Otters, Eagles and Seabirds: Isle of Mull Wildlife Photography Tour
Exceptional eight-day wildlife photography tour based on Mull providing exclusive accommodation, gourmet dining, two expert guides for otter photography and five boat trips for eagle and sea bird photography.
Renowned for its wildlife, the Hebridean island of Mull is the best place in the British Isles to enjoy some of our most iconic species. Here you can find magnificent white-tailed sea eagles taking fish from the water, herds of red deer in mountain glens, playful otters foraging along the shoreline and dolphins leaping at sea. The nearby island of Lunga is one of the finest seabird colonies in Britain, home to abundant puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags and fulmars amongst many other species. Lunga is well-vegetated, with attractive clean backgrounds for photography and (in contrast to seabird islands in England and Wales) you will find few other visitors. Together, Mull and Lunga offer the most engaging, exciting and spectacular wildlife photography experience in the British Isles today.
This photography tour will enable you to enjoy and photograph the wildlife of Mull, as well as appreciating the stunning Hebridean scenery. Surrounded by nearly 300 miles of coastline and fascinating offshore islands, Mull offers tremendous opportunities for both landscape and wildlife photography.
Early mornings will be spent searching for otters at secluded lochs around the Mull coastline. We expect to get photographs of otters travelling between rocks, foraging, swimming, resting, fishing and eating. The video below was made by a participant on this tour in May 2023.
We will travel by boat to Lunga for seabirds, the waters west of Mull for sea eagles, the iconic island of Staffa with its remarkable basal columns and Iona with its Celtic Christian origins. In order to provide the very best opportunities for photographing seabirds and sea eagles we are chartering boats to give us exclusive access. The tour includes three boat trips for sea eagles (three hours each) and two boat trips to Lunga for seabirds (each giving about six hours on the island, including evening light). We also have a good chance of photographing bottlenose dolphins, though this is not guaranteed.
The tour benefits from exclusive accommodation in en suite rooms at Arle Lodge on Mull. All meals (breakfast, packed lunch and three-course evening meal), prepared by our in-house French chef, are included in the tour price. This arrangement offers maximum comfort, flexibility and the finest dining experience you would find anywhere on Mull. The tour also provides all transport from Glasgow (or Oban), including pickup/drop off at Glasgow airport or railway station and ferry crossings to/from Mull. With six full days on Mull, we have the flexibility to make the most of weather conditions to find wildlife, maximise our photographic opportunities and get the best light. We hope to witness exceptional wildlife moments, such as sea eagles fighting with talons grappling (which was photographed by participants on my 2023 tour).
Photographing sea eagles and seabirds in flight are challenging genres of wildlife photography. To ensure you get the best shots, guidance will be provided throughout the boat trips and landings. Following the first boat trips for both eagles and seabirds, we will have evening indoor sessions at Arle Lodge to review your images, show you how to process them and suggest ways you can improve your shots on the subsequent boat trips. Experience running these tours has shown the value of this indoor tuition in ensuring you take away top-quality photographs as well as lasting memories.
The itinerary is firmly booked but may be adjusted to take account of weather conditions. Please note that boat trips and landings on Staffa and Lunga are subject to sea conditions, as determined by the captain of the boat. If boat trips are cancelled we will endeavour to reschedule them within the tour. If this is not possible you will receive a refund for the price of the boat trip (less any extra costs of alternative activities arranged). Because this tour includes three boat trips for eagles and two boat trips for seabirds, even if one or two days are impacted by less-than-ideal weather conditions there will be further scheduled opportunities to get excellent images in ideal conditions.
Group Size: Maximum of six participants.
Two Leaders/Guides: Robert Harvey and co-leader Clare Harte, both with many years’ experience in wildlife photography on Mull and finding otters.
Recommended photographic equipment:
• Digital single lens reflex camera or equivalent capable of photographing at ISO 1600 or 3200 for low-light shots early and late in the day and for fast shutter speeds to photograph birds in flight
• Telephoto lenses (300mm or 400mm for sea eagles and seabirds; 500mm+ focal length) for otters and shorebirds
• Standard and wide angle zoom lenses for mountain landscapes
• Fisheye lens if you have one
• Flash
• Camera manual
• Tripod
• Monopod
• Cable release
• Neutral density and polarising filters
• Hiking boots (good grip required for otter photography)
• Cold weather and wet weather clothing
• Warm hat and gloves
Dates: 11 to 18 June 2024. FULLY BOOKED. Please use the enquiry form to express interest in a future departure in 2024 or 2025 and you will receive priority when booking forms are sent out.
Meet in Glasgow (airport or railway station) or Oban at lunchtime on Day 1, return to Oban or Glasgow early afternoon on Day 8.
Eight day tour: £3,325 based on twin, double or single occupancy. No single supplement. Deposit of £1,650 payable to secure your place, balance due by 1 February 2024.
If you wish to bring a partner who will not be participating in the photography workshop activities you are welcome to do that at an additional cost of £300 for seven nights.
Included: En suite accommodation and all meals at Arle Lodge for seven nights, travel from Glasgow and within Mull, ferry crossings, three boat trips for sea eagle photography, two boat trips for seabird photography, visits to Staffa, Lunga and Iona, up to six mornings of otter photography, guiding and tuition throughout. Introductory presentation and evening review of your images taken during the tour.
Excluded: Travel between home and Glasgow, drinks, personal items.
Video from a participant in Natural World Photography Tour to Mull, May 2023
This remarkable image of two sea eagles grappling each others’ talons was captured by Jim Muller, participant in Natural World Photography Tour to Mull, May 2023.
“I liked the way there was two visits to find both otters and eagles. That way it was so beneficial (especially the discussion in the meeting room) and my images improved as a result. I found the wildlife we saw a fantastic experience especially as I don’t take many wildlife photos. I always come away from a Natural World course having experienced so much and improved my knowledge of using my camera and creating better images ... I loved the variety of photo opportunities ... Thank you for your help and tuition Robert as always especially for helping me get that shot of inside Fingal’s Cave - you always go that extra mile to help us.”
“To have the opportunity to photograph both the sea eagles and the otters on two separate occasions was excellent. I enjoyed the photo opportunities these sessions and the Lunga trip presented. On this particular trip the quality and opportunity to photograph the wildlife exceeded my expectations.”
“The trip to Staffa and Lunga was outstanding – a very different experience to anything else I have done and well worth the trip. The eagle boat trips were also most enjoyable and exciting.”
“The tour was very well organised ... Help with settings on the cameras to suit the conditions and subject matter was really useful and helped to achieve some fantastic photos.”
“Thank you to you for guiding us and helping us improve our photography. Of course the sublime weather helped, but reflecting on the trip last night once we got back we covered so much – the exclusive Lady Jayne trips were brilliant, the bottle-nosed dolphin sightings were special as were the otters. We may not have got the most award winning images of otters but what we enjoyed was watching them go about their daily business without seemingly a care in the world. The puffins and other birds were gorgeous on Lunga (another special place), and Staffa and Iona we will always remember. Other scenery was superb and you helped us see some of it through different perspectives – so thank you for that.”