Aviemore, Scotland In Winter

Aviemore is located in one of Scotland's national parks - Cairngorms National Park. A two-hour drive from Edinburgh, known as Scotland's Lapland. It is a place of immense beauty with the Cairngorm Mountains, loch, wildlife, and the ancient Caledonian Forest. Here is more and why you should visit Aviemore in Scotland.

Snow on the grass and hills with the loch down in the valley.

Cairngorms National Park, Aviemore, Scotland ©MDHarding

Aviemore, Scotland In Winter

Getting To Aviemore

Aviemore is easily accessible by train (Scotrail), Citylink bus, or by car. The bus journey from Edinburgh takes 3 hours and an advance single ticket can be as low as £18. Though I would recommend a car if possible, as it does give you much more flexibility, to stop and enjoy places en-route and outside of the main centre of Aviemore.

The dense woodland with snow covered mountains.

Scottish Highlands ©MDHarding

Accommodation In Aviemore

I've stayed in a guesthouse/bed & breakfast, hostel, lodge and 4* hotel all of which are great options. There is accommodation to suit all budgets and needs.

The location of each option is slightly different and might mean jumping in the car to go for dinner or a short walk down the stairs to the hotel restaurant.

To find out more about different accommodation options and how you can save money before you book check out my book - How To Get The Best Travel Deals.

Large double bed with white linen, side lamp and view out to the trees.

What Not To Be Missed During Winter In Aviemore

Husky Race

The annual husky race takes place in January. 2022 celebrated its 38th race around the trails of Loch Morlich. From teams with just two dogs or up to eight, on a four to a seven-mile trail. If no snow, the teams use a three or four-wheeled rig.

I traveled to Aviemore with two friends for this event many years ago and wow, has it grown! We stayed at a guest house/bed and breakfast just around the corner from the starting line it was incredible to see all the dogs (Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, Greenland Dogs, and Canadian Eskimo Dogs) lining up, jumping around, and barking with excitement. Did you know the Canadian Eskimo Dog (also known as the Canadian Inuit Dog) was the first bred to pull sleds in Arctic conditions thousands of years ago?

Cairngorm Reindeer Centre

Did you know Aviemore is home to the UK's only wild reindeer herd? There are two magical experiences you can enjoy with the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre - a visit to the paddock or/and a hike in the Cairngorm Mountains. A hike in the Cairngorm Mountains to see the reindeer has been on my list for a while and back in 2013, we made the car day trip. Gosh, it was a white wonderland! Very beautiful but we weren't quite prepared. Sometimes t