The Highland Wildlife Park – Polar Bears, Tigers and Bison
A few hours.
The route
The Highland Wildlife Park sits on a hillside above Kincraig, between Aviemore and Kingussie, with the Cairngorms all around it.
You drive slowly through its big open reserve among bison, elk, deer and vicuña, then walk round to meet polar bears, Amur tigers, snow leopards, wolves, red pandas and Japanese macaques.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Book the Highland Wildlife Park
Book Highland Wildlife Park tickets online before you go, where they're cheaper than at the gate; it's open every day except Christmas Day from 10am, with last entry an hour before closing.
The day
Kincraig
A slow drive among the bison and elk, then a walk round the hill to the polar bears and tigers. Give it most of the day.
About four hoursAbout 1.5 miles on foot
The Highland Wildlife Park
An attraction
The park is on the B9152 a little south-west of Kincraig, on the way to Kingussie, with a large car park and Blue Badge spaces in the upper car park. It's open every day except Christmas Day, from 10am: until 4pm from November to February, 5pm from March to June and in September and October, and 6pm in July and August, with last entry an hour before closing. Book tickets online, where they're cheaper than at the gate (an adult ticket was £25 online at the time of writing). First comes the drive-through reserve, where bison, elk, deer and vicuña wander round your car, and you can go round as often as you like; it can close in severe weather. Then park and walk the hill to the polar bears, Amur tigers, snow leopards, wolves, wildcats, red pandas and Japanese macaques. The paths climb, but manual wheelchairs are free to borrow and mobility scooters can be hired. Antlers Café serves fresh, seasonal food, and there's a playground by the main car park. Dogs aren't allowed anywhere on site, even left in a car, except assistance dogs: there are kennels by the admissions cabins at £15 a day, booked ahead.
If it rains
Most of the park is outdoors, but the drive-through reserve is seen from the car and Antlers Café is under a roof, so a wet day still works with waterproofs; in severe weather the reserve drive may close.
Photographs by S Drury and Rene Space80 via Google