Experience Overview
From its rugged sea-sprayed islands to its stately castles layered in history, Scotland awaits. Learn how the bagpipes are played and enjoy dinner at the National Piping Centre’s farm-to-table restaurant. Take a cruise on famed Loch Ness. Visit a local family on their farm and meet their sheepdogs. Marvel at the stunning scenery of the Isle of Skye. Explore the Orkney Islands’ ancient Skara Brae. Visit Dunrobin Castle. Explore the regal city of Edinburgh. Put a modern twist on Scottish cuisine during an interactive cooking demonstration. Discover a land of rolling green Highlands, friendly sheepdogs, and historic castles.
Highlights
- Learn how the bagpipe, that quintessentially Scottish instrument, has become such an integral part of the country’s culture.
- Visit a family-run Highlands farm and watch sheepdogs at work in the mountain wilderness.
- Experience the powerful emotions of Culloden Battlefield, site of a profound turning point in Scottish history.
Trip Details
Product Code: 18151
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator: Collette (CA)
Supplier Code: 16265
Starts: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Finishes: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Light
Includes
- Visit Area: Isle of Skye,Loch Ness,Orkney Islands
- Admittance: Isle of Skye,Loch Ness,Orkney Islands
- Meals included: 15
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,849 ($385 /day)
Itinerary
An overnight flight transports you to a country of stunning landscapes, lively cities, and stirring history.
Hotel Name: Maldron Hotel
Arrive in Glasgow, Scotland’s Victorian city. With no planned activities today, you can explore Glasgow at leisure. Tonight, your Scottish adventure begins with a visit to the National Piping Centre. After a demonstration and lesson with a renowned piper, join your fellow travelers for a lively welcome dinner at the Centre’s farm-to-table restaurant.
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Ballachulish Hotel
Admittance: Bagpipe Demonstration
This morning, bid Glasgow farewell as you travel to your next destination. First, stop at a local whisky distillery for a guided tour and tasting. After some free time for lunch in a nearby town, you can relax aboard the motorcoach and admire the verdant green hills and mountainside waters as you arrive at your remote countryside hotel, situated on lovely Loch Linnhe.
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Admittance: Whisky Tasting
This morning, take a ferry ride to the stunning Isle of Skye, also known in poetry and song as Eilean a' Cheò (The Misty Isle). Upon arrival in Armadale, a local from the island joins you to share the history of this magical place and what it is like to live there today. A visit to the capital of Portree allows some time to explore before taking the scenic route back to Broadford. End your day by returning to Ballachulish via the Skye Bridge and a scenic drive along the “Road to the Isles.”
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Pentland Hotel
Visit Area: Isle of Skye
Skye, or the Isle of Skye, is the largest and most northerly large island of the archipelago of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. At 639 square miles, Skye is the 2nd largest island in Scotland. The island’s main industries are tourism, agriculture, fishing and whiskey distilling. Since 1995, the island has been linked to the mainland of Scotland by a road bridge called the Skye Bridge.
Today, enjoy stunning and unspoiled landscapes as you journey further into the Highlands. Travel through the Great Glen, famous for its many lochs (lakes). Visit the striking ruins of Urquhart Castle before enjoying a cruise on Loch Ness, one of Britain’s most famous bodies of water. Keep your eyes open — you never know when Nessie might appear! Travel off the beaten path to Thurso, one of Scotland’s most remote towns on the North Coast. Embrace the rustic environment of the Scottish Highlands as you settle in for your two-night stay.
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Visit Area: Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large, deep freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending approximately 23 miles southwest of the city of Inverness. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the Loch Ness monster. While Loch Ness is not the largest Scottish loch by surface area, it is the largest by volume, with its deepest point at 755 feet.
Grab your windbreaker – it’s time for an adventure on the Orkney Islands.* Ferry to this former Viking stronghold off the northernmost coast of Scotland, where artists admire the ever-changing clouds rolling across the sky like a time-lapse at double speed. On the crossing, feel the wind in your hair as you view the abundant bird life and, if you’re lucky, porpoises and seals. A local guide introduces this ethereal place that few visitors to Scotland get to experience. Visit Skara Brae and discover the remains of a Neolithic village built before the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Continue on toward the prehistoric Standing Stones of Stenness, reported to be older than Stonehenge. Make your way through the town of Viking Kirkwall before returning to the mainland.
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Best Western Palace Hotel
Visit Area: Orkney Islands
Off the coast of Northern Scotland, 10 miles from Duncansby Head in Caithness, lies a stunning archipelago comprised of 70 islands that are famously called the Orkney Islands. This breathtaking spot off the beaten path is waiting for your discovery. Voyage by ferry to the islands, keeping an eye out for an abundance of bird life, porpoises and seals. A local guide reveals its Viking heritage and introduces you to the wonders around you. To make the visit even more wonderful, visit Skara Brae and find the remains of a Neolithic village built at the same time as the Great Pyramid in Egypt. It’s a journey through history – a true highlight of your tour to fascinating Scotland.
