Speyside Wildlife
Speyside Wildlife
5
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Speyside Wildlife has 30 years of experience in organising wildlife-watching day trips, tours and holidays in the UK and Overseas. We cater for a wide variety of wildlife-watchers, from the dedicated wildlife enthusiasts to those who simply wish to include some wildlife-watching as part of their holiday. We have an Evening Mammal Watching Hide and Badger photography hide near Aviemore and our guides are available to hire for Guided Days Out in the Cairngorms National Park. We operate fully inclusive holidays around Scotland, the wider UK and overseas with a tailormade trip service also available. Speyside Wildlife holds a valid ATOL license, is accredited VisitScotland 4-star, Green Tourism Business Scheme Gold and a member of Wild Scotland and the Cairngorms Business Partnership.
Aviemore, Aviemore and the Cairngorms, Scotland
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
316 reviews
Excellent
288
Very good
18
Average
8
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Leigh S
1 contribution
Oct 2021 • Couples
We have spent 4 days up in the Cairngorms with the intention of seeing the beautiful Scottish scenery and the iconic wildlife that lives in it! We booked Speyside Wildlife to watch Badgers and hopefully Pine Martens.
The booking page online was easy to do and we got a confirmation email very promptly showing us the location of the meeting point with very clear directions and instructions so we could prep beforehand. Eve was a warm, welcoming host and is clearly passionate for what she does. Her knowledge was very impressive and I found out there's a lot more to know about badgers than you think! The setup they have is fabulous and even though it's a nighttime activity I managed to get plenty of good photos with my SLR camera thanks to the exterior lighting which doesn't bother the wildlife at all.
We didn't have to wait long before we saw 7 badgers out of a possible 8 from the clan so a hugely successful experience. Sadly we didn't get an appearance from the Pine Marten but that just means we need to come back again! We finished around 8pm and the stars outside were like nothing iv seen before! We could see the milky way with the naked eye! Amazing! This experience is worth every penny of the 20 pounds each and we highly recommend it!
Leigh and Jade from Stafford, England. 30/10/2021
The booking page online was easy to do and we got a confirmation email very promptly showing us the location of the meeting point with very clear directions and instructions so we could prep beforehand. Eve was a warm, welcoming host and is clearly passionate for what she does. Her knowledge was very impressive and I found out there's a lot more to know about badgers than you think! The setup they have is fabulous and even though it's a nighttime activity I managed to get plenty of good photos with my SLR camera thanks to the exterior lighting which doesn't bother the wildlife at all.
We didn't have to wait long before we saw 7 badgers out of a possible 8 from the clan so a hugely successful experience. Sadly we didn't get an appearance from the Pine Marten but that just means we need to come back again! We finished around 8pm and the stars outside were like nothing iv seen before! We could see the milky way with the naked eye! Amazing! This experience is worth every penny of the 20 pounds each and we highly recommend it!
Leigh and Jade from Stafford, England. 30/10/2021
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Leigh, thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed and top-rated review. We really appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again for that Pine Marten!
Written 10 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Michelle '
13 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
WONDERFUL experience. Unfortunately we only had very limited time in the stunning cairngorms during our Scottish road trip and decided that a guided tour might be a good way of making the most of it......and it certainly was. The booking process was easy and then a few days before our guide Hollie contacted us and she couldn't have been more helpful. Hollie was so attentive to all the family and went above and beyond to show us what we had said we would like to see, her enthusiasm is infectious and inspiring. With hollies knowledge and phonominal spotting ability we were all thrilled with our experience and wouldn't hesitate to recommend her/speyside wildlife. Thankyou so much.
Written 31 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Michelle
What fabulous comments, thank you for taking the time to leave a review and thank you for such kind words.
