Family business Highland Safaris has been acquired by Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels.
After 30 years in the hands of Donald and Julie Riddell, Highland Safaris, located in Dull near Aberfeldy, will now operate as a standalone business within the Crieff Hydro Family portfolio, owned and led by the Leckie family.
Stephen Leckie, chairman and CEO of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: “Our team is excited to build on the amazing work of Donald and Julie to enhance the experience for the many thousands who visit Highland Safaris every year, and to continue their legacy of working closely with local landowners to enrich the economy and appreciation of local culture and history.
“It’s important to us that the businesses in our portfolio exist in their own right and retain their local identity.
“Highland Safaris has an enthusiastic, long-standing team in place that will continue to manage the day-to-day running of the company, with our support, to allow them to do just that.”
Donald said: “We are delighted that a local company such as Crieff Hydro Ltd, one of Scotland’s leading hotel groups, will be taking Highland Safaris over.
“Like us, they are at their very heart a family business and our values that we have worked so hard to uphold over 30 years match.
“We have been so inspired by their energy, integrity and caring commitment to providing outstanding experiences for their visitors. They have the most wonderful vision for the future and we are delighted that Highland Safaris are to be part of that.”
Donald and Julie have much to be proud of.
Highland Safaris has been attracting over 50,000 customers each year and bolstering the economy in rural Perthshire by drawing visitors from around the world for an ‘off the beaten track’ experience of wildlife watching in the beautiful hills of Highland Perthshire.
Countless visitors have built memories not just of glimpsing eagles, roe deer and red grouse. At the Safaris base in Dull they have reached out their hands to feed friendly red deer, met a resident barn owl, panned for gold and fuelled up in a welcoming cafe restaurant.
The couple shared with the PA some memories of their incredible journey which began in 1992.
Julie described their time building Highland Safaris as “an outstanding opportunity and privilege meeting so many kind and wonderful people.”
What started as a simple diversification project for a rural fencing business, organising photography tours from an old ex-army Land Rover, grew into a multi award-winning business.
Donald said of getting together with his future wife: “A certain safari trip into Glenlyon in 1992 with a local girl from Kenmore turned out to be the most memorable and life-changing safari of all!
“I was more captivated by her than by the amazing badger cubs and for 30 years we have worked together building the company into the five star attraction that it is today.”
Julie said: “We have had our fair share of challenges but somehow we’ve always been able to turn those challenges into opportunities. In the early years, the safaris were run from our front porch-turned-office and reception area.
“Our evening events were catered from our family kitchen and our young daughters Islay and Diana became well accustomed to piles of dishes but were happy helpers.
“We moved to our present base in Dull in 2004, adding a Gold Panning Centre and then in 2014 a Red Deer Centre.
“We have welcomed visitors from across the globe. There have been fabulous family and corporate events weddings, funerals and hundreds of thousands of happy visitors enjoying the incredible Highland Perthshire countryside.
“There have been numerous TV appearances and Donald is known as one of Scotland’s leading authorities on the wildlife of Highland Perthshire. He is always passionate about sharing his love of the area.”
In 2017 they launched Loch Tay Safaris which brought a new dimension to the business.
Julie added: “Having been brought up by the shores of Loch Tay, it was a dream that came true.
“The one moment that I am most proud of was when we were awarded five star attraction status by VisitScotland in 2014. This was a huge moment and felt like recognition of everything we had achieved.
“We have been awarded numerous accolades and lots of repeat visitors and it’s been team work all the way.”
Julie added: “Our incredible team at Highland Safaris is very excited about the future and to be working with Crieff Hydro Ltd although I do hope but they’ll miss us even a little!
“We have had a wonderful 30 years; starting off with one ex-army Land Rover and never anticipating where that would take us.
“Our love for the beautiful environment of Highland Perthshire and our commitment to first class customer care for the many thousands of visitors to Highland Safaris remains as true today as it was then.
“We’ve always wanted people to connect with the outdoors, to make it interesting, and to give them the skills to make their visit more exciting, to see beyond what’s there.
“We appreciate that what for us is ‘the usual’, for some people, it is the very edge of their experience. We feel our businesses thrives because it is an inclusive not exclusive five star experience.”
On the recent sale, Donald added: “The time is right for us to take a step back and create the opportunity for the business to continue to thrive with the investment and energy that Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels will bring.
“There is so much synergy between Highland Safaris and the Leckie family’s business, including a shared love of the local area and its wonderful wildlife.
“We are delighted to see Highland Safaris become part of their family.”
Commenting on Facebook to messages of congratulations regarding their ‘retirement’, the young just-grandparents steered well-wishers to thinking of it as just the start of “a second life.”
