This tour of Scotland is an activity level 4. Click here for terms, conditions, and cancelation policies.
*Subject to change. Updated November 10, 2023.
March 9, Sunday Day 1:
Welcome to Edinburgh and the start of your Small Group Tour of Scotland! I’ll pick you up at the airport and take you to our hotel. Your room will be ready when you get there if you wanna take a nap or freshen up. The rest of the day is all yours.
Meet in the hotel lobby to walk over to The Devil’s Advocate for our Welcome Dinner! Dinner and a drink are on me!
March 10, Monday Day 2:
After breakfast (which is included all week), we’ll be heading to the Royal Mile.
Starting at the top, we’ll spend our morning at Edinburgh Castle. Everyone will get an audio guide and I will set you all free to tour at your own speed. We’ll meet back up for Afternoon Tea (included) in the castle restaurant.
Heading down the hill to the bottom of the Royal Mile, next up is Holyrood House Palace. Everyone will have an audio guide again to take in the Palace at their own speed.
The rest of the day is free for your own plans. Personalized suggestions can be made for what to do with your time.
March 11, Tuesday Day 3:
An optional early morning hike to the top of Arthur’s Seat for sunrise is available for anyone interested. We’ll meet up in the lobby later to head out for sightseeing and an Instagram-worthy photo tour of Edinburgh.
Lunch is at your own expense but I can make several suggestions. The evening will be at your leisure.
Add on Excursion: Consider adding on an exceptional evening at The Scotch Whisky Experience. We’ll be heading over to the Scotch Whisky Experience for a whisky pairing dinner after taking their tour of how whisky is made. This will be a very fun night!
March 12, Wednesday Day 4:
We’ll be heading out early for a full day on a private tour with Rabbie’s (my favorite tour company…ever).
From their website:
“Your tour takes you south to the beautiful Scott’s View, overlooking the Tweed Valley. You then get the opportunity to visit the nearby statue of the great Scottish patriot, William Wallace.
From here, you travel to Melrose where you can visit the ruined Melrose abbey, founded by the Cistercians in the 12th Century. The Cistercian monks had close connections with the Knights Templar, and legend tells that Melrose Abbey is the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart, brought back from the crusades in Moorish Spain.
Following lunch in Melrose, you make your way to the stunning 15th-century Rosslyn Chapel, made world famous in Dan Brown’s book, ‘Da Vinci Code’. Here you have time to explore the chapel and find out more about the myths and legends surrounding the whereabouts of the ‘Holy Grail’.
After your visit to Rosslyn Chapel, you return to Edinburgh.”
Meals will be at your own expense at various stops throughout the day.
March 13, Thursday Day 5:
Another fabulous day out on a private tour with Rabbie’s…this time we will focus on Outlander filming locations. Rest assured though, if you aren’t an Outlander fan…you’re still going to LOVE this tour. I’ve never seen an episode of the show but I’ve been on this tour three times and its incredible!!
From their website:
“You leave Edinburgh and begin following the trail of film locations featured in the Outlander TV Series. First, we travel to the place that needs no introduction: Midhope Castle, known as Jamie’s lovely home Lallybroch.
We then journey through the charming countryside to Blackness Castle. It’s an impressive fortress that’s known as the ‘ship that never sailed’ because it resembles a giant stone boat. You have time to walk along the ramparts and explore the fictional headquarters of Jack Randall.
The next stop is Linlithgow Palace, otherwise known as Wentworth Prison.
Unfortunately, the palace is undergoing some refurbishment and you can’t explore the interior. But you’re still able to admire the structure and enjoy the surrounding settings.
Heading north, we journey past Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument to Doune Castle, or as it’s called in Outlander, Castle Leoch. This formidable building represents home to Colum Mackenzie and his clan in the 18th-century episodes.
Travel back in time once more as your driver guide takes you to Culross. This virtually unchanged 16th-century village overlooks the sea and poses as the fictional town of Cranesmuir.
