Dolphin Discovery Days

Spend the Day with a Dolphin Expert!

A unique opportunity to spend the whole day in the company of Wild at Heart founder, Deborah Benham. Deborah is a marine wildlife expert who has worked for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society for the past 5 years and been a whale and dolphin watching guide for 10 years.

In our small group we will explore the beautiful Moray Firth, recommended by BBC1's Springwatch as "the best place in Europe to see wild bottlenose dolphins". Our resident population of dolphins live here year round and we know all the best places to look for them. We are also likely to see seals and many seabirds, including gannets, puffins (and other auks), kittiwakes and fulmar. Minke whales, harbour porpoises and basking sharks are also possible.

Our journey takes us across land and sea, on foot, by minibus and by boat to give us the best chance of finding the dolphins and other marine wildlife. However, all these animals live wild and free, so sightings can never be guaranteed. 

This day trip is a rare opportunity to spend time with a qualified and experienced expert who will take you to the best possible places for viewing dolphins and other marine animals.

Included in this trip are:

• A full day of guided wildlife watching with your expert guide.
• Visit one of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society centres.
• Visits to the best land based spots for watching dolphins, seals and seabirds. 
• Two hour wildlife watching boat trip, enjoying lots of wildlife plus lovely coastal views, with a Dolphin Space Programme accredited 'wildlife friendly' tour boat.  
• Games and activities for the young (and the young at heart!).

Dates: These trips run frequently between April and October.  Please enquire for exact dates - we can often run trips on demand.

Prices:  Full Day Trip (6-7 hours) - Adults £95, Children (5-14) £65. These trips are quite long and therefore not recommended for under 5's. Lunch, drinks, snacks and a souvenir pack are included.

We are also happy to offer shorter days or purely land based watching trips as well. Example price for land-based watching trip (3-4 hrs). Adults £40, Children £25. Afternoon or morning drink/snack included.

Additional Information : This part of north east Scotland has an unusually mild and dry climate with some of the lowest rainfall and highest sunshine hours of anywhere in the UK. However, this is the Highlands and we can sometimes have four seasons in one day . You will need warm clothes and sensible shoes for the boat trips as the temperature at sea is often much lower than on land. Bringing several layers is best. Waterproof jackets are required as even on dry days we may get splashes from waves whilst on the boat. Sunglasses, sunscreen and a sun hat are also a good idea as there is little cover on the boats. 

Please take seasickness medication at least 1-2 hours before coming on the boat trip, even if you do not think you will suffer from sea sickness, its better safe than sorry! The boat trips are provided by professional, accredited, fully insured local tour operators. Boat trips are subject to weather conditions.