THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE
SHARKS + Outer Hebrides
Something DIFFERENT. Somewhere DIFFERENT.
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHAT
✷ WHAT – Experience / 05-‐06 ✷ WHY – Highlights / 11-‐12 ✷ WHERE – Location / 07-‐08 ✷ WHO – Type / 13-‐14 ✷ WHEN – Season / 09-‐10 ✷ HOW – Process / 15-‐16
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
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Somewhere Different What’s different about this experience?
THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE At A Glance COUNTRY: Scotland DURATION: 2 Nights
MONTHS: Jun -‐ Aug PRICE: £445
Something Different
Somewhere Different
SHARKS
THE HEBRIDES
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Wild swimming with Basking Sharks
Scotland’s remote Hebrides
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ASSISTANCE: Helping-‐Hand
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHAT
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THE EXPERIENCE
Early morning boat transfer to colourful Tobermory to pick up some supplies from the local bakery and change into wet suits before the island of Coll where you'll swim with seals followed by a picnic lunch. After lunch you'll go out searching for basking sharks. In the afternoon you'll be transferred back to Tobermory where you'll change back into your dry clothes and have a wander before travelling back to Oban in the early evening.
What happens on the experience? Read on to find out more about the itinerary.
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HOME > GLASGOW > OBAN
Arrive in Glasgow and transfer to the Hebrides through the beautiful Loch Lomond National Park stopping at the quaint village of Luss for lunch before visiting Kilchurn Castle. Afterwards it's onwards to Oban where you'll check-‐in to your cosy B&B before enjoying a stroll down the pier or a swanky seafood dinner in one of the town's handful of restaurants.
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OBAN > COLL > OBAN
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OBAN > GLASGOW > HOME
Travel back through Loch Lomond National Park with a visit, tour and tasting session at the famous Glengoyne Whiskey Distillery. After that you'll be transferred back to Glasgow in time for your flight home.
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHERE
THE LOCATION Where does the experience take place? Read on to find out more about the locations you’ll be visiting.
The Hebrides
towns filled with buzzing seafood restaurants and fish and chip shops to make Rick Stein proud, along with the famous deep-‐fried Mars bar, looming Scottish castles, cosy local pubs, and more whiskey that you can shake a stick at and you’ve got yourself the ideal weekend getaway.
Located in the north-‐west of Scotland, the Hebrides archipelago boasts an impressive range of wildlife, culture and landscape with its isles, fjords, beaches and sounds. With some of the richest waters in the world, the Hebrides attracts a whole host of marine wildlife particularly during the spring when the warmer waters provide the perfect conditions for an explosion of plankton blooms. It is here that basking sharks, among others, migrate to gorge on the plankton and even mate in the waters making the Hebrides a worldwide hotspot for shark spotting. The coastline here is even rumoured to be more extensive than the whole of France! Add quaint island villages, coastal
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHEN
THE SEASON When does the experience take place and which is the best month to book?
The Season
June, July & August:
While the basking sharks migrate to the Scottish waters anytime from the spring when warmer waters cause the blooms of plankton, the most common time for sightings span from June through the end of August. This is why we only run the experience during the peak summer months to give you the best chance of spotting these incredible creatures.
The basking sharks migrate to the area once the waters warm up and the plankton thrive, making the summer months the best time to visit in terms of greater probability of sightings. Visiting the Hebrides during this period also means you’re more likely to experience finer weather which not only makes the trip much more pleasant but also means the waters will be calmer and the chances of spotting and swimming with sharks a lot more likely. While the percentage of shark sightings averages around 75%, there’s plenty of other marine wildlife and nature to witness and explore so you’ll not be missing out.
Unfortunately, as is the case with all wildlife nothing is guaranteed. That said, the area is a designated hotspot for sharks and the boat covers a lot of distance in the time frame so all you’ll need is luck on your side.
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHY
THE HIGHLIGHTS
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Marine wildlife and nature in the Hebrides
With an incredibly rich and varied population of marine wildlife, the Hebrides represents one of the best areas for wildlife spotting. Aside from regular sightings of our friends the basking sharks there are also good chances of spotting Minke Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins and Porpoises, Common and Grey Seals, Otters, and even Killers Whales which have been sighted on occasions in the area over the past few years. Birdlife is also prominent here and you’ll probably catch a glimpse of the colourful Puffin, Golden and White Tailed Sea Eagles, Gannets and much more. If you’re really lucky, rarer visitors include turtles and sunfish so come prepared for a veritable bonanza of wonderful wildlife.
Why is this experience so wonderful?
Spotting and swimming with sharks
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Growing up to 12m long and weighing several tonnes, basking sharks (cetorhinus maximus) are the second largest fish in the world. Even though their mouths can gape up to 1 metre wide, these gentle giants get their protein by feeding on miniscule plankton that they filter through their specially made gills. They can filter up to 1.5 million litres of water per hour, which is just as well given that plankton are smaller than grains of rice! A relation to the infamous Great White Shark, these creatures, previously hunted in Scotland for the rich oils present in their livers, are now a protected species. Swimming with these sharks is one of the best wildlife experiences around and we think it’s even more special than cage diving with great whites sharks! 11
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > WHO
THE TYPE Who is this experience perfect for?
