Itinerary of our Scotland Tour

Day 1: "Outlander" Village & Highland Games

Welcome to Scotland! As we kick off our Scotland tour we go straight to the heart of historical Culross. This lovely small town on the banks of the River Forth has appeared in several episodes of the hit series "Outlander." From there, we'll head to the Alva Highland Games - bagpipes, traditional dancing, and athletic events are all on the schedule. Watch the “heavies” take on the most traditional events, including tossing the caber toss, and enjoy mingling with Scots as we enjoy this very traditional event together.

Accommodation: The Grange Manor* (1 Night) 

Meals: Welcome Dinner

Day 2: Rob Roy Country - Loch Lomond & The Trossachs

Today we tour the Trossachs, an area known as the “Highlands in Miniature.” This is Rob Roy country, and we follow in the footsteps of this famous bandit as we eat lunch in a pub he used to visit (you can try haggis if you like!) and visit his grave at Balquhidder. The Falls of Dochart offer a rather loud sort of tranquillity as we pause to admire the natural wonder. We see the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond on a cruise, enjoy the views of lochs and glens, and stop at a woolen mill where you can even meet a Highland Cow. Alongside the knitwear, they sell cow food - so you can take this opportunity to get up close and personal with our own hairy celebrities! As we leave the Trossachs, we'll enter Stirling by the Old Stirling Bridge - once the primary crossing between the south and the north - and arrive at Stirling’s Old Town, a former capital of Scotland and our base for the next few nights.

Accommodation: Golden Lion Hotel* (4 nights)

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel; Lunch at "Rob Roy's Pub"- The Drover's Inn

Day 3: The Kingdom of Fife - St. Andrews, the Home of Golf and Scotland's 1st University, and the Fishing Villages of the East Neuk

From one former capital of Scotland to another, our Scotland tour continues as we drive from Stirling to St Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife today. On the way, we will see the charming villages of the East Neuk of Fife. These were small fishing communities for hundreds of years and still have their individual characters and historic harbors. We continue to the Home of Golf and Scotland's first university--St. Andrews. A pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages, the great cathedral fell into ruin after the destruction of the Reformation, but many of its walls remain. Stories of intrigue and murder haunt the clifftop castle nearby with its mines and countermines below that are still open for exploration. We will have time to explore the town and the university, founded in 1413, and see where many martyrs were put to death during the Reformation. 

Accommodation: Golden Lion Hotel*

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel

Day 4: Stirling & the Stewarts

Today we stay local and explore the corners of Stirling’s old town. We’ll see where the Stewart Kings established their dynasty and where modern Scotland was born. We visit Stirling Castle at the Top of the Town, with its magnificent views over the surrounding landscape. The Great Hall and Chapel were at the heart of Royal Life over centuries, while the Royal apartments are presented just as they would have been during the Stewart era, complete with the Stirling Heads, carved figures on the apartment ceiling recovered in the castle’s restoration. You will have some time to explore the castle and even visit the Church of the Holy Rude, where many kings and queens were baptized. After that, we'll enjoy some free time in the town center. This evening we have a real treat: after an early dinner at the hotel, we will go to Summerhall in Edinburgh for a traditional ceilidh - an evening of Scottish dancing where everyone can take part. Instruction will be provided. We recommend sensible shoes!

Accommodation: Golden Lion Hotel*

Meals: Breakfast and High Tea at Hotel

Day 5: The Wars of Independence & a Ceilidh in Linlithgow Palace

This morning we investigate the Wars of Independence that defined Scotland in the 13th and 14th centuries. First, we visit the Wallace Monument, the memorial tower to national hero William Wallace (of Braveheart fame). Enjoy the exhibitions and wonderful views. Next, we visit Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce repelled the English army in 1314, sent King Edward “homeward tae think again,” and ensured Scotland’s independence for generations. At the innovative visitor centre we will learn how the battle unfolded and even have a chance to take a role in the battle to see if we could do better! We'll return to the hotel for a quintessentially British experience - afternoon tea, a veritable feast of sandwiches, scones, and cakes. Fourteenth-century (but remarkably intact) Doune Castle beckons, ever ready for its close-up - it featured most recently in Outlander and Game of Thrones, among others, but is best known as most of the castles in Monty Python and the Holy Grail!

