Scotland & the English Lake District

Welcome to Scotland! On arrival at Edinburgh Airport, your driver meets you and transfers you by private van to your hotel near the Royal Mile. Spend the evening at leisure — stroll along Princes Street, admire the castle lit up above the city, or enjoy your first Scottish dinner in the Old Town.

Stay: Edinburgh

After breakfast, head west to The Kelpies, two magnificent 30-metre steel horse-head sculptures celebrating Scotland's working horses. Nearby, see the Falkirk Wheel, the world's only rotating boat lift, raising boats between two canals in a single graceful turn. Continue to Finnich Glen, a hidden, moss-covered gorge with an emerald-green river below. Then drive along the shores of Loch Lomond, Britain's largest freshwater loch, into the Highlands. Pass through Glencoe, a dramatic valley of towering mountains and a haunting clan history, before reaching Fort William, the gateway to Ben Nevis, Britain's highest peak. In the evening, visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the curving railway bridge made famous by the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films, set above beautiful Loch Shiel.

Meals: BreakfastStay: Fort William

This morning, travel along the scenic west coast to Kyle of Lochalsh and cross the Skye Bridge to the Isle of Skye, the most magical of Scotland's islands. Stop at Castle Moil, the romantic ruin guarding the narrow strait. In the afternoon, walk to the Fairy Pools, a series of crystal-clear blue pools and waterfalls beneath the jagged Black Cuillin mountains. Later, see Kilt Rock, sea cliffs whose basalt columns resemble the pleats of a kilt, with a waterfall plunging straight into the sea. In the evening, drive to Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, on the banks of the River Ness.

Meals: BreakfastStay: Inverness

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive south from Inverness through the Cairngorms and Perthshire, back to Edinburgh. In the afternoon, visit Edinburgh Castle, the iconic fortress on an ancient volcanic rock. See the Crown Jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny and sweeping views over the city. Afterwards, end the day with a whisky experience in Edinburgh, learning how Scotland's famous single malts are made and tasting some of the finest.

Meals: BreakfastStay: Edinburgh

Cross the border into England and the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through ancient woodland to Aira Force, a dramatic 20-metre waterfall, and enjoy the views across Ullswater, the Lake District's second-largest lake. Drive over the Kirkstone Pass, the highest road pass in the Lake District, and visit Rydal Cave, a vast old slate cavern with a still pool inside. End the day with a cruise on Windermere, England's largest natural lake, and a ride on the Lakeside steam train, a heritage railway running through the lakeside countryside.

Meals: BreakfastStay: Ambleside

Today explores the wilder western valleys. Visit the Honister Slate Mine, England's last working slate mine, high on Honister Pass. Continue to Buttermere, one of the most beautiful and unspoilt lakes in the region, ringed by high fells. In the afternoon, see Moss Force, a spectacular waterfall tumbling down the hillside near Newlands Pass. Return to Ambleside for a relaxed evening in this charming lakeside town.

Meals: BreakfastStay: Ambleside

After breakfast, check out and drive south via Birmingham to London, where the tour ends with drop-off at your hotel or onward point. Safe travels and wonderful memories!

Meals: Breakfast