Scotland – 11 nights

Scotland

What isn’t to love about Scotland? Other than some occasionally uncooperative weather, Scotland is truly a joy. The cities are amazing, the countryside is beautiful, the history of it all is fascinating, and it is the birthplace of two of life’s greatest pleasures: whisky and golf!

For whisky and/or golf enthusiasts, Scotland is the homeland where everyone should take a pilgrimage. You’ll have a chance to visit distilleries with centuries of history and enjoy a dram or two while you’re there. In addition, Patrick will host whisky tastings on several evenings during the tour. Also, there will be several proper British pub visits throughout the tour.

Even if you don’t care for whisky or golf whatsoever (or you have a spouse who doesn’t), there are still a wide variety attractions that this incredible country has to offer. You will step into the world famous Scottish highlands and get an up-close look at some of the famed sheep and highland cattle. You’ll also visit several historic castles and explore some of the famous lochs and glens. You’ll get the full Scottish experience, complete with seeing some real bagpipers in kilts. And, you can’t help but learn some fascinating history along the way. Finally, between all the action, you’ll enjoy some excellent meals have a chance to unwind with a pint or dram at authentic British pubs in the evening or participate in some of the whisky tastings with our group.

Below is our projected itinerary for our 11-night adventure:

Projected Itinerary*

2 Nights in Edinburgh

Day 1: St. Andrews – Welcome to Scotland! We’ll get things started with an afternoon ride up to the town of St. Andrews. Golf enthusiasts will be able to walk The Old Course’s 18th fairway and get a photo on Swilcan Bridge. Non-golfers will explore the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral and Castle, and everyone is sure to love this charming small town. We’ll end the evening with an introduction to whisky tasting session.

Day 2: Edinburgh – Golfers will have the option to head back to St. Andrews Links for 18 holes. The non-golfers will visit some of Edinburgh’s most famous sites: The Royal Mile, St. Giles Cathedral, and Edinburgh Castle and then on to National Museum of Scotland & Royal Yacht Britannia. We’ll end the evening with an Edinburgh pub Crawl.

3 Nights in Inverness

Day 3: Pitlochry – We will make our way to Inverness today. Golfers will have the option play a TBD course in eastern Scotland. The non-golfers can really get some steps in today whilst they visit The Hermitage National forest, Pitlochry Dam, and Blair Castle & Gardens. With a little luck and good timing, we’ll hopefully catch the bagpiper show at Blair Castle. In the evening, we’ll have another whisky tasting option.

Day 4: Speyside – We’ll spend the day in the Speyside region. The Balvenie and Glenfiddich distilleries will be options to tour, and for those who just don’t care to learn how whisky is made, you’ll be able to do some sightseeing to the picturesque Covsea Lighthouse and Bow Fiddle Rock as an alternative. But regardless of your love or lack thereof for whisky, everyone will enjoy a visit to the Speyside Cooperage to see how all those whisky barrels are made. In the evening, we’ll have a chance to enjoy some traditional Scottish music.

Day 5: Inverness – Golfers will have the option to play at Castle Stuart or Royal Dornoch, two of the absolute best courses in Scotland. The non-golfers will head to Loch Ness for a visit Urquhart Castle and a requisite boat ride to search for Nessie. In the afternoon, we’ll take a walking tour of Inverness and finish the evening with a pub crawl in Inverness.

2 Nights in Skye

Day 6: The Road to Skye – We’ll make out way west across the highlands. Golfers can split off to play a round along the way if they like. The very photogenic Eilean Donan Castle is on our route, and we’ll certainly stop there for a bit. Once we make it to Skye, we’ll check out the Cuillin Hills and the Fairy Pools. In the evening, we’ll have an international whisk(e)y tasting.

Day 7: Skye – Exploring Skye today! Skye is not lacking of places to take photos. The Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, and Quiraing are beautifully scenic spots. Be sure to wear your comfy hiking shoes. In the afternoon/evening, we’ll head out to Dunvegan Castle and Neist Point.

2 Nights in Oban

Day 8: Headed to Oban – On our way to Oban, we’ll have a distillery visit option at Talisker Distillery on Skye. Those not interested can visit the Talisker Bay, and those who are ambitious hikers can head out early to climb Blà Bheinn mountain. On our way out of Skye, we’ll stop Eileen Donan Castle again for a quick photo stop. Because of the unpredictability of the Scottish weather, the photos you took 48 hours prior will be almost certainly be drastically different. After we settle into our hotel in Oban, we’ll explore the town with a proper pub crawl.

Day 9: Staffa – We’ll take an amazing tour of Mull, Iona, and Staffa isles this day. We’ll take the ferry from Oban to Mull, a bus tour across Mull, and a boat ride to Iona and Staffa. On Staffa we’ll be treated with the sight of many puffins this time of year. We’ll also see the amazing Fingal’s Cave. As much as I love a round of golf, I would not recommend missing this 3-island tour. However, if you’re like my kids and just won’t listen to my advise, golf can be arranged, and Oban has a wonderful distillery that is a nice visit as well.