Best wishes
Written 2 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nw3223
Milton Keynes, UK3 contributions
Jun 2022
A truly excellent day out in the hands of an expert. We opted for the general package that simply accounts for the weather and what you are likely to see at a range of local habitats. Our guide, Olly, was superb. Extremely knowledgeable and answered any questions you threw at him. With a clear passion for wildlife, it was lovely for us amateurs to be told exactly what we were looking at or indeed, what we could hear. You pay for either a standard day or an extended day (around 10 hours) but pay for your guide, not per person. You travel in a spacious minibus and can have up to 8 in your party. Basically, if there are just two of you, you pay the one price and get the guide to yourself. It was well worth it. We also booked to spend the evening at their mammal hide in Glenmore where we saw badger and pine martin. You don't have to visit the hide on the same day. For anyone even vaguely interested in wildlife, this is a fantastic way to spend the day. Your guide will go all out trying to find those special species for you such as ospreys.
Written 19 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello
Thank you for your detailed review and it is great to hear how much you enjoyed the day you had with Olly and then later on in the Evening Mammal Hide. Olly is incredibly knowledgeable on wildlife and our local area and we'll ensure he sees your feedback.
Best wishes
Written 20 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Charlotte Y
Westhoughton, UK16 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
We had a lovely evening in the hide with friendly and knowledgeable guides Kate and Harris. The hide is comfortable and heated(!) with great views and lighting. Within 5 minutes a pine marten arrived and stayed feeding for about 10 minutes only a few metres from us. We also saw 4 badgers, one of which stayed for at least an hour feeding. It was wonderful to spend so much time with the animals and we would highly recommend a visit.
Written 27 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello
Thank you so much for your review and for driving that bit further to visit our hide. It is always great to hear how much our guests enjoy their experiences with us and it sounds like you had a great time! Thank you
Written 7 February 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kamila B
London, UK22 contributions
Oct 2020
Our guide Kate Mennie took us from the hotel and drove around the area showing as many different wild life we could see. The highlight was feeding the birds in our hands. It was truly special and I would totally recommend this tour, as going by yourself you probably won't see any animal.
Written 12 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Kamila
Thank you for your review and lovely to hear how much you enjoyed your Guided Day Out recently. It can make a massive difference having a guide with you who knows the best ways to see the species or locations you hope to see. Hopefully we shall see you again in the future.
Best wishes
Written 13 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Doctor Jas
3 contributions
Oct 2021
We booked an evening observation session from the hide. The experience exceeded expectations: a pine Martin turned up very early, followed by six badgers. It was difficult at times to know where to look for the best. The guide, Eve, provided an unobtrusive but informative commentary, with lots of information. The total experience lasted just under two hours from the pine Martin showing up and the last of the badgers ambling off. The views of the animals are excellent through large windows. Altogether a delightful experience. The hide is warm, so there is no need to go kitted out for a couple of hours in the freezing cold. Photo opportunities abound. The animals are really close, so there is no need for long telephoto lenses, or binoculars. If you're keen on wildlife this is highly recommended. While they stress that pine martins don't always show up, this may be your best opportunity to see one at close range.
Written 28 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your 5 stars and a great detailed review. It sounds like your night was exceptional and as you say the hide is nice and warm for the time of year and allows viewing in comfort.
Written 10 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LochranzaCampsite
13 contributions
Mar 2023
Badgers were coming and going throughout the three hours we spent in the hide. At one point there were six badgers digging for food and bonding with each other. Being able to watch them closely, without disturbing them, gave us a chance to notice their individual characters and the relationships between them.
The pine martens did not visit this time but we were amply entertained by the badgers and the actions of wood mice, dodging being captured.
The pine martens did not visit this time but we were amply entertained by the badgers and the actions of wood mice, dodging being captured.
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
Thank you for your review and although you didn't see the Pine Martens it sounds like you had an entertaining evening with our local Badgers!
Best wishes
Written 6 April 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PORTISHEAD20
Portishead, UK29 contributions
Sept 2021
The idea of sharing a minibus with half a dozen strangers doesn't appeal so much in these Covid-dominated times and besides mobility problems mean that we feel very conscious of holding people up, so we decided to book a personalised all day tour just for the two of us. Given that, we thought it was very reasonably priced. Hollie, our guide, took a lot of care and thought into trying to meet the list of what we'd like to see, taking us to a number of different habitats, where we saw a good variety of wildlife including the two that were top of our wishlist, golden eagles and a red squirrel! Hollie was very personable, enthusiastic and knowledgeable and overall we had a very good day.
