A Scottish Whisky Experience (10 days)

Arrival Edinburgh

Upon arrival at Edinburgh airport you are met by your Guardian Angel and privately transferred to your hotel. Your GA assists with check-in and runs through your itinerary. The remainder of today is at leisure to relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities, or maybe start exploring this wonderful city independently.

Edinburgh

Unravel the history of one of the most dramatically situated cities in Europe on a half-day sightseeing tour. The focal point of the city is Edinburgh Castle, a royal fortress that symbolises the Scottish nation and is home to the 'Honours of Scotland', the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the UK. From the impressive military installations there are stunning views of the city. The Royal Mile stretches from castle through the 'Old Town' of Edinburgh, at the heart of which is St Giles Cathedral.

At the foot of the Royal Mile is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King's Official Residence in Edinburgh. If no member of the royal family is staying, you can visit the staterooms on your own and explore the historic apartments in which Mary, Queen of Scots resided. The palace's neighbour is the much more recent Scottish Parliament Building, whose striking contemporary designs are in eye-catching contrast to the classical style of the palace.

Optional extra: Scotland is the home of whisky and you might want to participate in an optional private tasting session at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. An expert on Scotch Whisky guides you through a tutored tasting of up to five malt whiskies chosen from distilleries in various regions of Scotland.

St Andrews and Glamis Castle

Head north out of Edinburgh to visit some of the best-known places in Scotland. Cross the Firth by the brand new Queensferry Crossing - a remarkable construction that runs parallel to the original road bridge and the legendary Victorian railway bridge. The three iconic Forth bridges showcase Scotland's continued talent for being at the forefront of engineering. Pass Loch Leven Castle, the island prison that once held Mary, Queen of Scots prisoner in 1567 before she eventually had to abdicate.

Continue past Perth, the historic bridging point over the River Tay, and onwards into the wide rural valley called Strathmore. Head on to Glamis Castle, a turreted medieval fantasy that was the childhood home of the Queen Mother and is now inhabited by the Earl of Strathmore. The staterooms of the castle, visited during your private tour, display many treasures of the Bowes-Lyon family and, like all Scottish castles, reputedly there are ghosts whose presence is often felt!

On one of the easternmost parts of the coast is St Andrews, the town known throughout the world as the home of golf. Stop outside the iconic Royal and Ancient Clubhouse to see the 1st tee and 18th green of the world-famous Old Course. There is, however, much more to this historic town. In the Middle Ages, St Andrews was the ecclesiastical and educational capital of Scotland. See the evocative ruins of the largest cathedral ever built in Scotland, which was gradually dismantled following the Reformation, and the oldest university in Scotland, where Prince William first met his wife, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Return to Edinburgh through the agricultural countryside of Fife and back over the Forth Bridge.

Edinburgh to Inverness via Perth

Leaving Edinburgh, head north into the Highlands of Scotland, travelling past Perth, the historic bridging point over the River Tay, and then follow this river upstream to the quaint town of Dunkeld. Your route takes you north passing the town of Pitlochry, a picturesque place that welcomes visitors to the Highlands of Scotland. It lies just south of the scenic Pass of Killiecrankie where Jacobite forces were victorious over troops loyal to King William in a battle fought in 1689. On the other side of the pass is the romantic site of the white-turreted Blair Castle, the home of the Duke of Athol, where you tour its sumptuous rooms at leisure.

The final part of the journey passes through some spectacular countryside taking in the peaks of the Cairngorms before arriving at one of the most important historic sites in Scotland. Discover the battlefield of Culloden Moor, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated in 1746 by government troops when his attempt to regain the throne for the Stuarts ended. At this poignant spot, learn how these events changed a way of life in Scotland dramatically. Afterward, continue to the nearby hotel. (9 hours, driver-guide)

The Speyside Whisky Trail

Home to half of all the whisky distilleries in Scotland, a tour of the Speyside region to the southeast of Inverness is a must for all whisky lovers. The pure water of the Highland streams and springs and the superior quality of the mountain peat in the area makes it the ideal place to create delicious single malts.

Your route takes you on the famous and unique Malt Whisky Trail that runs around many of the best-known distilleries. Stop at the romantic Glenlivet Distillery, founded in the early 1800s, for a public tour of the installations with complimentary drams to sample the whisky for yourself.

