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Scotland's Winter Wildlife Photography Tour
Tour Code: GBR53A 7-day wildlife photography holiday to the Scottish Highlands, focusing on photographing the area's charismatic birds and mammals and stunning mountain landscapes.
£2,495 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Some of the finest opportunities for photography in Britain are to be found in the Scottish Highlands and during this holiday we aim to photograph several charismatic mammal species that are rare or absent south of the Scottish border. In specific locations or from specialist hides we will photograph Red Squirrels, Crested Tit and Red Deer. On Dava Moor our target will be Red Grouse with its wonderfully colourful plumage which can look especially good photographed against a background of snow, and we'll journey to the Findhorn Valley to photograph another Scottish speciality, the Mountain Hare. We'll also visit the Moray Coast in search of wintering sea ducks and waders, as well as ascend the slopes of Cairngorm in search of Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting.
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Use of specialist photography hides & tracking on foot
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Photograph Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare & Red Deer
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Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting & Crested Tit among special birds
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Spectacular snow-capped mountain scenery
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Led by a professional photographer
Grading
Grade B – Moderate day walks. Photography of Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan in particular is on foot, and involves walking in mountains, including uphill sections and steep/rough terrain at time. The Ptarmigan excursion is up to a four mile round trip on foot with almost 1000 feet of elevation gain (the trail is good but at this time of year can sometimes be buried under snow!). Ptarmigan especially is a demanding species to find, so some effort will be required, though the results are extremely rewarding.
We travel by minibus most days, but will spend plenty of the time exploring on foot. Enjoyment of this tour, therefore, demands a reasonable level of fitness and an enjoyment of walking (or, the unfit should be prepared to feel tired at times!). All walks will be taken at a leisurely pace, and a built-in flexibility will take into account of the overall abilities of the group.
Some of the finest opportunities for mammal photography in Britain are to be found in the Scottish Highlands, where the mountains also support good populations of moorland and alpine birds that are difficult to photograph elsewhere. During this week long break, we will photograph several charismatic species that are rare or absent south of the Scottish border, such as Red Squirrel, Crested Tit, Mountain Hare and Ptarmigan, using a combination of hides and tracking on foot in the wild and rugged terrain.
We meet in Inverness then spend one night by the Moray coast before making our way south. On the first afternoon we will seek out the sheltered bays along the coast in search of wintering sea ducks, waders and divers, such as Long-tailed Duck and Goldeneye, before transferring to our first hotel where our photographer-leader will introduce the week. The next morning we will have a further chance to photograph the wildfowl in this area before we head inland.
En-route south we will stop for opportunities to photograph Red Grouse on the moors, prior to arriving at our base for the next 5 nights. From our comfortable hotel near Aviemore, we will be surrounded by superb scenery, with easy access to the Cairngorms and numerous wildlife viewing spots. Over the following days, we will visit specially constructed hides in order to photograph Red Squirrel and woodland locations for both Crested Tit and Red Deer. We will also enjoy excursions searching for Ptarmigan, Snow Buntings and Mountain Hare, mainly on foot. With stunning landscapes wherever we go, there will often be the opportunity to enjoy some landscape photography too.
On the last morning of the tour we will have a final opportunity to seek out the wildlife of this region before enjoying a last lunch together, which will give us a chance to review our images and reflect on a productive week of wildlife photography.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Accommodation:
We stay in a comfortable hotel by the Moray Coast for the first night then at a small hotel near Aviemore. All rooms have en-suite facilities.
- Food:
All food is included in the price, from the evening meal on the first day to lunch on the last day.
Dates & Prices
2026
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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...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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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:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
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...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Wildlife Photography Workshops with Expert Tuition
Our dedicated wildlife photography workshops are aimed at wildlife photographers of varying levels of experience and ability, including beginners with ambitions to learn and improve, keen amateurs looking to hone their skills, and accomplished photographers seeking exceptional photographic opportunities.
Naturetrek Wildlife Photography Holidays
We work with outstanding photographers who share our goals of spending quality, informed time watching – and capturing – once-in-a-lifetime moments. Joining one of our wildlife photography tours will not only improve your technique and sharpen your reflexes, but will also optimise your chances of capturing memorable, high-quality images of some of the world’s most sought-after species. Group sizes on these holidays are strictly limited, not only to allow you plenty of room in which to work, but, just as importantly, to enable you to benefit from the dedicated time of our expert leaders. Our leaders aim to challenge your approach to photography, giving you the chance to pursue new avenues of creativity. They are also expert naturalists, enabling them to provide insight that will help you see your subjects in a new light, and improve your ability to predict and capture interesting behaviour.
Our tours offer:
- Expert advice on how to get the most out of your equipment
- Expert advice on composition and photographic technique
- Photo editing tuition fills time that is unproductive for shooting
- Extended time in hotspots to allow a focus on target species such as Jaguars, Tigers, bears, puffins and otters
- Picturesque landscapes, visited at optimal times
- Limited group size
- Like-minded travelling companions
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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...
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.
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Tour Reports
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!
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