Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. Enjoy the comfort of Insight’s luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.

Meals

6 Dinner (D) 8 Breakfast (B) Edinburgh: Enjoy a relaxing dinner at a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travellers. Pitlochry: Atholl Palace, built as a Victorian Baronial retreat, is over 130 years old. The Palace plays host to your afternoon tea. You are welcomed into the banqueting room to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea accompanied by sandwiches, scones, Scottish shortbread and traditional Scottish tablet. Wick: Whiskies are known for their distinctive flavours, share a wee dram with a master distiller. Glencoe: Your adventure culminates with a wonderful evening enjoying the best Highland hospitality and market-fresh ingredients.

Accommodation

Highland Hotels: Hotels in the Highlands area are mainly traditional and much simpler in style, typical of the region. Inverness: Originally the mansion of a prominent local family, today the Kingsmills Hotel is a luxury accommodation in the heart of the Highlands. Renovated with contemporary rooms, the hotel is well-known for it’s impeccable hospitality. Thurso: Centrally located in the heart of Thurso, the Peatland Hotel offers comfortable accommodation and a warm welcome from staff. Isle of Skye: Boasting an incredible location by Broadford Bay, The Dunollie Hotel is set at the base of outstanding mountains. Ballachulish: Ballachulish Hotel offers spectacular views over the bay of Oban and the islands of the west coast of Scotland. This hotel is set in some outstanding scenery which can be used for picturesque walks. Ballachulish: The Isles of Glencoe Hotel & Leisure Centre is a modern hotel located at the foot of Glencoe on the side of a peninsula. Glasgow: Holiday Inn Glasgow - City Centre Theatreland is a 4-star hotel located in the heart of Glasgow, just a few minutes from the Royal Concert Hall. It offers bright, elegant rooms.

Guide

From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Glencoe: Your Travel Director will lead you on an orientation of this Highland village on Loch Leven.

Others

1 Afternoon Tea (AT) Choose between two carefully selected activities Wick: Visit the highly rated Wick Heritage Museum to gain a full picture of this once thriving fishing community and how your visit helps keep the story of this town alive. The Wick Society is committed to preserving and promoting Wick’s proud heritage for the inspiration of future generations. They collect, collate and display the many artefacts that tell the history of Wick and their community ethos is one of welcome and sharing. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities. Wick: Whiskies are known for their distinctive flavours, share a wee dram with a master distiller. Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert’s fascinating commentary. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you’ll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Glencoe: Join a ranger in the spectacular Valley of Glencoe, learn about the protection of this rare ecosystem and the important work reintroducing lost indigenous species to its flora and fauna. The Natural Reserve carries out important scientific research and conversation initiatives to protect the fragile biodiversity including rare alpine flowers, mosses, mountain hares, red deer and birdlife such as golden eagles. . Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land. Edinburgh: A hush descends and eyes turn to the castle. The skirl of the pipes rises and drums crack the night air as a tide of tunics and tartan flood from the drawbridge. For a limited time in August, witness the incredible spectacle of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Edinburgh: Visit Edinburgh Castle to view the Scottish Crown Jewels, Mons Meg and other artefacts with your Local Expert. Edinburgh: Explore the city with your Local Expert as you travel along Princes Street to see the Scott Memorial, the neoclassical Adam facades of New Town and the official Scottish residence of the King, Palace of Holyroodhouse. St. Andrews: Visit the university town where the famous beach scene from ’Chariots of Fire’ was filmed and see the golf course where the sport was created. Inverness: See the River Ness, Inverness Castle and beautiful scenery as you explore the history of this Highland city. Inverness: At the exciting Culloden Visitor Centre, discover why the Battle of Culloden lasted only an hour yet changed the Highland way of life forever. Loch Ness: Drive along the shores in search of the legendary monster. Orkney Islands: Cruise to the windswept Orkney Islands on a full day guided journey. Come face-to-face with relics spanning human history, from pagan stone circles to reminders of wartime tragedy. Visit the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae. Isle of Skye: See the dramatic Cuillin Hills and stay in pretty Broadford. Eilean Donan: Stop for a photo of this gorgeous castle built on an island in the Loch. Fort William: Enjoy an excellent view of Ben Nevis from the World War II Commando Memorial. Loch Lomond: Enjoy time to explore the beautiful ’Queen of Scottish Lochs’. Glasgow: See the grand public buildings, including George Square and St. Mungo’s Cathedral. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Insight Vacations through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. While highly recommended, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are no longer required for guests traveling with us from January 1, 2023 onward. It is your client’s responsibly to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destinations visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than the above. No refunds will be given if they are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to failure to comply with these requirements.

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance not included. Travel insurance is required for all of our tours.

Flights

International and domestic flights not included.

Others

Arrival and departure airport transfers outside of scheduled times. Other meals, snacks and drinks. Pre and post tour accommodation. Single supplement (Optional).

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost and will be provided to you with your finalised travel documents.

