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| Included | Wildlife guide on an exclusive basis
for you and up to 6 friends or family members.
Transport for the day in comfortable
8-seater minibus or car
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| Leaders | We match your specific day guiding needs to the skills of our guides, to ensure you have the best day out possible. We therefore have a pool of guides that we use, each with specific knowledge and interests. You can book a standard day – 9am-5pm – or an extended day. Extended days can start early or finish late, depending on the species you would like to see. The full details on the itinerary tab tell you which days out work best as extended days. Your guide will suggest the best start time. It will be dependent on the time of year and the main species you would like to look for.
Please provide a mobile phone number on the booking form, so that your guide can get in contact with you two or three days before your due day out, to ensure all details in place. For extended days booked, this will include a suggestion of the best start time.
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| Cost | £195 Standard day if booked online (£250 if booked manually via our office) max 8 hours
£250 Extended day if booked online (£295 if booked manually via our office) max 10 hours
Actual start time to be agreed between you and your guide
(either day out includes transport for you and up to 6 companions)
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| Walking | Most walks will be on wide sandy
tracks, except in the Cairngorms,
where terrain is more steep and
uneven, so walking boots are essential.
Your guide will discuss walking options
with you beforehand
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| Weather | Weather varies from cold to warm and sunny (-5° to +25°C), with less rainfall than much of Scotland but snow possible in the mountains
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| Insects | Biting midges occur in some places during the summer
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| Options | Our Cairngorms National Park
Pine Forest
Cairngorm Mountains
Moorland and Moray Firth
Highland Glen
Woodland Walks
River Spey Walk
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If you’ve only a day or two to spare, or you’d like to see
the wildlife of the Cairngorms but don’t know where to start,
then a day out with one of our wildlife guides is just for you.
| * Our expert guides have a wealth of knowledge about the wildlife of Scotland
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| * Book your own guide and comfortable minibus for you and up to six companions
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| * Target the species you want to see in the Cairngorms National Park and wider area
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| * Collection from your accommodation or location of your choice
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| * Combine this with an evening at our wildlife watching hide
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| * Ideal for families, small groups, couples or individuals
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| * Perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, retirement etc.
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| The Cairngorms National Park is home to some
of our most iconic but elusive species of wildlife.
Finding them in this vast and spectacular landscape
can be a real challenge, especially if you have
limited time or are unfamiliar with the area. Our
expert local guides know the area intimately, so
can take you to the best locations to help you find
the species you’d most like to see.
They can help you identify those species, recognise
different bird calls, show you how to use fieldcraft
and read animal tracks and signs. They can tell you
about the behaviour and general biology of the
species that you find in the Highlands, but most
of all they will ensure that you have an exciting,
fulfilling and rewarding day out.
We can provide an itinerary that matches your
specific wildlife wishes. Alternatively, if you’d just
like to see a diverse range of Highland species,
then leave that to us. On the day, we’ll judge the
weather and decide where the wildlife can be
found. In our comfortable 8-seater minibus we’ll
take you through different habitats, to find the best
wildlife. The day can include as much, or as little
walking as you’d like.
Two or three days before your day out, your guide
will contact you to discuss what you’d like to
see and any specific requests that you may have. They’ll also agree a start time with you. You’ll
be collected from your accommodation in the
Grantown-Aviemore-Kingussie area, or we can
pick you up from an agreed location. Standard
Days out last around eight hours (normally
9am-5pm) and extended days out last around ten
hours, with an early start or later finish.
To help you choose the best day, we’ve given you
our suggested itineraries, showing the habitat you’ll
visit and some of the species that can be found
there. These are our favourites, but if you’d like to
do something different, then please email us and
we would be very happy to advise.
If you’re staying outwith the Spey Valley, we can
organise an exclusive day out, subject to mileage
and guide availability and give you a specific price.
Our Cairngorms National Park - If you’ve never
been before and you want to see what makes this
place special, from the landscape, to the wildlife,
then just leave it to us. We know all the nooks and
crannies in the Cairngorms and the best time of
year to visit them. We’ll make sure we target the
Scottish specialities and leave more than enough
room to drink in the scenery and marvel at the
landscape. Golden Eagles in the glens, Red Deer on
the hills, Ptarmigan on the mountains and Crested
Tits in the forests; we can decide what’s best for
you. Our guides will discuss any preferences you
have and how much walking you want to do, when
they contact you before your day out.
Pine Forest - Visit the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest
for Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Scottish
Crossbill and other woodland birds. Mammals may
include Red Squirrel and Roe Deer. This itinerary
involves a degree of walking on good tracks and
trails through the forest. Wildlife can be found year
round, but the best seasons can be autumn, winter
and early spring. Autumn and winter can be some
of the best times to look for Capercaillie.
Cairngorm Mountains - Walk into the Cairngorms for Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting, Dotterel and Ring Ouzel. At present there is no access to the top of the mountain by Funicular Railway, so a good fitness level is needed for the walk into the mountains and walking boots and suitable clothing are required. Wildlife can be seen on the higher tops year-round. Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting and Mountain Hare are present all year; Ring Ouzels arrive from mid-March onwards and Dotterel are present from May until the end of August. A longer walk into the Cairngorms on lower tracks can also be taken dependent upon levels of fitness.
Moorland and Moray Firth - 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 (during the summer),
seaduck, waders and terns. Dependent on tide
times, there’s a chance of Bottlenose Dolphin.
