ACTIVITIES:

Walking Tour Of Edinburgh

You will meet your blue badge guide in the hotel lobby.

Your guide will be an expert Blue Badge Guide.
Take a walk up Calton Hill and admire the breathtaking views of the capital city, a city built on an extraordinary landscape of hills and valleys, formed millions of years ago by volcanoes and ice sheets.

Your guide will take you on an exploration through Edinburgh’s Historic Old Town from Holyrood Palace, climbing the Royal Mile while visiting sites such as St Giles Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle.

Discover the contrast between the Old Town and the New Town. More than 75% of all buildings within the World Heritage Site are listed for their architectural or historic importance.

The medieval Old Town retains its distinctive pattern of narrow passageways known as closes and wynds. The New Town, designed in 1767, is the largest and best-preserved example of Georgian town planning in the UK.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• The Balmoral

An Edinburgh Icon at an Unparalleled Address
The Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh, 1 Princes Street, where Old Town meets New, a legendary hotel and landmark clock tower: a symbol of its city

A welcome in bespoke Balmoral tartan; Hebridean blues, heather hues, and classic Scottish art; whisky ambassadors with 500 malts – The Balmoral is a love letter to Scotland.

Looking up to Edinburgh Castle, savor Michelin-starred dining, French-Scottish bistro fare, award-winning afternoon tea, and a serene urban spa at the city’s most majestic spot.

Number One Dinner Recommendation

The Balmoral – Step into Number One’s dining room and sink into one of the dove grey wool banquettes. Contemporary art abounds on the lacquered red walls, from pieces lent by London’s Royal College of Art to Adam Ellis’ stunning Scottish oak triptych.

The dishes are fashioned using seasonal ingredients carefully sourced from an exceptional list of trusted suppliers. Head Chef Mark Donald and his team have developed a menu fusing modern Scottish cuisine with international flair.

ACTIVITIES on your way to BRAEMAR:

Visit The Kelpies

Standing 100ft tall and weighing more than 300 tonnes each, the magical Kelpies are a man-made wonder and a feat of engineering. The works of art, created by artist Andy Scott, have become iconic on the landscape after being modeled on real-life icons of times gone by — Clydesdale horses Duke and Baron. The Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of the Scottish industry and economy, pulling the wagons, plows, barges, and coal ships that shaped the geographical layout of Falkirk.

Visit Scone Palace & Gardens

Scone breathes history like nowhere else in Scotland. It is the family home of the Earls of Mansfield and the ancient crowning place of Scottish kings on the stone of Scone. If you are a lover of fine things, Scone is a treasury of furniture and paintings, porcelain, and other objets d’art. Scone Palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens and peaceful woodland, perfect for a gentle stroll or even a picnic.

Visit Pitlochry

Breathe in the fresh air and stand back to admire the view, or delve into a whole host of outdoor activities in Perthshire’s natural playground.

The charming victorian town of Pitlochry is well worth visiting. Explore the colorful high street and why not stop off at The Queen’s View Visitors Centre:
The Queen’s View overlooks Loch Tummel and is said to have been named after Queen Victoria, following her visit to the area in 1866.

Highland Chocolatier- Audio Chocolate Tasting

Artisan Gourmet Chocolates are handmade by Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier. Enjoy a Chocolate Tasting, relax in the Chocolate Lounge and browse the magical Chocolate Shop.

Explore this unique 4 Star tourist attraction – artisan gourmet chocolates by award-winning chocolatier Iain Burnett.

Balmoral Castle Tour

Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848. The Castle is an example of Scots Baronial architecture and is classified by Historic Scotland as a category A listed building.Visit Stonehaven

Stonehaven is a pretty harbor town south of Aberdeen, famous for its Hogmanay fireballs ceremony. You will explore this quaint town.

Dunnottar Castle Tour

A romantic, evocative, and historically significant ruined Castle, perched on a giant conglomerate on the edge of the North Sea was the home of the Earls Marischal, once one of the most powerful families in the land.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• The Fife Arms, Braemar

Built-in the 19th century, The Fife Arms Hotel is a Braemar landmark and is a category B listed building. Its size is evidence of the popularity of Braemar in the wake of Queen Victoria’s visits and her purchase of Balmoral. The plans of the hotel by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, who remodeled the original building, are held by the National Archive of Scotland. Mackenzie was an architect of national repute whose fame grew after royal patronage.