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Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To Edinburgh
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Welcome To Edinburgh

Join your Travel Director for dinner at a local restaurant. On select departures, during your time in Edinburgh you will also attend The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo — a colourful mix of pipes and drums, dance and display, set against the floodlit backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.
Day 2 Day 2: Edinburgh, The Capital Of Culture
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Edinburgh, The Capital Of Culture

Join a Local Expert to see the highlights of the city. In the Old Town, see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the King. Drive along Princes Street to the ornate Scott Memorial, then see the 18th century New Town with its neoclassical Georgian facades. Venture up the Royal Mile to visit Edinburgh Castle, home of Mons Meg and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The rest of the day is at leisure; why not visit the art treasures in the National Gallery?
Day 3 Day 3: To St. Andrews And The Highland Capital Of Inverness
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: To St. Andrews And The Highland Capital Of Inverness

Cross the Firth of Forth into Fife and journey to St. Andrews, passing the Old Course, home of golf since its creation in the 15th century. Enjoy free time to explore. Perhaps stroll to West Sands Beach where the famous ’Chariots of Fire’ scene was filmed? Alternatively, wander to St. Andrews University where the love story of Kate Middleton meeting her Prince Charming began. Stop at Atholl Palace and Gardens for a delicious cream tea. Originally opened in Victorian times, the hotel retains many traditional features. Continue via Blair Atholl and pass the Grampian Mountains on the way to the sparkling Spey Valley.
Day 4 Day 4: Culloden, Loch Ness And Onto Thurso
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Culloden, Loch Ness And Onto Thurso

Keep your eyes peeled for the Loch Ness monster this morning during a scenic drive along the legendary lake. See Culloden Battlefield in the morning, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army was crushed in 1746. Visit the Culloden Visitor Centre. Next, with Insight Choice discover the fishing port of Wick. Choose to visit the Old Pulteney Distillery to taste a wee dram of its award-winning whiskies. Alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with a visit to the highly rated Wick Heritage Museum and hear about the past of this once thriving fishing community.
Day 5 Day 5: A Day In The Orkney Islands
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: A Day In The Orkney Islands

Start the day by boarding the ferry to the beautiful Orkney Islands where the countryside is breathtakingly majestic and the tranquillity supports a quieter pace of life. Here the hardy locals say they live ‘below the wind and above the water.’ Your Travel Director accompanies you as you visit the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae, the old Norse Town of Kirkwall, the mysterious Ring of Brodgar, Kirkwall and the small chapel built by Italian prisoners during World War II.
Day 6 Day 6: Over The Sea To Skye
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Over The Sea To Skye

Travel through stunning, pristine landscapes along the northern coast with its white sandy beaches, and further inland to misty valleys and glens, lochs and rushing waters. Then it’s ‘Over the Sea to Skye,’ the largest and most beautiful island of the Inner Hebrides. On the way to Broadford, hear romantic tales of how young Flora MacDonald helped rescue Bonnie Prince Charlie and see the dramatic Cuillin Hills.
Day 7 Day 7: Through The Scottish Highlands To Glencoe Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Through The Scottish Highlands To Glencoe Relaxed Start

This morning explore this wild and beautiful island on your own, before crossing to the Kyle of Lochalsh. Stop for a photo at remote Eilean Donan Castle, which under a clear sky offers a perfect reflection in its loch. Move on to the WWII Commando Memorial where there is a fine view of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Enjoy spectacular scenery en route to the Valley of Glencoe. Join a ranger for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, learn about the protection of this rare ecosystem and the important work reintroducing lost indigenous species to its flora and fauna. In the evening, enjoy market-fresh Scottish ingredients and wine, as you get together with your newfound friends for a sumptuous dinner. Don’t be surprised if, by the end of the evening, you’re ’Toasting to the Lassies’ or singing ’Auld Lang Syne’.
Day 8 Day 8: Along The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond To Glasgow Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Along The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond To Glasgow Relaxed Start

Spend time around peaceful Loch Lomond, ‘Queen of Scottish Lochs’ according to Sir Walter Scott and the largest in Great Britain. Perhaps experience the beauty and tranquillity of the loch with an optional cruise before continuing to Glasgow? An orientation drive through the city will show you the grand public buildings, including George Square and St. Mungo’s Cathedral. Then the rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.
Day 9 Day 9: Depart Glasgow
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Depart Glasgow

Today, bid farewell to your journey along the country roads of Scotland as you transfer to the airport.

9 days tour

Country Roads Of Scotland (Classic, 9 Days)

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Country Roads Of Scotland (Classic, 9 Days)

Day 1: Welcome To Edinburgh

Day 2: Edinburgh, The Capital Of Culture

Day 3: To St. Andrews And The Highland Capital Of Inverness

Day 4: Culloden, Loch Ness And Onto Thurso

Day 5: A Day In The Orkney Islands

Day 6: Over The Sea To Skye

Day 7: Through The Scottish Highlands To Glencoe Relaxed Start

Day 8: Along The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond To Glasgow Relaxed Start

Day 9: Depart Glasgow

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