Written 30 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, thank you for letting us know how much you enjoyed your day out with Hollie in the Cairngorms. It sounds like the day suited your needs perfectly and Hollie ensured you saw the best of our local wildlife!
Written 1 October 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
carol n
Macclesfield, UK3 contributions
May 2021 • Friends
Brilliant evening starting from a friendly welcome at the meet point ( we even saw a pine marten before we moved to the hide). Badgers were wonderful. Woodpecker visiting too. Our guide was really knowledgeable and very careful to include everyone keeping the whispered talk going as we waited with lots of mammal and bird behaviour facts. She was really mindful and caring of a group with an elderly lady. Real sense of ‘anticipation’ waiting for the badgers showing and it was really good talking to her. A really sensitively run tour totally mindful of logging the wildlife’s behaviour and condition, and not over feeding them so they would continue foraging wild food into the night. Be careful of driving home after in the dark. We saw more hares, rabbits and deer than we had all week and did multiple emergency stops to avoid them running into the road. Slow but interesting drive home with windows wound down listening to night bird life.
Written 12 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Caroln, thank you for your review and it sounds like you had a really lovely evening to the hide. It's nice to hear the smaller details you appreciated too and hopefully we shall see you again.
Written 16 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Derek L
2 contributions
Apr 2022 • Friends
This is no longer a pine Martin hide, it is badger viewing with a small chance of seeing a pine Martin. The new hide and location doesn’t allow for additional sightings, such as roding woodcock, tawny owls perched and Red deer as the old hide did. Gone are the days of being quiet, no loud clothes, no phones. In times past a 8pm start would have allowed viewing till midnight to give you a chance at seeing a Martin. Exterior lighting on full from 8pm, asked to leave at 10:30pm. Not anywhere near as good as this used to be, however the badger viewing was excellent but expected. If you want to get close to badgers, this is great but don’t build your hopes up for a Martin.
Written 19 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for our Evening Mammal Hide and you are correct, due to the elusive nature of Pine Martens the chances of seeing them is not guaranteed as with any wildlife and this is something we try to make very clear to guests when booking. I can understand the disappointment for you that the Pine Marten did not arrive on the night of your own visit. During a visit to our hide, you can expect to be there for approximately 2 ½ hours, although this can vary slightly due to the wildlife and the time they arrive etc. Our blog is updated on a fortnightly basis and if you ever wish to check how regularly we are seeing Pine Marten throughout the year please do refer to the blog via our website.
The new hide is located in a more elevated position than previously, which can still allow for owl sightings and deer but there is not the walk in along the field edge as with the previous one which meant a greater chance of these additional species. Our guests are still asked to keep noise and smells to a minimum and we are sorry that this did not appear to be the case during your visit - we shall check with the guide as to their experiences in the recent weeks and make changes where needed and emphasise this information to guests.
Thank you again for taking the time to let us know about your experience.
Written 2 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi my wife walks with crutches, is this attraction suitable for her please ?
Written 18 August 2018
Hello, apologies for the delayed reply. Yes, you can drive up to the hide rather than walk if this is organised prior to arrival, there is then a very short distance to walk up to the hide
Written 16 September 2018
Can you please tell me the cost for two adults for the all day wildlife tour..thanks
Written 14 July 2017
Hello Lorne G, thank you for your question and a Standard Guided Day Out is £250.00 (£195 if booked online) – 9am to 5pm. An Extended Day is £295.00 (£250 if booked online) – max 10 hours – actual time to be agreed between you and your guide.(either day out includes transport for you and up to 6 companions) full details can be found on our website
Written 17 July 2017
What's the best time of year to come to see the most wildlife or is there some to be seen all year round? Thanks :)
Written 13 April 2017
There's animals all year round but apparently late June is especially good as there are many youngsters
Written 14 April 2017
Hi Manolo, our apologies for not replying sooner. Yes, we can run guided experiences from Aviemore, we can collect you from you accommodation
Written 20 September 2016
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