Dinner Recommendation – The Flying Stag

Visit the newly christened ‘The Flying Stag’, the public bar that continues to be the social center of the village. With regulars rubbing shoulders with visitors, the bar has a vibrant atmosphere with animated conversation and live entertainment. The bar offers local beers, Scottish whiskies, and spirits accompanied by a menu of bar snacks and hearty Scottish dishes.

The Flying Stag was created by the renowned artist, James Prosek, who is known for his paintings of unique, hybrid animals. The animal is a union of a ptarmigan’s wings (a bird that lives on the highest peaks of the Cairngorms) and a stag (commonly found in the forested Dee Valley).

Dinner Recommendation -The Clunie Dining Room

Taking its name from the River Clunie, which runs past the hotel, The Clunie Dining Room showcases wood-fire cooking and seasonal Scottish produce in a striking room painted by artist, Guillermo Kuitca.

ACTIVITIES on your way to INVERNESS:

Culloden Battlefield Tour

You will visit the powerfully moving site of the final Jacobite Rising – the last and most harrowing pitched battle to be fought on British soil. Explore the interactive visitor center.

Visit Clava Cairns

Clava Cairns is a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery complex of passage graves; ring cairns, kerb cairns, and standing stones in a beautiful setting. A hugely significant and exceptionally well-preserved prehistoric site, Clava Cairns is a fantastic example of the distant history of Highland Scotland, dating back about 4,000 years.

Cawdor Castle Tour

Discover the romantic Highland castle, the 14th-century home of the Thanes of Cawdor. Experience the castle’s sumptuous interior and see the impressive Drawing Room, the Tapestry Bedroom with its precious wall hangings, the Dining Room with its magnificent stone fireplace, and the Old Kitchen which retains its 19th-century range and an array of antique cooking implements.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• Ness Walk Hotel 

Nestled on the leafy banks of the River Ness, lies Ness Walk. An idyllic 5-star retreat hotel in Inverness, just 10 minutes from Loch Ness. Surrounded by a dramatic canopy of impressive trees, Ness Walk allows you to experience a secluded atmosphere in the heart of the vibrant city center.

Originally a 19th-century house, our lovingly restored Grade B-listed building still retains many of its period features. But unified with modern design and architecture, providing a flawless balance between past and present.

Dinner Recommendation – Torrish at Ness Walk

Torrish Restaurant, presenting the idyllic combination of innovation and intimacy, Torrish at Ness Walk breathes new life into fine dining and is also in the Inverness city center. Set within the original drawing room it is blazoned in traditional 19th-century detailing. As well as this, it offers unspoiled views out to the River Ness. Here you can experience the pinnacle of social dining in one of the best restaurants in Inverness.

ACTIVITIES on your way to TORLUNDY:

Drive Tour Around Loch Ness

You will weave around the banks of Loch Ness, taking in the crystal clear waters. Loch Ness is one of Scotland’s largest and most famous lochs, known around the world thanks to its elusive monster Nessie.

Nevis Range Mountain Gondola

Nevis Range in Fort William is home to the UK’s only Mountain Gondola, transporting visitors to 650m on the mountain of Aonach Mor. The journey to the Gondola Top Station takes around 15 minutes giving visitors ample opportunity to take in the stunning scenery of the surrounding lochs and glens.

At the Top Station there are two, clearly signposted, walks to mountain viewpoints. On a clear day, this view can extend as far as the Inner Hebrides. The Snowgoose Restaurant & Bar, located at the Gondola Top Station serves delicious home cooking and fresh baking made from local produce. Visitors can also enjoy a local dram or freshly ground coffee from the bar.

Situated at the Gondola Base Station is the Pinemarten Cafe, a contemporary building with stunning picturesque windows looking up to the mountain slopes. The Pinemarten Cafe serves specialty coffees, teas, delicious home baking, and a selection of hot snacks as well as main meals with a choice of ‘specials’ each day.

1 Hour Private Loch Ness Boat Tour

Join your private boat, the “Cluaran Dubh” and its skipper Gordon for a trip lasting approximately one hour.
Enjoy stunning views of the Great Glen, Loch Ness, and the ruins of Urquhart Castle. On board, instruments monitor sub-surface activity showing both bottom profile and mid-water targets, which, although usually fish, are very very occasionally much larger and not readily explained.

So keep an eye out for the Loch Ness Monster!

Gordon was born, raised, and still lives on the shores of the Loch. He will enlighten you with anecdotes such as witches casting spells to protect Nessie from cryptozoologists. A charming and entertaining journey with awe-inspiring scenery throughout.

