Come see the Highlands in Autumn and explore ancient sites of the North!  This tour begins in Edinburgh where your guide takes you on a journey back in time as you leave the city to experience the North, Highlands, and Orkney. On this unique tour, you'll visit castles, cathedrals, and forts in addition to ancient settlement sites, stone circles, and cairns. You'll also learn along the way about the mysterious Picts and the Viking connections in this part of Scotland.

• Free time to explore Edinburgh
• Glamis Castle
• Falkland Palace and Gardens
• St. Andrews Cathedral  
• Dunnottar Castle
• Stonehaven Beach
• The Prehistoric Stone Circle Trail and Pictish Trail (Stones, Cairns, and Circles) around Aberdeen
• Elgin Cathedral, the “Lantern of the North”
• Burghead Pictish Fort
• Dunrobin Castle and Gardens
• Cairn O’Get, a prehistoric chambered cairn
• Ferry to Orkney-  Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement, Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar and the Ring of Stenness 
• Kirkwall
• The Highland Pictish Trail and Clootie Trees/Wells outside of Inverness
• Driving tour of Inverness and stop at Clava Cairns, Loch Ness, and Culloden Battlefield
• Dalwhinnie Distillery 
• Victorian city of Pitlochry
• Stirling Castle 
• The Royal Mile and a history tour of Old Town Edinburgh

Experience unmatched personal service on our Private Concierge Tour. Your dedicated concierge accompanies you daily, offering tailored recommendations and 24/7 support. They ensure every detail is handled, allowing you to enjoy a journey customized to your preferences, with total freedom and flexibility.     

Price reflects full bookings with 4 persons on the tour, airfare not included

Daily breakfast is included. 

To allow for maximum flexibility in your daily schedule entrances to attractions, meals (unless specified in the itinerary) and tips are not included.  

Costs are subject to price changes and availability until the tour deposit is completed. 

Tour Booking Deadline:

Booking and deposit are required 90 days prior to travel.

Please note, some excursions listed may be closed to visitors during certain tour dates. If so, an alternative excursion can be arranged. 

Deposits are non-refundable.

Payment in-full due 90 days prior to tour. 

In case of participant choosing cancellation, participant will be refunded 50% if more than 90 days prior to tour, not to include initial deposit.

No refund will be given if cancellation is less than 90 days prior to the tour start date. 

We recommend travel insurance through Travel Guard. 

Upon arrival in Edinburgh we’ll check in to our hotel then begin our Scotland adventure with a late lunch in the heart of the city. This evening enjoy free time to explore Edinburgh at your leisure… visit a charming local pub, catch some traditional Scottish music, or simply unwind and rejuvenate.

Overnight in Edinburgh

Today our guide will pick us up mid-morning to begin our journey north. We’ll stop to visit St. Andrews Cathedral (Castle) and Falkland Palace and Gardens, one of Mary Queen of Scots favorite castles. We will also visit Glamis Castle, and our evening may conclude with a walk on the Stoneheaven pebble beach if weather allows. Overnight: Stonehaven

Today we will be visiting Dunnottar Castle and Pictish Sites. Before William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots were hosted at this castle, it was believed to have originally been established by the Picts. The Picts are a large focus of this journey through Scotland’s history as well as that of the Vikings influence in the north. We will explore the history of Dunnottar Castle and the local area from the time when St. Ninan built a chapel in the area to the time of the Picts and up to the Covenanters. 

After visiting the significant castle in Scotland’s history, we will explore Pictish Stones, Cairns, and Stone Circles as we travel along the Prehistoric Stone Circle Trail and Pictish Trail around Aberdeen. We will take our time at our stops as we explore the unique artwork on the stones and stone features in this part of Scotland. Overnight: Stonehaven

This will be a day of mostly travel as we move from Aberdeen to the northernmost part to catch the ferry to Orkney. On our way we will stop and see Elgin Cathedral, the “Lantern of the North”, a beautiful medieval ruined cathedral with a Pictish stone slab. We will also stop at Burghead Pictish Fort.  As we travel we will stop at other Pictish stone circles and stones to admire the detailed artistry and unique beauty carved into the stones by these ancient people. As we make our way to the Northern Highlands, we will stop at Dunrobin Castle and Gardens as well as Cairn O’Get, a prehistoric chambered cairn. Overnight: Thurso

After exploring the Picts of Scotland, we will explore the myths and culture of the Vikings in Scotland on Orkney. We will take the morning ferry over to Orkney beginning our time here with a visit to Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement and Maeshowe, a Neolithic chambered cairn. We will also visit other brochs and cairns in the area and you’ll have time to explore the village of Kirkwall. Overnight: Kirkwall

Today we will visit the Ring of Brodgar and the Ring of Stenness, in the heart of Neolithic Orkney. These stone circles are some of the largest and oldest in Britain. We will also make stops at other surprise spots our guide has in store for us before taking the late ferry back to the mainland. Overnight: Thurso 

Leaving the north and heading south, we will pick back up on the path of exploring the Picts along The Highland Pictish Trail north of Inverness. Just outside of Inverness we will stop at the Clootie Trees/Wells to learn how these sites have been places of worship and prayers over the centuries. After dropping off our luggage in Inverness, we will enjoy a driving tour of Inverness and stop at Clava Cairns, a Bronze age burial cairn for sunset. Overnight: Inverness

This morning will be spent enjoying Loch Ness and seeing the Culloden Battlefield. After lunch we will head south stopping in the Cairngorms National Park and the Dalwhinnie Distillery. Our evening will be spent in the Victorian city of Pitlochry. Overnight:  Pitlochry 

As we continue south, we will stop at Stirling Castle in the morning and will then enjoy a late lunch in Edinburgh. Our afternoon will conclude with a walk along the Royal Mile and a history tour of the city. Edinburgh Overnight: Edinburgh

Flights home.