2 Nights in Stirling

Day 10: Glencoe – Golfers will have a couple of very nice options today near Glencoe or Loch Lomond. The rest of the group will visit the famed Glenfinnan Viaduct to get that picture you’ve always wanted. Then we’re off to Glencoe to see views more stunning than most people see in a lifetime. For you, it’ll be the most stunning views since you left Skye three days ago. We’ll have one last whisky tasting in Stirling this evening.

Day 11: Stirling – Golfers will have few options to play in the Stirling area today. The non-golfers will visit the National Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle in the morning, and we’ll visit a small Scottish farm in the afternoon to get up close with some sheep and highland cattle. We’ll finish the evening with a farewell reception.

Day 12: Departure

Who should book this tour?

This tour is so versatile that almost anyone will have the time of their life. Here are a few examples of people who will love this tour:

  • Whisky lovers and those who tolerate the whisky lovers in their life
  • Golf lovers and their spouses who despise golf
  • Solo travelers, couples, families, and groups of friends – All will have a blast as well and are sure to make new friends for life
  • Those who want the convenience of a guided tour with the flexibility of calling some of your own shots
  • Photographers looking for pics of epic scenery and gorgeous landscapes
  • Lovers of nature and the outdoors
  • People who want to spend their days taking in all the sites and and spend their evening relaxing in cozy pubs and the excellent hotels
  • Anyone who enjoys life and wants to experience the trip of a lifetime!

Who shouldn’t book this tour?

If you struggle with mobility, this may not be the ideal tour. While everyone is welcome, to get the most out of the tour, you’ll be hiking a fair bit to see some of the sites. Also, Scottish castles unfortunately weren’t built with the idea of being accessible to all people.

In addition, there will be a fair amount of alcohol consumption on this tour. In fact, this is a design feature of the tour. We hope that imbibing some local drinks will enhance your vacation experience. However, we recognize this isn’t for everyone. So, if being surrounded by other people who drink is a problem for you, this may not be the best tour for you.

Finally, this trip isn’t ideal for families with small children. Many years ago, I went to a resort in Mexico with my four kids under the age of five-years old with my ex-wife and her parents. All we did was sit on the beach and play at the pool, and that almost killed me. A 12-day trip moving around Scotland is a whole other level. While anyone is welcome, trust me on this one. This tour will be much more enjoyable once the kids are a bit more grown up.

Pricing & other boring details

  • $6,695 $5,995 per person is the all-inclusive 12 day (11 night) price
    • This introductory pricing is only good through July 1, 2024
    • Pricing is based on double occupancy
    • Single supplement is $1700 for a one-person room
    • Airfare to/from Edinburgh is not included
    • One golf greens fee is included, but additional outings are at participant’s expense. We will reserve all tee times for the members of our group and arrange transport to/from
  • To guarantee your spot, a deposit of $800 per person is required. Deposits are fully refundable up until 180 days (6 months) prior to the departure date. More details about deposits, payments, and refunds/cancelations can be found by clicking here
  • We are targeting to have a group of 12-15 people on this tour
  • All in-country transportation is included
    • Spacious and luxurious van transport allows you to relax and enjoy any ride, taking in the breathtaking Scottish scenery
  • Nightly accommodations are included
    • Typical accommodation is a superb 4+ star hotel
  • All meals are included
    • On the first day only dinner is included, and on the final day only breakfast
    • Breakfast provided by hotels – typically a full Scottish
    • We hope you like pubs. We’ll likely have lunch in a pub most days, and occasionally a dinner. We’re in the UK after all. We’re embracing the culture. We’ll certainly go to some nicer restaurant spots when they’re available, but we just want to give fair warning that this won’t be fine dining on many occasions, but it will still be quite delicious.
    • There may be a few nights where you’ll be able to branch out and have meals on your own if you’d like. We’ll work out the how to pay for the cost of those meals on the tour.
  • Drinks are included – Obviously this can be taken advantage of. So we need to set a few ground rules:
    • 1 standard alcoholic drink per lunch and up to 2 per dinner are included
    • 1 standard alcoholic drink per stop on a pub crawl is included
    • Any whisky at one of our whisky tastings is included
    • By “standard alcoholic drink”, we mean a pint of beer, a glass of house wine, or a house mixed drink. If you want to order a rare vintage wine or whisky that costs £200 per glass, we won’t pick up that tab, but you’re welcome to do it on your own.
    • A reminder to those drinking – please do so in moderation. Unused daily drinks cannot be rolled over. Also, we do not tolerate bad behavior due to excessive alcohol consumption, especially when it detracts from the enjoyment of other guests on our tour. Offenders will be disciplined and removed from the tour without refund.
  • Entry fees, tickets, etc. to all attractions are included
  • Basically, we’re covering everything aside from your airfare, souvenirs, and greens fees

If you have questions, want to learn more, or you’re ready to book, please email info@hameltravel.com. If you’re on the fence or need some convincing, shoot us an email also. We’ll be happy to have a phone call to discuss all the details of the tour with anyone giving it some consideration.