Today you will travel north towards Inverness. Stop at Dunkeld & Pitlochry, two picturesque towns in Highland Perthshire, perfect for a stroll and some lunch. Continue further north and drive through the scenic Cairngorm National Park. The Highland Folk Museum is worth a stop to learn more about the history of this region if you wish to include and is free entry. In the late afternoon you will arrive at Culloden Battlefield for a tour with your guide before checking in to your accommodation in the city.

Pitlochry. The bustling town of Pitlochry is a gateway to the Highlands. It's a popular town with great scenery and home to Scotland's smallest distillery. Just off the main A9 route north, the town is a busy stop-off point for people heading into the Highlands. It benefits from a lovely setting on the River Tummel, backed by Ben Vrackie, and is particularly beautiful during the changing colors of autumn. This small town is known globally for its Victorian charm.

Culloden Battlefield

Scene of the 1746 Battle of Culloden between the Jacobite and the British armies. As the last battle being fought on British soil, Culloden marks the beginning of the dismantlement of the structures of Highland society. In the aftermath of the battle, kilts and tartans were banned. It was here that the Jacobite army fought for a Stuart king to reclaim the throne of Britain from the Hanoverians. Today, 250 years on, Culloden is still a site that connects us intimately with Britain's past. Find out why this battle lasted only one hour but still changed the course of Scotland's history. Listen to accounts from genuine characters who were involved in the Battle, experience the battle in a 360 degrees theatre, get a bird's eye view of the forces and tactics at play.

Inverness. Crowned by a pink crenelated castle and lavishly decorated with flowers, Inverness is a thriving city boasting historical buildings in the Old Town and peaceful areas close to the center. This thriving city offers a rich variety of things to do and see from culture to eating and drinking. Enjoy the fine circular walk from Inverness Castle, currently a courthouse, along the river past St Andrew’s Cathedral, which dominates the River Ness, and through the Ness Islands where you will find anglers casting long lines to leaping Atlantic salmon.

Overnight: Glen Mhor Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

After a delicious breakfast, a short drive will bring you to the world-famous Loch Ness. Enjoy a shared cruise on the loch and a visit to Urquhart Castle overlooking the loch. Afterwards, continue to Fort Augustus, located at the south-west end of the Loch Ness, where you can stop for a lunch break. Drive via Fort William on to Oban where in the late afternoon you will have a distillery tour.

Loch Ness is the deepest freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands and is one of the most visited locations in Scotland. Loch Ness is about 24 miles long by one mile wide and at its deepest point, it goes down nearly 1,000 ft. Lying northeast of the Great Glen in the Highlands, Loch Ness is best known for alleged sightings of the crypto-zoological Loch Ness Monster, also known affectionately as "Nessie".

Urquhart Castle offers a taste of the Highlands at their most dramatic. Discover 1,000 years of drama, experience a glimpse of medieval life, and enjoy stunning views over Loch Ness from the ruins of the greatest castle in the Highlands. Urquhart’s stories are also told through a remarkable collection of artefacts left by its residents, historic replicas, including a full-sized, working trebuchet siege engine. The castle has a distinctly Highland heritage, and the site has witnessed some of the most dramatic chapters in our nation’s history. It is here that St Columba is said to have worked miracles in the 6th century, where acts of chivalry and defiance provided inspiration during the Wars of Independence and where the MacDonald Lords of the Isles struggled with the Crown for power.

Fort Augustus. Situated on the most southern tip of Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way, this historic and scenic hamlet is a popular tourist destination. Lying on the impressive 60 mile long Caledonian Canal, halfway between Inverness and Fort William, Fort Augustus offers spectacular views down Loch Ness and is a paradise for keen walkers and cyclists with many beautiful walks around the area, the most popular being the Great Glen Way. At Fort Augustus visitors can also enjoy a visit to the Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre which details the history of the canal. Sit and watch the boats navigating the locks or explore the Clansmen Centre. Visitors can explore the surrounding countryside by cruising Loch Ness, home to the world-famous Loch Ness monster, or take a trip to nearby Urquhart Castle, a classic romantic ruin jutting out into the loch.

Fort William

Lying in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Fort William is the ‘Outdoor Capital of the UK’ and the main town in Lochaber. Fort William’s setting is dramatic, on the shore of Loch Linnhe, and as one of the major resorts of the Highlands, the town commands an important position and is easily accessible from Glasgow and the central belt.

