2026 Scottish Isles & Glens - 12 Days/11 Nights
Day 1: Glasgow Arrival
Depart from your hotel at 2:30 PM for a tour of Glasgow, famed for its Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture. Once a prosperous port city due to international trade and shipbuilding, today Glasgow is Scotland’s cultural hub. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group and dinner at your hotel.
(D)
Day 2: Isle of Bute & Mount Stuart House
Take a ferry to the Isle of Bute for stunning island scenery and a guided tour of the 19th-century Mount Stuart House. Spend time in Rothesay, the main town on the island. Enjoy a free evening in Glasgow and dine independently.
(B)
Day 3: Loch Lomond & Eilean Donan Castle
Travel along famous Loch Lomond, renowned for its unsurpassed beauty. Journey through Glencoe, one of Scotland’s most beautiful regions. Travel through Fort William and visit romantic Eilean Donan Castle, spectacularly situated on an island at the meeting of three lochs.
(B, D)
Day 4: Isle of Skye, Dunvegan Castle & Portree
Explore the Isle of Skye and its associations with Bonnie Prince Charlie. Tour Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and former stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod. Enjoy photo opportunities including stunning Kilt Rock. Stop in picturesque Portree with its brightly painted houses clustered around the bay. Enjoy free time before dinner at your hotel.
(B, D)
Day 5: Inverewe Gardens & Gairloch
Take in the Highland scenery as you head to Inverewe Gardens, a colorful lochside garden filled with rare species of trees and flowers from around the globe, created in the wilderness by a father and daughter in the 19th century. You’ll likely see wildlife including deer, otters, seals, and golden eagles, as well as huge California redwoods towering into the sky. Continue on to your hotel in Gairloch, where you can relax in tranquil and scenic surroundings before dinner with your group.
(B, D)
Day 6: Dornoch, Dunrobin Castle & Ferry to Orkney
Spend time in the historic town of Dornoch before visiting grand Dunrobin Castle, in a fairytale setting with breathtaking coastal views. With 189 rooms, the stunning architecture and majestic gardens were inspired by the Palace of Versailles. Admire the amazing scenery of the Highlands as you continue on to Scrabster on the northern coast of Scotland. Take a ferry to the Orkney Islands, where you will spend the next two nights.
(B)
Day 7: Orkney Sights, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae & St Magnus Cathedral
Explore Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a scenic drive around the north of the main island, past the Earl’s Palace at Birsay. Visit Skara Brae to see this amazing 5,000-year-old village, the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe. Explore 400 year-old Skaill House, filled with fascinating archeological items, art, and furniture collected by the twelve generations of Lairds of Breckness who once lived there. Travel on to the Ring of Brodgar, a ceremonial stone circle. Return to Kirkwall for a visit to St Magnus Cathedral. Your evening is free to explore the town and dine as you wish.
(B)
Day 8: Italian Chapel & Strathpeffer
Drive across the Churchill Barriers, causeways created during World War II to deter German submarines. Next explore the tiny Italian Chapel, a beautiful symbol of reconciliation built by Italian prisoners of war. Board a ferry back to the mainland, and travel south to Strathpeffer, an elegant Victorian spa town, where you’ll dine in your hotel.
(B, D)
Day 9: Loch Ness Cruise, Culloden Battlefield & Sheepdog Demonstration
Embark on a scenic cruise along the historic Caledonian Canal, leading you to the legendary Loch Ness. Next, visit Culloden Battlefield, site of one of the most pivotal events in all of Scottish history. Visit a sheep farm to watch highly skilled sheepdogs demonstrate how they herd their flock. Dine at your hotel this evening.
(B, D)
Day 10: Whisky Tasting & Scottish Evening*
Visit The Glenturret Distillery, Scotland’s oldest working distillery, to discover the traditional art of whisky making and enjoy a tasting. Set in the beautiful Perthshire countryside, the Glenturret has been producing whisky since the 1700s. Then, it’s on to your Edinburgh hotel in the Grassmarket area of the old town. Relax before your festive Scottish evening, including a traditional dinner and lively entertainment. (July 26 – August 11 departures will enjoy an evening to explore and dine independently.)
(B, D*)
Day 11: Edinburgh Panoramic Tour & Edinburgh Castle
Explore the wide streets and elegant mansions in Edinburgh’s Georgian “New Town” and the Royal Mile, the oldest part of the city. Tour the imposing Edinburgh Castle to see the Scottish Crown Jewels. Enjoy an evening to explore independently. July 26 – August 11 departures attend the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo on the Castle Esplanade.
(B)
Day 12: Tour Ends In Edinburgh
Your tour ends after breakfast.
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
Authentic Local Experiences:
- July 26 - August 11 departures will have reserved seats for the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. All other departures will experience an exclusive Scottish Evening with dinner and traditional entertainment.
- Spend two nights on Orkney exploring its fascinating heritage, including the prehistoric monuments of the Stone Age and the surprising role the island played during World War II.
Trip Highlights:
- Dunrobin Castle
- Inverewe Gardens
- Isle of Skye
- Loch Ness
- Isle of Bute
- Mount Stuart House and Gardens
- Two Nights on Orkney Islands
- Skara Brae
- Eilean Donan Castle
- Scottish Evening*
*July 26 - August 11 departures.
Dining Experiences:
- 11 hot breakfasts (B) and 7 Dinners* (D)
*Meal counts vary on Tattoo departures, as the Scottish Evening is replaced with the Tattoo and an independent dinner.
Hotels:
- Novotel Glasgow Centre Hotel, Glasgow (2)
- Balmacara Hotel, near Kyle of Lochalsh (2)
- Gairloch Hotel, Gairloch (1)
- Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall (2)
- Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer (1)
- Crieff Hydro Hotel, Crieff (1)
- Novotel Edinburgh Centre, Edinburgh (2)
Please note: On this off-the-beaten path tour, your hotels will match the Highland atmosphere. Most of them are locally owned, family-run, and independent.