Visit Glenfinnan Monument & Glenfinnan Viaduct

You will visit the iconic Glenfinnan monument honoring the fallen Jacobite clansmen, framed by spectacular Highland scenery. Enjoy the panoramic views of Loch Shiel, the dramatic mountains, and, especially for ‘Harry Potter fans, the Glenfinnan viaduct.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• Inverlochy Castle

Being in Scotland’s finest Country Hotel, you will enjoy the holiday of a lifetime, where every detail for your comfort and enjoyment has been carefully considered and one which you are sure never to forget.

The area surrounding Inverlochy Castle is rich in landscape and history, to name but a few of these breathtaking places – the falls at Glen Nevis, the monument at Glenfinnan, and the mountains of Glencoe. During a trip to Balmoral in 1873, Queen Victoria spent a week at Inverlochy sketching and painting where she wrote in her diaries ‘I never saw a lovelier or more romantic spot’. Nestling in the foothills of the mighty Ben Nevis, Inverlochy Castle sits amidst some of Scotland’s finest scenery.

Dinner Recommendation

We recommend dining at ‘Albert and Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle’, a culinary experience to savor, with the legendary father and son taking the helm of the kitchen and offering the finest dishes using local produce.

ACTIVITIES on your way to ALEXANDRIA:

Drive Through Glencoe

Located within the awe-inspiring Lochaber Geopark in the Highlands, the deep valley and towering mountains of Glen Coe were carved out centuries ago by icy glaciers and volcanic explosions. Make sure you have your camera at the ready, the scenery is breathtaking.

Drive Through Glen Etive

The next stop is Glen Etive, where you can relive Hollywood moments. This site was featured in James Bond’s Skyfall amongst other movie classics

Inveraray Castle & Gardens Tour

You will visit the romantic Inveraray Castle & Gardens on the shores of Loch Fyne and discover one of Scotland’s finest stately homes. Touring the castle you will see the famous Armoury Hall containing some 1300 pieces, the fine State Dining Room, and Tapestry Drawing Room contains magnificent French tapestries which were woven especially for the Castle. You can wander around the castle’s beautifully maintained garden.

Visit Loch Fyne

Loch Fyne, meaning Loch of the Vine/Wine, is a sea loch off the Firth of Clyde that forms part of the coast of the Cowal peninsula. Located on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland, it extends 40 miles inland from the Sound of Bute, making it the longest of the sea lochs in Scotland. It is connected to the Sound of Jura by the Crinan Canal.

Loch Lomond Trossachs National Park

You will weave around the bonnie bank’s Loch Lomond. You won’t find a bigger loch or lake in the whole of Britain and you’ll have a hard time finding a more beautiful one.

Island Explorer Flight 

Enjoy a spectacular, unforgettable flight in an iconic, luxury seaplane with a first-class window seat over one of the most spectacular landscapes in the World!

Fly west towards the Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne – over the Kintyre peninsula towards The Sound of Jura with the Islands of Jura, Islay, and Gigha often in view, possibly Northern Ireland – heading East take in the Isle of Bute panorama as you approach your touchdown on Loch Fad which can be found atop Scotland’s Highland Boundary Fault line.

On your return flight departure northeast towards Loch Lomond look out for the unique 13th-century Rothesay Castle with its distinctive moat and drawbridge.

Capture a unique and sublime taste of the west coast on your island and hop to the Isle of Bute.

Falconry

Feel your senses sharpen and your heartbeat race as a magnificent hawk, majestic in flight, gracefully lands on your arm. This is nature up close and personal – eye to eye with a beautiful bird of prey.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• Cameron House on Loch Lomond

A magnificent baronial mansion surrounded by 100 acres of woodland, Cameron House on Loch Lomond, blends traditional Scottish influences with sumptuous contemporary decor to offer guests a memorable stay in the finest surroundings.

Epic Scottish landscapes. A 24-mile-long freshwater loch. An undeniably 5-star resort. On their own, impressive, together, magnificent.

Dinner Recommendation

The Cameron Grill restaurant is at the heart of the hotel with wonderful views across Loch Lomond. The setting is intimate, elegant, and welcoming, keeping in style with the decor throughout Cameron House.

In the evening, a soft relaxing atmosphere is created to enhance the pleasure of your culinary experience. From wholesome natural dishes to the very best of modern cooking, our chef aims to create a divine gastronomic experience for all foodies.

And so now is the time when your magical journey across Scotland comes to an end. Your driver will collect you and transport you to the Airport or to your next destination on your journey.

On behalf of the team, we wish you a safe journey home, where you can reflect on an experience that will live long in your memories.