Scotland's Highlands & Orkney

Day 1: Edinburgh

Welcome to stunning Scotland and its charming capital city, Edinburgh. With a history that spans approximately 12,000 years, Scotland boasts an incredibly rich, complex and totally fascinating history. From Roman invasions to the inconquerable native Caledonians, and the historied clans of the Highlands, each period has woven a unique thread into the vibrant fabric of Scottish history, culture and traditions. Regularly named one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Edinburgh is a unique destination steeped in history. Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland since 1437 and is a wonderous combination of old and new, with medieval buildings lining the city’s lively streets, making it an ideal city for locals and visitors alike. We don’t want you to miss out on any aspect of your small group tour. To ensure that you don’t, we recommend you arrive at your starting destination by 3:00pm. We’ll kick off our Scottish adventure with a walking tour to acquaint ourselves with the city. We begin by walking through Greyfrairs, an infamous graveyard that surrounds Greyfrairs Kirk, located on the southern edge of the Old Town. Next, we’ll wander down the historic Victoria Street, home to unusual shaped buildings and quirky shops, before heading to the Grassmarket, nestled in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a delicious group welcome dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 2: Edinburgh - St. Andrews - Orkney

This morning, we bid farewell to Edinburgh as we set our sights on Kirkwall, the largest town in Orkney. Situated around 20-kilometres north of mainland Scotland, Orkney is an archipelago consisting of around 70 islands and islets, yet only around 20 of these are actually inhabited! We begin our day by crossing the Firth of Forth, an estuary where the North Sea meets with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south. We continue on to the seaside town of St Andrews, where we’ll enjoy a walking tour to see the town’s cathedral and castle. Our next stop is Glamis, a small village that was once the inspiration for Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. For a town of its size, Glamis sure has a rich history, with quite the list of famous visitors from Mary, Queen of Scots to James V. of Scotland. While here, we’ll discover the majestic Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. We’ll drive to Stonehaven to make a photo stop at Dunnottar Castle, a medieval fortress perched atop a 160 foot rock overlooking the North Sea. We will then make our way to Aberdeen, where we’ll catch our ferry to Orkney, crossing the Pentland Firth Strait. Please keep in mind that this is a long journey and we’ll arrive at our accommodation in the late evening.

Day 3: Orkney

Welcome to beautiful Kirkwall! This fascinating town has no Gaelic history and was the former site of an ancient Norse town thousands of years ago – the city’s name itself is derived from the Norse name, Kirkjuvágr. Here, you’ll find a lovely city that hugs the coastline and a plethora of historic sites. Enjoy the morning at leisure to explore Kirkwall at your own pace, or to simply kick back, relax and take in the island scenery. We’ll kick off our Kirkwall sightseeing with a visit to the Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace, where we’ll immerse ourselves in the ruins of two remarkable residences. Built in the early 1100s, the medieval Bishop’s Palace is place bursting with history, including the location of King Hakon of Norway’s death after the battle with Scots at Largs in 1263. Across the road is Earl’s Palace, which was constructed in 1606 by Patrick, the Earl of Orkney. Built with the intention to impress with his Renaissance palace, this grand location incorporated the Bishop’s Palace into the larger complex. Next, we continue on to Lamb Holm, an uninhabited island in Orkney. While here, we’ll discover the Churchill Barriers. Several causeways that were once used to block eastern approaches to the naval anchorage in Scapa Flow, they now serve as vital links between islands and communities. We will also visit the Italian Chapel, a highly ornate Catholic chapel built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II.

Day 4: Orkney - Thurso

Our day begins by exploring some of Orkney’s best archeological treasures, Skara Brae and the Standing Stones of Stenness. These two prehistoric sites are among the four cornerstones of the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage-listed Site, and a visit here is truly as if we’ve jumped 5,000 years back in history. Situated near a beautiful beach, Skara Brae was uncovered by a storm in 1850, and the site offers an incredible picture of how daily life was in Orkney all those thousands of years ago. Special Experience Discover the ancient Standing Stones of Stenness, a megalithic structure older than Stonehenge. There are four remaining stones at the Standing Stones of Stenness, where originally twelve stones stood tall. Focused on a large hearth in the centre, some of these stones reach a remarkable six metres tall! We continue on to Broch of Gurness, a once mighty Iron Age settlement, where a small village is arranged around the remains of a broch tower. A broch is a drystone hollow-walled structure that was common in Scotland during the Iron Age, and the one we’ll see at Gurness is substabial in size, measuring around 20 metres in diameter. We’ll also visit the Brough of Birsay, an island that hosts the remains of a Pictish settlement, as well as Norse and Viking structures! It’s unique location is also fascinating. Being a tidal island, the island itself is only accessible for two hours either side of low tide, and is connected by a causeway that is visible when the water retreats! This afternoon, we say goodbye to stunning Kirkwall and Orkney as our Scottish adventure takes us back to the mainland. Arriving by ferry into the port at Scrabster, we’ll transfer to our accommodation in Thurso, our home for the night!