This itinerary involves more time driving, so may
be suitable for the less mobile. Divers can be found
on freshwater lochs during the breeding season
from April through to the end of September,
when they relocate to the coast and winter on
the sea. The winter months on the Moray Coast
can be excellent for seaduck, including Common
and Velvet Scoter and Long-tailed Duck, as well as
wintering waders including Purple Sandpiper.
Highland Glen - 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. A broad range of wildlife, including the
eagles, can be found all year. The Red Deer rut
takes place from late September through October.
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.
Capercaillie Policy
Capercaillie can be found in the forests of the
Cairngorms National Park, but they are, for
whatever reason, a declining species that are easily
disturbed. We minimise any disturbance at crucial
times to help protect the birds, by adhering to the
following policies:
We won’t take guests to look specifically for
Capercaillie before 9.00am during the lekking
period (1 March - 31 May). When going into Capercaillie habitat, we always
stay on marked tracks and paths and never go
looking off these. When there is an alpha male (also known as a
‘rogue’ bird) in the area we won’t go to see this
bird. They are part of the lek, so we would be
‘knowingly’ disturbing them.
We suggest looking for Capercaillie through the
autumn and winter months, when the birds can be
easier to find. We won’t be disturbing them then
and young birds will have fledged and dispersed
into the forests.
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Just some of what we hope to see..
| Red-throated Diver | Capercaillie | (Snow Bunting) |
| Black-throated Diver | Dotterel (mid May-June) | Red Squirrel |
| Slavonian Grebe | Guillemot | Mountain Hare |
| Red Kite | Razorbill | Otter |
| Golden Eagle | Black Guillemot | Red Deer |
| White-tailed Sea Eagle | Puffin | Sika Deer |
| Osprey (April-mid Sept) | Dipper | Roe Deer |
| Merlin | Ring Ouzel | Mountain Goat |
| Peregrine | Crested Tit | Bottlenose Dolphin |
| Red Grouse | Scottish Crossbill | Common Seal |
| Ptarmigan | (Parrot Crossbill) | Grey Seal |
| Black Grouse | | |
"The animals spotted by Sally were great! Finding them and showing us was excellent as we didn't see them on our own!"
Mark Kellaway
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"Seeing the beautiful area. Peter's friendly company throughout the day and the way he was great with our children as well as us."
Robert Gill
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"Saw 48 species of life birds in 1 day. Son got to photograph Red Grouse up close with chicks. Getting to see a Black-throated Diver, Golden Plover."
Pam Borderieux
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" It was amazing to see and hear birds we have only heard about - Lapwings, Slavonian Grebes in breeding plumage, Curlews, Red-tailed Kite, even Rooks. The song and flight of a Skylark and the call of a Cuckoo were unforgettable. Our Speyside Wildlife outing provided an immersive, yet easily paced introduction to birds and other wildlife in the Highlands. Although I am a fairly active birder in the States, this is something I could never have accomplished in Scotland on my own."
Martha Johnston
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"43 species of birds, Ospreys, Stags, Happy days"
Debs White
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"Snow Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Slavonian Grebe. We had a fabulous day nature watching with Speyside Wildlife, it was a great prize and we would not hesitate to recommend Speyside Wildlife to all nature lovers. Thank you very much from the Lemon Family - Carolyn, Ally + Hannah."
Lemon Family
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"Highlight was the wildlife and finally seeing target species of Golden Eagle. Mountain Hares also a great spot. Kids loved seeing both Red and Black Grouse especially up really close."
Craig Grant
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"Our whole day was a highlight. We learned so much from Duncan from identifying bird sounds, poo, mushrooms, plants and our conversations with him. We appreciated all the knowledge about the natural world that he shared with us."
Yana Pocklington
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"An awesome day out with such a well informed and engaging guide. Would not have seen many of the species on the day without the guide. An excellent experience and one I would certainly consider repeating at some point in the future."
"Sally is an excellent guide with fantastic local knowledge and a really nice manner. Having the minibus for the day with all that space was great for keeping the group engaged and allowed us to travel around the area searching for the wildlife that we stated we wanted to capture. It could not have been a more bespoke trip as we determined "live" really where we wanted to go next. A great trip which was well organised and as flexible as you wanted on the day."
"Sally was a very knowledgeable, approachable and accommodating guide. The day was well planned covering everything we’d asked to see with options to manage the varying weather and road conditions. It was such an enjoyable day I’d do it again and recommend it to others."
Billy McCourt Group
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"Duncan was incredible. Even prior to the holiday he chatted at length with myself and my wife to ensure he knew exactly what we wanted to see and do. On the day he couldn't have been more accommodating and put up with us chewing his ear off and asking silly questions. His enthusiasm was infectious and knowledge knew no bounds. Genuinely what a top bloke and a great representative of your business. Best bit was he was personable and made us feel important. Being taken to spots you would never find without local knowledge. Finding Caper poo! Learning so much. Even with no sightings, seeing all the signs and being with an expert who translated their skills and knowledge to amateurs meant it was an awesome day, one to be repeated!"
Toby Sansome
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"The day was a pearl string of highlights. The Roe Deer, the Squirrels, Partridges and Pheasants. Of course the Dippers, and the Mountain Hares basking in the sun. The Red Grouse browsing the heather, and a beautiful Red Deer buck on the rivers edge. Big day to remember!"
Anne-Mary & Axel
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