Highlights of Scotland
7 days, Edinburgh to Glasgow City
Itinerary
Day 1Edinburgh
Arrive at any time.
We recommend arriving a few days early to explore Scotland's compact, hilly capital.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Ghost Tours of Edinburgh
Explore Edinburgh's fascination with the underworld. Famous for witch burning, grave robbing and mysterious murders, this tour takes you down Edinburgh narrow alleyways and gruesome graveyards with plenty of stories to tell.
Traditional Cèilidh and Dinner
Experience a traditional cèilidh, complete with Gaelic folk music, bagpipes and dancing, followed by a delicious Scottish meal including traditional haggis, porridge an oatcakes.
Edinburgh Castle Visit
A historic fortress dominating the skyline of the city from its position on Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle is a must-see in the city. Explore the home of the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny and the National War Museum. Fee includes entrance to all attractions within Edinburgh Castle.
To ensure availability, we recommend purchasing entrance tickets in advance.
Day 2Edinburgh/Inverness
Enjoy an orientation walk of Edinburgh ending in the heart of the city, the Royal Mile. Opt to visit Edinburgh Castle, or explore the city on your own. In the afternoon, hop on a private transfer to the Highlands.
Free Time
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Edinburgh Orientation Walk
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. They will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Edinburgh Castle Visit
A historic fortress dominating the skyline of the city from its position on Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle is a must-see in the city. Explore the home of the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny and the National War Museum. Fee includes entrance to all attractions within Edinburgh Castle.
To ensure availability, we recommend purchasing entrance tickets in advance.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Inverness
After lunch, board a cruise towards Loch Ness. Experience the infamous "loch" by boat and learn about the history (and legend) surrounding its mysterious lake creature. Explore Urquhart Castle before returning to Inverness. En route, visit Culloden Moor, famous for the Jacobite rising of 1745.
Loch Ness Cruise & Urquhart Castle Visit
Enjoy a relaxing cruise along Loch Ness lake. This freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands is best known for alleged sightings of Nessie, the fabled Loch Ness Monster. Visit Urquhart Castle, one of Scotland's largest castles at the centre of great conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress. Explore the history of this strategic fortress and the stories revolving around the power struggles between the Scots and English amidst the Wars of Independence.
Culloden Moor Visit
Visit the infamous Culloden battlefield, site of the Battle of Culloden, known as the final confrontation of the Jacobite rising of 1745. Here, Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart were decisively defeated by Hanoverian forces commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland which therefore put an end the Jacobite rising. Explore the battlefield and moor at your own pace, or opt to join a guided tour.
Glenmore Forest Hike
Glenmore is a beautiful spot that holds one of the few remaining pockets of ancient Caledonian Pinewood in Scotland. Take an easy CEO-led hike through the forest ending in Loch Morlich with its long sandy beach.
Elevation gain: 50 - 70 meters
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Cairngorms Reindeer Hill Trip
The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd is Britain’s only free-ranging herd of reindeer found in the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland. These tame and friendly animals are a joy to all who come and see them. With over 150 reindeer in the herd, join a guided Hill trip with an experience reindeer herder visiting the mountainside where the main herds live year round.
Kayaking at Loch Morlich
Loch Morlich is a freshwater lake with long sandy beaches and spectacular views of the Cairngorms mountain range - an impressive backdrop for any water sports activity. Book a kayaking trip (beginners are welcome) and learn the strokes and techniques you'll need to paddle your way around this secluded lake. Lessons include the use of equipment, a wetsuit and training with friendly, experienced staff. Please bring swimwear, a towel, and spare warm clothing.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Inverness/Fort William
Discover the beautiful Isle of Skye. Enjoy a scenic drive to the Isle, stopping at the iconic Eilean Castle while en route for a snap of the old fortress. Once on the Isle, visit Sligachan, where you can spot the Black Cullin mountains in the background. In the evening, take a Ferry Armadale to Mallaig and enjoy some free time in Fort William.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Dunvegan Castle and Gardens Visit
Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of clan MacLeod for 800 years. Visit this castle originally designed as a defence fortress and learn the history behind Scotland's clan system. Afterwards explore the five acres of the Castle's formal gardens on property. Explore the stark contrast to the barren moor land and mountains that dominate Skye's landscape by getting lost in a hidden oasis of an eclectic mix of plants, woodland glades and shimmering pools fed by waterfalls and streams flowing down to the sea.
Ferry
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Fort William
Visit the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by Harry Potter. Settle back at the viewpoint in time to see the Jacobite Steam train cross over the viaduct. Afterwards, stretch your legs with a forest walk in Ben Nevis followed by a distillery tour and whisky tasting at Ben Nevis Distillery. Continue on to explore Glencoe and learn about this key valley and its importance in Scotland's history.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Glenfinnan Viaduct Viewpoint
Glenfinnan attracts many thousands of visitors from around the world to experience the stunning scenery but also to catch a glimpse of the famous Jacobite steam train, also known as the Hogwart's Express in the Harry Potter novels and films, travel across the Glenfinnan viaduct. The viaduct carries the railway to Glenfinnan Station across an impressive 1,000 ft (305m) span, 100 ft (30m) above the ground.
Ben Nevis Forest Walk
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Standing at 1,345 metres (4,412 feet 8¾ inches) above sea level, it is at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands. Set off on an easy and scenic hike through the Ben Nevis Range, taking in the fresh Highland air and lush surroundings. Follow the River Lundy Walk, a gentle trail at the base of the range.
Elevation gain: 45 - 60 meters
Ben Nevis Distillery Tour and Whisky Tasting
Visit Ben Nevis Distillery, known for its location at the base of Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the British Isles, and for its exceptional whisky. Tour the distillery and enjoy a whisky tasting.
Glencoe Visit
Scotland's most famous and most scenic Highland glen, Glencoe is also steeped in history. Also known as the weeping valley, it was the site of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan. Visit Rannoch Moor and the Black Mount and learn about the intricate history of this natural paradise.
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Glenfinnan Monument
Raise your bonnet to the lone highlander on top of the Glenfinnan Monument. Framed by spectacular Highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel, the Glenfinnan Monument is a striking tribute to those who fought in the Jacobite Risings. It commemorates the Jacobite clansmen who fought and gave their lives in support of Charles Edward Stuart, often called "Bonnie Prince Charlie".
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Fort William/Glasgow City
Head south towards Glasgow. Enjoy some free time to explore Scotland's largest city. Take time to explore this port city by visiting its museums or joining a brewery tour.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland's western Lowlands. It's famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city's 18th–20th-century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it's a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland, as well as acclaimed museums and a thriving music scene.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Brewery Tour
10GBP per personNestled in the historic heart of Glasgow, between the Cathedral and Necropolis, Drygate Brewing Co. can be found in a converted former box factory. Enjoy a through-the glass tour and afterwards observe the brewery in action through the panoramic glass wall while sampling the finished product with a tasting of four beers.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum offers 22 galleries ranging from art to animals, Ancient Egypt to Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Glasgow City
Depart at any time.