To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Learn more
To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Learn more
To build your own Itinerary, click 
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Already saved an Itinerary?
Mid Wales is one of the best places in Britain to watch wildlife. It's home to the red kite, which was saved from extinction here, to ospreys on the Dyfi and to the largest population of bottlenose dolphins in the UK in Cardigan Bay. These are the best wildlife days out across Powys, Ceredigion and the Dyfi valley, with the best times of year for each.
By the 1930s, red kites had died out everywhere in Britain except the hills of Mid Wales, where a few pairs survived. Today there are thousands. At Gigrin Farm near Rhayader, hundreds of kites gather for the daily afternoon feed, and there are hides for photographers. Bwlch Nant yr Arian, east of Aberystwyth, also feeds kites every afternoon by the lake. Both run all year. Combine Gigrin with a drive around the Elan Valley reservoirs.
The Dyfi Wildlife Centre near Machynlleth is home to the Dyfi Osprey Project, where ospreys return from Africa each spring to nest on the Cors Dyfi reserve. The 360 Observatory looks out over the valley; allow an hour and a half to two hours. Nearby, RSPB Ynys-hir has trails and hides over saltmarsh and oak woods, with wading birds and wildfowl in winter.
Take a boat trip from New Quay harbour with Dolphin Survey Boat Trips, where sightings are recorded for research. Bottlenose dolphins are seen most often from late spring to autumn, and grey seals pup on the coast in autumn. You can also watch from the harbour wall and the coast path.
Cors Caron near Tregaron is a huge raised bog with a boardwalk and a bird hide; look for hen harriers in winter. Denmark Farm Conservation Centre near Lampeter has easy trails and nature-watching hides. For a close encounter, Falconry Experience Wales near Newtown lets you fly and handle birds of prey, including a bald eagle.
The Gigrin Red Kite Centre on the outskirts of Rhayader is an upland sheep farm providing wonderful views of the Wye and Elan valleys. Gigrin is best known for wild red kites that are fed every day of the year, where you can watch breathtaking feats of aerial piracy as red kites compete with…
The Elan Valley Estate attracts a wide variety of visitors and a good starting point for all is the Visitor Centre which has a wide variety of information and educational and interactive resources.
The Dyfi Wildlife Centre near Machynlleth is the home of the Dyfi Osprey Project at the Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve. Most visitors spend around one and a half to two hours per visit, including some time in the 360 Observatory where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Dyfi Valley.
RSPB Ynys-Hir nature reserve is a wildlife haven in the heart of Mid Wales . Explore oak woodlands. peat bogs and salt marsh with views across the Dyfi estuary. Perfect for nature lovers & families wishing to discover their wild side.
Dolphin Survey Boat Trips based in New Quay on the Mid Wales Coast, operate a choice of Boat Trips from 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours or all day.
Cors Caron is a vast wetland near Tregaron. The huge raised peat bogs and surrounding habitats support a wealth of wildlife. Accessible boardwalk over bog to hide, and Sustrans National Cycle route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Denmark Farm is located in the heart of rural West Wales. Wildlife is at the heart of everything we do, from our campsite to our easy trails and nature-watching hides, and from our training courses to facilities for your own events.
Named the Wildlife Experience of the Year at the Wales Prestige Awards 2022-23, Falconry Experience Wales offers an insight into the world of Birds of Prey. Fly and handle Lakota the Bald Eagle or Moggie the White Faced Owl.
Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre sits at the head of a dramatic valley and has commanding views of Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Mountains. Expect beautiful scenic walking trails all of which are waymarked and start from the visitor centre.
| From | To | Distance * (metric) |
|---|---|---|
| Gigrin Farm | Red Kite Centre (52.29698,-3.50004) | Elan Valley Estate (52.27185,-3.56661) | 4.79 |
| Elan Valley Estate (52.27185,-3.56661) | Dyfi Wildlife Centre (52.56876,-3.91803) | 36.69 |
| Dyfi Wildlife Centre (52.56876,-3.91803) | RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve (52.54672,-3.94516) | 2.76 |
| RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve (52.54672,-3.94516) | Dolphin Survey Boat Trips (52.21446,-4.35846) | 41.8 |
| Dolphin Survey Boat Trips (52.21446,-4.35846) | Cors Caron National Nature Reserve (NRW) (52.2454,-3.91667) | 27.29 |
| Cors Caron National Nature Reserve (NRW) (52.2454,-3.91667) | Denmark Farm Conservation Centre (52.16879,-4.06894) | 12.1 |
| Denmark Farm Conservation Centre (52.16879,-4.06894) | Falconry Experience Wales (52.55569,-3.35504) | 58.41 |
| Falconry Experience Wales (52.55569,-3.35504) | Bwlch Nant yr Arian | Walking Trails (NRW) (52.41462,-3.88531) | 35.31 |
| Total Distance * | 219.1 miles | |
| Estimated Journey Time | 7.05 hours | |
* Approximate distance by road
© Visit Mid Wales 2026. All Rights Reserved
