Organise an event at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort and not only will you be choosing one of the most unique settings in the UK, but one of the most adventurous too. There are so many activities to choose from, and whether you’re looking to build in some downtime during a business event or plan an incentive or teambuilding retreat, here are some of our favourites.
1. Visit the reindeer
Roaming freely since 1952, this is Britain’s only free-ranging herd of reindeer. There are around 150 reindeer in the herd, mostly ranging on the Cairngorm Mountains with the remainder on the Glenlivet Estate. The best way to meet them is to organise a hill trip (bring sensible shoes!), but we recommend visiting from Easter onwards when you can visit a small number of them at the paddocks.
2. Taste the local beers
The Cairngorm Brewery Company is a craft brewery situated in the village of Aviemore. They currently have a 20-barrel brewhouse, capable of producing 6,500 litres of the finest ale each day and they can welcome small groups for tastings and informative tours of the brewery.
3. Organise a gin tasting with the Shetland Reel distillery
The Shetland Reel Distillery is located at the very tip of the British Isles in the Shetland Islands, where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is a place of mystery and secrets, of long summer days and long winter nights. But you don’t have to travel that far to enjoy their award-winning gins, as we can arrange for their team to visit your group in Aviemore for a very informative and well-lubricated group tasting.
4. Get competitive on the racetrack
A morning spent at The Aviemore Kart Raceway will get the competitive spirits racing. With a dramatic backdrop of the Cairngorm mountains, the track offers groups a variety of race formats in karts up to 270cc. Your group will leave the track buzzing and great memories are guaranteed to be made.
5. Zipline through the Cainrgorms forests
Not for the faint-hearted, Zip Trek Park Aviemore is an exhilarating aerial ride through the stunning Scottish Pine Forest on the Alvie Estate in the heart of the Cairngorms. Twenty-one self-guided zip wires with a permanently connected safety system let you zig-zag across and along the Alvie Gorge. You’ll fly high in the trees, zip over spectacular waterfalls, swoop alongside rocky cliffs and criss-cross over each other during this 90 minute adventure.
6. Try your luck at a hole in one
Macdonald Aviemore Resort is home to the spectacular Spey Valley championship golf course. Voted one of the best in Scotland and also ‘Most Picturesque Golf Course in the UK’, the course combines the challenging aspects of the sport with the unique Highlands environment.
7. Hit the slopes
During the winter months, Aviemore is Britain’s busiest ski resort with a variety of snowsports on offer including snowboarding. The Cairngorms also offers endless opportunities for ski touring and back country exploring. Just make sure you check the weather forecast and avalanche report before you go and ensure you have all the right equipment and know how to use it!
Getting there
The Macdonald Aviemore Resort is located 45 minutes from Inverness Airport, which is served daily by London Heathrow and various regional airports. For more information, click here or download their meetings & events brochure here.