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The leader's knowledge of all the “hot spots” both for dragonflies, birds and plants was invaluable and his staying power was remarkable ensuring that all the group members had a rewarding holiday.
S.H, Buckinghamshire, Sep 24
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Dragonflies & Orchids of the Highlands
Tour Code: GBR295A 6-day holiday in the remote Scottish Highlands searching for dragonflies and orchids, including Azure Hawker.
6 days
from
£1,595 (land only)
£1,595 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The dragonflies, damselflies and orchids found in the remote regions of the Highlands are most sought-after by natural history enthusiasts and on this tour, we will be in search of all of the region's specialities. Dragonflies including Azure Hawker, Northern Emerald and Northern Damselfly along with rare and difficult to find orchids such as Coralroot Orchid, Pugsley’s Marsh Orchid and Lesser Twayblade. This two-centre holiday, with two nights based in the Cairngorms National Park and three nights based in Gairloch, will allow us to visit a number of sites to give us plenty of opportunities to find our target species, and of course, explore these spectacular landscapes.
Although dragonflies and orchids will be our main focus, it will be hard to ignore the, butterflies and birds and other rare plants that inhabit this beautiful part of Scotland. We are guaranteed fabulous wildlife highlights throughout.
- Azure Hawker, Northern Emerald & Northern Damselfly all likely
- Other species may include White-faced Darter, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Common Hawker, Common (Highland) Darter and Brilliant Emerald
- Coralroot Orchid, Lesser Twayblade, Small White Orchid, Creeping Ladies Tresses.
- Pugsley’s and Northern Marsh, Greater and Lesser Butterfly Orchids
- Butterflies include Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Large Heath
- Osprey, Crested Tit, Black-throated Divers and Otter all possible
- Visit the lovely town of Gairloch
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Aviemore
Day 2
Loch Garten area; Uath Lochan
Day 3
Transfer to Gairloch via Loch Ness
Day 4/5
Loch Maree & Gairloch area
Day 6
Arrive Inverness
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 23rd Jun – Sat 28th Jun
3
£1,595
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,595
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Steve Gater
Tour Leader: Steve Gater
Steve's had a life-long interest in wildlife, particularly plants, birds and butterflies. After graduating in biology and completing a PhD, he taught for many years, running field trips in the Yorkshire dales and elsewhere. As headteacher, he led trips to three continents before retiring to concentrate on conservation work. He established Durham Wildlife Trust botany group, chaired DWT and edited the 5th edition of The Natural History of Upper Teesdale. He especially enjoys giving talks and training, leading walks and surveying in his home county. When not on Naturetrek trips he is botanising and birding in Upper Teesdale and environs, or practicing his French and Spanish! Other credits to his name include being the secretary of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and is the editor of newly published first edition ‘The natural history of Upper Weardale (companion volume to the 'Upper Teesdale' book). Steve is also the current President of Darlington & Teesdale Naturalists' Field Club.
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Dragonflies are certainly not for the faint-hearted! They are fearsome insects – if you are their size or smaller! They are also dazzlingly beautiful, with a wide array of hues and forms. Our dragonfly tours take you to some of Europe’s top habitats where we have the best chances of witnessing a range of species and their behaviour.
Naturetrek Dragonfly Tours
We like to respond to your specific wildlife interests and, in recent years, we have had an increasing number of requests for dedicated dragonfly holidays. We are pleased to be able to offer a selection of tours which focus on exploring habitats where some of Europe’s most diverse and spectacular dragonfly species are found.
All of our dragonfly tours are accompanied by at least one specialist leader. On some tours there may be a second leader with a different area of natural history expertise. Some highlights of our dragonfly holidays may include: observing clouds of damselflies as they emerge in late spring from pools, watching them hover over a lake or stretch of grassland, or witnessing a fight to the death between territorial males.
We’re equally comfortable providing opportunities for the dedicated enthusiast to debate the finer points of identification with our expert guide, or to simply enjoy their beautiful display of colours and forms.
Our specialist recommends...
"I’d recommend our Sardinia’s Dragonflies tour – it has about 35 species, most of which are not found in the UK, and its proximity to Africa means it hosts some rather exotic species such as Banded Groundlings. Island Bluetail will interest the real enthusiast, whereas Copper Demoiselles are a bit easier to find."
David Smallshire - Tour Leader
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
