer the famous ‘River Spey’ will be teeming with birdlife; Dipper, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, Goldeneye, Common Sandpiper and feeding Swifts, Swallows and martins with a chance of Otter. In summer the riverbanks can be good for butterflies, including Dark Green Fritillary. In winter, the river provides a calm and tranquil place for Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye and other resident birds.
Loch Fleet - Slightly further afield, but close for those staying around Inverness, lies the vast expanse of Loch Fleet. In summer we’ll watch fishing Ospreys and terns while the dunes hold a myriad of beautiful flowers. Nearby woodlands have rare flowers and breeding crossbills and as summer progresses into autumn more waders arrive along with large flocks of wildlfowl. At any time of year you can enjoy close views of basking Grey and Harbour seals on the sandbanks. The walks along the dunes are not strenuous and at any time of year there is plenty of wildlife variety to enjoy.
The Black Isle - Just north of Inverness lies the Black Isle, almost surrounded by water and visited by large numbers of waders, ducks and geese as autumn approaches and through the winter. Peregrine Falcons may dash through sending birds skyward - all viewable from a large comfortable hide. Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, divers and grebes spend the winter here and in autumn passing skuas and auks add to the excitement as we visit one of the best vantage points for Bottlenose Dolphins in the UK. We can also include a visit to nearby woodlands for crossbills and Crested Tits, plus dragonflies and butterflies in the summer.
|
"Too many to say. Enduring views of Hen Harriers (m and f). The knowledge, friendliness, courtesy and patience of guides (as well as fellow travellers!). Knowledge of local history, folk tales, etc.
... Maes Howe rune "moment" by local guide. Sea Eagle emerging up the valley (Hoy)"
Claire Galt, Guildford RSPB
|
Wood mice, Tawny Owl, Red Deer and Badgers from the hide. Brown Hare and particularly Mountain Hare. Great and Arctic Skuas. Ptarmigan. Black-throated Diver very close up. Excellent views of Otters
Sea Eagle, Storm Petrel, Puffins, Ring Ousel and much more. Being with two guides with such astonishingly keen eyes and ears was a rare treat."
Anna & Andy Stribley, Guildford RSPB
|
"Walking to the top of Cairngorm, seeing the Dotterel, Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting, and then walking back down in hail and snow! Seeing so many 'families' with their young, especially the flotilla of Goldeneye chicks. Finding the Dipper nest at the bridge and the Wren's nest inside Mid Howe Cairn.
Having the best view ever of a female Hen Harrier and seeing all the rings on her tail! Seeing a Sea Eagle for the first time, and the Otters swimming...... The archeological sites, atmosphere and history of Orkney."
Carol Lewis, Guildford RSPB
|
"Duncan and Sally organised a session for the group to feed back holiday highlights - I was impressed that almost every day had a highlight for someone, that in itself if testimony to the sound planning for the holiday."
Peter Bryant, Guildford RSPB
|
"Magic Moments – rarely I can recall so many magic moments from one journey. This summer we travelled with Speyside Wildlife. I can still visualize early morning Otter playing in the fjords, touching rain impressions from the Caledonian Pine Forest and the astonishing moment of Dotterels right in front of us, when we were strolling through upland habitat. Thanks for the great excursion."
Carsten Brinckmeier (Ornithologist, Tour Guide, Germany)
|
"The trip was excellent, the guides (Simon and Chrissie) were excellent and always enthusiastic, Alan and the hide were one of a kind, the food was superb and the Steading is simply a wonderful place to stay. Both for birding and wildlife photography it is certainly one of the best desinations I have visited in Europe, if not the best. I am confident that we will be sending birders and photographers to Scotland over the coming years. The beauty and accessibility of the country will become known quickly."
Pieter van der Luit, Inezia Tours, Holland
|
|