A 3-day Orkney tour from Inverness with a small group, ferries included. Follow the North Coast 500 to Orkney for two nights, with Skara Brae and stone circles to explore.
A 3-day Orkney tour from Inverness with a small group, ferries included. Follow the North Coast 500 to Orkney for two nights, with Skara Brae and stone circles to explore.
You don’t have to travel far on Orkney to cross thousands of years of history. On this three-day Orkney tour from Inverness, follow part of the North Coast 500 and sail across the Pentland Firth for two nights around Kirkwall, with a whole day to explore the islands’ ancient past.
Discover Skara Brae, the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, alongside chambered cairns, St Magnus Cathedral and the Italian Chapel. The mainland journey brings its own memorable stops: John O’ Groats, the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, Camster Cairns and Dunrobin Castle. Your expert guide helps you make sense of the monuments and island stories, with coastal walks and time outside built into the route before you return to Inverness on day three.
At a glance
- Duration: 3 days (2 nights around Kirkwall)
- Departs: Inverness, 8:30am (back approx. 5–6pm, Day 3)
- Group size: Max 16 (small scheduled group)
- Ages: 12+ (younger? ask about a private tour)
- Walking: Short walks (up to ~1 hour, uneven paths)
- Ferry: Included (return crossings to Orkney)
Itinerary
Day 1: Inverness to Orkney: North Coast 500 · Coastal walk · Gills Bay ferry · Italian Chapel · Scapa · Kirkwall
Leave Inverness and follow the North Coast 500 through the far north, pausing in a coastal community for a short harbour walk and stories of crofting life. Continue to Gills Bay and cross the Pentland Firth by ferry, passing the island of Stroma as Orkney comes into view.
On the islands, visit the Italian Chapel, continue towards Scapa Flow and Scapa Distillery, then finish in Kirkwall for the first of two nights.
The scheduled ferry crossing is included. Scapa experiences are paid separately and depend on the operating schedule.
Day 2: A full day on Orkney: St Magnus Cathedral · Wideford Hill · Cuween Hill · Stones of Stenness · Ring of Brodgar · Skara Brae
Begin in Kirkwall at St Magnus Cathedral before walking into Orkney’s prehistoric story at the Wideford Hill and Cuween Hill chambered cairns. Continue through the Heart of Neolithic Orkney to the Stones of Stenness and the vast ceremonial landscape around the Ring of Brodgar.
Finish at Skara Brae, where stone-built homes preserve traces of island life from around 5,000 years ago, before a second evening in Kirkwall.
Skara Brae admission isn't included. Maeshowe needs a separate timed visit and isn’t guaranteed; access and the running order vary with availability.
Day 3: Orkney to Inverness: Ferry · John O’ Groats · Castle Sinclair Girnigoe · Camster Cairns · Dunrobin Castle
Take the ferry back across the Pentland Firth to John O’ Groats, then follow the dramatic east coast south. Walk towards the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe and step further back in time at the Grey Cairns of Camster.
Visit Dunrobin Castle and its gardens before one final coastal stop and the return to Inverness at approximately 5–6pm.
Dunrobin Castle admission isn't included and the castle opens seasonally. Ferry schedules, attraction access and conditions can change the route.
The itinerary is a guide. Ferry schedules, weather, attraction availability, road conditions and other circumstances may require stops, timings or the running order to change.
Accommodation: two nights on Orkney, not included
Both nights are on Orkney, around Kirkwall, giving you a full second day on the islands without another ferry crossing. Accommodation isn't included in the tour price, so you choose how to arrange it.
Included
- Return scheduled ferry travel between the mainland and Orkney
- Expert Scotland's Wild guide and storyteller for all three days
- Transport in a comfortable, air-conditioned touring vehicle
- Guided short walks and active sightseeing stops
- A full touring day on Orkney
- Small group, maximum 16 travellers
Not included
- Accommodation for the two nights
- Meals and snacks
- Skara Brae admission
- Maeshowe admission, if a visit is available
- Scapa Distillery experience
- Dunrobin Castle admission
Departure
Outside Starbucks, Rose Street Car Park, Rose Street, Inverness, IV1 1NQ
Please arrive by 8:15am so your guide can check everyone in before the 8:30am departure. Scheduled tours can't wait for late guests. The tour returns to the same meeting point on Day 3. Paid multi-storey parking is available around Rose Street.
Check-in: 8:15am · Departs: 8:30am · Back: approx. 5–6pm
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