Accommodation: Golden Lion Hotel*

Meals: Breakfast and a traditional "Afternoon Tea" at the Hotel

Day 6: Into the Highlands: From Celtic Culture to Clan Feuds

We leave Stirling today and head for the Highlands! In Argyll, the home of Celtic culture, we visit Loch Awe. Kilchurn Castle, with its dramatic setting, was the seat of the notorious Clan Campbell, and we will enjoy a scenic view. St Conan's Kirk, at the top of the loch, is an arts and crafts chapel drawing on centuries of Scottish art traditions. We’ll pass the sea lochs of the West Coast and stop for a great view over to the Isle of Lismore and Castle Stalker - an atmospheric castle on its own rocky island better known as Castle Aaargh from Monty Python and the Holy Grail! We'll end today in Glencoe, a site of immense beauty with a haunted past. We will learn how political tensions and old grievances led to the massacre of Clan MacDonald here in 1692, in an act that violated the sacred code of Highland hospitality.  Tonight, we stay in Glencoe at the Clachaig Inn, a great spot for whisky sampling at the local pubs.  

Accommodation: Clachaig Inn* (1 Night) 

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel

Day 7: Legendary Highlands - From Princely Pretenders to Mythical Monsters

Today will take us from the remotest Highland scenery to Scotland’s bustling heart. We will see Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Britain, as we pass through Fort William on the way to Glenfinnan. A monument marks the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie first landed in Scotland to ignite the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. Behind us, the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct carries the West Highland Train Line out towards the coast - best known for its starring role as the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Hogwarts was located here in the movies, on Loch Shiel; look out for hippogriffs overhead! Next, we head for brooding Loch Ness. We will take a cruise on the country's largest loch whose depths are full of legends and lore. Keep your eyes peeled for Nessie! Our boat will dock by the medieval ruins of historic Urquhart Castle, which you'll have time to explore. Next, as we head south to Perthshire, we will enjoy spectacular views along the way. We will spend Friday and Saturday nights in the popular centre of Pitlochry, with live music in our hotel and around town on both nights. 

Accommodation: McKay's Hotel* (2 Nights) 

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel

Day 8: Highland Folk Culture & Music: The Jacobites, Culloden, & The Clearances

Today, we wake up with whisky! This morning, we enjoy a tour of the Blair Athol Distillery in the center of Pitlochry, followed by some guided sampling of their whisky. Thus fortified, we continue north to explore the Highland Folk Museum, a reconstruction of various phases in Highland history and rural life. Next, we drive onward to the battlefield at Culloden, where the Jacobite cause met its end in the last battle fought on British soil, in 1746. This defeat led to the violent suppression of Highland culture and the end of traditional clan life. After visiting the “standing stones” of Clava Cairns, we will return to Pitlochry. Tonight there will be a further opportunity to enjoy live music and a Scottish Saturday night in Pitlochry!

Accommodation: McKay's Hotel* 

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel

Day 9: From the Highlands to the Lowlands

Today we bid a fond farewell to Perthshire with a final look at its natural wonders - including the majestic 600-year-old Birnam Oak near historic Dunkeld, one of the area’s oldest trees and, according to Shakespearean lore, part of Birnam Wood that marched to Dunsinane in Macbeth! The Fortingall Yew makes this look like a youngster at a possible 5000 years old, overlooking the village long rumored to be the birthplace of Pontius Pilate! Our culinary Scotland tour send-off is a traditional three-course Scottish Sunday roast lunch by the River Tay in the city of Perth. We travel onwards through the Lowlands to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Our final night is spent in its Old Town, on the Royal Mile leading from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. You will have some free time to explore. 

Accommodation: Ibis Royal Mile-Hunter Square Hotel* (1 Night)

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel and Sunday Roast Lunch in Perth

Day 10: Haste ye back!

This morning, our main Scotland tour ends, and you will either be transferred to the airport for your flight home, or you can take advantage of our extension option to stay in Edinburgh for longer. Breakfast included.

Meals: Breakfast at Hotel 

*Travel is often full of surprises and requires flexibility. WorldKind continually strives to improve travel itineraries. If such improvements can be made, we reserve the right to vary itineraries and to substitute hotels. If unforeseen circumstances beyond our control make changes necessary, we will make every effort to substitute hotels and venues of similar standard and location whenever possible.

Included in our Scotland Tour

Edinburgh Extension: 2 Days - 2 Nights

We've reserved space at our hotel on Edinburgh's Royal Mile so that you won't even have to pack up and move if you'd like more time to explore the capital city after our main Scotland tour ends.