Oban. As you sweep down the hill towards the expanse of the bay, the view opens before you and one begin to appreciate why Oban has developed into Scotland's most popular west-coast holiday town. With a resident population of 8,500, Oban has recently become better known as "The Seafood Capital of Scotland". The panoramic views of the mountains, lochs and islands which have captivated artists, authors, composers, and poets for centuries are as striking now as they were when Dunollie Castle, a ruined keep, was the northern outpost of the Dalriadic Scots. The town's present-day popularity owes much to the Victorians, and as early as 1812, when the Comet steamship linked Oban with Glasgow. Indeed, once Oban had the royal seal of approval from Queen Victoria, who called it "one of the finest spots we have seen", the town's destiny as an endearingly enchanting holiday destination was as firmly set as the lava columns of Fingal's Cave in Staffa.

Oban Whisky Distillery

Nestling beneath the steep cliff that overlooks Oban, one of Scotland's oldest sources of single malt scotch whisky is but a stone's throw from the sea. Take a tour of the senses at Oban Distillery! You will be taken around the distillery by one of our knowledgeable guides, exploring each part of the whisky making process. Your tour will finish with a sample of our Oban 14-year-old single malt with some crystallized ginger – a taste sensation! To round off nicely you will be given a small memento to remind you of your visit to Oban Distillery.

Overnight: Perle Oban Hotel (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, start driving towards Edinburgh. Make a stop in Inveraray to visit the impressive Castle and Gardens. Afterwards, the route will lead you along the beautiful loch Lomond. The old fishing village of Luss is a great place for a stroll along the Loch and a coffee. Final stop at Stirling Castle to witness this historic fortress in all its glory. You will arrive in Edinburgh in the late afternoon and spend the night at the Norton House Hotel not far from Edinburgh Airport.

Loch Lomond

Lying on the Highland Boundary Fault, Loch Lomond is the largest body of freshwater in mainland Britain. Being 24.5 miles (39 km) long, it is the largest freshwater loch in Scotland and has more than 30 islands, the largest of which is Inchmurrin. The Loch Lomond and Trossachs area of Scotland was awarded National Park status in July 2002 and is today used by generations of

Scots and visitors for boating, water skiing, bathing, and picnicking, or just enjoying the unique atmosphere and scenery.

Inveraray

The ancient Royal Burgh of Inveraray is located 60 miles northwest of Glasgow by Loch Fyne in an area of spectacular natural beauty. The ruggedness of the highland scenery serves as a spectacular backdrop for a sheltered tidal Loch, beside which nestles the present castle built between 1745 and 1790. Much of the town, including the church, was designed, and built by the Edinburgh-born architect Robert Mylne between 1772 and 1800.

Stirling Castle

One of Scotland’s grandest castles due to its imposing position and impressive architecture, Stirling Castle commands the countryside for many miles around. It towers over some of the most important battlefields of Scotland’s past including Stirling Bridge, the site of William Wallace’s victory over the English in 1297, and Bannockburn where Robert the Bruce defeated the same foe in the summer of 1314. Situated on a volcanic outcrop guarding the lowest crossing point of the River Forth, Stirling Castle is a great symbol of Scottish Independence and a source of enduring national pride. The castle’s long, turbulent history is associated with great figures from Scotland’s past, such as William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Mary Queen of Scots. It has seen many royal dramas and witnessed the lives and deaths of almost every Scottish monarch up to the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Overnight: Norton House Hotel (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your private driver will transfer you to Edinburgh airport for your flight to Dublin (not included). You'll be greeted at the Dublin airport by your new private driver who will be with you throughout your stay in Ireland.  In route to Belfast, enjoy a hands-on farmhouse baking experience with Tracey in her 18th century thatched cottage on the shores of Strangford Lough. Tracey will teach all about the traditional Irish baking and walk you through the steps to make your very own Irish fruit soda cake, potato bread (or fudge as it is known locally) and Soda bread. You will not only leave with all your handmade goodies, but also all the yummy recipes so you can bake for your friends when you get home.

Continue to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Upon arrival enjoy a panoramic city tour where you will take in the leaning Albert Memorial Clock tower (Ireland's answer to the Tower of Pisa) and the Opera House, which is one of Belfast’s great landmarks. Your tour will pass by the City Hall, the Crown Bar (dates from 1885), Queens University and the Botanic Gardens. 

