Discover Scotland with Joan Qualls and Tasteful Voyages!

What's not included:

1. Travel Insurance
2. Any items of a personal nature not specifically mentioned in itinerary
3. Meals not listed itinerary 
4. Optional excursions / extensions
5. Gratuities 

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Monday, October 2, 2023 - (Overnight Flight): An overnight flight transports you to a country of stunning landscapes, lively cities, and stirring history.

• Day 2:  Tuesday, October 3, 2023 - Glasgow: Your tour opens in Glasgow, Scotland’s Victorian city. Start your Scottish adventure with a visit to the National Piping Centre. After a demonstration and lesson with a renowned piper, it’s your chance to give it a go! Then, join your fellow travelers for a lively welcome dinner at the Centre’s farm-to-table restaurant.  Hotel:  Maldron Hotel, Glasgow or comparable.  Included Meal:  Dinner

• Day 3 :  Wednesday, October 4, 2023 - Glasgow | Loch Lomond | Fort William | Ballachulish: This morning, bid Glasgow farewell as you travel to Loch Lomond, located in the Trossachs National Park, with its breathtaking scenery, and onto Fort William. Here you visit one of Scotland’s renowned whisky distilleries. Taste and see for yourself why Highland malt whisky is considered the world’s finest. Admire the verdant green hills and mountainside waters as you arrive at your remote countryside hotel situated on lovely Loch Linnhe.  Hotel:  Ballachulish Hotel or Comparable.  Included Meals:  Breakfast & Dinner

• Day 4:  Thursday, October 5, 2023  - Ballachulish | Isle of Skye | Ballachulish: Take a stunning drive along the “Road to the Isles” and over the Skye Bridge to the legendary Isle of Skye, also known in poetry and song as Eilean a' Cheò (The Misty Isle). Enjoy dramatic views of the Sound of Sleat. Then, visit Armadale Castle & Gardens* and the Museum of the Isles to learn about island life and the history of Skye. Conclude your visit with views of the isle from yet another vantage point during a ferry crossing back to the mainland. Returning to Ballachulish along the same road, see Glenfinnan where Bonnie Prince Charlie rallied the clansmen for battle during the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.  Included Meals:  Breakfast & Dinner.  *Armadale Castle and Gardens is open from April to October. On other dates, a visit to Eilean Donan Castle will be substituted.

• Day 5:  Friday, October 6, 2023 - Ballachulish | Loch Ness | Thurso:  Today, enjoy stunning and unspoiled landscapes as you journey further into the Highlands. Travel through the Great Glen, famous for its many lochs (lakes). Visit the striking ruins of Urquhart Castle before enjoying a cruise on Loch Ness, one of Britain’s most scenic bodies of water. Keep your eyes open — you never know when Nessie will appear! Travel off the beaten path to Thurso, one of Scotland’s most remote towns on the North Coast. Embrace the rustic environment of the Scottish Highlands as you settle in for your 2-night stay.  Hotel:  Pentland Hotel or Comparable.  Included meals:  Breakfast & Dinner

• Day 6:  Saturday, October 7, 2023 - Thurso | Orkney Islands | Thurso: Grab your windbreaker – it’s time for an adventure on the Orkney Islands.** Ferry to this former Viking stronghold off the northernmost coast of Scotland, where artists admire the ever-changing clouds rolling across the sky like a time-lapse at double speed. On the crossing, feel the wind in your hair as you view the abundant bird life and, if you are lucky, porpoises and seals. A local guide introduces this ethereal place that few visitors to Scotland get to experience. Visit Skara Brae and discover the remains of a Neolithic village built at the same time as the Great Pyramids in Egypt. Continue on toward the prehistoric Standing Stones of Stenness, reported to be older than Stonehenge. Make your way through the town of Viking Kirkwall before returning to the mainland.  Included Meal:  Breakfast. **Weather conditions may sometimes prevent operation of the ferry to the Orkney Islands. In these cases, your Tour Manager will substitute activities on the mainland.

• Day 7:  Sunday, October 8, 2023 - Thurso | Inverness: As you make your way back from the northern coast, visit the majestic Dunrobin Castle*** which dates back to the 1300s.  The Castle is built in the style of a French Chateau and is home to the Duke of Sutherland.  Take in the breathtaking views as you drive along the windswept cliffs of Scotland's east coast. Enjoy an overnight stay in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.  Hotel:  Best Western Palace Hotel or comparable.  Included Meals:  Breakfast & Dinner. ***Dunrobin Castle is open from April to October. When it is closed you will visit Fort George or similar

• Day 8:  Monday, October 9, 2023 - Inverness | Pitlochry | Edinburgh: Begin your day with a visit to a family-run farm set in the heart of the Highlands. See sheepdogs at work while surrounded by the mountain wilderness of Cairngorms National Park. Continue on to the vibrant Victorian town of Pitlochry for some time at leisure.  End your day in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh.  Hotel:  Radisson Blu Edinburgh or comparable.  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• Day 9:  Tuesday, October 10, 2023 -Edinburgh: Today visit Edinburgh Castle, home of the Scottish Crown Jewels. Then, it's your choice!  Choose to get acquainted with this regal capital on a locally guided tour of the Old Town and New Town via motorcoach, OR, for a different perspective, you may join a local expert and explore the Old Town and Royal Mile on foot.  This evening, give traditional Scottish ingredients a modern twist. Enjoy a lively and interactive cooking experience at one of Scotland’s premier culinary institutions. With a “wee dram” in hand, toast the end of a wonderful journey.  Included Meals:  Breakfast & Dinner

• Day 10:  Wednesday, October 11, 2023 - Edinburgh, Tour Ends: Your tour of Scotland comes to a close today.