In the Heart of the Scottish Highlands

13 days
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4.4/5 Great
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Small Group Tour
Legend blends with history in the Scottish Highlands, where soaring peaks, low-lying glens and famous lochs set a stage for discovery. Experience this unforgettable region as you venture to some of its most noted locations, including Loch Ness, Urquart Castle, Glen Affric and the misty Isle of Skye.
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Join historians as they offer a view into Highland Scotland’s ancient history, the downfall of Gaelic clans, the Highland Clearances and New World emigration.
    • Discover the castles, clan lands and romance of the famous Isle of Skye.
    • Step back in time at Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most historically important castles in Scotland.

What's this trip about?

    Legend blends with history in the Scottish Highlands, where soaring peaks, low-lying glens and famous lochs set a stage for discovery. Experience this unforgettable region as you venture to some of its most noted locations, including Loch Ness, Urquart Castle, Glen Affric and the misty Isle of Skye.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 24 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityEdinburgh
End CityEdinburgh

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Education / Learning

Destinations

  • Europe
  • United Kingdom
  • Scotland

Attractions

  • Edinburgh
  • Eilean Donan Castle
  • Inverness
  • Loch Ness
  • Palace of Holyroodhouse
  • Scottish Highlands
  • Stirling Castle
  • The Isle of Skye
  • Victoria

Activities

  • Culture
  • Educational/ learning
  • Historic sightseeing
  • History
  • Nature

Trip includes

    • 11 nights of accommodations
    • 2 expert-led lectures
    • 14 expert-led field trips
    • 1 performance
    • An experienced Group Leader
    • Customary gratuities throughout the program
    • The Road Scholar Travel Protection Plan, 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage
    • Taxes

View Similar Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

DAY 1 : In Transit to Program

In Flight

DAY 2 : Arrive Edinburgh, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Edinburgh. D Crowne Plaza Edinburgh - Royal Terrace

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and respon...

DAY 3 : Edinburgh’s Old & New Towns, Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse

Edinburgh. B,L,D Crowne Plaza Edinburgh - Royal Terrace

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 2 miles, approximately 1/2 hour. Walking approximately 2.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets, cobbled areas, hilly, steep terrain. Some ste...

DAY 4 : Transfer to Strathpeffer, The Highland Folk Museum

Strathpeffer B,L,D Ben Wyvis Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 175 miles, approximately 4.5 hours. Walking approximately 1.5 miles, periods of standing; varied terrain including paved streets, gravel paths, uneven grassy areas; low...

DAY 5 : Culloden Battlefield, Cawdor Castle

Strathpeffer B,L,D Ben Wyvis Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 65 miles, approximately 2.5 hours. Walking approximately 3 miles, periods of standing. Paved and gravel paths, some uneven grassy areas; carpeted floors, steep steps wi...

DAY 6 : The Black Isle

Strathpeffer B,L,D Ben Wyvis Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 55 miles, approximately 2 hours. Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; varied terrain including paved streets, some cobbled areas, gravel paths, uneven grassy a...

DAY 7 : Aigas Field Centre

Strathpeffer B,L,D Ben Wyvis Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 35 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking about 1.5 miles, periods of standing. Woodland, stone and gravel paths, grass lawns.

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfas...

DAY 8 : Inverness, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Glen Affric

Strathpeffer B,L,D Ben Wyvis Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 95 miles, approximately 3.5 hours. Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; varied terrain including paved streets, some cobbled areas, uneven grassy areas, woodla...

DAY 9 : Transfer to Kyle of Lochalsh, Loch Ness Study Cruise

Kyle of Lochalsh B,L,D Tingle Creek Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 100 miles, approximately 3 hours. Getting on/off a boat; study cruise duration approximately 1 hour. Minimal walking.

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast b...

DAY 10 : North Skye, The Cuillins

Kyle of Lochalsh B,L,D Tingle Creek Hotel

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 110 miles, approximately 3.5 hours. Walking about 2 miles, periods of standing; varied terrain including gravel paths, grass lawns, paved streets; steps to some ...

DAY 11 : South Skye, Armadale, Eilean Donan

Kyle of Lochalsh B,L,D Tingle Creek Hotel

DAY 12 : Glencoe, Stirling Castle

Edinburgh. B,L,D DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh - Queensferry Crossing

DAY 13 : Program Concludes

In Flight B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast buffet in the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful ti...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,299
Price per day$254
Last Updated: 7/16/2021

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Road Scholar Reviews & Ratings

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Michael

Dec 2023

Written on

Not a good bicycle trip

Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, th...

M

Marsha

Nov 2023

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Travel Section Incompetent, Unhelpful, and Won't correct error

I booked a tour to Italy for May 2024. I cancelled in Oct. for a lot of reasons. Before I enrolled, I asked if Road Scholar would book the flights so that on the las...

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Jane Johnson

Sep 2023

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There is a nonrefundable deposit

Please know that Road Scholar will always keep a nonrefundable $100 deposit. I cannot find that buried in all the paper and fine print but they state it is there???...

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Road Scholar, the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975, offers 5,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Programs For Whatever You Love to Do:

Much more than a tour, a Road Scholar program is a true learning adventure. Whether you join us in Seattle or Santiago, Beijing or Berlin, Road Scholar programs all share four unique attributes:

--Exceptional opportunities for learning and exploration through special behind-the-scenes access to the world's most fascinating treasures, led by our passionate and knowledgeable instructors.