Group Type This experience is suitable for the following group types: ✓ Boys ✓ Couples ✓ Friends ✓ Solo Travellers
Personality Type This experience is suitable for the following personality types:
Motivation Type
✓ Active Addicts ✓ Animal Lovers ✓ Explorers ✓ Thrill Seekers
❋ Gifts & Occasions ❋ Nature & Wildlife ❋ The Great Outdoors ❋ Walk On The Wild Side
This experience is perfect for those with the following motivations: ❋ Action & Adventure ❋ For Him ❋ Get Active
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THE BASKING SHARK EXPERIENCE > HOW
THE DETAILS How to get there, enquire and book?
The Price
The Flights
This experience includes the following:
As a tour operator we are not able to offer flights. The listed airlines fly directly in and out of the arrival and departure airports for this experience:
✷ Transfers Airport pick-‐up and drop-‐off All in-‐country road and sea transfers ✷ Accommodation 2 nights B&B accommodation in Oban with home-‐cooked breakfast
London > Glasgow Gatwick (EasyJet, BA) City (BA) Luton (EasyJet) Stansted (RyanAir) Other UK > Glasgow Belfast (EasyJet, FlyBe) Bristol (EasyJet) Birmingham (FlyBe) Dublin (Aer Lingus, RyanAir) Manchester (FlyBe)
✷ Activities Visit and entry to Kilchurn Castle 1 day boat excursion swimming with sharks, seals and other wildlife Visit and tasting session at Glengoyne Whiskey Distillery
✷ Other Wet suits, snorkels, flippers and other technical equipment Lunch, hot drinks and home baked snacks on the boat Expert marine biologists and skippers The Basking Shark Experience booklet
The Process
The Assistance
Here’s more information on enquiring, booking and paying in 10 simple steps:
This experience is classified as ‘helping-‐hand’. This means: ü
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Select experience and booking page on website 2. Choose travel dates from availability calendar 3. Fill in details on enquiry form 4. Wait up to 24 hours for a response from our team 5. If availability is confirmed, we hold your places and you book your flights 6. Booking is processed and confirmed with deposit payment of 25% (if earlier than 6 weeks before start date) 7. Receive digital materials including a personalised trip itinerary and booklet 8. Outstanding balance is paid 6 weeks prior to departure 9. Pack your bags 10. Get ready for a unique travel experience!
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Structured itinerary and pre-‐ planned logistics Allocated driver Private transfers Pre-‐booked accommodation, breakfast, activities and reservations Extensive digital information and handpicked recommendations for sights, bites and highlights
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THE INSPIRATION
Somewhere else on the coast THE EXPERIENCE 1. Home > Podgorica > Kotor 2. Kotor > Tivat > Kotor 3. Kotor 4. Kotor > Podgorica > Home
Like this experience? Then you’ll love these.
BROWN BEAR
Somewhere else for wildlife
KOTOR YACHTING
THE EXPERIENCE 1. Home > Podgorica > Kotor 2. Kotor > Tivat > Kotor 3. Kotor 4. Kotor > Podgorica > Home
the Liberty Bear Sanctuary ✷ Track bears and bison in the Carpathian Mountains
Something else adventurous
SAHARA DESERT
Something totally different THE EXPERIENCE 1. Home > Marrakech 2. Marrakech > Skoura Oasis 3. Skoura Oasis > Sahara Desert 4. Sahara Desert > Atlas Mountains 5. Atlas Mountains > Marrakech > Home
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THE HIGHLIGHTS ✷ Hike through the beautiful Valbona Valley ✷ Trek over to the remote village of Thethi ✷ Enjoy genuine Albanian hospitality
✷Explore the UNESCO sites of Perast and Kotor ✷Admire the beauty of Kotor Bay
THE HIGHLIGHTS ✷ Sleep under the stars in a traditional desert camp ✷ Ride a camel across the desert and watch the sunrise ✷ Journey through the epic Atlas Mountains ✷ Experience the magic and mayhem of Marrakech
THE EXPERIENCE 1. Home > Podgorica > Shkodra 2. Shkodra> Valbona 3+4. Valbona 5. Valbona > Thethi 6. Thethi 7. Thethi > Kolasin > Home
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THE HIGHLIGHTS ✷ Spot wild bears at a Transylvanian hide ✷ Meet rescued bears at
ALBANIAN ALPS
THE HIGHLIGHTS ✷ Relax on a yacht along the Adriatic Coast
For more information on any of these experiences as well as our complete collection, please visit our website www.untravelledpaths.com
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At Untravelled Paths we believe our innovative approach in combining unique experiences with unusual destinations makes for a winning travel formula. We also believe buying experiences is more important than buying things. That’s why our ‘something different, somewhere different’ experiences are filled to the brim with original and memorable moments to share with the people you love. An Untravelled Paths Experience is a life-‐long purchase that gets even better with time. Unlike other tour operators, our team is tiny. Don’t let this put you off though, for what we lack in manpower, we more than make up for in enthusiasm, passion and downright dedication. We pride ourselves on being able to add a more personal touch to the way we do things. Find out more about our other experiences at www.untravelledpaths.com
CONTACT www.untravelledpaths.com 0207 101 4061 info@untravelledpaths.com 24 Ferncroft Avenue, London, NW3 7PH
Something DIFFERENT. Somewhere DIFFERENT.