West Coast Wildlife Odyssey Cruise

Meet in Inverness or Fort William where we will transfer you with our own 4x4 vehicle to the lovely west coast fishing port of Mallaig. Upon arriving, after our drive through some beautiful mountain scenery, you will be welcomed aboard the MV Monadhliath with a welcome drink and a brief talk on the trip ahead and a safety briefing. There will then be time to settle in before we head out on a short steam towards Loch Nevis for our first nights' anchorage and a chance to go ashore and visit The Forge, the UK’s most isolated pub located on the Knoydart peninsula. There will be a chance for a brief walk before supper and watching the sun set whilst watching out for the red deer, as this is in the middle of the mating season and the roar of the stags voice reverberates around the surrounding hills and glens.

After a hearty breakfast we will set off north up the Sound of Sleat past Sandaig Bay, immortalised as Camusfearna, the location for Gavin Maxwell’s book Ring of Bright Water. We will meet up with our 4x4 vehicle for a trip to the Isle of Skye, and on to a little-known hide we use for watching otters and a high chance of seeing both golden eagles and white-tailed sea eagles. There may also be a chance to visit the island of Eilean Ban and the museum dedicated to Gavin Maxwell, who once owned the island. In the afternoon we will head back to the Monadhliath for a late afternoon cruise up to Plockton, one of the most scenic villages you will find, with white-washed houses and palm trees. It was made famous as the location for filming the BBC comedy drama Hamish MacBeth! We will spend the night nearby enjoying the wonderful coastal scenery ready for the next morning's adventures. 

This morning will focus on the land and a chance to feast on some of the best mountain and loch scenery on the UK mainland, Torridon and Loch Maree. We will visit the Caledonian pine forest of Beinn Eighe and take a moderate 2-hour walk through the forest where we will explain the work being undertaken to regenerate the forest to its former glory. We will look for golden and white-tailed eagles, and look for signs of pine marten on this rewarding day out. We will anchor either in Loch Torridon or at Gairloch, a little further north. 

This day is dedicated to finding marine mammals and we will likely encounter minke whales, dolphins, porpoise, and maybe even orca if we are really lucky. We will head for the Summer Isles for the final night and a chance to head ashore for more short walks or sit and relax with camera with every chance of spotting an otter.

Our final chance to soak in the dramatic and beautiful coastal scenery before we reach our destination port of Ullapool, where our minibus will be waiting to transfer you back to Inverness.

1.-Inverness/Fort William (minibus)
2. - Mallaig (join boat)
3. - Loch Nevis (night 1)
4. - Sound of Sleat (cruising & minibus)
5. - Isle of Skye, otter hide - Plockton (night 2)
6.  Shieldaig & Beinn Eighe (minibus)
7. - The Minch (cruising)
8. - Inner Sound (cruising)
9. - Loch Torridon or Gairloch (night 3)
10. - The Minch (cruising)
11. -Summer Isles (night 4)
12. - Minch (cruising)
13. - Ullapool (leave boat)
15. - Inverness (minibus)