The Shetland Islands
8 Days
Highlights
- Explore Shetland's beautiful and rugged landscape - its colours and textures will take your breath away
- A unique boat trip to Mousa Broch to experience thousands of storm petrels returning to the island under cover of darkness
- Guided tour of Hermaness National Nature Reserve - home to the world's second largest colony of great skuas
- Opportunities to see orca, minke whale, harbour porpoise, white-beaked, white-sided and Risso's dolphin
- Visit to Sumburgh Head RSPB Reserve to witness the spectacle of thousands of breeding seabirds - including puffins, guillemots, shags and fulmars
- Encounter other wildlife including common and grey seal, Arctic hare and otter
Description
A different world awaits you in Shetland. The unmistakable beauty and charm of this rugged land and seascapes are truly breathtaking. When coupled with the region's astonishing variety of animal, bird and plant life, and excellent guiding, the result is a holiday not to be missed!
Over the next seven days you can immerse yourself in these magical islands. Exploring by land and sea, you can expect wonderful encounters with all sorts of wildlife. The surrounding waters are one of the best places in the British Isles to see marine mammals - resident species and regular visitors include harbour porpoise, otter, and both common and grey seal. If lucky, you may see orcas hunting close to the shore, a school of white-sided dolphins chasing a shoal of fish, or even a minke whale. Occasional sightings include pilot and sperm whales and Risso's dolphin.
The islands are renowned as something of a paradise for birdwatchers, and there will be ample opportunity to see a remarkable diversity of birdlife at the National Nature Reserves of Sumburgh Head, Noss, and Hermaness - a birdwatcher's paradise. These three large seabird colonies are easily to reach, and here you'll have face to face encounters with tens of thousands of breeding gannets, alongside puffins, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars.
Itinerary
- Day 1
- Arrive Sumburgh airport and meet your guide. Transfer to accommodation. Welcome meal and orientation talk. Evening boat trip to the island of Mousa.
- Days 2 to 7
- These days are spent exploring the mystical islands of the Shetlands. Activities include excursions to Fetlar, Unst, Yell and 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
- Transfer to Sumburgh after breakfast for journey home.
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While most departures follow the itinerary noted above, we reserve the right to change this to ensure a successful trip.
- Tour Code: BSHE
- WDCS Donation Included: The trip cost includes a donation to the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
- Single supplement: From £80
- What's included: Transfers and whale and dolphin watching trips. Accommodation: four nights hotel in Sumburgh, plus three nights hotel on Unst - rooms with en suite facilities. All meals.
- Not included: Travel to/from the Shetlands; travel insurance; personal items; alcoholic and soft drinks.
- Important travel information: You must arrange your own travel to/from Shetland. If you fly to Shetland on Day 1, a complimentary transfer is provided from Sumburgh Airport to the first hotel. If you do not wish to fly, there's a daily ferry service from Aberdeen.
- Guides: Shetland Wildlife guide.
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Group size: 12 maximum
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