As you make your way back from the northern coast, visit the majestic Dunrobin Castle,** which dates back to the 1300s. The castle is built in the style of a French château and is home to the Duke of Sutherland. Next, visit the powerfully emotive and atmospheric battlefield of Culloden, where the Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end. Enjoy an overnight stay in Inverness, capital of the Highlands.
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Radisson Blu
Admittance: Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, on the east coast of the Highland area of Scotland. The castle dates back to the 13th century. Dunrobin castle is the largest castle in the Northern Highlands with 189 rooms. The castle’s architecture resembles a French chateau.
Begin your day with a visit to a family-run farm set in the heart of the Highlands. See sheepdogs at work while surrounded by the mountain wilderness of Cairngorms National Park. Continue on to the vibrant Victorian town of Pitlochry for some time at leisure to explore on your own. End your day in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh. This evening, give traditional Scottish ingredients a modern twist. Enjoy a lively and interactive cooking experience at one of Scotland’s premier culinary institutions with a “wee dram” in hand.
Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Admittance: Culloden Battlefield
Visit the historic Culloden Battlefield where, in April 1746, a half-hour battle changed the course of Scotland’s history when the House of Stuart and the House of Hanover violently clashed.
Today, visit Edinburgh Castle, home to the Scottish Crown Jewels. Enjoy a panoramic tour of Edinburgh’s new town before your local expert takes you on a walking tour up to the magnificent castle. Enjoy an afternoon of free time. End your day in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh.
Breakfast Included
Admittance: Sheepdog Demonstration
Begin your day with a visit to a bucolic family run farm located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Enjoy watching precisely trained sheepdogs do their work with the mountain wilderness of Cairngorms National Park serving as a most excellent backdrop.
Your tour of Scotland comes to a close today.
Breakfast Included
Admittance: Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle and fortress located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It sits atop Castle Rock in the city center and is an integral part of Edinburgh’s skyline. In present day the castle is a major tourist attraction for the city. It is the most visited paid visitor attraction in Scotland.
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Tour Operator
Collette (CA)
A Story of Hard Work and a Passion for Travel “Our first office was so tiny that if you took a step backwards, you fell down an open hole that was stairs to the basement. Now we are a worldwide company with offices in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.” – Alice I. Sullivan, Chairperson of the Collette Board.Collette is about family As his family grew, Dan’s children took on active roles in the company – in sales, tour development, marketing, tour guiding, and in its charitable arm. Working with a team of dedicated employees, they all stayed true to the original vision of expanding travel opportunities for everyone. That tradition continued as Dan’s eldest child, Dan Sullivan Jr., took the reins as President and CEO in 1990 and the company flourished. Collette_HQ_380x250_v2 The third generation of Sullivans entered the company in the early 2000s, and in 2018 Dan Sullivan Jr.’s daughter, Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, became President & Chief Customer Experience Officer. In 2023, after she successfully steered Collette through the global pandemic, Dan proudly turned the CEO role over to Jaclyn and transitioned to Executive Chairman of the Board. Mrs. Leibl-Cote is only the 4th CEO in the company’s history and its first female leader, making Collette one of the rare companies successfully transfer to the 3rd generation of leadership.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2023
Good but not great. Food and lodging could have been better. Bus driver was outstanding
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/30/2023
Inez Cook - Traveled, September 2023
Tour of Scotland was one of those tours I will always remember. I've been on over 20 tours with Collette.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/10/2023
Patricia Beard - Traveled, September 2023
From beginning to end the trip was perfectly organized and orchestrated.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/01/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2023
Enjoyed the places we stayed and went.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/28/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2023
There were some issues with the pre-trip to London (not having tickets for the train to Glasgow until less than an hour before departure) and some issues with the meal situation on the Orkney Island part of the tour that resulted in a rating of less than 5.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/21/2023
Margaret Holtmeier - Traveled, August 2023
It was simply magical! WE had a great trip. Our tour manager Laura, was so friendly, knowledgeable, and funny!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/16/2023
SHERRY KENT - Traveled, August 2023
Perfect weather, memorable experiences.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/07/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2023
Most hotel were good and in good locations except for the one in Thurso which was far below Collette's standards. It was a dump bathroom no toilet paper holder, place to put clothes or shelve for toiletries Windows were painted shut and no fans during a heat wave..
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/06/2023
Claire Gwaltney - Traveled, May 2023
Some of the flight seating was not good.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/02/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2023
I enjoyed it all. It just felt very rushed at times. One of the most memorable days was at Culloden battlefield; very moving, and so interesting I also loved the castle visits.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/08/2023
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