Day 5: Thurso - Ullapool

After breakfast this morning, we’ll hit the road and make our way to Dunnet Head, a peninsula in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland. A location renowned as the most northern point of mainland Great Britain, here we’ll marvel at the pretty lighthouse and the incredible 360 degree views down the cliffs and across the sea. Keep your eyes peeled, you might even be able to spot the elusive Puffin! From Dunnet Head, we’ll embark on an incredibly beautiful drive along part of the North Coast 500, Scotland’s utilmate scenic route. This route is just over 500 miles, and takes you along coastal scenery, past rugged mountains and through delightful villages. Today, we’ll drive along the north-west section of this gorgeous route all the way to Ullapool, making several photostops along the way. Make sure your camera is charged, we can guarantee that you’ll need it!

Day 6: Ullapool - Culloden - Inverness

Today, our journey takes us to the city of Inverness. Referred to as the capital of the Highlands, the pretty cosmopolitan city is situated on the banks of the River Ness. Inverness is home to incredible natural landscapes, quaint towns and plenty of medieval ruins and prehistoric sites. Leaving Ullapool this morning, our first stop of the day is to the Culloden Battlefield. The Culloden Battlefield marks the site where the Jacobite army was defeated in 1746. We’ll learn about the Battle of Culloden and pay tribute to the men who tragically lost their lives in the final Jacobite Rising. Special Experience Taste the local drop at the Glen Moray Distillery. Established in 1897, we visit the whisky distillery and learn about the Scottish drink of choice. This afternoon in Inverness, we’ll embark on a walking tour to acquaint ourselves with this beautiful city. We’ll pass by Inverness Castle and admire its architecture before seeing the Victorian Market, the Gothic-style St Andrew’s Cathedral, Falcon Square, Tollbooth Steeple and Inverness Town House.

Day 7: Inverness - Loch Ness - Isle of Skye

Renowned for its incredible landscape, the Isle of Skye is arguably one of Scotland’s most beautiful destinations. The enchanting island is made up of dramatic scenery, rich history and quaint villages, and is ours to explore for the next couple of days! After breakfast this morning, we’ll start our journey through the picturesque Highlands. Travelling along the scenic shores of Loch Ness, we’ll make our way to Drumnadrochit. Here, we’ll visit one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart Castle, and enjoy panoramic views across Loch Ness while we marvel at the ruins of a castle that dates back to 1509. Next, we’ll travel to Eilean Donan Castle for a photo stop, before continuing on to Kyle of Lochalsh to enjoy some free time for lunch. We’ll transfer to our hotel in Skye and delight in a group dinner this evening.

Day 8: Isle of Skye

Have your cameras charged as we spend our day discovering more of what the Isle of Skye has to offer. We start our day with a quick stop in the small village of Sligachan to view the majestic mountain range of the Black Cuillin Hills. We continue on to visit the iconic Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock, followed by a short scenic coastal walk along the Quiraing walking trail – prepare to be mesmerised by the stunning cliffs and striking rock formations, offering incredible photo opportunities and unforgettable views. Continuing along the picturesque Trotternish Peninsula, we’ll arrive at the Skye Museum of Island Life. Here, we will step back in time and explore an old Highland village and its traditional thatched cottages to learn about the life locals led 100 years ago. Our last stop of the day is to Dunvegan, where we will visit Dunvegan Castle & Gardens. The historic castle is regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland, and has been the ancestral home of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years. Later in the evening, we make our way back to the hotel. Challenging Day Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.

Day 9: Isle of Skye - Fort William - Oban

This morning we bid the beautiful Isle of Skye farewell, as we begin our day with a ferry ride back to the mainland, going from Armadale to Mallaig. Next on the agenda, we’ll continue our journey to Glenfinnan, a small village in the Western Highlands. Here, we’ll step into the world of Harry Potter and stop to view the viaduct that the budding wizards travel across on their train journey to Hogwarts. We continue to Fort William, home to the tallest mountain in the United Kingdom, and enjoy some free time for lunch. Special Experience Board the United Kingdom’s only mountain gondola for stunning aerial views of the Highlands, ascending to Scotland's Aonach Mor. This afternoon, our adventure takes us to the quaint town of Oban, meaning ‘Little Bay’ in Gaelic. Nestled on the west coast, Oban is surrounded by dramatic shores, a beautiful harbour area and stunning, lush countryside.

Day 10: Oban - Loch Lomond - Glasgow

Today our eyes are set on reaching the vibrant city of Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest and most populous city. A port city set on the River Clyde, this gorgeous destination welcomes visitors with arms wide open and is home to a wealth of character, a rich history, and unique neighbourhoods. We make our way to Glasgow this morning travelling through the Trossachs National Park, stopping en route at Loch Lomond. We’ll also drive past the iconic Inverayray Castle, also known as Duneagle Castle in the popular series Downton Abbey. Special Experience Incredible scenery awaits us at Trossachs National Park where we cruise the vast waters of Loch Lomond admiring its spectacular natural beauty. We’ll have some free time for lunch, before continuing to Glasgow. Upon arrival we will check into our hotel and have some time to freshen up before indulging in a group farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 11: Glasgow

Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We’ll say goodbye to our new friends and to wonderful Scotland.