Tour Overview
Scotland is a beautiful and sparsely populated country with rolling lowland, dramatic mountains, lochs and many offshore islands. These days, Scotland's cities – which have always been considered a bit, well, gloomy – have become as popular as the pastoral countryside. The annual Edinburgh International Festival, which gets bigger and zanier every year, is one of the hottest arts tickets in Europe. With the opening in 1999 of its Parliament, Scottish politics is abloom as well. Even with all that activity, Scotland has plenty of places to get away from it all. In the Highlands, you can walk for hours across misty moors and clamber up and down rocky slopes without seeing a soul, and only a shaggy Highland cow or a thread of smoke curling from a cottage chimney will dispel the feeling of blissful solitude. And when you're ready for company, you'll find it at friendly pubs and inns: For all its air of wildness, reinforced by its rebellious history and its moody weather, Scotland has a wonderfully cozy and warm side. The Scots (not Scotch – that's what you drink) have a strong hospitable streak and a great sense of humor. Scotland's geography is characterized by the fabled Highlands, the lowlands and its coastline, which is cut by firths (similar to fjords). The national symbol, the thistle, combines with evergreens and heather to enhance the countryside. And while the land can be bleak or even barren in places, the nation has many lush, dramatic and heart-stopping scenes of beauty in others. Industry is concentrated in the central valley of Scotland and around the main cities, especially Glasgow.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Edinburgh, ScotlandArrive Edinburgh International Airport. Upon clearing Customs and Immigration, you will be met by an iExplore Representative, welcomed to Scotland and shown to your waiting car. You will then be privately transferred to your hotel. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Balmoral in a Classic Room, including Scottish breakfast. Please note that check in time is 2:00pm. If your arrival is before this time we will request early check in on your behalf however this cannot be guaranteed. While many hotels claim to have Edinburgh’s landmarks right on their doorstep, only a few can say their doorstep is a landmark. For one hundred years this hotel has dominated the city’s skyline with its stunning 195-foot clock tower, affectionately named “the grand old lady” of Princes Street. Located in the very heart of the city in Edinburgh’s main shopping area and next to Waverley Station, this five star hotel is close to leading luxury department stores and within walking distance of many of Edinburgh’s attractions. The Classic Room has been designed combining elegant, contemporary features and characteristics borrowed from the Scottish heritage and features individually controlled air-conditioning, king size bed and spacious working desks with broadband internet. Benefit from facilities such as a private dining menu, a well stocked in room bar and snack basket, satellite TV, walk in dressing rooms, safe and hairdryer. The spacious bathroom is finished in marble and ceramic and offers luxurious Italian toiletries and fluffy bathrobes.
The remainder of the day will be at your leisure. Scotland's capital, Edinburgh likes to draw on its history – with good reason. It's launched more than its fair share of notable figures onto the world stage: Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alexander Graham Bell, to name just a few. Old Town reverberates with the history of Scottish royalty and romantic literary figures, while crossing Princes Street into New Town is like passing through a time warp to the 1700s. But the city isn't just wrapped up in history. Tourists flock to the city every summer to partake of the extraordinarily vibrant atmosphere of the Edinburgh International Festival – it's the world's biggest performing-arts festival. Other cultural festivals coincide, making the festival season the busiest tourist season.
The Balmoral- Classic Room Day 02: Edinburgh
This morning, your expert local guide will meet you at your hotel for a half-day city tour of Edinburgh (4 hours). You will head up to Edinburgh Castle to see the “Honors of Scotland”, the Scottish Crown Jewels, and enjoy stunning views of the city. Breakfast
The Balmoral - Classic Room Day 03: Edinburgh – St. Andrews – Inverness
Enjoy a full day journey (up to 8 hours) with your driver-guide and private vehicle to the North of Scotland. Stop en-route in the “kingdom” of Fife and the town of St. Andrews on the North Sea coast. Known throughout the world as the home of golf, St. Andrews was originally the ecclesiastical and educational capital of Scotland. Visit the ruins of the cathedral, destroyed during the Reformation and St. Andrews Castle. Your will then continue on to Inverness where the remainder of the day will be at your leisure. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Glenmoriston Town House Hotel in standard double room accommodation, inclusive of Scottish breakfast. The Glenmoriston Town House is one of the finest hotels in the Scottish Highlands. Close to Inverness city center with charming views of the River Ness, the Glenmoriston Town House boasts a renowned French restaurant, luxurious bedrooms and stylish yet practical meeting rooms & highland wedding facilities. Abstract is an award winning, high quality restaurant, with a priority to use Scottish Produce. Enjoy before and after dinner drinks in the stylish Piano Bar which features 182 Malt whiskies along with some Irish and Japanese Whisky.
Breakfast
Glenmoriston Town House Hotel- Standard Room Day 04: Inverness
Spend the day (8 hours) in the company of your driver-guide exploring the region. The first stop will be Culloden Moor, where the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated in 1746. Today you can visit the site as well as the Culloden Visitors Center. Also visit Cawdor Castle; set in wooded grounds, the present buildings date from the early 14th century. You enter the central square tower over the drawbridge into the central square tower. The interior of the castle is full of eclectic collections of paintings, tapestries, furniture and books in the castle. The gardens of Cawdor are also stunning. You will be transferred back to your hotel in Inverness.
Breakfast
Glenmoriston Town House Hotel- Standard Room Day 05: Inverness – Auchterarder
Spend a final day with your driver-guide, traveling towards Perthshire. Drive along the River Ness until you reach Loch Ness, home of the fabled monster. You will also see the ruins of Urquhart Castle that dominate the deepest part of the lake and take time for photo stops. Continue along the Great Glen past Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland to Fort William that stands at the head of Loch Linnhe. Your driver-guide will take you on to Auchterarder from here where the remainder of the day will be at your leisure. You will be confirmed for two nights at the Gleneagles Hotel in classic room accommodation, inclusive of Scottish breakfast. The Gleneagles Hotel is a world class resort hotel set in 830 acres of Perthshire countryside that is ideal for individual, group and incentive leisure clients and their families. Famous for its three 18-hole golf courses, and venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014, the estate also boasts many other outdoor leisure activities including a popular spa. Much of the hotel has been recently refurbished in a contemporary interpretation of its original 1920s style, and the number of accommodations has been increased with the construction of Braid House. There is a choice of restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Andrew Fairlie, and the grand Strathearn. More informal dining options are available in the clubhouse and the spa.
Breakfast
The Gleneagles Hotel- Classic Room Day 06: Auchterarder
Today is at leisure to enjoy the many facilities and activities available at your hotel. Perhaps play a round of golf, explore one of the many walking or cycling routes in the area, or relax at the spa (optional activities not included in tour cost.) You may wish to visit the nearby Scone Palace, traditional coronation site of all Scottish Kings, with its lavish collections and fascinating history (optional excursions not included).
Breakfast
The Gleneagles Hotel- Classic Room Day 07: Auchterarder – Edinburgh – Depart
Transfer to Edinburgh Airport for your departing flight.
Breakfast