--The shared fellowship of learning and warm camaraderie, whether a solo traveler or with a companion.

--Comfortable accommodations and appetizing meals.

--Excellent value.

Explore Your Mind and the World:

There are no grades or tests on Road Scholar programs. All that's needed is an inquiring mind, an adventurous spirit, and the belief that learning and discovery are lifelong pursuits.

Established in 1975, Road Scholar offers participants once-in-a-lifetime experiences delivered by local and world-renowned experts. Experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural excursions and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Our Most Popular Tours:

Adventures Afloat Cruises: On these educational cruises, you’ll traverse some of the world's most spectacular waterways, offering you a convenient and rewarding way to learn and explore aboard ocean liners, riverboats and small ships.

Independent City Discoveries: Combine structured learning with independent discovery — each program includes hotel accommodations and some meals, lectures, expert-led field trips and detailed outlines for four self-guided excursions.

Grandparent Travel: Discover and explore together with your grandchild through interactive learning experiences and field trips. Both you and your grandchild will share the joy of learning with other grandparents and their grandchildren, bridging generations and opening doors to discovery and friendship.

National Parks: From Denali to the Everglades and countless beautiful, historic places in between, field trips to America’s National Parks reveal what tourists can’t see on their own, with specialized experts showing you how to track wildlife or lead you to the spot with the most awe-inspiring view.

Outdoor Adventures: From hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring France by barge and bicycle, to sharpening your golf or tennis skills, these active programs exercise the body and the mind.

Service Learning: From tutoring school children or helping restore a crucial forest habitat for wildlife, to assisting with artifact restoration and museum curatorial work, Service Learning adventures are an opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Small Groups: Love to learn in a small-group setting? Check out this collection of programs that have 10-24 participants.

Why Road Scholar?

You Can't Beat Road Scholar's Remarkable Value: Our all-inclusive prices have no hidden costs. Compare the price of one of our programs to what it would cost to duplicate the experience on your own (if that's even possible) and you'll see what we mean by "remarkable value."

Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Friends: When you participate in a Road Scholar program, you will not only expand your mind, you will be in the company of other people who believe that learning is one of the best parts of life.

Instructors Who Inspire: Road Scholar instructors are both experts in their field and lifelong learners themselves who are excited to answer your questions, hear your opinions and share in your experience.

Solo Participants Love Our Programs: Road Scholar programs are renowned for being inclusive, warm and welcoming for solo participants. We can either match you with a roommate or, on most programs, you can choose to room on your own.

Think Outside the Tour: The educational focus of Road Scholar programs makes us completely different from a commercial travel tour. Road Scholar programs offer educational experiences that answer the what's, the why's and the how-to's.

You Go Where Others Can't: We've been offering educational experiences since 1975 and we've made connections with educators and other local "insiders" all around the world, creating learning opportunities that show you the world in a way that just can't be done on your own or on a "tour."

We've Covered All the Bases: From expert-led lectures and field trips to comfortable lodgings and meals, we handle all the details, including the ones you might not anticipate. We've taken the worry out of the planning, so you can focus on your learning experience.

Peace of Mind Through the Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan: The Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan, which is purchased on behalf of every participant, provides 24-hour emergency assistance in the unlikely case of a medical emergency.

Scholarships for Those in Financial Need: Each year, Road Scholar awards $250,000 in scholarships toward programs in North America for those who do not have the financial means to participate.

Our Donors: Each year, thousands of donors contribute to our Annual Fund, helping to cover the gap between the tuition we charge and the actual cost of our programs.

What they’re known for
Popular global tours with a unique focus on educational experiences for mostly senior travelers.

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Logistics

Accommodation

,The Royal Terrace Hotel: 2 nights  Edinburgh This 4-star luxury hotel is on a quiet tree-lined street, 550 yards from Edinburgh Waverley Rail Station and Princes Street. It has a modern gym and a heated indoor pool. The en suite rooms have a flat-screen satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, and music. Some rooms look out towards the Firth of Forth, and many overlook the hotel's own beautiful gardens.   Ben Wyvis Hotel: 5 nights  Strathpeffer Ben Wyvis Hotel, which takes its name from the nearby mountain, is situated in the tranquil village of Strathpeffer. The hotel is a large victorian building set it's own grounds ,the front of the hotel commands fantatic views. ..The building is full of character.   Tingle Creek Hotel: 3 nights  Ross-Shire Tingle Creek is situated in a quiet location in the West Highlands of Scotland, overlooking the Isle of Skye & Raasay. It provides a central location for exploring the area of Skye & Lochalsh. See the early morning mists, gently lifting over the mountain tops and watch the sun set over the Dun Caan volcano at Raasay.   The Queensferry Hotel: 1 night  Edinburgh, Fife The Queensferry Hotel is conveniently located just 9 miles from Edinburgh making it a fantastic base for visiting Scotland's capital city, exploring nearby attractions or discovering Fife and all that the area has to offer. The hotel is situated close to rail and road links, as well as Edinburgh Airport.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

11 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches and 11 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
roadscholar-20321RJ

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