See Scotland's Big Five with Wild West

Join Wild West to look for Scotland's "Big Five" of red deer, golden eagle, otter, harbour seal and red squirrel. These can be found on a single day trip. Red deer safaris, searchlight safaris and tailor made private safaris also available.

Join Wild West and Loch Shiel Cruises to look for the “Big Five”

For the year of Natural Scotland 2013, Visit Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage have joined together to showcase the very best of Scotland’s wildlife. There are few places in the country where all of the big five of red deer, golden eagle, harbour seal, red squirrel and otter can be found. However, Wild West offer a unique opportunity to search for all these species and much more in a single day.

Leaving Fort William at 9.00, we travel along Loch Eil to Glenfinnan. Here you will join skipper Jim Michie of Loch Shiel cruises on a one way cruise to Acharacle at the south end of the loch. On the way, you’ll be looking out for golden eagles, red deer, sea eagles, hen harrier and black throated divers amongst others. And what Jim doesn’t know about the history of the area hasn’t yet been written!

At Acharacle you’ll be met again by Ian MacLeod and the Wild West mini bus and we’ll stop for a spot of lunch. You can bring your own picnic or we’ll eat at a local restaurant. After lunch we’ll head to Castle Tioram, the ruined island fortress home of the Macdonalds of Clan Ranald. Here we may see sea eagles, otters and a variety of other sea and shore birds.

From there we’ll wind our way along Loch Sunart, visiting the Garbh Eilean wildlife hide where we hope to find seals hauled out on the rocks, herons, mergansers, arctic terns and again, perhaps otters. If time permits we’ll detour round by Kingairloch looking for golden eagle, red deer, hen harriers, divers and the feral goats that feed on the seaweed around rubha nan sornagan.

Crossing the Corran ferry we’ll be looking out for the black guilemots that nest on the old jetty there before making our final stop of the day at Inchree forest, where the forestry commission have set up feeders and a screen to watch the final member of the Big Five, the red squirrel.

Finally, back to Fort William for tea...

Adults £80.00 each Under 16’s £48.00 Price includes boat and ferry fares

This trip runs Wednesdays only due to Loch Shiel Cruises timetabe. Other "Big Five" safaris can be arranged.

For more details go to Big Five safari

Red deer Safari

We head up Glengarry to loch Quoich to look for the herds of red deer which roam the hills. From November to May the deer are low down providing great photo opportunities. At other times of year they will be higher up the hills but we can usually find and observe them with a scope or binoculars.

Adults £35.00; under 16 £21.00

Rutting season

Throughout October, the rut takes place and the glen is filled with the roaring of amorous stags competing to mate with the hinds. For the whole month, Wild West will run twice daily trips to see this highlight of the Scottish wildlife calendar. There is usually more activity around dawn, so Wild West offer an early morning trip. leaving South Laggan 1/2 hour before sunrise to be with the deer just after dawn

Daily: Early morning (time will be advised when booking) & 1.30 pm. Approx. 3 hours
Adults £35; under 16 £21.00

Searchlight safari

After dusk, the creatures of the night awake to hunt and forage under the cover of darkness and this is the time that we will set off into the forest. We’ll be looking for signs, and hopefully sightings of owls, deer, bats, foxes, pine marten… and maybe, just maybe, the most elusive and secretive of Scotland’s wild animals, the Scottish wildcat.” From May to August, due to long daylight hours the searchlight safari will be replaced by a dusk safari.

Daily at dusk, the time to be advised when booking. Approx. 2.5 hours
Adults £35.00; under 16 £21.00

Loch Lochy & Loch Arkaig

Osprey and sea eagles have bred successfully on Lochs Lochy and Arkaig in recent years and we regularly see them fishing on the lochs. The Allt Mhuic nature reserve is a stronghold of
the chequered skipper butterfly, one of the UK’s rarest species. As in Glengarry, red deer roam freely.

Trips run on demand and last approximately 3.5 hours.
Adults £35.00; under 16 £21.00

A walk in the woods

Our forests are one of our greatest wildlife resources. On this walk we’ll be looking for red squirrel, roe deer, crossbills and signs of pine marten, not to mention all the other woodland birds, dragonflies, butterflies and forest flora

The walk is approximately 2.5 hours on forest trails

Adults £15.00; under 16 £9.00

Glengarry half day safari

We start off with a drive through Glengarry forests, looking for Scottish crossbill and crested tit, then down to Loch Garry where we may see black & red throated diver and scoter, as well as many other common species. We'll also be looking at the abundant insect and flower life including dragonflies and our native carnivorous plants

Adults £35.00; Under 16 £21

Glengarry full day safari

This trip starts off as the half day but continues all the way out to Kinloch Hourn. Here we will take a walk to Skiary, the remains of a once thriving herring port, looking for otters, seabirds and other life found in abundance on the seashore. The road, now a rough track was built by Thomas Telford.

Bordering the north side of the Knoydart peninsula, Europe’s last true Wilderness, Loch Hourn really is one of
Scotland’s hidden gems and a true taste of the Wild West.

Adults £60.00; under 16 £40.00

Bespoke tours
The trips listed on this web site are just a selection of what Wild West can offer. If you would like a trip specifically tailored to the requirements of you and your friends or family, perhaps to see dolphins, otters or the abundant birdlife that abounds, I will be happy to discuss your needs and provide a quote for
you.

•Most trips involve some short, easy walking. Stout footwear and warm waterproof clothing are recommended.
•For day trips, there is a small tea room/cafe at Kinloch Hourn or you can bring a packed lunch.
•Binoculars and spotting scope are available on the minibus for client use
•Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
•Well behaved dogs are welcome by arrangement but MUST be kept on a lead when out of the vehicle/boat

The species listed are an example of those regularly seen on “Wild West” trips. Many other species inhabit the area. Wild West make no guarantees as to what, if any species will be seen on a trip. Sightings will vary depending on time year

*Tel: 0333 123 2820 e-mail: ian@wildwestsafari.co.uk

* Calls to 03 numbers are included in mobile and landline bundled minute