Visit the Titanic Museum, an iconic landmark building; located at Titanic’s original construction site. Opened in 2012 to mark the centenary of the ship’s sinking, it is the world's largest Titanic visitor experience and the most popular visitor attraction in Belfast.

Tonight enjoy your palatial 5* stay at Culloden, and estate covering 12 acres and the former residence of the towns Bishops. 

Overnight: Culloden Estate and Spa
Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy a full Irish Breakfast at your hotel this morning, before your private driver guide takes you to the rather unfrequented area of east County Down. From here, you will meet your expert local guide Brigid, who will bring you on a guided walking tour in the area. 

Brigid Watson created Sustainable Journeys to showcase what this historic and stunningly beautiful region has to offer. Brigid boasts an impressive background in Geography, History, Environmentalism and Sustainability, enabling her to bring you on a multifaceted journey that is both interesting and relaxing. The North- eastern coast of Ireland is less travelled and unspoilt, offering residents and visitors a quieter pace of life and a chance to venture off the beaten track. Known as the ‘Cradle of Christianity’ this long settled region has a treasure trove of historical sites and is a nature lovers’ paradise. Most importantly, Brigid aims to provide you with a tour that is designed to match your interests and needs, making each experience an intimate and enjoyable one.

In the evening time, continue onto Dublin. Enjoy a visit to Jameson Distillery.

Overnight: Cassidy's Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast 

Your private guide will meet you at your hotel this morning to bring you on a walking tour of the city. See the landmark areas of the city and enjoy visit to Trinity College, to see the Book of Kells, and Epic Emigration Museum. Discover why 10 million people left Ireland, and the impact they had on the world Irish history should never be a long list of names and dates, it should be an experience. Get hands on with Irish culture and its past with our fully interactive museum – swipe through video galleries, dance through motion sensor quizzes, listen to remastered audio from 100 years ago and watch videos that bring Irish history to life.

Enjoy some time at leisure in the afternoon. In the evening time, make your way to the city pick-up point for your Irish night of music, dance and a 3 course meal. The Merry Ploughboys live in concert is widely regarded as the best traditional music show in Dublin and as a must see for any visitors to Dublin city. The show is a highly entertaining performance of live traditional Irish music, song, and Irish dancing. From start to finish, this is a show based on fantastic interaction between the performers and the audience. The very best of fresh Irish food is served from our restaurant which offers a choice menu. The entertainment commences with Ireland's leading traditional Irish music group The Merry Ploughboys.

Overnight:  Cassidy's Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Your private driver guide will collect you from your hotel this morning to bring you south to County Kerry. On route, enjoy a visit to the Rock of Cashel, Irelands most impressive collection of medieval architecture. Towering over the town of Cashel from its perch on a 200-foot-high outcrop of limestone, the Rock of Cashel was once the seat of the Kings of Munster. St. Patrick visited the rock in 450, while Brian Boru was crowned the 1st high King of Ireland here in the tenth century. Granted to the church in the twelfth century, by the O'Brien clan, the Rock became the seat of the archbishop of Cashel. It was during this period that Cormac's Chapel was built. In 1647 Cromwellian forces under the leadership of Lord Inchiquin ransacked the Rock.

Overnight: Scotts Hotel (or similar)
Meals:  Breakfast

This morning the group will take a Gap of Dunloe Tour including a jaunting car ride and open boat trip. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass forged between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain by glacial flows. The river running through the gap is the river Loe from where the Gap gets its name. The Gap begins at Kate Kearney's Cottage. The road narrows in many places, winds through the pass and descends into The Black Valley passing five lakes: Coosaun Lough, Black Lake, Cushnavally Lake, Auger Lake and Black Lough. Within easy walking distance from Kate Kearney's cottage is a picturesque old bridge known as the 'Wishing Bridge'. It is said that wishes made here really do come true! The Gap is approximately 11 km from north to south. The jaunting car (horse drawn wagon) travels through the Pass before a boat takes you back to Killarney from Lord Brandon's cottage at the other end. A packed lunch is included today.

Return to Killarney for the balance of the day at leisure with dinner on your own.

Enjoy a public Ceili Night at Killarney Grand.* As this is a public Ceilidh it is out of our control if they decide to cancel or move this event. 

Overnight: Scotts Hotel (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast