Scenic Scotland

Overview

from$5099Tour + Flights from$4199Tour Only 10days

price per person, double occupancy,* based on Apr 14, 2025 departure from NYC

$600 Instant Savings. Expires Jan 2, 2025.*   All prices reflect savings.

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Style	Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout
Departures	April – November 2025	Group Size	16 travelers max
Themes	History & Culture,  Bucket List,  City Stays
Activity Level	Moderate
What to Expect	This moderately-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness.
Already booked?	Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more.

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Dates

Select a date Apr 14 - Apr 23, 2025 May 12 - May 21, 2025 Jun 9 - Jun 18, 2025 Jul 14 - Jul 23, 2025 Aug 11 - Aug 20, 2025 Sep 15 - Sep 24, 2025 Oct 13 - Oct 22, 2025 Oct 27 - Nov 5, 2025

Travelers

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To book, we only require a per-person deposit, which you can pay with your credit card or PayPal account. This deposit will be applied towards the cost of your package. The balance is due 75 days prior to departure (or within 72 hours, if you're booking less than 75 days prior to departure), and can be paid by credit card, PayPal, check or money order.

Changes to your package, departure date, or flights may require an increased deposit. If you select our optional Trip Protection Plan, the premium will be added to your deposit.

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Itinerary at a Glance

• 1 Depart USA
• 2 Arrive Edinburgh & transfer to Glasgow
• 3 Glasgow, Stirling, Loch Lomond & Dunkeld
• 4 Dunkeld, Forfar, Stonehaven, Royal Deeside & Dunkeld
• 5 Dunkeld, Kenmore, Kingussie & Inverness
• 6 Inverness, Loch Ness & Fort Augustus
• Optional Excursion: Culloden Battlefield, $25
• 7 Inverness, Glencoe, Callander & Edinburgh
• 8 Edinburgh, Culross & Falkland, St Andrews & Edinburgh
• 9 Edinburgh
• Optional Excursion: Johnnie Walker Experience, $42
• 10 Edinburgh/USA

Dates & Prices

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA

• Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Edinburgh, Scotland

Day 2 Arrive Edinburgh & transfer to Glasgow

• Upon arrival, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel in Glasgow
• Discover the highlights of Glasgow during a walking tour, including a whisky tasting
• Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner

Clayton Hotel Glasgow City or similar Dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Welcome to Scotland! Upon arrival in Edinburgh, meet our representative and transfer with your group to your hotel in Glasgow. This afternoon is yours at leisure to discover Glasgow independently or relax at the hotel. Later, embark on a guided walking tour of Glasgow with a whisky tasting before joining your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner.

Day 3 Glasgow, Stirling, Loch Lomond & Dunkeld

• Enjoy a panoramic tour of Glasgow
• Visit the impressive Stirling Castle
• Drive through Loch Lomond National Park with a visit to the village of Luss

Dunkeld House Hotel or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Set out on a panoramic tour of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city. From the vibrant streets of Merchant City and Glasgow University to George Square and Glasgow Green, explore Glasgow's rich past as a religious center and one of Britain's most important industrial cities. The city center's Victorian architecture offers a striking contrast to the expensive parks of the West End. Among those, Kelvingrove provides a haven of peace in the city, with amazing views of Glasgow University's buildings and the Kelvingrove Museum. It's not hard to see why Glasgow is home to Scotland's most celebrated architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Next, depart for Stirling, the ancient capital of Scotland. Upon arrival, visit the Stirling Castle. The castle is well-known for its impressive architecture, the crowning seat of Mary, Queen of Scots, and historical importance in William Wallace's fight for independence.

Continue to Loch Lomond for a drive through Trossachs National Park, stopping first at the charming village of Luss, located on Loch Lomond, Scotland's largest freshwater lake. Finally, make your way to Dunkeld for dinner at the hotel.

Day 4 Dunkeld, Forfar, Stonehaven, Royal Deeside & Dunkeld

• Visit Forfar's Glamis Castle
• Stop at the ruins of the cliff-top fortress of Dunnottar Castle
• Visit Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's private Scottish home
• Enjoy a traditional afternoon cream tea

Dunkeld House Hotel or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

This morning, head out to Forfar to visit nearby Glamis Castle. Surrounded by extensive gardens and preserved grounds, the castle was the official residence of Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne for over 600 years.

