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This was my 15th Naturetrek tour and the best for birding! Excellent, repeated sightings of target species, sometimes several times daily, clear & close. I have travelled with Stewart before to Orkney, which remains my favourite Naturetrek tour, so was pleased to see he was leading the tour to North & South Uist. The description by the leader of identifiable features was brilliant and his spotting skills from a moving bus was outstanding. I had never seen a Red-necked Phalarope and will long remember this elegant bird. Also it was my first time seeing Short-eared Owls & Corncrakes.
M.R. Devon, May 24
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Wildlife of North & South Uist - The Outer Hebrides
Tour Code: GBR21An 8-day birdwatching tour of the beautiful islands of North and South Uist.
8 days
from
£2,295 (Inc ferry)
£2,295 (Inc ferry)
Land only price
from
£2,295
£2,295
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The Outer Hebrides in spring offers a superb and varied wildlife experience. We meet in Inverness and drive through the stunning Scottish Highlands to the Isle of Skye, and onwards to the port of Uig, before boarding a ferry to Lochmaddy on North Uist (a journey of around 2 hours). From our base on North Uist, we will explore the three islands of Benbecula, North & South Uist, which are linked by road causeways, to visit the moorland, lochs and machair. The latter is a unique coastal habitat of short grass sward on sandy soil, a product of croft farming, which has created habitat for a spectacular array of flowers and breeding waders. At this time of year the waders should be pairing up and the air will be filled with their display flights and calls; the islands are also home to the rare and elusive Corncrake. The moorland offers wonderful opportunities for seeing both Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Short-eared Owl and Hen Harrier, and the lochs will be home to breeding Red-throated and Black-throated Divers in their summer finery. We have good chances of seeing Otter, Red Deer, and Common and Grey Seals. With spring migration in full swing there is always the possibility of observing all four skua species (Great, Arctic, Pomarine and Long-tailed) as they pass Aird an Runair, North Uist, whilst rarities such as Red-necked Phalarope or Snowy Owl are also possible!
- Drives & easy-paced wildlife walks on North & South Uist, plus Benbecula
- Look for Otter, seals & Red Deer
- Golden Eagles, Hen Harrier, Merlin & Short-eared Owl
- Corncrakes & many breeding waders
- Boat trip from Grimsay to view fishing White-tailed Eagles
- A 7-night single-centre stay in a delightful family-run hotel on North Uist with top quality cuisine
- Expert naturalist guide
Grading
Easy short walks on level ground
North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula comprise the wild and beautiful southern islands of the Outer Hebrides and on this holiday we'll explore their fabulous mountain,'machair' and lakeland habitats. We will be based for the week on North Uist. The lochs of South Uist support breeding waterfowl, including wild Greylag Geese, plus such waders as Snipe, Redshank, Golden Plover and occasional Greenshank. Corncrakes call persistently day and night from the hay meadows, and by the sea-lochs and inlets we'll look for Otters, and both Grey and Common Seals. The Uists in May are also great for seabirds, and are one of the best places to observe the passage of our four Skua species: Pomarine, Long-tailed, Arctic and Great. Breeding raptors are another highlight, amongst them Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin, and both White-tailed and Golden Eagles, and we might also see all three of our Divers: Black-throated, Red-throated and Great Northern. Standing stones, cairns, and a vibrant Gaelic culture provide a rich cultural ingredient to this special destination, while the sighting of a rare Snowy Owl or Red-necked Phalarope may add final icing to the cake!
DETAILED INFORMATION
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Inverness to Skye. Ferry to North Uist
Day 2/7
Benbecula, North and South Uist
Day 8
Ferry to Skye and transfer to Inverness
What's Included?
- Ferries
- Accommodation:
We stay in a comfortable hotel on North Uist with en-suite rooms.
- Food:
Breakfast and dinner included. Lunches at own expense.
The hotel makes a point of sourcing local ingredients when possible.
Reviews
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I wanted to see(for the first time ever) the Black-throated Diver and Red-necked Phalarope; Stewart managed to locate both birds for me, and the rest of our group.
N.C. Somerset, May 24 -
The Uists, situated in the Outer Hebrides, offer an abundance of wildlife watching opportunities. Our visit in May with Naturetrek provided opportunities to see many raptors including White Tailed Sea-eagles, Golden eagles, Short-eared owls, Hen Harriers. Other bird species included less confiding birds such as corncrake and dotterel; we had views of red-necked phalarope and 3 species of Diver. Often, we were torn as to which way to look – otter in one direction, porpoises in another and, look, there’s a great Northern Diver! The amazing expertise, patience and organisation of our guide was crucial to ‘being in the right place at the right time’. Much of the wildlife viewing was in beautiful unspoilt scenery. Our accommodation and the superb dining (fresh crab, hand -dived scallops amongst the specialities of the house) complemented the wild-life watching. We have travelled with Naturetrek many times before and have found the company so helpful and reliable. A phone call to the office invariably links one to someone who is keen to help and will do their best to do so. The expertise of their wildlife guides is incredible – not just the knowledge of wildlife and where to find it and how to recognise/ distinguish similar species, but also their abilities to share their love of the places visited incorporating cultural sites as well as places of especial scenic beauty, and great lunch spots. Do their guides ever sleep? – must do as they always seem refreshed, patient, enthusiastic, personable and great behind the vehicle wheel! Our guide in the Uists was no exception - brilliant!
S.J. Derbyshire, May 23 -
We saw eagles white tailed and golden, ruffs with their amazing neck feathers, otters, seals and a dozen corncrakes as well as goosander, larks, merganser, northern diver, wheatear, snipe, a total of 80+ birds. We walked the beautiful landscapes and travelled all over North and south Uist. We stayed at an excellent hotel called Langass and ate excellent meals.
E.P. Lancashire -
We had a great birding/wildlife trip to North and South Uists. It was everything we were hoping for and more. Great weather and a great leader.
W.B. Aberdeenshire -
The guide was amazing, his enthusiasm, energy and consideration to everyone's needs was 100%. Without him I would not have seen half of the most important things. He was so patient and determined that we would see as much as possible. All in all a holiday I will never forget.
J.S. Hampshire
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 16th May – Fri 23rd May
FULL
£2,295
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£595
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Stewart Woolley
Tour Leader: Stewart Woolley
To follow
Tue 27th May – Tue 3rd Jun
6
£2,295
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£595
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Stewart Woolley
Tour Leader: Stewart Woolley
To follow
2026
Departures
Availability
Cost
Fri 15th May – Fri 22nd May
SPACES
£2,495
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£595
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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...
"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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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...
"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
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!
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
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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