About this trip
Five days out of Edinburgh through the Highlands and over to Orkney, covering a lot of ground without feeling rushed. You'll pass through Glencoe, stop at Loch Ness, overnight in Inverness, and cross to Orkney to see some genuinely ancient sites.
The Orkney leg is the heart of it — Skara Brae and the other Neolithic sites here predate Stonehenge, and seeing them on a windswept island rather than in a museum makes the history land differently. The drive back down through the Highlands gives you one more dose of the scenery before you're back in Edinburgh.
What you'll do
- Look out for Loch Ness on the way north
- Hear the history of Glencoe
- Overnight in Inverness, the Highland capital
- Pass through John o'Groats, Britain's most northerly village
- Take the ferry to Orkney
- Visit Skara Brae and the UNESCO-listed Heart of Neolithic Orkney
- A lot of driving is involved given the distances covered, so expect long days on the road between stops
- Suits families and groups happy with a fixed itinerary and private rooms rather than dorms
Worth it if you book directly with Rabbie's and confirm accommodation costs upfront. Think twice if you rely on third-party booking sites for clarity.
- Driver Jamie King was knowledgeable, flexible and genuinely made the tour experience.
- Last night accommodation wasn't covered despite tour stating 4 nights included; guest charged £120 unexpectedly.
- TourRadar booking information was poor and confusing about which operator actually ran the tour.
- Accommodation quality and breakfasts were excellent; stunning Highlands scenery genuinely inspiring for return visits.
Distilled from real traveller reviews on TourRadar — we don't edit out the bad bits.
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and fill fill in from our own tracking as it builds.
Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Edinburgh · 21 Jul – 22 Jul
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