Depart the USA - Arrive Glasgow

Today we will fly from our home cities and arrive in Scotland! Travel safe! 

Glasgow, Scotland

Today we board our overnight flight bound for Scotland—dreaming of heathered hills, island seas, and the skirl of the pipes. Adventure awaits! On arrival, we meet our Scottish guide and transfer by private coach to our hotel. After a welcome drink and time to freshen up, we step out for an orientation stroll and visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, a Glasgow icon housing everything from Old Masters to Mackintosh design. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner to get to know each other in our group and prepare for our exciting trip through Scotland.

Loch Lomond Cruise & Inveraray Castle → Glencoe

We glide across the “bonnie, bonnie banks” on a cruise of Loch Lomond, ringed by soft peaks and timeless villages. Continuing along the loch to the shores of Loch Fyne, we explore Inveraray Castle, seat of the Dukes of Argyll and a jewel of Scottish baronial grandeur. Then we cross wild Rannoch Moor and dramatic Glencoe, whose soaring cliffs and storied past frame one of Scotland’s most breathtaking valleys. We settle in beside Loch Leven for dinner and a peaceful evening.

Glenfinnan Monument → Ferry to Skye → Armadale Castle → Inverness

This morning we stand at the Glenfinnan Monument, where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745. Views sweep across the viaduct made famous by “Harry Potter.” We continue to Mallaig and sail to Skye, the “Misty Isle.” At Armadale Castle, Gardens & Museum of the Isles, we discover the legacy of Clan Donald and wander lush grounds above the Sound of Sleat. Returning to the mainland via the Skye Bridge, we trace the shore of Loch Ness toward the Highland capital of Inverness.

Culloden Battlefield → Working Sheepdogs → Pitlochry

At Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, immersive exhibits and the windswept moor tell the story of the 1746 battle that changed Highland life forever. Later, we’re charmed (and impressed) by a Working Sheepdogs demonstration—sheer teamwork between shepherd, dog, and flock. We continue to Pitlochry, tucked amid Perthshire’s rolling hills, and enjoy our hotel’s leisure facilities this evening.

Blair Castle → Pitlochry Dam & Fish Ladder

This morning we visit Blair Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. White-walled and turreted, it holds centuries of Highland history and a unique regiment: the Atholl Highlanders. In the afternoon we discover the ingenuity of the Pitlochry Dam & Fish Ladder—34 pools that allow Atlantic salmon to bypass the dam to reach Loch Faskally. With luck, we’ll spot fish making their storied journey upstream. Dinner back at the hotel.

Glamis Castle → St Andrews → Edinburgh & The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

We begin today at Glamis Castle, childhood home of the Queen Mother and the setting of Shakespearean legend. Then it’s seaside St Andrews for free time to explore the medieval cathedral ruins, the university quads, and the Old Course vistas. By afternoon we reach Edinburgh, check in, and prepare for a night like no other - The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Staged on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade since 1950 unites massed pipes and drums, military bands, precision drill teams, dancers, and international performers. Against the floodlit fortress, fireworks and projection mapping ignite the night as the Lone Piper closes the show from the battlements. Born as a post-war celebration of Scottish spirit and service, the Tattoo has grown into a global spectacle that still feels deeply personal—stirring, ceremonial, unforgettable. Evening coach transfers are included.

Edinburgh Panoramic & Castle

A half-day panoramic tour reveals New Town’s Georgian elegance and Old Town’s Royal Mile, from Holyrood to the Castle rock. We then enter Edinburgh Castle to see the Honours of Scotland (Crown Jewels), the Stone of Destiny, St. Margaret’s Chapel, and sweeping views across the city. The afternoon is free—perhaps whisky tasting, a literary pub walk, the National Museum, or shopping along Princes Street and George Street.

Depart Scotland

With hearts still echoing the pipes, we transfer to Edinburgh (EDI) airport for our flights home—carrying stories of lochs and glens, islands and castles, and a Tattoo night we’ll never forget.