Treasures of Scotland 2023

This morning make your way to Scotland's majestic capital city; Edinburgh is synonymous with the nation’s ancient culture and bristles history and elegant architecture. After checking in at your hotel you may spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the city before meeting the group at the hotel, where we’ll get to know each other over a delicious welcome dinner.

Overnight: Malmaison Edinburgh City (or similar), Edinburgh

Meals: Dinner included.

This morning we board the mini-coach and head out of Edinburgh in to the Scottish countryside. First stop will be the imposing Doune Castle, which featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and was used to depict Castle Leoch in Outlander. Later we'll pass through the spellbinding Sma’ Glen and in to the heart of Perthshire in central Scotland, a region famous for its picturesque lochs, looming mountains and lush forests. ere we’ll indulge in delicious smoked salmon tasting at Dunkeld Smokehouse, before enjoying some free-time to explore the quaint Victorian town of Pitlochry, our overnight base for the next two nights.

Overnight: Royal George Hotel (or similar), Pitlochry

Meals: Breakfast included.

Today, we'll truly immerse ourselves in the highland scenery as we embark on an off-road safari to explore the vastness of the central Scottish Highlands with a kilted ranger – we'll venture over wild terrain to take in spectacular mountain views and to try to glimpse some of the highland wildlife such as grouse, mountain hares, deer and golden eagles. We then make our way to the Red Deer Centre, where we’ll have the chance to get up close to Britain’s largest native land mammal. By afternoon, we’ll return to the hotel for an afternoon of leisure time.

Overnight: Royal George Hotel (or similar), Pitlochry

Meals: Breakfast included.

Having discovered her beautiful landscapes and wildlife, today we step back in time to learn about Scotland's Iron Age history with a visit to the Scottish Crannog Centre; here we’ll walk in the footsteps of the original Crannog dwellers and see traditional craft, textile and cooking demonstrations. By afternoon we head for our private whisky tasting session to look forward to at the postcard-perfect Glengoyne Distillery. Continuing our journey, we enter to the landscapes of the Trossachs National Park and on to the Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond. By evening, we dine together in our hotel in picturesque village of Luss.

Overnight: Lodge on Loch Lomond (or similar), Luss

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included.

Our journey today takes us north to the breath-taking scenery of Glencoe whose towering mountains were formed by volcanic eruptions and sculpted by glaciers thousands of years ago. We’ll visit Glencoe Visitor Centre and learn more about the haunting story of the Glencoe Clan Massacre of 1692. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the loch-side setting and dine independently.

Overnight: Lodge on Loch Lomond (or similar), Luss

Meals: Breakfast included.

Before leaving the Trossachs we'll be sure to enjoy the waters of the loch itself on a tranquil boat trip - Loch Lomond is the largest body of water in the UK and a cruise offers breath-taking views of the dramatic surrounding landscapes. Back on dry land, we'll turn southwards in to the Scottish Borders region as we set a course for New Lanark, a UNESCO World Heritage village set on the banks of the River Clyde. Here we'll learn about the 19th century textile producing community. After a day of discovery, we’ll head to our accommodation in the heart of the Borders for a final farewell dinner together.

Overnight: The Tontine Hotel (or similar), Peebles

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included.

Today we'll explore the Scottish Borders or Lowlands of Scotland. Firstly, we’ll make our way to the elegant Traquair House country estate, the oldest inhabited house in Scotland in the ownership of Catherine Maxwell Stuart, the 21st Lady of Traquair. We then take time to visit the enchanting Melrose Abbey; these imposing monastic ruins shelter the final resting place of the heart of Scottish hero Robert the Bruce. Later we return to the beautiful city of Edinburgh where our tour ends.

Meals: Breakfast included.