From there, we head back to Edinburgh, where we arrive in the late afternoon.”
Lunch will be at your own expense at various stops throughout the day.
After our day trip, we’ll go to the Old Chain Pier Restaurant for our Farewell Dinner, where we can exchange stories and pictures from our epic stay in Edinburgh! Dinner and a drink are included with my gratitude to you for letting me show you one of my favorite cities in the world.
March 14, Friday Day 6:
For those headed home, I’ll arrange for transportation back to the airport along with plenty of tearful goodbyes.
For those adding a trip up to Inverness onto their Small Group Tour of Scotland package, we’ll be making our way to Waverley Station to start our journey north. We’ll then settle in on the train for a four hour long journey watching the gorgeous countryside go by as we head into the Highlands.
Upon arrival, we’ll drop our luggage off at the hotel and I’ll take you on a walking tour of Inverness before giving you the rest of the evening with plenty of recommendations for dinner and things to do.
March 15, Saturday Day 7:
Today, we’ll be heading over the sea to Skye (sorry I couldn’t help myself with another epic tour with Rabbies.)
From their website:
“After an early start, you leave the city and travel along the Great Glen Fault Line toward Loch Ness. You’ll continue through dramatic Highland scenery to the west coast and Eilean Donan Castle.
The moment you’ve been waiting for, because it’s over the sea and onto the Isle of Skye. You travel up the island’s east coast through the stunning Red Cuillin Mountains to Sligachan, where you stop for a photo of the clear mountain waters.
You’ll explore some of the most famous scenery of the island at the Trotternish
Peninsula. The Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, and the Quiraing are all unforgettably beautiful.
You venture to Kyleakin for a chance to view the dramatic ruin of Castle Moil or the Skye Bridge and Eilcan Ban. Traveling over the bridge, you journey back to Inverness. The route you take back is different from the morning, so you get even more opportunities to enjoy the Highland scenery.
This will be a long but PHENOMENAL day. Meals will be at your own expense at various stops throughout the day.”
March 16, Sunday Day 8:
Sadly, we will all go our separate ways today but I can point you in the right direction if you’re going to the airport or back to the train station to go back to Edinburgh and beyond.
Slàinte Mhath (cheers) and safe travels as you head home! Until we meet again!
Included in your small group tour of Scotland
- Airport transfers
- Seven nights in a Premier Inn
- Included Meals
- 7 hot breakfasts at the hotel
- 2 dinners at local restaurants
- 1 entree, a side, and one alcoholic beverage or dessert
- Sharing platters for the table at both restaurants
- 1 afternoon tea
- Tickets and Audio Guides
- Edinburgh Castle
- Holyroodhouse Palace
- Any entry tickets needed on day trips
- Three full-day guided day trips with Rabbie’s Tour Company
- Rosslyn Chapel and the Scottish Borders
- Outlander Filming Locations
- Isle of Skye
- Walking photo tour of Edinburgh
- Walking tour of Inverness
- Hike up to the top of Arthur’s Seat for Sunrise
- Cab back to the hotel after Farewell dinner
- One guide who is a text away if you need her (that’s me!)
- Brighter Things Amenity Kit mailed to you before the trip to make your flight more comfortable
- A pre-trip group Zoom call to say hey to everyone and go over any details you may be uncertain about.
- For example: flying internationally if this is your first time.
- A swag bag waiting for you in your hotel room full of fun stuff.
NOT Included in your small group tour of Scotland:
- Flights
- Public transportation or cabs used during free time Meals not included:
- Any meal not listed above
- Meals and snacks during day trips
- Meals and snacks purchased at M&S for the train ride
- Entry tickets to places suggested for free time
- Shopping
- Train ticket back to Edinburgh if you choose round trip flights instead of multi-city.
*Subject to change. Updated May 17, 2023
This tour is an activity level 4. Click here for terms, conditions, and cancelation policies.
