Start Your Story in Scotland

Where history meets breathtaking beauty, and every visit feels like an escape.

Inspiration for your trip

Step into a land steeped in history and legend, explore our dramatic landscapes and uncover our ancient Celtic roots. Vast lochs, glens and Munros - easily accessible from our vibrant cities and towns - make Scotland the perfect place to lose yourself.

Places to go

Things to do

Accommodation

Travel & planning

Discover unique experiences in Scotland

Discover hidden gems, plan your perfect trip, or find exactly what you need—from scenic hikes and cosy cottages to events and cultural experiences.

Discover Scotland's vibrant events and festivals

FIFA World Cup 2026

Cheer on Scotland at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and find information about fan zones in Scotland, stadium tours and more.

Scottish music festivals

Find out what’s happening in Scotland this year

Highland games in Scotland

From the tug o' war to the caber toss, Scotland's Highland games are not to be missed.

Edinburgh Festivals

Discover Edinburgh's summer festivals, including the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Countdown to Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Less than 100 days to go until 11 days of world-class action across the city, bringing 3,000 athletes from 74 nations together to compete across 10 sports.

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Start planning your summer break

Witness Scotland step into summer, with longer days and plenty of experiences to enjoy from coastal walks to fun exhibitions.

Summer holidays & breaks in Scotland

Find ideas and inspiration, from family days out to top camping spots, walks and outdoor activities.

Scotland's islands

Find out about the hundreds of islands in Scotland including Arran, Lewis, Skye, Outer Hebrides and Shetland. Plan the perfect island getaway today.

The best tours of Scotland - luxury & scenic tours

Tour Scotland at your own pace with these fantastic ideas.

Your Scottish adventure starts here

Use our interactive map to explore wild landscapes, vibrant cities, rich culture, and hidden historic gems to craft your personal Scottish experience.

Map of Scotland

As seen on TV!

From Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir's luxury Scotland itinerary to local suggestions on the highlights of Glasgow and Dumfries & Galloway, check out this top advice on trips across Scotland.

Tara & Johnny's luxury Scotland itinerary

Have you been inspired by Tara & Johnny's Scotland itinerary as seen on NBC's Extra Mile Club? Read on and plan your own Scottish adventure.

Channel 4's Where to next? Scotland itinerary

Follow in the footsteps of comedians Fatiha El-Ghorri and John Tothill on their unforgettable journey through Scotland.

Scotland trip itineraries

Plan your days in Scotland with the help of our suggested itineraries.

Your pictures of Scotland

Share your images by tagging @VisitScotland 

JavaScript needs to be enabled to see social media images for this place. You can turn this on in your browser settings.

Join our Newsletter Clan

Get Scotland inspiration direct to your inbox. Don't miss the inside track from our Scotland experts on exciting trip ideas, unique attractions and hidden gems loved by locals.

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© The Hebridean Explorer

Sailing into Shetland

7 Day Grand Northern Explorer Private Tour

A stunning seven day private tour from Inverness through the Highlands to the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland.

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Day 1 — Departing Inverness with a morning drive to the far North of Scotland and the ferry port of Scrabster near Thurso. The drive north covers wonderful coastal scenery and normally takes around 3-4 hours including photo stops and a brief visit to the historic town of Dornoch. Our 1½ hour ferry journey across the Pentland Firth to Orkney includes a great view of the Old Man of Hoy before our arrival in Stromness. The mid-afternoon is focused on a tour of Skara Brae, a stunning 5000 year old Neolithic village settlement – one of the highlights of the trip to Orkney. We end the day with a short drive to Kirkwall for our overnight stay.


Day 2 — Our first full day in Orkney includes a visit to Maeshowe Neolithic chambered tomb. We also explore the Neolithic standing stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar and the 2000 year old Broch of Gurness. The afternoon takes us to the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barriers before our return to Kirkwall for our overnight stay.


Day 3 — After some free time in Kirkwall we visit the historic St Magnus Cathedral along with the Earl's Palace and the Orkney Museum. The afternoon is spent exploring the dramatic coastline around Birsay and Yesnaby. There is also the option to take a whisky distillery tour (advance booking required) at Highland Park or Scapa (home to a beautiful tasting room overlooking Scapa Flow). Alternatively, for those interested in Orkney's wartime heritage we could spend the day visiting the island of Hoy – a 35 minute ferry crossing from the Orkney mainland across Scapa Flow (advance booking required). Along with time at the Scapa Flow Museum, we tour across Hoy to explore Rackwick Bay. After an evening meal in Kirkwall we catch the late ferry (11.45pm) from Kirkwall for an overnight sailing to Lerwick in Shetland.


Day 4 — Arriving in Lerwick harbour in the early morning (7.30am), we enjoy breakfast on the ferry before exploring the south mainland of Shetland. Sumburgh Head is our first stop – a haven for seabirds (including puffins from mid-May to July). Next is Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse settlement which spans over four thousand years. The afternoon takes us on a beautiful coastal drive to the breath-taking St Ninian's Isle where you can hike across the sands to the island before we return north to Lerwick for our overnight stay.


Day 5 — A day to explore the most northernly inhabited island in Scotland – Unst. Departing from Lerwick we drive north to catch the 20-minute ferry crossing to Yell. After a scenic drive through Yell we take the short 10-minute ferry crossing to Unst. We spend the late morning and early afternoon exploring the island, with visits to Muness Castle, Haroldswick, Burra Firth and Saxa Vord, before our return to Lerwick in the late afternoon.


