ITINERARY

Here is what you can expect on each day of this exceptional holiday. Timings and content may be subject to change owing to availability and you will be advised of these prior to commencement of the trip whenever possible.

Day 1: Arrive Alderney (D)

Arriving in Alderney, you will be collected from the airport/ferry terminal and transferred to THE BLONDE HEDGEHOG HOTEL in St Anne to begin your 5 night stay.

• Afternoon MEET & GREET reception with an EVENING MEAL in the charming restaurant.

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Day 2: At Leisure (B)

This is your chance to explore the lovely capital of ST ANNE and its delightful church, museum, shopping and restaurants or perhaps take one of our optional excursions.

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Day 3: Full Island Tour (B)

Your tour begins with collection from your hotel either by luxury mini coach or private car and throughout your local resident guide will impart local history facts and myths, identify, and bring to your attention a variety of wildlife and even throw in ghost stories and legends.

• Your first stop is THE NUNNERY which today is home of Britain’s most southerly bird observatory then on to MANNEZ LIGHTHOUSE where you can see the French coast just 8 miles away.Stop off at the beautiful fo ARCH BAY and SAYE BEACH before visiting the HAMMOND WAR MEMORIAL.
• En route you will see many of the VICTORIAN FORTIFICATIONS which underline the strategic importance of Alderney and reminders of the GERMAN OCCUPATION during WWII.
• For light relief there is a stop-over in ST ANNE, Alderney’s capital where you can enjoy some retail therapy in the delightful boutiques, visit the ALDERNEY MUSEUM or just take a well earned break in the numerous bars and restaurants on Victoria Street .
• As a final treat you will get to ride the ALDERNEY RAILWAY for more spectacular views of the Island.

Finally it’s back to your hotel and more of that famous Alderney hospitality.

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Day 4: At Leisure (B)

Another chance to enjoy in the laid back Island atmosphere with one of the many coastal walks, join one of our optional excursions or sample the excellent cuisine available from the many and varied restaurants.

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Day 5: At Leisure (B)

Your final full day on Alderney can be as busy or relaxed as you wish. We highly recommend booking the optional BOAT TRIP ROUND THE ISLAND as this gives you the chance to see the amazing history and wildlife from a totally different perspective – simply stunning.

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Day 6: Check Out & Return (B)

Enjoy another great breakfast and take a final look at this magical isle before being transferred to the airport or ferry terminal for your return journey.

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OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

Make the most of your visit to Alderney by adding these outstanding excursions to your holiday which must be booked at least 7 days before departure.

ROUND THE ISLAND BOAT TRIP from £ pp
Depending on the weather and tide times, after collection from your hotel you will be taken by luxury mini coach to join your vessel for the day, AVANTE, for your two and a half hour voyage around ‘fortress Alderney’.

• Begin your two and a half hour BOAT TRIP around ‘fortress Alderney’.
• From the sea you will get fantastic views of many of Alderneys iconic locations including THE NUNNERY, MATTEZ LIGHTHOUSE, LONGIS BAY NATURE RESERVE, the capital ST ANNE and its church, WWII fortifications including the imposing ODEON, and the VICTORIAN FORTIFICATIONS.
• For nature lovers you will get an up close view of the GANNET colonies on L’Etac and BURHOU ISLAND, home to Alderney’s Puffins.
• On your journey you may be lucky and sea the Atlantic Grey Seals and Bottlenose Dolphin that regularly put in appearance so make sure you take a camera along!

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NIGHT SAFARI from £ pp
As the sun sets it’s time to set out to see this beautiful island and the sky at night.

• After collection from your hotel you head out just ahead of dusk to the ALDERNEY BIRD OBSERVATORY MOTH TRAP where there is an opportunity to observe and learn about moth research.
• Next, using a state-of-the-art detector you take a glimpse into the world of bats. Alderney has both resident and migratory species and you will visit several well known locations to see then in their natural habitat.
• Lastly, you visit the haunts of the extraordinary ALDERNEY BLONDE HEDGEHOG and hear all about their intriguing story from the local expert who has been studying them for more than 10 years.
• On your trip you may occasionally encounter the magical Barn Owl out hunting for prey under the DARK SKIES before heading back to your hotel.

PLEASE NOTE: The wildlife you encounter can vary seasonably and elements of this tour are weather dependent.

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WILDLIFE EXCURSION from £ pp
Your Wildlife Tour begins with collection from your hotel after a hearty breakfast.

• First stop is the ALDERNEY BIRD OBSERVATORY where you will spend time learning about the valuable work done by the ABO in recording and ringing the many thousands of birds both resident and migratory that are found on Aldenrney
• Next is a visit to LONGIS NATURE RESERVE and the Naturetrek hide to give you an up close bird watching experience.
• Finally you are taken on some of the many COASTAL WALKS taking in views of all of the other Channel Islands and the wonderful variety of wildflowers and butterflies along a stretch popular with Grey Seals.
• There are also views of the offshore rocky islets to see the GANNET colonies on L‘Etac and BURHOU ISLAND, famous for its Puffin colony.

This tour is flexible and can be taken as either a full or half day’s duration.

PLEASE NOTE: The wildlife you encounter can vary seasonably and elements of this tour are weather dependent.

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WWII HERITAGE TOUR (optional on this holiday) from £ pp
This tour is perfect for anyone interested in the part played by Alderney during the Second World War and your guide John Horton has fantastic local of knowledge so you won’t miss a thing.

Your tour starts with collection from your hotel.

• First stop is a fully restored KUBELWAGEN JEEP the workhorse of the Occupying forces.
• Then it is on to see some of the GERMAN FORTIFICATIONS that were part of Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’ strategy.
• Next stop is at the HAMMOND WAR MEMORIAL, a poignant reminder of Alderney’s recent past and then on to THE ODEON the massive concrete naval range finding tower.
• Your next stop is at THE NUNNERY, a Roman signal fort that was pressed into WWII use possibly as a chemical weapons store. It also houses Britain’s most southerly bird observatory.
• Finally you visit the GERMAN LABOUR CAMPS, perhaps the starkest reminders of the cruelty of war.
• For light relief there is a stop-over in ST ANNE, Alderney’s capital where you can enjoy some retail therapy in the delightful boutiques, visit the ALDERNEY MUSEUM or just take a well earned break in the numerous bars and restaurants on Victoria Street

Along the way your guide will point out other places of interest including sites of crashed Spitfires and other hidden gems.

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Your Expert Guide: John Horton
Your tour guide for all excursions is John Horton who is the warden of the British Isles’ newest bird observatory on Alderney and who featured on BBC Countryfile in this role in the spring of 2016. He moved to Alderney in 2016 taking a career break from the Metropolitan police service where he served as a Wildlife crimes investigator since 2002. After establishing The Channel Islands first bird observatory researching bird migration, he began leading specialist wildlife holidays to the island and has become an expert naturalist so you won’t miss a thing.

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