River Spey Descent (5 days from £595)
Award-winning River Spey adventures! Book now with a £100 deposit!
Please see our Introduction To Moving Water Skills Weekend for those with no paddling experience. Save money by booking our Skills Weekend and River Spey trip together.
2025 dates:
15th - 19th April 2025 £595 - places available
10th - 14th May 2025 £595 - FULLY BOOKED
28th May - 1st June 2025 £595 - CONFIRMED only 5 spaces left
5th - 9th July 2025 £595 - places available
21st - 25th July 2025 - FULLY BOOKED private group (find out more)
10th - 14th September 2025 - FULLY BOOKED private group (find out more)
15th - 19th September 2025 - FULLY BOOKED private group (find out more)
4th - 8th October 2025 £595 - FULLY BOOKED
29th October - 2nd November 2025 £595 - places available
These dates don’t suit? Drop us a line to see if we can help. We can add extra dates on request!
Click here to find out more about our Private Group bookings for families, friends and colleagues.
Paddle over five days on one of the classic ‘Big Four’ rivers of Scotland
Wild-camp at stunning river-bank and island locations
Enjoy beautifully prepared meals cooked over embers
Develop your moving water canoe skills
Spot an incredible array of flora and fauna
The River Spey is considered to be one of the ‘Big Four’ of rivers to paddle (the Tay, Dee and Tweed being the others) and a descent of the Spey is on pretty much every adventurer’s bucket list. Our expedition covers five days of paddling and four nights of stunning wild camping. Perfect for those with limited paddling experience on moving water, the river flows swiftly but without major obstacles, classified as a Grade 1 (with some rapids at Grade 2). We start with a flat-water skills session on Loch Insh to learn the basics of handling our canoes and sharpening our skills for the river journey ahead. We will then spend the next four days paddling the swift waters over 95km as the Spey takes us past several distilleries (one of which we may be able to visit!). The headwater rises in the Cairngorm and eventually ends its journey into the sea at Spey Bay. We will wild camp on river banks and occasional organised campsites and dine around campfires before falling asleep to the sounds of the river flowing past us. This is a proper expedition, in the traditional sense, on an easy river through incredibly beautiful scenery.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Meet in Aviemore. Flat water paddling session on Loch Insh to learn and consolidate new paddling techniques. Leave the mouth of the loch and enter the Spey to paddle to Aviemore (flat water/Grade 1, 11.5km)
Day 2: Paddle from Aviemore, leaving the Cairngorm mountain range to Boat of Balliefurth (flat water/Grade 1+, 21km)
Day 3: Continue on the River Spey from Boat of Balliefurth to Cragganmore, passing Grantown (up to Grade 2, 26.5km)
Day 4: Paddle from Cragganmore to Craigellachie, negotiating the Knockando Rapids (up to Grade 2, 21.5km)
Day 5: Our last day on the river, paddling from Craigellachie to Spey Bay where our expedition ends. Return to Aviemore where North Star Adventure services end.
CLICK HERE for a detailed itinerary
CLICK HERE for a sample expedition meal plan
Join/End: Aviemore
What’s included: all food on the river expedition, tents, canoes and all paddling equipment, shuttle service, qualified and experienced river guide.
Accommodation: four nights camping (wild campsites or basic organised campsites).
Maximum group size: 10
Deposit: £100 (final balance payable 56 days before departure)
This trip is available as a private booking for those who wish to travel on different dates in their own group. Please contact us to discuss your needs.