Orkney’s prehistoric sites, coastal castles and Highland scenery over five days, with two nights around Kirkwall, starting in Glasgow and finishing in Edinburgh.
Orkney’s prehistoric sites, coastal castles and Highland scenery over five days, with two nights around Kirkwall, starting in Glasgow and finishing in Edinburgh.
Head north until the road gives way to the sea. This five-day Orkney tour from Glasgow takes you through the Cairngorms and Inverness, along part of the North Coast 500 and across the Pentland Firth to an island landscape rich in history. Spend two nights around Kirkwall, with a full day for Skara Brae, Maeshowe and Orkney’s great stone circles.
You’ll also discover the Italian Chapel and return to the mainland for John O’ Groats, Castle Sinclair’s coastal ruins, Camster Cairns and Dunrobin Castle. Nights in Inverness bookend the island stay, before Loch Ness and Glencoe lead you south to Edinburgh. With no more than 16 travellers, your expert guide shares the stories behind each stop and leads walks that put you right into these remarkable places.
At a glance
- Duration: 5 days (4 nights: Inverness ×2, Orkney ×2)
- Departs: Glasgow, 7:30am (finishes in Edinburgh, Day 5)
- 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: Glasgow to Inverness — The Hermitage · Highland distillery · Aviemore · Culloden · Clava Cairns
Leave Glasgow and travel north to The Hermitage for a woodland walk, where towering trees frame the path to Black Linn Falls, then through the Cairngorms with a Highland distillery stop and lunch in Aviemore.
The afternoon brings Culloden Battlefield and the nearby prehistoric Clava Cairns, finishing in Inverness with the evening free to explore the Highland capital.
Day 2: Inverness to Orkney — North Coast 500 · Coastal walk · Ferry · Italian Chapel · Scapa · Kirkwall
Head north along the North Coast 500, with a coastal walk before the Pentland Firth, then cross to Orkney by ferry. On the islands, visit the Italian Chapel, continue towards Scapa and finish in Kirkwall for the first of two island nights.
The scheduled ferry crossing is included. A Scapa Distillery visit or tasting is paid separately and depends on availability.
Day 3: A full day on Orkney — Maeshowe · Stones of Stenness · Ring of Brodgar · Skara Brae
A day in Orkney’s extraordinary prehistoric landscape: Maeshowe, the Stones of Stenness, the open ceremonial landscape of the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae, one of Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic villages, before a second evening in Kirkwall.
Maeshowe and Skara Brae admission are not included. Access, opening times and the running order can vary by departure.
Day 4: Orkney to Inverness — Ferry · John O’ Groats · Castle Sinclair · Camster Cairns · Dunrobin Castle
Sail back across the Pentland Firth to John O’ Groats, then follow the coast to the dramatic ruins of Castle Sinclair and the ancient chambered cairns at Camster, before Dunrobin Castle and its gardens and your final night in Inverness.
Dunrobin Castle admission is not included. Seasonal opening, ferry schedules and access can change the order of the day.
Day 5: Inverness to Edinburgh — Loch Ness · Urquhart Castle · Fort Augustus · Glencoe
Begin beside Loch Ness, with the chance to cruise towards Urquhart Castle, then lunch in Fort Augustus where the Caledonian Canal meets the loch. Travel south through Glencoe, stopping beneath the Three Sisters, and on to Edinburgh, where the tour finishes — it does not return to Glasgow.
The Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle admission are not included.
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 in Inverness and two on Orkney, not included
Four nights along the route: Nights 1 and 4 in Inverness, with Nights 2 and 3 on Orkney around Kirkwall. Accommodation is not 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 five 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 four nights
- Meals and snacks
- Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle admission
- Maeshowe and Skara Brae admission
- Dunrobin Castle admission
- Scapa Distillery experience
- Culloden Visitor Centre admission
Departure
17 Killermont Street, Glasgow, G2 3NX
Please arrive by 7:15am so your guide can check everyone in before the 7:30am departure — scheduled tours can't wait for late guests. This is a one-way journey: the tour finishes in Edinburgh, outside The Jolly Botanist, 256–260 Morrison Street, EH3 8DT, on Day 5 and does not return to Glasgow.
Check-in: 7:15am · Departs: 7:30am · Back: approx. 7–8pm
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