Best of Scotland by Rail Small Group Guided Tour

Quiraing on Skye

Best Time To Go

20-Apr-2025 - Open for booking
11-May-2025 - Open for booking
14-Sep-2025 - Open for booking

Why not...

Add a city break in Edinburgh or Glasgow before or after your tour?

Prices From

£5275

No of Nights

13

Starts From

Glasgow

Finishes In

Inverness
New
New

Quiraing on Skye

Best of Scotland by Rail Small Group Guided Tour

Best Time To Go

20-Apr-2025 - Open for booking
11-May-2025 - Open for booking
14-Sep-2025 - Open for booking

Why not...

Add a city break in Edinburgh or Glasgow before or after your tour?

Prices From

£5275

No of Nights

13

Starts From

Glasgow

Finishes In

Inverness

Experience Scotland’s iconic sights and plenty more on this spectacular 14 day itinerary taking in the most scenic rail journeys in the country.

This delightful two week small group guided tour incorporates some of the Scottish Highland’s most majestic scenery and unforgettable train journeys to create a once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience. You will visit the Misty Isle of Skye as featured in National Geographic, travel on the renowned West Highland Line, stay in a Royal residence in Caithness and discover the neolithic secrets of the Orkney Islands. Beginning in Scotland’s largest city you take in enigmatic Loch Ness, the drama of mountainous Skye, the capital of the Highlands Inverness, the lesser visited but no less spectacular Far North Line, rugged Caithness and unique Orkney before returning to Inverness for journey’s end.

With a maximum of 18 passengers per group, you can be sure of highly personal service from your knowledgeable, local tour leader on a McKinlay Kidd small group rail tour. Early booking is strongly advised as places are strictly limited.

Holiday Details

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Day One – Meet and Greet in Glasgow

Day Two – Aboard the West Highland Line

Day Three – Discovering Urquhart Castle and the Falls of Foyers

Day Four – Experience the magic of the Jacobite Express

Day Five – Over the Sea to Skye

Day Six – The Kyle Line to Inverness

Day Seven – Capital of the Highlands

Day Eight – Meet and greet for week two

Day Nine – The Far North Line to Thurso

Day Ten – John O’Groats and Britain’s northernmost point

Day Eleven – Discover Orkney

Day Twelve – Into the Heart of Prehistoric Orkney

Day Thirteen – Heading South on the Far North Line

Day Fourteen – Return to Inverness and farewells

Location

The tour begins with an overnight stay in Glasgow, followed by two nights in Fort Augustus on the southern shores of Loch Ness, two nights on the Isle of Skye, three nights in Inverness, two nights in Caithness, two nights in Orkney before concluding with a final night in Dornoch en route back to Inverness.


Pricing

The price per person includes:

  • Thirteen nights in hand-picked, excellent quality, small hotels on a B&B basis
  • Dinner on nine nights of the trip
  • Rail travel from Glasgow to Fort William on the West Highland Line, a journey on the Jacobite Express steam train from Fort William to Mallaig, ferry to the Isle of Skye, train travel from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness on the Kyle Line, rail travel from Inverness to Thurso on the Far North Line and returning from Thurso to Dunrobin
  • Entrance to Urquhart Castle
  • Tour of forest and peatlands rewilding project
  • Visit to Armadale Castle, gardens and museum
  • A day tour of Skye
  • Tour of Inverness including the Culloden battlefield and the 4,000 year old Clava Cairns
  • Inverness walking tour in a small group
  • Entry to the Castle of Mey
  • Day tour around Caithness including tour and tasting at Dunnet Bay Distillery
  • Ferry from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope
  • Sightseeing tour from St Margaret’s Hope to Kirkwall including admission to the Italian Chapel
  • Full-day tour of Orkney with an expert local guide, including admission to all sites visited
  • Ferry from Stromness to Scrabster
  • Entry to Dunrobin Castle
  • Walking tour of Dornoch
  • Coach transfer from Dornoch to Inverness
  • The services of McKinlay Kidd’s tour leader, accompanying the group and providing expert guiding and assistance throughout.
  • Transfers as described, including luggage transfer from Fort Augustus to Skye hotel so no need to bring cases aboard the Jacobite Express steam train.

Not included:

  • Meals other than those described above
  • Drinks
  • Gratuities and tips

All accommodation is carefully-selected and researched by us, predominantly featuring small, family-owned hotels – contact us for more detailed information. We will do our best to accommodate room preferences subject to availability at individual properties.

This tour will operate with a minimum of four and maximum of 18 passengers on each departure date. As this is a two-week tour, your McKinlay Kidd guide and some guests may differ between the first and second weeks.

We work hard to make sure the unexpected doesn’t affect your trip. On rare occasions, changes or cancellations may occur, affecting accommodation, transport or excursions, including the Jacobite Express Steam Train. We are committed to informing you of any such circumstances and will use our knowledge and resources to offer suitable alternatives wherever possible.

Simply complete the form below to reserve your place(s). We will hold your place(s) for 48 hours to provide time for you to pay the deposit of 25% per person.


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The McKinlay Kidd Guarantee

All our holiday prices include a service charge of £9 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday.

We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.

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Reviews

Reserve your place(s) for Best of Scotland by Rail Small Group Guided Tour

Departure Dates & Current Availability
Departure DateStarts FromNights£ per person (2 sharing)£ per person (single)
Sunday 20 Apr 2025Glasgow13£ 5275£ 6615
Sunday 11 May 2025Glasgow13£ 5520£ 6860
Sunday 14 Sep 2025Glasgow13£ 5620£ 6960

To reserve your place(s) on this tour, please call us or complete the form below, making sure to select your departure date from the dropdown menu and advise of any special requirements. We will hold your place(s) for 48 hours and contact you with details of how to confirm your booking by payment of the per person deposit.

Please note: All form fields are required unless otherwise stated optional.

Tour Details

Availability of double or twin rooms can vary at individual hotels on the tour, so it helps us to understand your preferences.


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