Highland Wildlife Park

In Kingussie, in the Scottish Highlands, we found this on the road to Inverness. It's more than a zoo, it's like a nature reserve which you visit from your own vehicle and the animals are loose around you, with some exceptions, like the wolves and wild boar. It's impressive and gives you the feeling that you're in the middle of nature surrounded by animals, which could hurt us if they got angry enough, like the great American bison. There is a variety of animals, from bison and partridge (which is where the whiskey "The Famous Grouse" gets its name) to burros, elk, deer, and wolves. Just after our visit, a polar bear named Mercedes joined joined the reserve and is apparently having a great time swimming in the glacial lake. We're going to go back as soon as we can. It was a great experience with a helpful staff and lovely atmosphere. And of course, there is a restaurant-cafeteria and souvenir shop. For a good time and something different, there's nothing like being among animals!

You can start your visit to the park in your car, and admire the free-roaming deer and bison. And once you've parked, you take the footpath to see various (caged) species like arctic fox, wolf, red panda, eagle, lynx, owl, and baboons to name a few. We even saw a tiger, not an animal we expected in Scotland! I preferred the first part, while the second was more like a zoo than a park. I felt a bit sorry for the animals who are forced to live their lives in cages. The ticket price is around £ 8.