Shetland Islands wildlife tour in Scotland
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Shetland Islands |
| departures: | 2010: 10 Jul |
| price: | From £950 (8 days) excluding flights |
| more info: | Price includes four nights hotel accommodation in Sumburgh Hotel; three nights accommodation in Baltasound Hotel - both with en suite facilities. All meals. All transfers. Maximum of 14 per group |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
There’s a different world waiting for you in Shetland. The unmistakable beauty and charm of the rugged land and seascapes are truly breathtaking and coupled with the amazing diversity of wildlife and marine life that the area has to offer, this holiday is one not to be missed.
For the next seven days we will lose ourselves in these magical sub-Arctic islands. As we island-hop to cover all the major wildlife sites, we hope to have some wonderful encounters with magnificent wildlife. The National Nature Reserves of Sumburgh Head, Noss and Hermaness are a birdwatcher's paradise and all boast large seabird colonies which are easily accessible and provide close up encounters with tens of thousands of breeding gannets alongside puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars.
Fetlar hosts nearly all of the UK population of rare red-necked phalarope - famous for its role reversal - and Unst provides us with an opportunity to see a superb range of wild flowers - including many arctic alpines at sea level!
The surrounding waters are one of the best places within the British Isles and regular visitors to the area and species we should see are harbour porpoise and minke whale. Shetland is certainly the best place in the UK to see orcas and whilst they are far from being guaranteed, there is a good chance of seeing them! Shetland also boasts the highest density of otters in north west Europe and our local guides know where, when and how to find them better than anybody else!
Featured highlights:
Explore the beautiful and rugged landscape of Shetland - its dramatically changing colours and textures will take your breath away. Search for otters in secluded bays and also enjoy close up views of common & grey seals. Take a unique night time boat trip to Mousa Broch to experience thousands of storm petrels returning to the island under the cover of darkness. Photograph the friendliest and most approachable puffins in the World! Guided tour of Hermaness National Nature Reserve – home to the second largest great skua colony in the world. Good chance of seeing harbour porpoise and minke whale and with lots of luck, orcas!
Important travel information:
You are free to decide how you would like to travel to Shetland for the start of your trip. Complimentary transport will be provided from Sumburgh Airport for those flying to Shetland on Day 1. There is also a passenger and vehicle ferry that sails daily from Aberdeen if you do not wish to fly. Full details will be sent in your trip dossier upon booking.
For the next seven days we will lose ourselves in these magical sub-Arctic islands. As we island-hop to cover all the major wildlife sites, we hope to have some wonderful encounters with magnificent wildlife. The National Nature Reserves of Sumburgh Head, Noss and Hermaness are a birdwatcher's paradise and all boast large seabird colonies which are easily accessible and provide close up encounters with tens of thousands of breeding gannets alongside puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars.
Fetlar hosts nearly all of the UK population of rare red-necked phalarope - famous for its role reversal - and Unst provides us with an opportunity to see a superb range of wild flowers - including many arctic alpines at sea level!
The surrounding waters are one of the best places within the British Isles and regular visitors to the area and species we should see are harbour porpoise and minke whale. Shetland is certainly the best place in the UK to see orcas and whilst they are far from being guaranteed, there is a good chance of seeing them! Shetland also boasts the highest density of otters in north west Europe and our local guides know where, when and how to find them better than anybody else!
Featured highlights:
Important travel information:
You are free to decide how you would like to travel to Shetland for the start of your trip. Complimentary transport will be provided from Sumburgh Airport for those flying to Shetland on Day 1. There is also a passenger and vehicle ferry that sails daily from Aberdeen if you do not wish to fly. Full details will be sent in your trip dossier upon booking.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive. Arrive at Sumburgh airport to be met by your guide. Transfer to accommodation. Welcome meal and orientation talk. Evening boat trip to the island of Mousa. |
| Day 2-7: | Exploration of the islands. The next few days will be spent exploring the mystical islands of the Shetlands. Activities will include excursions to Fetlar, Unst, Yell & Noss. Guided walks on the National Nature Reserve of Hermaness and Keen of Hamar and the RSPB Reserves of Sumburgh Head and Fetlar. One full day to explore Unst, the most northerly populated island of the British Isles. |
| Day 8: | Depart. Transfer to Sumburgh after breakfast for return journey home. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment:
By participating in this trip you’ll be making a valuable financial contribution to the vital conservation work of WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. We have been committed from the outset to providing the best possible experience for our passengers whilst ensuring the long term sustainability of the local marine environment. By minimising our impact on the wildlife around us, we hope that it will continue to thrive and be enjoyed by all for years to come. Over the years we have provided a platform for a variety of organisations and we support many national conservation bodies through collecting photo-id data of sea mammals around the Shetland coastline, conducting bird surveys and undertaking environmental impact assessments. We are also institutional members of the Ecotourism Society - an international body that promotes environmentally responsible eco-tourism worldwide. Through showing people wildlife in its natural habitat the experience instils a sense of custodianship of the animals within people and they are then more likely to be motivated to ensure the future welfare of these animals and to do their bit to help. We are an accredited operator and follow a voluntary code of conduct. This unique code encourages collaboration between wildlife tour operators, management agencies, conservation organisations, and members of the public and other water users in order to support sustainable marine wildlife watching in the Shetlands. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed as we were recently awarded the 'Tourism and the Environment Scottish Thistle Award'. The Scottish Tourist Board's 'Thistle' is firmly recognised as the country's most prestigious tourism award and the Tourism and the Environment category pays tribute to businesses that promote a better understanding of Scotland's natural heritage, while adopting environmentally friendly practices. Community: We focus on sustainable tourism practices on all of our adventures. Purchasing our food locally, employing locals, using local guides, suppliers and outfitters in our areas of operation. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |