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I was very impressed with the pre-departure information on who was going, the times and locations of pick up, itinerary, what species had been seen on previous tours and the quantity, emergency information for the company and all-round general information. The office team were polite and professional whenever I spoke with them, always going above and beyond with any questions I asked or information I needed. The general content was very good, and with the best of luck, we saw Golden eagles, deer, buzzards, white-tailed eagles, and many other species on the first day. Our tour leader, Neil was AMAZING at identifying the 100s species of plants, insects, birds and animals we saw and gave as much information as he could.
S.N, Merseyside, Jun 24
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Islay & Jura in Summer
Tour Code: GBR27A 7-day midsummer visit to the glorious islands of Islay and Jura in search of birds, flowers and other wildlife.
7 days
from
£1,895 (Inc ferry)
£1,895 (Inc ferry)
Land only price
from
£1,895
£1,895
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The Inner Hebridean Islands of Islay and Jura comprise one of the most wildlife-rich areas in Britain. Over 100 bird species breed on the islands including two of Britain’s largest birds of prey and there is also a wide range of plant species, some at either the northern or southern limits of their ranges. Butterflies abound, such as the beautiful Marsh Fritillary, and mammals include Roe Deer, Brown Hare, Otter and seals. Islay’s coastline extends for over 130 miles and we will explore inlets, sea-lochs and beaches, enjoying its varied habitats as we search for breeding waders and raptors. The rasping call of the Corncrake, drumming Snipe and the haunting cry of the Curlew are among the sounds that we will listen out for as we explore these stunning islands.
- Occasional Glaucous or Iceland Gulls & Great Northern Diver, Golden Eagle, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine & White-tailed Eagle among raptors
- Explore the machair, a fertile, low-lying grassland rich in summer flora, bordering the sea
- Nesting waders include Redshank, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher & Lapwing
- Peatbogs resound to the evocative cries of Curlew & the ‘drumming’ of Snipe
- Look for Corncrake & Twite
- Eider Duck, Red-breasted Merganser & Black Guillemot among resident species
- Bog Myrtle, Black Bog Rush & White-beaked Sedge all flower on the machair
- 5,000 Red Deer on Jura, plus Grey Seal & Otter
- Led by an expert naturalist guide
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DETAILED INFORMATION
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive Islay
Day 2/6
Islay
Day 7
Depart Islay
What's Included?
- Ferries
- Accommodation:
- Food:
All breakfasts and evening meals are included from breakfast on day two to breakfast on day seven. Lunches are NOT included in the holiday cost but suitable arrangements will be made to stop each day. Refer to itinerary for more information.
Reviews
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This was a wonderful and very memorable trip. I am already looking at two more Naturetrek trips for next summer. The guide was knowledgeable and flexible. All of us had a such a great time. Learned about birds, insects, plants, mammals, and also the local culture, which was really nice. It ended up exceeding my expectations for the tour. Would gladly do it again and again and again. Naturetrek was completely organized and easy to communicate with. They helped so much working out logistics and making sure our experience was a great one. The hotel they picked was amazing, as was the itinerary and all the activities. Definitely will be using Naturetrek again; so much easier and relaxing than other tours I've been on.
C.M. Florida, USA, Jun 23 -
The trip was a fantastic insight into the life and nature on the two islands. Peter, our leader, was accommodating to everyone and his knowledge was inspiring. He was so organised and knew all the hotspots on both islands.
L.B. Cheshire -
Peter delivered! His knowledge and expertise are second to none. All round, a good trip, and thoroughly enjoyable.
S.M. Cheshire -
The tour turned out to be an outstanding success. The choice of venues for lunch were very good and the quality of food was excellent (also in the hotel).
O.T. Gwent -
I enjoyed the trip very much. Peter Clement is a wonderful naturalist, very easy with all his clients and finds EVERYTHING! The wall-to-wall sunshine was a surprise! I was so happy with everything we saw, especially Hen Harriers and otters at close quarters.
S.H. Cheshire
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Sat 14th Jun – Fri 20th Jun
4
£1,895
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£595
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[description] => Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides
There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour”
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Flight-free Wildlife Holidays
At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.
It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!
Our specialist recommends...
"Our Picos & Plains tour offers an environmentally-friendly route down to Spain for some excellent birding and cetacean-watching. More broadly, we’re very keen for Naturetrek to offer the most dynamic, market-leading carbon-reduced holidays available, and we hope you enjoy browsing our list of no-flight wildlife holidays!”
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
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!
