This small group experience (maximum 16 participants) gets you off the beaten track so you get a real feel for the country. Our guides are hand-picked for their pride and passion for their country. You choose your style of accommodation. Transportation is in modern Mercedes Benz mini-coaches.
Stay overnight in Edinburgh after which drive north to the Scottish Highlands passing by the historic castles of Stirling and Doune. Arrive at the town of Callander, the gateway to the Highlands for refreshments then travel past the pretty Loch Luibnaig Loch Earn and Glen Ogle. Eventually arrive at the boggy Rannoch Moor notable for its wildlife and Glencoe a scenic village in the historic glen of the same name with excellent views and an extinct volcano site. Then it’s on to Loch Ness, home of the “fictitious” Loch Ness monster. Arrive for overnight in Inverness, known as the capital of the Highlands.
The following morning, drive up the north east coast of Scotland, a region where one can spot the golden eagle and roaming red deer. Arrive at Scotland’s most northerly village, John O’Groat’s, where you will catch the ferry to the Orkney Islands arriving at its historic capital, Kirkwall, founded in 1035. The original town is one of the best preserved examples of an ancient Norse town. See the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral considered the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland. Other sites of historical interest in the town include the Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace. You will have 2 nights in Kirkwall.
The next day is spent in its entirety exploring Orkney. Start with a visit to the 5000 year old village of Skara Brae, a stone-built Neolithic settlement and a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids. It has been called the "Scottish Pompeii" because of its excellent state of preservation. Then continue to the Ring of Brodgar, a Neolithic stone circle and again a World Heritage Site, Stenness, the UK’s oldest stone circle and Maeshowe, a site where the 12th Century Vikings left a large collection of Norse inscriptions.
The following morning, depart from Kirkwall by ferry back to the Scottish mainland. Drive through the North West Highlands through wild expanses and by colourful mountains stopping at the ruins of Ardvreck Castle dating back to 1490. Arrive for overnight in the picturesque fishing village of Ullapool nestled at the mouth of Loch Broom.
Your last day after departing from Ullapool brings you to Culloden, site of the famous Battle of Culloden in 1746 between the English and the Scottish. Then stop at Cava Cairns, a Bronze Age chamber tomb. Then after travelling through the Caledonian Pine Forest and Perthshire, arrive back at Edinburgh to complete your tour.
