All Scotland Experiences

Basking shark conservation and adventure tours around the west coast of Scotland. Our passionate and dedicated team of marine biologists are here to show you the wonders of Scotland’s wildlife. Our unique basking shark swims support our research and conservation - escape with us on an adventure with a difference.

Having sailed the waters around Loch Fyne and beyond for more than 20 years, join us on board Fyne Explorer so that we can share with you our passion for the landscape, wildlife and traditions that this unspoilt part of Scotland has to offer.

It's a special moment on one of our guided beaver walks. Someone says "over there!". You look round and see the v-shape in the water, it's a beaver, going about it's business. We give you the opportunity of seeing Scotland's most exciting reintroduced animal.

On one of our beaver walks you will learn all about these hard-working engineers, see their dams and lodges, and, if we're lucky, we will spot one or more of them in one of the area's beautiful lochs; a chance to see rewilding in action!  Our walks generally last from 2 to 3 hours and, although we concentrate on the beavers and their activities, we're always keen to point out some of the many plants and animals that help make this place one of Scotland's most biodiverse locations.

Join us on a 4-night cruise between Mallaig to Ullapool, taking in some of the most dramatic and wild coastal scenery the Western Highlands of Scotland has to offer, not to mention the wealth of wildlife it offers from sea to shore, such as dolphins, porpoise, eagles, otters and basking sharks.

Our boat the Monadhliath is a converted fishing boat and offers an authentic small-boat slow-travel experience so you can just relax and unwind whilst being surrounded by the magnificent Scottish scenery and wildlife.

There is so much to learn about the oceans; the creatures that inhabit our waters and the challenges they face. HWDTs live-aboard research expeditions are not just about fantastic wildlife encounters, the data collected advances our understanding of Hebridean marine wildlife. Join an expedition and help protect these amazing animals.

If that distant silhouette in the sky defeats you, or the brief flash of a raptor on the moorland leaves you scratching your head, then our expert guides can let you in on the secrets for successful Raptor identification.

A birdwatching and nature discovery holiday to the varied and beautiful islands of North and South Uist. Internationally renowned for the rare Machair habitat, rich in wildflowers and supporting incredible numbers of breeding waders, and a special home for the rare Corncrake. Little and Arctic Terns nest in the dunes and sandy fields, and raptors including Hen Harrier, Golden and White-tailed Eagle patrol the hills and moorlands. Along the miles of white sandy beaches small parties of Turnstone, Sanderling, and other waders in full summer plumage can be seen, and groups of Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwit are en route to the tundra! Inland still lochs have breeding divers, and duck and Short-eared Owls patrol looking for voles. The wheezy calls of Twite, Skylarks in song, and the chacking calls of Stonechats and Wheatears accompany our walks.

Venture into unknown Argyll, with hidden corners and the chance of Beaver, through to the majesty of Mull with its high density of eagles, to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond! The west coast at the best time of year, from the comfort of three delightful waterside hotels, where the wildlife can be viewed from the windows. Includes minibus transport and mixed level walking plus a boat trip to offshore seabird colonies on rougher terrain.

A fabulous holiday for the general naturalist with an interest in the whole variety of Scotland’s wildlife, timed to give us the greatest variety of the special dragonflies, butterflies and flowers of the Highlands, plus some of the areas exciting mammals and birds too. Staying at a delightful hotel in
 Grantown-on-Spey, with minibus transport and generally easy walking with two longer walks with some steeper sections in the mountains and in Glen Affric.

Spring is a fabulous time for wildlife in the Scottish Highlands - birds are singing and displaying, Slavonian Grebe and divers are in their finest plumage, Dotterel are back on the hills from mid-May and seabirds back on the nesting ledges. We'll see special mammals too on our days out in the glens, forests, mountains and coast. Minibus transport and generally easy walking with one longer walk in the mountains and a boat trip to Handa Island.

This two centre holiday starts at a delightful country house hotel in Speyside, before heading to the top of Scotland and a small hotel in Sutherland. We look for some of the Cairngorms National Park’s best birds, including Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Ptarmigan and Slavonian Grebe, before heading north for eagles, auks and skuas on Handa Island and divers galore. Walking generally easy, with minibus transport throughout and short ferry crossing to Handa.

By the end of the course the participants should feel more confident in the identification of passerines, the songbirds/perching birds, in particular those seen in the Cairngorms National Park and surrounding area. As well as specific help with identification, we shall cover the ‘how to do it’ of general identification. In this way, participants can start to improve their skills going forward, make a start on learning birdsong and have useful hints and tips on telling difficult species apart.

By the end of the course, you should feel more confident in the identification of ducks, geese and swans, divers, grebes, Shag and Cormorant, in particular those seen in the Cairngorms National Park and surrounding area. As well as specific help with identification we shall cover the ‘how to do it.’ In this way, participants should see a way forward in how to improve their identification skills and have some useful hints and tips on telling difficult species apart.

By the end of the course the participants should feel more confident in the identification of bird songs and calls, in particular those of birds found in the Cairngorms National Park and surrounding area. We shall cover the ‘how to do it’ of song/call identification, with lots of tips and hints on how to learn birdsong, focusing on specific species, with the aim of participants learning some of the more common species songs and calls.

If that distant flock of dots is unidentifiable, you can’t tell your godwits apart, or you don’t know whether it’s a Dunlin or a Knot, then our expert guides can let you in on the secrets of successful wader identification during our 2-day masterclass based in the Cairngorms National Park.

Over the 12-month course participants attend five study weekends from March-December 2022, with a final exam in April 2023. In addition, in your own time, you will progress and practice your skills learnt, producing your own Field Notebook for assessment. By the end of the course, you should be able to correctly identify the major birds and mammals seen and heard in the Cairngorms National Park. This course is fully accredited by LANTRA.

Explore, experience, discover!

Traveling is much more then arriving at a destination: it is the mindful journey into a different culture, history, landscape, wildlife and language(s). Scotland is a magnificent place to experience wildlife in its natural habitat, her remoteness invites to lengthy excursions into the mountains, along her coasts, or lochs.

A professional open water swim lesson or guided wild swim with full safety cover. Connect to nature in the purest sense while learning safety skills and outdoor swim techniques to thrive in the pristine wild waters of Argyll.

Into the wild. Into the water.

These overnight walking and wild camping journeys are the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a landscape, discover its stories and spend a night under the stars in a supportive and welcoming environment.

Stories in the shadows: a guided walk to Ben Nevis with a difference. For many people it is all about standing on the top of the UK’s tallest mountain however, if you want to get a true feel for its character then there is no better place to be than beneath the imposing north face. 

A unique three day walking journey with two overnight wild camps exclusively for women. This experience is an opportunity to be in the hills for an extended period, unplugged from every day distractions. Letting go of ‘stuff’, responsibilities and stresses gives your busy mind, and tired heart time to rest and recalibrate. It’s a time to slow down and to listen to nature.

The beautiful island of Unst is the most northerly part of the UK. Its skies are ever-changing, with the midnight sun, northern lights, dark starry nights and magnificent storms. The 12-stop trail around the island takes you to beautiful places with panoramic skyscapes, informing the visitor along the way about sky-relevant subjects as varied as Viking astronomy, the northern lights, climate, and how the skies have influenced Shetland culture and dialect.