Included

Prices

Main Scotland Tour 10 days, 9 nights:

• $3299 per person in a double room
• $599 single supplement

Edinburgh Extension 2 days, 2 nights:

• $299 per person in a double room
• $149 single supplement

Available Discounts:

• Sign-up before January 31, 2022 - $100 off

Payments

Fully Refundable Booking Period! 

Book with confidence! Your payments are fully refundable until March 31, 2022.

Book by before January 1, 2022, and just pay a $300 deposit at the time of booking. Bookings made after January 1, 2022, will pay a $400 deposit. The remaining balance for your Scotland tour is due by March 31, 2022.

Refunds*

Cancellations after March 31, 2022 will receive the following reimbursements:

• 100-75 days prior to departure: 75%
• 74-50 days prior to departure: 50%
• 49-25 days prior to departure: 25%
• 24-15 days prior to departure: 15%
• 14 days & after prior to departure: No refund

*WorldKind strongly recommends that participants secure their own Travel Insurance with a "Cancel For Any Reason" (CFAR) policy to cover any non-refundable portions of your travel plans. We have a very thorough blog post that explains all about CFAR policies here and our complete guide to Travel During COVID here to help you make the best decisions that are right for you.

Since COVID is a known issue, CFAR policies are some of the few travel insurance policies that allow for cancellations due to fear of COVID or border closures because of COVID (although most travel insurance policies with trip cancellation policies will cover you if you are actually ill, from COVID or another illness, and are unable to travel). You can research and compare different plans and providers at the Squaremouth website. Make sure to read the policies carefully before purchasing one. To read WorldKind's complete rules on Cancellations, Refunds, and what counts as a "Creditable Event" for Reimbursements or Transfer Credits, please consult our complete Terms and Conditions. 

WorldKind begins planning your tour months, and sometimes even years, in advance and puts in a significant amount of time and effort to design world-class, educational travel programs. Because of the time and expenses involved in planning, preparing, and pre-paying for portions of your tour on your behalf, we have already incurred substantial non-recoverable costs and expenses. The COVID pandemic has hit the tourism and hospitality sectors particularly hard. To keep people employed who are needed to make this type of travel possible requires that they be paid fairly and equitably for the work that they have already done on your behalf. Past certain dates and regardless of the reason for cancellation, WorldKind itself is unable to recoup certain costs and expenses. If cancelation occurs and if we can recover more costs than anticipated from our vendors, WorldKind will certainly make every effort to pass on those recovered costs to our guests. We are in this pandemic together, and when we agree to journey together, we accept a certain amount of risk together. That is why purchasing good Travel Insurance coverage with a CFAR policy mitigates a great deal of risk, which should help you travel with more ease of mind. 

There are stairs in two of the hotels (3 nights total - 1 night has ground floor options). Our base for five nights has an elevator but there may be 4-5 steps in internal corridors. One has completely level access via elevator throughout (1 night).

Flights

WorldKind's programs don't include airfare, which gives you the freedom to use any airline provider you prefer. Perhaps you have frequent flier or credit card miles to use or have a favorite air carried. Ultimately, your flights are your choice and responsibility, but if you would like help with your bookings, we have partnered with StudentUniverse who are happy to help you. They are able to provide airfare at discounted rates for certain demographics (e.g., youth, student, faculty, and staff), and are happy to help all WorldKind travelers with their bookings.

A few important things to note:

• Because of the changing nature of international travel during COVID times and the minimum group requirements we have for a group program, we ask that you NOT book any airline tickets until after the close of our booking period (March 31, 2022). After that point, we will send you some flight suggestions for the main tour's arrival and departure dates, but ultimately, your flight bookings are up to you. 
• This Scotland tour will begin on Saturday, July 9 from Edinburgh International Airport (EDI) and end on Monday, July 18 with drop-offs at EDI, so most participants chose to fly in and out of that airport. If you choose to fly into Glasgow or another airport, you will need to arrive a day in advance in order to make your way to Edinburgh for the start of the program. If you book your departure flights at any time other than on Monday, July 18 and from another airport other than EDI, you will need to arrange your own airport to and from that airport. 

Arrival Information

Sometimes, participants prefer to arrive a day or two before our main Scotland tour begins to get over jet lag, but whenever and wherever you choose to arrive in the U.K., you will need to meet the group by 10 am by the Starbucks in Edinburgh International Airport.