The centerpiece of this incredible tour are the Orkney Islands - one of the most special places in northern Europe, a timepiece of incredible stories wrapped in a green jewel amid an azure sea. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, takes you back nearly 6000 years to a land of standing stones, ancient burial sites aligned to the sun and an astonishing stone age village buried for 5000 years, a window into the age of our very remote ancestors. The islands are also home to Viking palaces and cathedrals, Iron-age forts, astonishing cliff-walks and views - and there's a couple of distilleries too.

The dramatic and desolate landscapes of the Northwest Highlands are carved from a world over three and a half billion years old, these are the most ancient rocks in Europe and the majesty of this corner of the country will truly take your breath away. Now part of the famous Northwest 500 Route, the tour will wind through this archaic land, before crossing the Moine Fault into the Grampian Mountains and the stunning scenery of Glencoe and bleak Rannoch Moor, one of the last wilderness areas in Western Europe. We shall also stop at Inverness and the moving and solemn Culloden Battlefield, site of the last battle on British soil in 1746, when the Highland army of Charles Edward Stuart was defeated by the government forces. It was the last stand of the noble clans. 

**All rates are available on request, and subject to seasonal variation, accommodation preferences and group size.

"From the Lone Shieling of the Misty Island, Mountains divide us and the wastes of Seas; but the Blood is Strong, the Heart is Highland, and we in dreams behold the Hebrides"

The mist gathers low in the morning over the Tolkienesque landscapes of northern Skye, burning off as the sun rises, to reveal an island like no other. From the towering Cuillin Mountains to the quiet picture-perfect coral beach, from the mysterious Fairy Glen to a few warming whiskies in Portree Harbour. The Isle of Skye is a magical place, full of Celtic lore and a strong Gaelic heritage. Our tour gives you a full day to be shown around and see some of the hidden gems, and hear the stories of heroes and warriors of ghosts and fairly peoples. Two nights in the island capital, the beautiful fishing village of Portree will give you a sense of quiet bustle and a glimpse of life here. 

As well as time on the island, the tour also has two great days getting there and getting back. These include stops at dramatic landscapes like haunting Glencoe and wild Rannoch Moor, and time to reflect on a brutal April morning on Culloden moor in 1746 when the Highland Clans charged into battle for the last time. 

We also wind though the forests of Highland Perthshire and Britain's largest and most dramatic National Park - the Cairngorms.

**All rates are available on request, and subject to seasonal variation, accommodation preferences and group size.