Continue to Stonehaven to view the ruins of Dunnottar Castle, perched on a cliff on the edge of the North Sea. The fortress was the home of the Earls Marischal, once one of the most powerful families in Scotland. William Wallace, Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Marquis of Montrose have graced the castle with their presence; however, the castle is most famously known for its location, where a small garrison held out for eight months against Cromwell's mighty army and saved the Scottish Crown Jewels from destruction.

In the afternoon, visit Balmoral Castle, a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, owned by King Charles III. The estate was purchased in 1852 by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, and later expanded to present-day Balmoral Castle. Although this private property remains in the hands of the British Royal Family, it is not part of the Crown Estate. Instead, it was the summer residence of Queen Elizabeth II, who died there in 2022.

Later, sample traditional cream tea before returning to your hotel in Dunkeld.

Note: If Balmoral Castle is closed due to the Royal Family being in residence or other events, it will be replaced by a visit to Crathie Kirk, where the Royal Family attends church.

Day 5 Dunkeld, Kenmore, Kingussie & Inverness

• Learn what life in the Iron Age was like at the Scottish Crannog Centre
• Try your hand at assembling your own Cranachan
• Witness a typical working day of a Highland sheepdog at a local farm

AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

This morning, depart the Highlands and head south to Kenmore. Along the way, stop at the Scottish Crannog Centre, an award-winning, interactive museum that shows what life in the Iron Age was like in a reconstructed prehistoric loch-dwelling. Originally built as an archaeological experiment based on underwater discoveries, the thatched roundhouse in the shallows of Loch Tay is a living museum on the water. The center overlooks the remains of four of the 18 ancient crannog settlements preserved in the loch, with the picturesque village of Kenmore to the east and stunning views toward Ben Lawers and Killin to the west.

Next, visit a local restaurant and sample a whisky or two. Choose the one that best suits your palate and assemble your own Cranachan, known as the king of Scottish desserts: a traditional confection made of cream, fresh raspberries, Scottish whisky, and oats. Enjoy lunch while the Cranachan chills, and later indulge in your delicious dessert.

Later, visit a local farm for a sheepdog demonstration amidst some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery. Participate in the traditional working day of Highland Shepherds and their dogs and witness up to eight dogs working as a team, maneuvering sheep and ducks through various obstacles. Learn the dogs' commands and how each responds to their whistles while their handlers explain each move. Keep your camera handy, as you'll make some unforgettable memories today!

Continue to your hotel in Inverness for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 Inverness, Loch Ness & Fort Augustus

• Try to spot the elusive Nessie during a cruise on Loch Ness
• Step back in time at the medieval Urquhart Castle
• Witness spectacular views down Loch Ness from Fort Augustus

AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, enjoy a cruise along Loch Ness, the most voluminous lake in the UK, containing more water than all the lakes of England and Wales combined. This area of the Highlands is world-renowned for its dramatic scenery, not to mention the mysterious tales of a giant monster living beneath the dark expanses of the loch! Disembark at Urquhart Castle, offering a taste of the Highlands at their most dramatic. Experience a glimpse of medieval life and stunning views of Loch Ness from the ruins of the most extraordinary castle in the Highlands. The castle is home to a remarkable collection of artifacts and historical replicas, including a full-sized, working trebuchet siege engine left by original residents. Urquhart Castle has a distinctly Highland heritage and has witnessed some of the most dramatic chapters in Scotland's history. Acts of chivalry and defiance here inspired the Wars of Independence, where the MacDonald Lords of the Isles struggled with the Crown for power. Urquhart Castle's 1,000 castle ruins are rumored to be the best place to spot the Loch Ness Monster!

Then, stop at Fort Augustus. Lying on the impressive 60-mile-long Caledonian Canal, halfway between Inverness and Ft Williams, Fort Augustus offers spectacular views down Loch Ness.

In the afternoon, head back to Inverness and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

Optional Excursion: Culloden Battlefield, $25

Join an optional tour to Culloden, the site of the 1745 battle between the Scots and the English. The Battle of Culloden was the end of a ferocious war that set clan against clan. Here, the Jacobites took their last stand to restore exiled James III as King. The tired and exhausted Jacobites were defeated in less than one hour, leaving an estimated 1,300 men dead, 1,250 of them Jacobites.

Day 7 Inverness, Glencoe, Callander & Edinburgh

• Admire the views of the Glencoe Valley
• Stop at Rosslyn Chapel, made famous in Dan Brown's book, "The Da Vinci Code"

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing for Fort William, located on the shores of Loch Linnhe. Continue to one of Scotland's most photographed sceneries, Glencoe, a valley shaped by water, fire, and ice. Enjoy a short stop for photos at one of the viewpoints. Continue through the lower part of the Scottish Highlands with a stop at Callander, where you will enjoy a lunch at leisure.