Follow this with the opportunity to take a public tour of the Glenfiddich Distillery, arguably home to the most well-known and beloved single malts in the world. Enjoy exploring the grounds and take a special look at the on-site bottling plant. During your visit, you taste a number of cask-strength 15-year-old samples and even have a go at preparing your very own version of Glenfiddich 15-year-old by combing different cask samples together. As your tour comes to an end, you are transferred back to your hotel in Inverness. (9 hours, driver-guide)

Alternatively, enjoy a day at leisure or we can offer a Highlights of the Highlands tour.

Set off on a full-day excursion exploring some of the wonderful gems of the Scottish Highlands. Continue to the famous Johnstons of Elgin woollen mill, notably the only mill in Scotland that transforms raw cashmere from the raw material to the finished article and has been doing so for over 200 years. During your private tour, witness this highly-prized fibre being dyed, teased, carded, spun, and hand-finished by the Elgin craftsmen. Complete your day with a visit to Cawdor Castle considered one of the Highlands' finest castles. Discover its link with Shakespeare’s Macbeth as you explore the building and its beautifully-maintained walled gardens. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon. (9 hours, driver-guide)

Northwest Highlands

Today, explore the stark beauty of the Northwest Highlands. These mountains cover the most remote part of the British mainland. Take a trip around Wester Ross, one of the most spectacular regions in Scotland. Follow the route of the rail line that cuts a track though the dramatic countryside as your route takes you towards the West Coast, where the grandiose mountains of Torridon dominate the landscape. Travel through the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve where native species of wildlife such as golden eagles are encouraged. As you continue, the expansive waters of island-studded Loch Maree are revealed. Overlooking the bay are Inverewe Gardens, one of the most remarkable gardening projects ever undertaken. There are over 2,000 different species of plants from all over the world, from Australia to China. The gardens are full of colour, and you can find lots of different types of flowers blooming throughout the year. You return to Inverness by a more northerly route, passing Corrieshalloch Gorge where the River Measach tumbles over a rocky precipice into a ravine (up to 9 hours, driver-guide)

Inverness to Fort William

Making your way to Fort William today, start with a visit to the Battlefield of Culloden Moor, site of the last battle ever fought on British soil. Here the Jacobite armies of Bonnie Prince Charlie were routed by government forces after the attempt to seize the throne had failed.

Driver through the town of Inverness as you head southwest of the city to visit Loch Ness, one of the largest bodies of water in Great Britain and reputedly home to the celebrated monster! Stop to visit the impressive ruins of Urquhart Castle, which dominates the part of the lake where the majority of monster sightings are said to have taken place. Continue to your hotel from here.

The Scottish Highlands

Set out on a full-day excursion that unveils some of the Scottish Highlands' most iconic places and best-loved landscapes. Leaving Fort William behind, begin your journey with a drive along the 'Road to the Isles', which leads to the West Coast port of Mallaig. En route, you pass the Glenfinnan Monument, which stands at the head of picturesque Loch Shiel in commemoration of the Highlanders. Learn how they rose in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 Jacobite uprising.

Travel to Loch Duich, with great views of the romantic Eilean Donan Castle, used as a setting in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough, for a picturesque photograph. Sit back and marvel at the scenery for the remainder of your journey today, arriving back at your hotel in the early evening. (9 hours, driver-guide)

Fort William to Edinburgh via Inverary

With hills and forests, the landscapes of Argyll make this one of the gentlest areas of the Scottish Highlands, while still representing the grandeur of the region, which you discover on a full day of touring. Drive through the Pass of Brander in the shadow of Ben Cruachan, a mountain that has been hollowed out to house a hydro-electric power station to the west coast near Oban. Cross over to Loch Fyne, a long inlet the sea, for a private tour of Inveraray Castle. Home to the Duke of Argyll, the chief of the Campbells, this fairy tale castle sits near the shore and retains some impressive interiors that are the most richly decorated in Scotland.

Later travel around the head of Loch Fyne and then up and over the high mountain pass known as 'Rest and Be Thankful'. From the summit viewpoint there is a panoramic view down the steep-sided valley Glen Croe and the road that leads down to Tarbet. Here the waters of Loch Lomond appear and stretch into the distance.

Follow the 'Bonnie Banks' of this fabled stretch of water, the largest inland loch in Great Britain, as it extends out of the Highlands and spills onto the plain of the Central Lowlands where it is peppered with many islands. Continue through the Trossachs, an area of wooded glens and braes before passing through the fascinating city of Stirling, a place steeped in rich and bloody history. From here, head south-eastwards to your hotel in Edinburgh.

Depart Edinburgh

Assisted private transfer to Edinburgh airport.