Departure dates

- Fridays - 4 &18 May, 1, 15, 29 June, 13 & 27 July, 10 & 24 August and 7 September 2012 
- Mondays - 16 & 30 April, 7 & 14 May, weekly 11 June to 24 September & 8 October 2012

- Departs from:
207 High St. Edinburgh 8.30am and George Square, Glasgow 9.45am
(Glasgow pick up must be specified at time of booking)

- Returns 8pm

Price includes:

• Accommodation as described in booking confirmation - includes Continental breakfast. Please note: some of the accommodation is on a room-only basis in the beautiful Bowmore Distillery Cottages; places here are limited and early booking is advised. Meals are available at nearby hotels and restaurants.

• Transportation by top of the range Mercedes minicoach for a more personal experience with a maximum of 16 passengers on tour

• Services of a professional Rabbie's driver/guide

• All ferry and bridge crossings

• Rabbie's Discount Card - money off restaurants, shopping and attractions

Excludes:

• All meals and refreshments (but breakfast included - see above)

• Entrance fees to all distilleries and visitor attractions

Children: we regret we do not carry any children on this tour. Minimum age is 18

NB:
Because we believe in time off the bus and give you opportunities to take nature walks we recommend you bring suitable clothing and footwear for your tour. Scotland can be a wet place!!

Day 1
Leaving Edinburgh at 08.30 you will head west through Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow along Loch Lomond then west through the mountains to the beautiful little village of Inveraray on the banks of Loch Fyne. Here you can perhaps sample some of the local seafood for lunch or just explore the historic town itself. After lunch you will then travel through Argyll and into the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. There are more than 350 prehistoric monuments within a six-mile radius of the village of Kilmartin. We will stop here to see the mysterious stone circles and standing stones and visit the community museum. From here it is a short drive to Kennacraig where we catch the early evening ferry to Islay. The sail is just over 2 hours and you should look out for wildlife such as dolphins, whales and seabirds.
Overnight stay in Bowmore on Islay. Please note: some of the accommodation is on a room-only basis in the beautiful Bowmore Distillery Cottages – places here are limited and early booking is advised. Meals are available at nearby hotels and restaurants.

Day 2  
A full day exploring Islay. The itinerary today is quite flexible with a mixture of beautiful scenery, white sand beaches, short walks and of course the famous Islay whiskies - renowned for their strong peaty flavours and nurtured by the salty sea air. In the morning we will take the short drive to the west of the island via Saligo Bay for a visit to Kilchoman Distillery (the newest and smallest on the island) with the option of a coastal walk to Machair Bay for any non-whisky lovers. In the afternoon you will stop at the privately owned Bruichladdich Distillery for a tour and tasting and visit the tiny harbour village of Portnahaven (look out for seals) before taking the back roads along the west coast with its lovely sandy bays, on the way back to Bowmore.
Overnight Bowmore

Day 3
Another day in paradise! Today you will explore the southern side of the island, home to the smokiest and peatiest of all whiskies – Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. We will visit Ardbeg for a tour, tasting and lunch then follow that up with a visit to Laphroaig. The restaurant here is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy local produce as well as some unique whisky. While in the area we will visit the ruins of Kildalton church with its famous 8th Century Celtic cross. In the late afternoon there will be the option to spend some free time in Bowmore village. Here you can visit the famous Round Church, Bowmore Distillery itself (June – Aug) or just relax with a quiet drink looking out over the water. Alternatively we may stop in Bridgend where you could visit the community craft producers (and brewery!) at Islay House Square or take a walk through the woods along the nearby River Sorn.
Overnight in Bowmore again

Day 4  
This morning you take the ferry back to the mainland then travel up the coast to Oban – a busy harbour town and the main ferry port for the islands. Here we will drop off anyone who is continuing on the Mull, Iona and Isle of Skye extension. The others will have some free time to explore the town, have a late lunch or even pop into Oban Distillery before departing for the return trip to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Return time approx. 20.00

Please note – itinerary and distillery visits are subject to variation throughout the season and may not be the same described above, however there will always be a minimum of 4 distillery visits during the tour.