About - Great Glen Wildlife
Tour Leadership
David Kent leads all tours. Originating from Manchester he has lived in Scotland since the late 60s launching Great Glen Wildlife in 1992. His broad experience comes from occupations in wildlife management and research in Sweden and Scotland. Dedicated to the management of two nature reserves he is happiest when practising the hands-on brand of nature conservation. An avid believer in the promotion of forests he has single-handed planted over 30,000 trees on his reserves. Although a keen birder his knowledge embraces mammals, butterflies, wild flowers and other aspects of the wild environment.
Since 1978 his wildlife expertise has been applied to tour-leading throughout Europe, former Eastern-Bloc countries, East Africa, Nepal and North America.
- We
operate tours to most of Scotland's top wildlife locations, plus
several overseas destinations visited by no other wildlife tour
companies
- Our
tours are not just designed to find wildlife, but also for the
fullest experience of wonderful habitats and destinations visited.
- All
walking is conducted at a leisurely pace - no route marches!
- We
cater for all levels of interest and ability and take great pleasure
in welcoming novices and beginners.
- When
it comes to finding and identifying birds, mammals or wild flowers
we justifiably believe our expertise is second to none. All branches
of wildlife and natural history are covered, with bird-watching
usually the main activity on most tours. We are, however, rarely
orientated towards bird-watching to the disregard of other wildlife.
Mammals, including cetaceans (whales and dolphins), feature equally
on many tours, and we contrive to embrace wild flowers, entomology
and other areas of natural history, also culture, whenever interest
manifests.
- On
most Scottish-based tours the first and last days do not simply
involve, respectively, an evening pre-dinner arrival and a morning
post-breakfast departure. Both include full days of wildlife-viewing
excursions, during which some of the more important events often
take place.
- The
majority of tours are limited to nine or fewer participants.
- In
Scotland travel is usually by 15 seater minibus with a full group.
- The
average standard of accommodation used is very high, with en suite
facilities and single rooms available as the norm. We have never
required that a tour participant should be prepared to share.
- Over 85% of tour participants are return clients. We would like
to believe that this reflects customer satisfaction!
About the Tours
The itineraries described will usually be adhered to unless circumstances beyond our control, weather for example, make certain activities unsuitable or impossible. We may occasionally juggle a programme in response to updated tips on wildlife occurrences.
Starting Points
in the UK are calculated to meet public transport timetables, allowing for guests travelling from the south to arrive in good time for a scheduled rendezvous. On most Highland and Island based tours pick-ups are from Inverness Rail Station at 09:00, or from accommodation approximately ten-fifteen minutes later. We do not normally collect guests from the airport, though are quite happy to drop them off there at the end of a tour. Rendezvous details are provided in pre-tour information.
Accommodation
For participants of UK tours planning to travel up at an earlier date, or stay on after a tour, a accommodation list is forwarded with the booking confirmation. Hotels used are of high standard, chosen for location, excellence of cuisine and friendliness of management. En suite facilities are the norm. Single rooms are always available, though a supplement is often charged for single occupancy.
Single Room Supplements Prospective tour participants occasionally complain about SRS charges. We do our best to negotiate with hotels to have these dropped or substantially reduced, in the latter event absorbing the costs ourselves. If a significant supplement is charged, however, we have little option but to pass it on to you the client. Hotels overseas commonly charge per room rather than per person.
Costs
on all Scottish tours are inclusive of accommodation, meals, transport and guidance. Some excursions and entrance fees to cultural sites are excluded. Boat cruises, for example, may fail to operate because of bad weather. Visits to antiquities etc. are always optional.
Pre Tour Payments
In accordance with the EC directive (January 93) on package tours, requiring that all tour operators are appropriately protected to safeguard their clients' advance payments for holidays, GGW can confirm provision of the appropriate protection for its clientele. Advance payments are deposited in an ESCROW account, where they remain until the conclusion of a tour.
Transport
is by minibus of a size that ensures all participants have a window seat once the vehicle is free of baggage. The guide possesses a PCV drivers licence. If a tour operates with three or fewer guests we may use a car.
Group Size
Most Scottish tours are limited to nine participants which, in our experience, is a comfortable number for if we are to maximise chances of everyone seeing all wildlife located.
If, however, we receive a booking from a couple when just a single place remains available, we reserve the right to accept that booking.
Large groups cause more disturbance in the field, and the time required to board or disembark from vehicles becomes more prolonged. On some overseas tours group size may be even smaller, largely because of the limited size of available hire vehicles.
Daily Excursions
normally commence about 09:00, or an hour after the start of breakfast. Some Scottish hotels serve breakfast later than normal on Sundays. If an earlier start is warranted for any reason, this is shown in the tour itinerary. Most days finish around 18:00, give or take a half hour. Occasionally an excursion will last until the late evening, in which event we would have dinner outwith our hotel base.
Walking is always at an easy pace. Most walks could be described as a stroll, because we are after all hoping to see and hear elusive wildlife.
If a tour is graded as 'Easy', all walks are non-strenuous. Tours graded 'Moderate' may include some uphill walks that require more effort, or off-the-beaten-track walks along craggy shores or through ancient forests. Tour participants are always free to opt out of walks, and most who do so achieve good views of wildlife in the vicinity of our vehicle.
Call us
if you wish to know more about the nature of walking on specific tours.
Wildlife Checklists
Lists are produced individually for each tour, sent out automatically with booking acknowledgements. We would be pleased to forward checklists on request for any tour in which you have particular interest. For a new tour the checklist projects all bird and mammals species regularly recorded in the area of operation.
Once a tour has operated a couple of times, the list becomes strictly a compilation of collective species seen by our groups during previous visits to the destination.
Tour Reports
are normally sent out within six weeks of tour conclusion, including checklist of all wildlife seen (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, butterflies, dragonflies and notable flora).
Air Travel Overseas
destinations reached by air are costed exclusive of flights. If you wish to join one of these tours we would be quite happy to assist with flight reservations using our personal travel agent. Our agent, who has efficiently processed all our travel for many years now, will anticipate reservation calls from GGW clients and accordingly group any bookings. If you opt to book your flight with our agent we are in a position to monitor expedition of bookings and ticket issue. This is entirely optional leaving you completely free to pursue alternative travel arrangements with an airline or your own travel agent.
Please call any time if you would like further clarification.