Plan your visit

The Centre is now closed for the winter and will re-open until spring 2021. 

However, if you are local to the area and wish to visit our shop, then please call 01343 820 339 to make a private appointment. 

For your safety and ours we will continue to: operate a 2 metre physical distancing programme, carry out enhanced cleaning procedures, offer card payments only and our staff will be wearing the relevant PPE.    

This service will be available Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, you can also visit the WDC website https://whales.org/support/shop/

The WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre is situated at the mouth of the River Spey and is a haven for wildlife including bottlenose dolphins, ospreys, grey and common seals, the occasional otter and many coastal birds. The Centre is based in an 18^th Century salmon fishing station and has a fascinating history. Our passionate staff and volunteers will be on hand to tell you more and answer any questions.

Entry to the Scottish Dolphin Centre is FREE.

Join us on one of our daily guided tours, with more details below.

On offer daily and throughout the season:

Daily Walks and Tours

Land-based dolphin watching

Join us 7 days a week on the hour every hour from 11am – 5pm and help us spot the largest bottlenose dolphins in the world! The data collected from these watches informs conservation decisions – find out more about the WDC Shorewatch programme.

Tour Tugnet Icehouse – the UK’s largest surviving icehouse

It’s free but donations are extremely welcome.

Tour times: 12:15pm and 3:15pm (April 1st – October 31st – times vary during winter opening hours). Join our tours and:

• See and touch our fantastic collection of huge whale bones from the local area.
• Experience the stunning natural environment and wildlife above the River Spey and take a Dry Dive beneath the waves of the Moray Firth to see the marvels that live below the surface in our unique audiovisual installation.
• Discover the history of salmon fishing and the importance of the UK’s largest surviving icehouse.

45 minutes approximately.

The Dry Dive

Tour times: 11:15am and 4:15pm (April 1st – October 30th – Times vary during winter opening hours).

If you can’t manage the full tour, join us for the Dry Dive experience. This unique audio-visual installation, shot in and around the bay, reveals the exciting and beautiful life both above and below the water.

• 15 minutes approximately.

Wildlife Walk

As well as dolphins we are treated to sightings of a wide variety of other amazing wildlife, including seals, ospreys, and the occasional otter. Join our short guided walk to discover more about Spey Bay’s wildlife. Sorry, no dogs allowed on this tour so they don’t disturb the wildlife.

• Tour time: 2:15pm (45 minutes approximately).
• April 1st to October 31st (weather dependent)
• Times vary during winter opening hours.

Interactive Exhibition

Entry is free but donations are extremely welcome and help to support Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

• Use our wildlife cameras – DOLPHIN CAM and RIVER CAM from the comfort of the Centre
• Check out our latest wildlife sightings
• Binocular and kid’s backpack hire
• Acoustic exhibit – listen to the sounds of the sea
• Kids colouring table, giant jigsaws and more!

Sightings board

Check out our very latest sightings of dolphins, ospreys, seal, gannet, otters and much more on our sightings board. You can also follow us on twitter @dolphinsighting.

Unguided walks

Join the Speyside Way at the Centre to walk along the River Spey on a well maintained, flat footpath. Why not walk one mile along the path up to the old iron railway bridge, now a cycle and footpath that offers brilliant views down the the Spey? Great for dogs, cyclists and walkers.