Description

The Cairngorm Mountain region of the Scottish Highlands is one of the most beautiful areas in the UK to see and photograph wildlife. Our ‘Wildlife Photography Tour’ aims to offer a range of opportunities with iconic species of the area, including Red Squirrel, Crested Tit, Mountain Hare, Golden Eagle, Grouse and Red Deer. These wonderful subjects are often easier to locate and are looking their best in the breath taking winter landscape.

 

Our guest guide for this special trip is the internationally renowned nature photographer Neil McIntyre. He has agreed to join us on our tour in his home country of the Scottish Highlands, which he knows so very well. We have run this trip with Neil for over 18 years now and the sheer quantity and quality of the photographic opportunities never fails to impress us! This very exclusive trip will take just 6 guests into the heart of the Highland landscape with the additional support of highly qualified Wild Arena guides.

 

For 2024, we are once again heading north in February for stunning winter colours to compliment our wildlife encounters. The trip will provide superb picture opportunities of species such as Red Squirrel, Crested Tits, Ptarmigan, Mountain Hare, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, Eagle Owl and Red Deer. We will make the most of the breath-taking surroundings to provide the perfect natural backgrounds for the birds and animals of this mountainous environment. There will be lots of chances to capture images of the landscape itself during our 5 full days exploration of the Cairngorms, and we will make the most of early morning and evening light for low sun, colour, and reflections.

​

Our tour will begin with a pleasant evening introduction from your guides, who will outline the plan for the following week. We will be staying in a spacious and well-appointed house in the heart of the Cairngorms and guests will each have their own en-suite room and the use of a communal living area and kitchen. The guides will provide breakfast every day and ample supplies for everyone to make their own lunch. Evening meals are available locally or there will be an option to join the guides for a quiet, simple meal back at the house (at a small additional cost).

​

During the first 2 days, Neil & the Wild Arena team will transport the guests to various locations around the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains. We will have an extended session photographing Red Squirrels, at a secret feeding location, providing some beautiful close-up picture opportunities of them in a pristine woodland setting. Another private location will enable us to photograph the tiny, rare Crested Tit at very close range.

​

We have also booked a private visit to the high glen on a local estate to capture the wintering Red Deer as they are called in for food in a picturesque woodland valley. This is a wonderful opportunity to get stunning portraits of perhaps Scotland’s most iconic species.

​

The third day of photography will see the group all heading high in the mountains in search of the iconic but elusive Ptarmigan and Mountain Hare. This is likely to be the most technically and physically demanding session and Neil will take time to ensure everyone gets the best from this opportunity.

​

On day 4 of the tour, we will meet up with one of Scotland finest falconers. He will bring along several native mountain birds including the spectacular Golden Eagle. Together we will drive up into the surrounding mountain landscape in search of the perfect backgrounds for our images. This is a rare and exclusive chance to capture some truly beautiful pictures of the birds in carefully selected stunning settings. The Golden Eagle can be walked up to the edge of the tree line, to capture the sweeping glens and mountains as a backdrop to this most enigmatic bird. Other species on the day could include Tawny Owl, Snowy Owl, Great Grey Owl, Goshawk, Peregrine or Eagle Owl.

​

On day 5 we will travel further afield spending a day driving north, high into the Great Glens in search of more Red Deer and some stunning high mountain landscapes. With lochs, valleys, rivers, and waterfalls there should be ample opportunities to add scenic shots to our diverse Scottish portfolios. We will, of course, also keep our eyes open for other wildlife as we explore the wild highlands.

Neil McIntyre specializes in photographing Scottish wildlife and landscapes, with a strong emphasis on targeting certain species such as Red Deer and Red Squirrels amongst others. His work has been published in the many books and magazines and he has twice been a category winner in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, as well as having several runner-up and highly commended photographs.

The tour includes 5 full days of photography and 6 nights, bed and breakfast accommodation in an extremely welcoming and well-appointed country house. Single occupancy, en-suite rooms are offered as standard on this trip to ensure the comfort of our guests. There is also a comfortable lounge area with open fire to relax in the evenings.

David & Janet Southard from Wild Arena will be on hand throughout the trip to help and assist with general photographic problems or questions, so there is plenty of opportunity for less experienced photographers to develop their skills. Each evening there will be the chance to discuss the day’s work and to get feedback on images taken and the techniques’ used.