Western Isles & Orkney - 9 days

Edinburgh - Trossnachs National Park - Oban. Departing Edinburgh this morning, we head west, first visiting Trossnachs National Park. Admire some of the country's famous scenery before heading to the 18th-century town of Inveraray. We then make our way through the mountainous Western Highlands to Oban, a port town once the strategic heartland of great feuding clans.





Please note: Check-in closes at 08:45 (tour departs at 09:00) - Edinburgh Bus Station Pick Up, Gate J and Gate K, inside Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.





Accommodation: Kathmore, Altavona or similar ...more ...less

Oban - Mull - Iona - Oban. It's an early start this morning as we take the ferry to the Isle of Mull. Take in dramatic coastlines and wild natural beauty, and keep our eyes on the skies for majestic white-tailed eagles, the UK's largest bird of prey.





We then take another ferry to Iona, the birthplace of Celtic Christianity and home to the ancient burial grounds of famed Scottish kings. We can see the historic abbey and take in more of the windswept coastline of the Scottish Isles.





There's an optional small boat trip to the uninhabited island of Staffa to see the basalt columns of Fingal's Cave. We then return to Oban on the ferry.





Accommodation: Kathmore, Altavona or similar

Oban - Glencoe - Fort William - Plockton. Driving north along the coast, we pass Castle Stalker and visit Glencoe, a truly beautiful location haunted by the 1692 Glencoe Massacre. Around 30 members of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were slaughtered here for failing to pledge allegiance to King William III and Mary II.We then pass through Fort William and past Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Great Britain. Continuing through the Great Glen, we arrive in Plockton, a small fishing village known for its palm trees! We overnight here.Accommodation: Balmacara Hotel

Balmacara - Skye - Plockton. Today we will be exploring the remote Isle of Skye, but there is no fixed itinerary for the day. The weather can be unpredictable, so our guide will choose the best highlights to show us in accordance with the conditions and any events that may be happening on the island during our visit. We are likely to be hiking, in order to enjoy the dramatic scenery of the island. Options include The Quiraing hill walk and the Old Man of Storr Walk, probably the most famous trail on the island. We can also see the Neist Point Lighthouse. Spend the day taking photos, sampling the view and enjoying everything this pristine environment has to offer. In the late afternoon, we return to our accommodation in BalmacaraAccommodation: Balmacara Hotel

Plockton - Loch Ness - Inverness. Today we visit Eilean Donan Castle, a 13th century fortress, located on an island. We then drive to Loch Duich and the Five Sisters of Kintail, taking in more of Scotland's dramatic scenery. There's a stop for lunch at Loch Ness, so keep your eyes peeled for 'Nessie', the Loch Ness monster!





We then stop in the village of Spean Bridge. Here our group splits once more, as some travellers will be returning to Edinburgh, whilst we continue north to Orkney. Our guides will be on hand to help us move our luggage and introduce us to the new group for the remainder of our trip. We then complete our journey to Inverness, travelling up the entire 23-mile length of the Great Glen.





Accommodation: Dalmore, Pine Guest House, Aye Stay or similar

Inverness - John o'Groats - Kirkwall. Departing Inverness early, we head past Dunrobin Castle and along the coastline of the northeast Highlands, taking in some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery. If the ferry timetables allow, we will enjoy a stop at John o'Groats, on the north-eastern tip of Great Britain. Arriving in Gills Bay, we board the ferry to Orkney, crossing Pentland Firth. Landing on the archipelago, we stop for a visit to the colourful Italian Chapel before arriving in the former Viking stronghold of Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands. The evening is free, we recommend paying a visit to the magnificent Viking Cathedral of St Magnus, dating back to the 12th Century.





Accommodation: Bellavista Guest House, Heatherlea B&B, Hildeval B&B or similar

Today we explore Orkney, taking in the stunning nature of green pastures and windswept sandy beaches alongside Orkney's past. We take in the 5,000-year old village of Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement older even than the Pyramids of Giza or Stonehenge! We also take in the prehistoric stone circle at Brodgar and the Druidic standing stones at Stenness. Each of these sites is UNESCO-listed as part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.





We also visit Maeshowe, home to a number of well-preserved Viking runic inscriptions, dating back to the 12th century. We then return to Kirkwall for the night.





Accommodation: Bellavista Guest House, Heatherlea B&B, Hildeval B&B or similar

Kirkwall - Ullapool. This morning after breakfast, it is time to depart Orkney, as we take the return ferry back to the mainland. We then take a spectacular drive along the northern coast of Scotland, taking in the stunning Ben Loyal and Ben hope mountains and a picturesque coastline. We stop to admire Ardvreck Castle in the far north-west mountains of Assynt before reaching Ullapool, a pretty whitewashed fishing village located at the mouth of Loch Broom.





Accommodation: Foinaven, Ullaviews, The Sheiling Guest House or similar

Ullapool - Culloden Moor - Edinburgh. Leaving Ullapool, we witness the dramatic plunge of the River Droma into Corrieshalloch Gorge, followed by a scenic stop at Loch Glascarnoch en route to Inverness, the 'Capital of the Highlands'. We visit historic sites like Culloden Moor, site of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, and the ancient Clava Cairns, renowned from the 'Outlander' books.





Continuing through the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest near Cairngorm, we enjoy lunch amidst the natural beauty before journeying through Perthshire's Big Tree country and the Kingdom of Fife on the way back to Edinburgh.





Please note: This tour ends at 19:00 - Edinburgh Bus Station Drop Off, Gate J and Gate K, Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