Alladale: The Wild Side of the Scottish Highlands

Responsible travel and sustainable tourism are fundamental ideas that Wild Frontiers has been committed to since our birth. It is our strong belief that these words should not be simply ‘tagged on’ to itineraries and websites but should be at the very core of each trip, and our adventures are therefore designed with the local people, culture and eco-system in mind. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our clients, but that it also benefits the peoples whose lands we are privileged to visit. For more information, please see our responsible travel page.

Alladale Wilderness Reserve Rewilding

Although strikingly beautiful, the Highlands are not what they once were. These barren lands used to be home to lush pine forests and large predators. Few people know that just one per cent of what the Romans called ‘the Great Forest of Caledon’ remains today. As a result, much of the flora and fauna that once thrived here, has disappeared and the landscape has altered dramatically. The Alladale team works hard to rewild this unique part of the Highlands to its former glory, reintroducing original plant and wildlife species. Whilst staying on the reserve, we will get the chance to learn from the experts about the potential and struggles of Rewilding in Scotland. In addition to our stay at Alladale which supports the Rewilding work, we will be donating a further 5% of the tour profits to the reserve's conservation work.

If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from London (subject to change) are shown below. Please note that these flights will allow for some free-time on arrival in Inverness before our anticipated early afternoon 2hr transfer to Alladale (where check-in is at 4pm). Easyjet also fly between London Gatwick and Inverness and may have slightly more convenient timings. We will provide complimentary transfers between Inverness and Alladale to tie in with both British Airways and Easyjet (London Gatwick) schedules on arrival and departure days. You may also wish to drive and there is ample free-parking available at Alladale itself. Alternatively you may want to take the overnight Caledonian Sleeper train from London.

If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
 

Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact our recommended visa agency, Travcour www.travcour.com

For this tour UK passport holders currently do not require a visa for the UK. 

Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.

Further details will be sent out to you on booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.

Please note for this tour we are not offering any particular extensions. Should you be interested in discussing any specific options please contact us to discuss further.

Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.

Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.

CLIMATE

The northerly location of Alladale Wilderness Reserve means weather can be extremely varied. The most popular time to go is from May to late September as days are longest and temperature warmest, with temperatures between 10-20°C. Early September is also a wonderful time to witness the flowering heather in the area as well as an abundance of wildlife. However please prepare for all eventualities, including rain and wind.

IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?

It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. All our tours have a fitness rating as a guideline but you should check the day-by-day itinerary carefully. In certain instances we may ask you to complete a travel questionnaire before confirming your booking in order to ensure your suitability. Should you have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the office.

KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER

Anyone in a good state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour. Please note those walks that are included do require a certain level of fitness as they require a substantial amount of uphill walking. A full day's walk will usually take around 8 hours including rest stops and some time for a relaxing picnic. You will also have access to mountain bikes to explore the reserve further.

TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS

As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!

Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll try to pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip. On this trip please note that regrettably if we are unable to find someone with whom you can share, you will need to pay the single supplement or unfortunately choose not to travel. If you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour.

Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.

INSURANCE

Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.

TOUR PRICE

All our tours are priced on a land-only twin-share basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour. Please note this tour consists of three different room categories which unlike our other tours, do require a supplementary payment for any upgrade option. There is limited availability for each room category and they will be confirmed based on a first come first served basis.

The tour is costed on staying in a Classic Room. Please see upgrade costs below -

Standard Single Supplement (Classic Room): £685pp
Deluxe Room upgrade (twin/double occupancy): £125pp
Deluxe Room upgrade (single occupancy): £185 plus standard single supplement
Executive Room upgrade (twin/double occupancy): £250pp
Executive Room (single occupancy): £365 plus standard single supplement

Please also note that once we fill all rooms in Alladale Lodge, we have an additional property available on the reserve where Classic Rooms can be booked. Please contact us for more information.

DEPOSIT

A £200 (or equivalent) deposit is required to confirm your booking.

PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY

For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page

WILD MILES

This tour will earn you 890 Wild Miles

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.

Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs

WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY

If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events. 

WHY WILD FRONTIERS?

We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.