Next, travel towards Edinburgh and visit Rosslyn Chapel, full of mysterious symbols, famous for its association with the Holy Grail and the film The Da Vinci Code.

Finally, relax and enjoy a dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.

Day 8 Edinburgh, Culross & Falkland, St Andrews & Edinburgh

• Stop in the villages of Culross and Falkland, the filming locations for the "Outlander" series
• Visit Falkland Palace and Gardens, the hunting lodge of Mary, Queen of Scots
• Enjoy a fish and chips lunch
• Stroll through the charming town of St. Andrews

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, travel to the Fife region, the heart of Scotland's history for six centuries. Along the way, stop in Culross and Falkland, two stunning little villages featured in the hit television series Outlander. Step into the Falkland Palace and Gardens, the hunting lodge of Mary, Queen of Scots, and home of one of the few 'Royal Tennis' courts. Continue to St. Andrews, known worldwide as The Home of Golf and for the magnificent West Sands beach, where the iconic opening sequence of Chariots of Fire was filmed. This famous town also boasts Scotland's oldest university and is often compared to Oxford and Cambridge for its defining presence and the collegiate feel it lends to the town. Enjoy a traditional fish and chips lunch before embarking on a walking tour of this charming and historical place to admire the highlights, including the exterior wall of St. Andrews Cathedral, once the largest church in Scotland.

Return to Edinburgh for your overnight stay.

Day 9 Edinburgh

• Discover Edinburgh, one of the world's finest capital cities, on a panoramic tour
• Learn about the rich history at Edinburgh Castle
• Enjoy a farewell dinner at Grand Café

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh or similar Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Edinburgh is one of the world's finest capital cities, thanks to its cultural diversity and impressive history. The medieval streets run throughout the Old Town and New Town, telling their stories about Edinburgh's 1,000-year-old traditions and myths. Throughout the panoramic tour, learn about different parts of Edinburgh, including the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Princes Street Gardens, Calton Hill, and more.

Continue to Edinburgh Castle and learn about its rich history as a royal residence, military garrison, prison, and fortress. Ascend Castle Hill and retrace the footsteps of kings and queens as you explore the Crown Room, home to the oldest Crown Jewels in the UK – the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny – with which all Scottish and UK Kings and Queens are crowned.

Spend the afternoon exploring the city independently or shopping for some last-minute souvenirs.

This evening, join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner at the Grand Café, located in the former home of the national newspaper – The Scotsman, whose first edition was published from this very building in 1905.

Optional Excursion: Johnnie Walker Experience, $42

Embark on an unforgettable journey into the world of whisky with our optional excursion to the renowned Johnnie Walker Distillery. Led by a knowledgeable guide, this 90-minute immersive experience offers insights into the rich history and craftsmanship behind Scotland's most iconic whisky brand. Dive into the legacy of Johnnie Walker, learning about its origins dating back to the 19th century and its evolution into a global symbol of quality and refinement. Delight your senses with interactive projections, live demonstrations, and a personalized whisky tasting tailored to your palate. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your appreciation for whisky and indulge in three expertly crafted cocktails, all amidst the stunning backdrop of Scotland's picturesque landscapes.

 

Day 10 Edinburgh/USA

• Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the USA

Breakfast

Hotels

Clayton Hotel Glasgow City

First Class

Clayton Hotel Glasgow City is conveniently located in the center of Glasgow, in a restored Custom House building, originally built in the 19th century, on the banks of the River Clyde. The hotel has historic charm with our modern amenities.

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Dunkeld House Hotel

First Class

The Dunkeld House Hotel is located in the heart of Perthshire, sitting on 280 acres of countryside with a beautiful view of the longest river in Scotland, the River Tay.

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AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness

First Class

AC Hotel by Marriott Inverness is located in the Scottish Highlands in one of Scotland's most picturesque cities, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. The property is just a short distance from Inverness Railway Station, restaurants, and bars.

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Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh

First Class

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh is conveniently located at the heart of the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. The hotel is just a few minutes from The University of Edinburg, Princes Street, Waverley Station, and the Edinburgh Tram on York Place. The property strikes a balance of Scottish heritage and innovative design. 

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Scotland? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.