Region Overviews: Scotland Travel Guide: Overview
Scotland is a notoriously magical place, where rumors of faeries and the Loch Ness Monster abound, and once you arrive, it’s easy to see why.
Couples, Friends & Solos
6 days 5 nights
Activity Level: 1-3
Premiere Hotels
From: $5,799 - $6,099 pp dbl occ
($1,250 - $1,350 for sgl occ)
Regal castles nestled among moody mountains. Lofty crags reflected in shimmering lakes. Splendid country estates with championship golf courses. Spend your days exploring the remote corners of Scotland’s rugged wilderness by foot and your evenings unwinding at elegant abodes. Uncover the geology and culture of a beguiling landscape steeped in history. Three luxurious hotels, two spectacular national parks, one incredible trip.
Start/End Edinburgh
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Set out from the lovely historic villages of Dunkeld and Birnam, planned by the Dukes of Atholl in the 1700s, now the gateway to the Scottish Highlands | Walk through picturesque deciduous woodlands along the River Braan to beautiful Black Linn waterfall and its confluence with the River Tay | Stand in awe of the ancient Birnam Oak, immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth | Take in the spectacular natural beauty of the Royal Deeside and Cairngorms National Parks | On the way to her Balmoral estate, trace the route of Queen Victoria | Explore the Muir of Dinnet and sparkling Loch Kinord | Circumnavigate Burn O'Vat, a glacial pothole formed after the last ice-age with a long history as a hiding place for fugitives, including outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor | Toss a caber at the Highland Games Centre in Braemar, where the Braemar Gathering has been a highlight on the sporting calendar since 1832.
Set on a sunny wooded slope of Craigendarroch, creature comforts and serenity are on offer at this family-run hotel.
Follow an ancient path used by cattle-thieving Cateran marauders in the Middle Ages | Straddling the border between Perthshire and Angus, the Cateran Trail is a spectacular walk through a quiet corner of the Cairngorms Highlands | Drink in views of the wild coastline and world-famous St Andrews Old Course while enjoying an elegant meal | Explore an authentic Scottish landscape of spittals, moors, hills, heaths, bogs, and glens | Take in glorious views of the Grampian Mountain range, whose peaks are often shrouded in mist | Settle into plush country house life at an elegant estate set within Cairngorms National Park | Set out on the steep trail to the Falls of Bruar to see its series of cascades and falls, which inspired a 1787 poem by Scotland's National Bard, Robert Burns.
One of Scotland's leading hotels, the refined and elegant Old Course overlooks West Sands Beach and St Andrews's world-famous golf course. (pool, spa)
Discover the picturesque bens, glens and lakes of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park | Visit Kellie Castle and wonder at the majestic library ceiling—one of the oldest ornamental plaster ceilings in Scotland | See the long-concealed mural by Phoebe Anna Traquair and explore the Arts & Crafts garden filled with the smell of roses | Set out on a stunning coastal walk through Anstruther to Pittenweem, admiring the rocky shoreline and quintessential Scottish vishing villages | Ascend an iconic Scottish summit, Conic Hill, situated on the Highland Boundary Fault and offering awe-inspiring views of Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps (and Glasgow on a clear day) | Stroll the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond before returning to Edinburgh.
An elegant resort and golf course set on the shore of shimmering Loch Lomond. (pool, spa)
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
Our Private Trips are best for groups of 6 or more. We suggest joining a scheduled trip.
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Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
The terrain on this trip is mostly rolling, with some moderate and occasionally steep ascents and descents. Many of our hikes are on uneven narrow and rocky trails and dirt paths that can be wet, muddy and boggy. We also traverse some steep mountain paths with rocky outcrops. Please note that on most days the van will be unable to intersect the route.
Scotland is a notoriously magical place, where rumors of faeries and the Loch Ness Monster abound, and once you arrive, it’s easy to see why.
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