Scotland's Mammals & Highlights of the Highlands

Tour Code: GBR37

An 8-day holiday in search of mammals and birds in Scotland's 'wild west', the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the westernmost area of the British mainland.

8 days from
£1,795 (land only)
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

The Ardnamurchan Peninsula is the westernmost area of the British mainland and on this 8-day tour we’ll be staying on the Ardnamurchan Estate on the south coast of the peninsula, from where we will make day-time and night-time excursions to look for the region’s special mammals, including Wildcat. Our base on the Estate gives us easy access to nearby woodland which holds a high density of one of Britain’s most beautiful and elusive mammals, the Pine Marten, as well as Roe, Fallow and Red Deer, Badger and Fox. The sheltered bays along the south coast of the peninsula are home to Otters, seals and seabirds and we will explore this, as well as the north coast where we will look for raptors and Red Deer. We will not confine ourselves to looking for land mammals, and on one day we’ll take to the sea to visit smaller isles and hope to see Minke Whales and other cetaceans.

  • Travel through breathtaking scenery in Scotland’s ‘wild west’
  • Look for Otters on Loch Sunart, a Special Conservation Area for the species
  • Stay on the Ardnamurchan Estate, close to Glenborrodale Castle
  • Woodland around our accommodation has a high density of Pine Martens
  • Red, Roe & Fallow deer plus Common & Atlantic Grey Seals
  • Night drive to look for endangered Wildcat & other mammals
  • Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Black Guillemots & Kittiwakes
  • Great & Arctic Skuas & Arctic Terns at Ardnamurchan Point
  • Boat trip to Coll & Muck looking for cetaceans & seabirds
  • Common & Bottlenose Dolphins, Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoise & Basking Shark
  • Enjoy sweeping views to the ‘small isles’ from the north coast & visit Sanna Bay
  • Led by an expert naturalist & local guides

Grading

A. Gentle wildlife walks. Any more demanding walks will be optional.

The Ardnamurchan Peninsula has a very special atmosphere, deriving from its isolated location in the far west of the Scottish highlands. Here, the remote situation and an invigorating blend of superb wildlife, breathtaking scenery and crisp sea air combine to offer the visitor a unique experience that is far removed from the pressures of modern life. On this tour, as we travel through a variety of stunning landscapes, it will be impossible not to be moved by a real sense of wilderness. The pace of life here is dictated by the remoteness of the peninsula and, as we adjust, we can truly appreciate the wild beauty of this unique place.

To reach it, we will meet in Glasgow, then journey north through Glen Coe to take the Corran ferry over Loch Linnhe to Ardnamurchan. This crossing lies on one of the ancient routes along which the highlanders drove their cattle to market in central Scotland. We then turn west and head through the pretty village of Strontian. From here, the single-track road hugs the coast for most of the 50 miles to Ardnamurchan Point, the most westerly place on the British mainland. 

We will be staying on the Ardnamurchan Estate, close to Glenborrodale Castle, from where we will have relatively easy access to the best areas for wildlife. Woodlands around our accommodation hold a high density of Pine Martens and provide cover for both Red and Roe Deer, and August is the best time to admire the full antlers on the biggest stags. Fallow Deer, along with commoner mammals such as Badger and Red Fox, are also possible. Most of these species are best looked for after dark so we will head our after dark on at least one occasion, with a spotlight, for an exciting drive around the peninsula. There is even the possibility of an encounter with the most enigmatic of all British mammals, the Scottish Wildcat.

We will spend two days exploring the south coast of Ardnamurchan, which is home to seabirds, seals and Otters. Loch Sunart, which stretches along the south coast of Ardnamurchan, is in fact a Special Area of Conservation for Otter — the sheltered bays near Glenborrodale being particularly good locations for this popular species. As we travel west, the coastline becomes more exposed and both Common and Atlantic Grey seals can be seen, often ‘spy-hopping’ to get a better view of their human admirers! Regular flocks of Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and Kittiwakes sometimes fly close to shore, where we can also expect to see small numbers of Black Guillemots and a range of waders. Looking out from the historic lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point offers the possibility of other seabirds such as Great Skuas (known locally as ‘Bonxies’), Arctic Skuas and Arctic Terns. We will also hope to see the Twite flock that often frequents this area from August onwards. 

One of the highlights of this holiday will be a day at sea with an experienced local skipper. We will sail from Loch Sunart across to Coll, where we can expect close views of the seals that live in the shallow, turquoise waters. After a visit to the Isle of Muck (including a well-deserved tea break in the café), we will return via the spectacular Ardnamurchan Point. We will be looking for the cetaceans that occur regularly in these waters, including Common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Harbour Porpoise and Minke Whales; Basking Sharks are also possible. A boat trip across the ‘Sea of the Hebrides’ is an experience that will live long in the memory! 

We will spend our last two days visiting a variety of sites in the centre and on the north coast of the peninsula, including Sanna Bay, a truly magical beach with white sands and sweeping views across to the small isles. The journey to Sanna takes us through the geologically fascinating ‘Land of the Rings’, a landscape dominated by concentric rings of rocky ridges. This part of Ardnamurchan is home to a range of raptors including Golden and White-tailed Eagles. We will take time to seek out these iconic birds in their expansive wilderness, where displaying Ravens and herds of Red Deer are a common sight.

The Ardnamurchan Peninsula is a magical place that retains the wild character of the ancient highlands. This holiday offers the chance to see a range of wildlife in unspoilt and unforgettable locations.

 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Meet Glasgow; transfer Ardnamurchan.
Day 2/7
Excursions on and from the Ardnamurchan Peninsula.
Day 8
Return to Glasgow
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Accommodation: Comfortable guesthouse; all rooms with private facilities.
  • Food: All included in the price.
Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Fri 1st Aug – Fri 8th Aug SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Sat 9th Aug – Sat 16th Aug SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Sun 17th Aug – Sun 24th Aug SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Mon 25th Aug – Mon 1st Sep SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195
Tue 2nd Sep – Tue 9th Sep SPACES £1,795
Book Tour Show Details
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,795
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195 
  Array
(
    [186] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 186
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/mammals
            [title] => Mammal Watching
            [alias] => mammals
            [description] => 
Mammal Watching Holidays


Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.


Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours


Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.


Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:



Bargain mammal selection


We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.




Our specialist recommends...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] =>  https://i.assetzen.net/i/4nqk52HDKwI4/w:1500/h:824/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => Mammals
            [note] => 08
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [197] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 197
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/no-fly-tours
            [title] => No Flight
            [alias] => no-fly-tours
            [description] => 
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




All No Flight Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] =>  https://i.assetzen.net/i/4nqk52HDKwI4/w:1500/h:824/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => 
                )

            [metakey] => No Fly Tours
            [note] => 31
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

)

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?

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!

Related Articles

Related articles

The Best of Scotland’s Wildlife
The Best of Scotland’s Wildlife

Scotland is home to some of the British Isles’ most iconic bird and mammal species, as well as being the setting for many of their top wildlife spectacles. When it comes to wildlife holidays, Scotland is a fantastic destination.