The free ranging reindeer in Scotland you can visit this Christmas

With Christmas on the way, there is no better time to take a trip to see some reindeer in their natural habitat.

Fortunately, you don't need to journey all the way to the North Pole to catch a glimpse of the beautiful animals in real life. In fact, you don't even need to leave Scotland.

The Cairngorms National Park is home to the only herd of free-ranging reindeer in Britain. There are approximately 150 reindeer in the herd, with most found on the Cairngorm Mountains.

The Cairngorms is "the only place left in the UK" that is suitable for the deer, which have over 10,000 acres to graze on. It has been home to a herd since 1952, when Mikel Utsi and his wife Dr. Ethel Lindgren introduced the animals to the park as it reminded them of reindeer pastures in Lapland.

The Cairngorms National Park is the "only place in the UK" that has the correct habitat for reindeer (Richard Paksi / Getty Images)

You can journey to The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre this month and see the majestic animals for yourself if you're looking for some festive joy. Visitors will even be able to meet the reindeer face to face and "get in amongst the herd".

According to the official Cairngorm Reindeer Herd website, there are two ways the public can see the reindeer. The first is a guided Hill Trip that is run daily, which involves a 30-minute hike up to the deer and includes the opportunity to take photos.

The three calves were born this summer and are preparing for their first Christmas (The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd)

Those who are unable to hike up the mountain can still meet "a small number of reindeer" at the paddock in the Centre.

If that weren't magical enough, there are even rare white reindeer in the herd. These stunning animals will be touring the UK this Christmas to spread festive cheer.

More information about visiting the reindeer can be found on The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd website.

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