Day 6 — Departing from Lerwick we head towards the north Shetland mainland. Arriving at Eshaness we savour the dramatic cliffs and sea stacks of Shetland’s stunning coastal landscape. We then enjoy a scenic drive around Scalloway and Burra before returning to Lerwick. The afternoon includes a visit the Shetland Museum and some free time to meander through Lerwick town and harbour. In the late afternoon we board the ferry from Lerwick for an overnight sailing to Aberdeen (departing at either 5.30pm or 7pm depending on travel dates).


Day 7 — Arriving into Aberdeen harbour in the early morning (7am) we enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the ferry before heading east towards to Elgin to explore the stunning seven hundred year old ruins of Elgin Cathedral and the Pictish standing stones of the area. The afternoon takes us back to Inverness where we end the tour with a visit to the four thousand year old burial cairns and standing stones at Clava followed by a guided walk of Culloden Battlefield.

Price on Request

Departure days

  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday
  • Sunday

April — September

Book now

Contact details

The Hebridean Explorer

Inverness
Inverness-shire
Scotland
IV1 1HG
View tour provider details

Tour information

Starting

  • Inverness

Length

7 Days

Transport

  • Driver guide

Type

  • Bespoke
  • Private

Languages

  • English

Themes

  • Ancestry
  • Archaeology
  • Castles
  • History
  • Island Hopping
  • Landscapes
  • Wildlife

Tour Stops

Tour gallery

The Hebridean Explorer

Tour company information

The Hebridean Explorer

John Alasdair Macdonald, PhD (The Hebridean Explorer) is a Scottish Highlands historian and a private tour guide with over eighteen years experience specialising in multi-day guided tours for small groups (up to 3) from Inverness to the Isle of Skye, Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and throughout the Scottish Highlands.

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Visit The Hebridean Explorer

Opening times

March to October, Monday to Sunday 9am to 5pm

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The content of many of our web listings is provided by third party operators and not VisitScotland. VisitScotland accepts no responsibility for (1) any error or misrepresentation contained in third party listings, and (2) the contents of any external links within web listings ((1) and (2) together hereinafter referred to as the "Content"). VisitScotland excludes all liability for loss or damage caused by any reliance placed on the Content. The Content is provided for your information only and is not endorsed by VisitScotland.

Start Your Story in Scotland

Where history meets breathtaking beauty, and every visit feels like an escape.

Inspiration for your trip

Step into a land steeped in history and legend, explore our dramatic landscapes and uncover our ancient Celtic roots. Vast lochs, glens and Munros - easily accessible from our vibrant cities and towns - make Scotland the perfect place to lose yourself.

Places to go

Things to do

Accommodation

Travel & planning

Discover unique experiences in Scotland

Discover hidden gems, plan your perfect trip, or find exactly what you need—from scenic hikes and cosy cottages to events and cultural experiences.

Discover Scotland's vibrant events and festivals

FIFA World Cup 2026

Cheer on Scotland at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and find information about fan zones in Scotland, stadium tours and more.

Scottish music festivals

Find out what’s happening in Scotland this year

Highland games in Scotland

From the tug o' war to the caber toss, Scotland's Highland games are not to be missed.

Edinburgh Festivals

Discover Edinburgh's summer festivals, including the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Countdown to Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Less than 100 days to go until 11 days of world-class action across the city, bringing 3,000 athletes from 74 nations together to compete across 10 sports.

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Start planning your summer break

Witness Scotland step into summer, with longer days and plenty of experiences to enjoy from coastal walks to fun exhibitions.

Summer holidays & breaks in Scotland

Find ideas and inspiration, from family days out to top camping spots, walks and outdoor activities.

Scotland's islands

Find out about the hundreds of islands in Scotland including Arran, Lewis, Skye, Outer Hebrides and Shetland. Plan the perfect island getaway today.

The best tours of Scotland - luxury & scenic tours

Tour Scotland at your own pace with these fantastic ideas.

Your Scottish adventure starts here

Use our interactive map to explore wild landscapes, vibrant cities, rich culture, and hidden historic gems to craft your personal Scottish experience.

Map of Scotland

As seen on TV!

From Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir's luxury Scotland itinerary to local suggestions on the highlights of Glasgow and Dumfries & Galloway, check out this top advice on trips across Scotland.

Tara & Johnny's luxury Scotland itinerary

Have you been inspired by Tara & Johnny's Scotland itinerary as seen on NBC's Extra Mile Club? Read on and plan your own Scottish adventure.

Channel 4's Where to next? Scotland itinerary

Follow in the footsteps of comedians Fatiha El-Ghorri and John Tothill on their unforgettable journey through Scotland.

Scotland trip itineraries

Plan your days in Scotland with the help of our suggested itineraries.

Your pictures of Scotland

Share your images by tagging @VisitScotland 

JavaScript needs to be enabled to see social media images for this place. You can turn this on in your browser settings.

Join our Newsletter Clan

Get Scotland inspiration direct to your inbox. Don't miss the inside track from our Scotland experts on exciting trip ideas, unique attractions and hidden gems loved by locals.

Get the Scotland newsletter