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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 09 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Lucy Gillmore

It’s not exactly the Serengeti, but head out on a mountain safari with a kilted ranger on a 250,000-acre Highland estate and you can still notch up plenty of wildlife sightings, and get a sense of the sheer scale of one of Europe’s last great wildernesses.

As you bump down the mountain tracks, looking for magnificent red deer or golden eagles soaring overhead, your guide will also weave tales of the areas fascinating geology and history.

You can also go on foot – they offer a 4-hour guided wilderness walk with a safari ranger, which includes a picnic.

While you’re there

The centre also offers a 4WD off-road driving experience, whereby you (with an experienced instructor by your side) get to drive a Land Rover around a special hilltop off-roading track.

Price from: £48
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 6+
When: All year around
Duration: 2-3 hours

Getting there & doing it

From Aberfeldy follow the B846 past Castle Menzies until you see signs for Highland Safaris at Dull Village.

Booking in advance is recommended during school holidays (Easter, July-August). Arrive at reception 15 minutes ahead of time as Land Rover departures are scheduled.

Take binoculars for wildlife spotting, and a hat and gloves in winter, boots and waterproofs. You can get four seasons in a day here.

When to do it

Safaris operate all year (except in severe weather). 4WD morning safaris tend to depart at 9.30am and others leave in early afternoon.

Each season has its highlights: dawn in spring is spellbinding, while in autumn you have the drama of the stags’ rut and the spectacular autumn colours.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Grandtully Hotel

Strathtay, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[10.9 miles]

A gourmet escape in rural Perthshire, this chic boutique hotel’s highlights include cosy, contemporary rooms and hand-crafted cocktails. 

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (UK)

Magnificent mountain scenery slashed by silvery lochs and peppered with brooding castles: all laden with rich Scottish heritage, history and tradition.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Blair Castle

Pitlochry, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[17.6 miles]

A picture-perfect, white-turreted medieval castle with beautiful landscaped gardens, rich in Scottish history and legend – it was the ancestral home of Clan Murray.

Best for ages: 10+ | £15

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Cooking classes at Ballintaggart Farm
Experience

Cooking classes at Ballintaggart Farm

Pitlochry, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[13.3 miles]

This foodie bolt-hole offers field-to-fork cookery classes in Highland Perthshire themed around ‘seasonal suppers’, ‘pickling, preserving and fermenting’ and ‘fire and foraging’. You can stay over in one of 12 luxury bedrooms, or book into the Grandtully Hotel, their sleek sister property nearby.

Best for ages: 13+ | £25 | 5 hours

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