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Speyside in Spring
Tour Code: GBR68An exciting and varied 7-day holiday to Speyside in search of the iconic wildlife of the Scottish Highlands, as well as the seabirds of the Moray Firth.
£1,795 (land only)
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The wild landscapes around the River Spey in the Scottish Highlands are amongst the most unspoilt in the UK. Here, the alpine uplands, windswept moorlands, remote lochs and ancient Caledonian pinewoods support some of the country’s rarest and most exciting creatures. On this tour, we’ll stay for six nights in Grantown-on-Spey, the perfect base from which to search for iconic birds and mammals, from Crested Tit and Golden Eagle to Red Squirrel and Mountain Hare. We’ll also visit Troup Head on the Moray Firth, where we will witness spectacular breeding colonies of seabirds, including Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins.
- Enjoy some of the UK’s most dramatic & wildlife-rich landscapes.
- Woodland birds such as Crested Tit, Redstart, Wood Warbler & Spotted Flycatcher.
- Lekking Black Grouse.
- Breeding Osprey, Red-throated Diver & Slavonian Grebe on lochs.
- Upland species including Ring Ouzel, Golden Eagle, Ptarmigan & Snow Bunting.
- Vast seabird colonies on the Moray Firth.
- Mammals such as Red Deer, Red Squirrel, Pine Marten & possibly Bottlenose Dolphin.
Grading
Grade B. Easy to moderate day walks covering several miles each day. Some longer walks that include hills.
This holiday to the Scottish Highlands provides the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful variety of habitats and wildlife, from the raucous colonies of seabirds at Troup Head on the Moray Firth to the hardy mountain specialists of the Cairngorms. Primarily focusing on the woodlands, moorlands and uplands that flank the River Spey, we will spend time on this tour exploring one of Scotland’s most famous habitats, the ancient Caledonian Forest. Speyside is an especially scenic part of the country and the landscapes and vistas of this breath taking region will surely be as much of a highlight as the wildlife.
Our tour begins in Inverness, from where we will drive to the small town of Grantown-on-Spey, our base for the next six nights, being the perfect location from which to explore the area. In May, Speyside’s Scots Pine and deciduous woodlands are filled with birdsong, which will help us to locate such species as Crested Tit, Tree Pipit, Redstart, Wood Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher, plus, if fortunate, three species of crossbill (Common, Scottish and Parrot). We will also hope to catch a glimpse of the shy Pine Marten and should see a Red Squirrel or two.
Speyside’s numerous lochs provide the perfect fishing grounds for the region's Ospreys and also attract such rare breeding birds as Red-throated Diver and the beautiful Slavonian Grebe. However, we need to look on such fast-flowing waterways as the Spey and its tributaries for breeding Dippers, Common Sandpipers and Goosander. Those willing to get up early should be rewarded with the memorable sight of lekking Black Grouse, whilst other upland species to look for include Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan, Mountain Hare and the majestic Golden Eagle. We will also head north to the Moray Firth where thousands of Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Puffins crowd the coastal cliffs. Bottlenose Dolphins may be seen offshore, and the river estuaries, inlets and bays shelter waders, tern colonies and a few lingering seaducks and divers. Peregrines and Red Kites hunt overheard, while Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows may still be found in the adjacent farmland. At the end of our wildlife-rich week in the Scottish Highlands we will return to Inverness, from we must make our individual journeys home.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Accommodation:
We will be using a comfortable hotel for this tour, with en-suite facilities.
- Food:
Breakfasts and dinners are included in the cost of the tour, however lunches are not.
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Mark Wood
After spending much of his early childhood exploring the woods and fields around his house in Fife, Scotland, Mark quickly developed a curiosity for the natural world around him. With the closest nature reserve being RSPB Loch Leven it did not take long for a keen interest in birds to follow. Going on to study Conservation Biology at Aberdeen University Mark’s passion for wildlife in its many facets and a desire to protect it would only continue to grow.
Much of his working life has been spent as an Ecologist in Scotland but the desire to travel and find exotic bird species is a constant draw. This has led to many long overseas adventures including Australia and New Zealand, where he was able to work on the Kakapo project and see this endangered parrot. Driving from Scotland to Mongolia and back in 2019, exploring much of central Asia and Russia along the way, a lifelong dream! As well as many other fantastic, nature rich locations across North and South America, Africa, Europe and East Asia.
Mark started leading tours to Shetland for Naturetrek in 2022.
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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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!
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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!
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