Orkney & Scotland's Northern Coast Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh - 5 Days

Leave Edinburgh and head north past the Kelpies and Stirling Castle. Cross the Highland Fault Line into Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and stop briefly in a Highland village or by a scenic loch.

Travel through Rannoch Moor to Glencoe, where you admire dramatic mountain views and hear its haunting history.

Continue to Fort William for free time for lunch and explore the town beneath Ben Nevis before visiting the Falls of Foyers for a short walk to the waterfall.

Journey along the shores of Loch Ness, stopping at Dores for views across the loch, before arriving in Inverness for a free evening.

Leave Inverness and cross the Black Isle, following the North Coast 500 to Golspie for a short stop. Continue to Dunrobin Castle to admire its spires and gardens before heading along the historic coastline.

We follow the North Sea coastline and stop in interesting places, admiring dramatic views of cliffs. The road winds through villages and glens before reaching John O’Groats around midday.

Take the ferry from Gills Bay across the Pentland Firth to Orkney. Arrive at St Margaret’s Hope, cross the Churchill Barriers, and visit the Italian Chapel before reaching Kirkwall.

Arrive in Kirkwall for a free evening to explore the town and its Viking heritage.

Travel through Orkney’s green pastures and coastal landscapes to explore the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visit Maeshowe, a 5,000-year-old chambered tomb with Viking graffiti—runes, followed by the Ring of Brodgar, a prehistoric stone circle rich in legend.

Explore Skara Brae, an ancient village frozen in time, then head to Stromness for free time for lunch and a stroll through its historic streets and harbour. Continue to sites like Kirbuster Museum and perhaps even a tidal island to explore.

Return to Kirkwall for a free evening to dine, explore the harbour, or enjoy traditional music.

Leave Kirkwall and travel past Scapa Flow to the ferry terminal at St Margaret’s Hope.

Take the ferry across the Pentland Firth, and keep your eyes peeled for any signs of whales or dolphins during your crossing.

Back on the mainland, follow the northern stretch of the North Coast 500 through dramatic landscapes to Smoo Cave, then continue into the Assynt mountains.

Stop to view Ardvreck Castle before arriving in Ullapool for a free evening in this picturesque fishing village.

Travel south to Corrieshalloch Gorge and take a short forest walk to view the River Droma plunging 60 metres into the deep gorge.

Continue past lochs and mountain ridges to Culloden Battlefield, the site of the tragic end of the Jacobite Rising.

Visit Clava Cairns, a prehistoric site linked to Outlander, before heading through the Cairngorms to Newtonmore’s Highland Folk Museum.

Stop in Dunkeld to explore its cathedral and charming streets before returning to Edinburgh via the Forth Rail Bridge.