Five-Day Autumn Birding Break in the Scottish Highlands 2026
Follow autumn across Strathspey, the Black Isle and Moray Firth on a four-night break with three guided birding days and a Grantown-on-Spey base.
About this tour
Autumn changes both the colour and birdlife of the Scottish Highlands. This four-night hotel break uses three guided days to connect inland forests, lochs and glens with the tidal habitats of the Black Isle and the broader Moray Firth coast.
Strathspey offers Crested Tit, crossbills and grouse before the route turns to a Highland glen for Golden and White-tailed Eagles and other wildlife. Around the inner firths, arriving geese, swans and sea ducks share sheltered water with divers, grebes and mergansers, while farmland can hold finch and bunting flocks.
A final coastal day searches beaches, bays and harbours for passage waders, unusual migrants and wintering sea birds. The package includes dinner, breakfast, packed lunches, hot drinks, guiding and tour transport; the order and precise stops may change with weather and recent sightings.
Guides
Itinerary ▼
Meet at the Grant Arms Wildlife Hotel before dinner. The guide reviews conditions and the likely order of the three field days.
Work through pine forest, loch and moorland habitats for Crested Tit, crossbills and grouse. Continue to a Highland glen to scan for Golden and White-tailed Eagles, other raptors, deer and Mountain Hare.
Visit the Black Isle and sheltered waters of the Moray and Cromarty Firths for arriving geese and swans, sea ducks, divers, grebes and mergansers. Farmland stops may add seasonal finch and bunting flocks.
Use the open coast, estuaries and secluded harbours to search for waders, divers, grebes, sea ducks and passage migrants. Current reports and sea conditions guide the choice of observation points.
Conclude the four-night break with breakfast at the hotel before departure. Any extra accommodation remains subject to a separate availability check.
Locations & map
- Grantown-on-Spey - United Kingdom
Availability & pricing
Included
- Four nights dinner, bed and breakfast
- Three full guided birding days
- Packed lunches and hot drinks
- Tour transport
Not included
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips and personal expenses
Transport & stays
- Private vehicle