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Sea kayaking holiday in Scotland

country:Scotland
location:Western Isles 
departures:2010: 24 Apr, 8 May, 22 May, 5 Jun, 12 Jun, 3 Jul, 10 Jul, 24 Jul, 7 Aug, 14 Aug, 21 Aug, 28 Aug, 4 Sep, 19 Sep, 25 Sep, 2 Oct
price:From £474 - £599 (5 days) excluding flights.
more info:Introductory course is from £499 in Jul & Aug
vouchers:Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
Sea kayaking holiday in Scotland

The pristine archipelago of the Outer Hebrides is an undiscovered paradise. With rugged and remote mountains dropping down to long, white-sand beaches with the clear blue sea lapping gently on the shore, it is the perfect setting for a sea kayaking holiday in Scotland.

On this adventurous sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, we spend 5 days exploring the wild coasts of the Outer Hebrides. We’ll access uninhabited islands such as Taransay (setting for the BBC series ‘Castaway’), discover vast empty beaches of Lewis and, if conditions are right, explore the many skerries of the Sound of Harris. Paddling alongside vast, sandy beaches, round rocky headlands or venturing out to uninhabited islands, the sea kayaking is as good as anywhere in the world.

The sea is rich in wildlife and on this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland we can expect to see many birds, seals and – if we are lucky – porpoises, dolphins and whales. At night we will camp on remote beaches or perhaps on an island and enjoy a fire as the sun sets over the horizon.

Such an adventurous itinerary does require some previous experience of sea kayaking (if you don’t have this, see below regarding our beginner and intermediate trips). We ask for a minimum of at least 10 days experience of sea-kayaking, and it is preferable if at least some of this was under instruction. On this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland you should be prepared for the possibility of rough conditions and have experience of kayaking in force 4 conditions. You should be confident on the water but the ability to Eskimo roll is not required.

If you don’t have the relevant experience for this trip, we offer 4 other inspiring itineraries, designed for beginner or intermediate sea-kayakers. These trips range from £475 to £575.

Sea Kayaking – Introduction course (Highlands) - 24 April, 08 & 22 May, 05 & 12 June, 03 & 10 & 24 July, 07 & 14 & 21 & 28 August, 04 & 19 & 25 September, 02 October
Sea Kayaking – Sound of Arisaig (West Highlands) - 1 May, 3 July, 14 August, 11 September
Sea Kayaking – Summer Isles (North West Highlands) - 22 May, 26 June, 17 July, 21 August
Sea Kayaking – Skye, Raasay, Rona (Inner Herbrides including Skye) - 29 May, 19 June, 31 July
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:From Inverness to the Outer Hebrides. Evening paddle.
Day 2-4:Sea kayaking in the Outer Hebrides
Day 5:Morning paddle. Return to Inverness
lower carbon travel
All of our trips start and finish at or close to railway stations, as this makes it much easier for our clients to travel to the Highlands by rail. We encourage travel by train or bus in all of our joining instructions that we send to clients, and also have a section on our website which includes links to train timetables and booking services to make it easier for clients to choose to travel by rail.
travellers' tales
My holiday was in the Outer Hebrides – a wonderful, awe inspiring and educational 7 days. The scenery was magnificent but one the most memorable experience for me was sharing it with five others that were just as impressed with both the location and history of the area as I was.  (more)
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
Despite its beauty, the Highlands and Islands is one of the least affluent regions of Scotland. On this sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, by bringing the benefits of tourism to this area and using local services and produce, we help to support local businesses, create employment and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the region. On this trip, for example, we employ a local guide, stay in a locally owned guest house on the final night and use local facilities such as shops, cafes and pubs at various points in the trip.

Sea-Kayaking is a sustainable way to travel. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, like all of our trips, operates on a strict 'leave no trace' policy. This concept will be explained by our guide at the start of the trip and practised throughout. With a maximum of 8 clients on this itinerary, our impact is minimized further still. This sea kayaking holiday in Scotland, like all of our Scotland-based trips, starts at a railway station to encourage travel by rail to Scotland.

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