private Orkney tours from Edinburgh
Discover the intriguing Orkney Islands on a 7-day private tour from Edinburgh
Join us for an unforgettable adventure as we discover the beauty of the Orkney Islands on a private tour from Edinburgh. Depart from your selected accommodation in Scotland’s capital city. Our 7-day trip to the Orkney Isles is completely customisable, and you can extend your stay when making your booking, if dates are available. Your small private group will also have the chance to visit various other Scottish attractions during your enchanting adventure.
7-Day Orkney Itinerary Highlights from Edinburgh at a glance
Day 1 – Kelpies, Doune Castle, The Hermitage
Overnight Nairn
Day 2 – Cawdor Castle, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield
Overnight Nairn
Day 3- Scenic Drive to Orkney, Kirkwall, St Magnus Cathedral
Overnight Kirkwall
Day 4 – Orkney Day Tour
Overnight Kirkwall
Day 5 - Depart Orkney, Dunrobin Castle
Overnight Nairn
Day 6 - Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Great Glen, Glencoe, Loch Lomond
Overnight Glasgow
Day 7 - Stirling Castle – Feed the Hairy Heilan Coos at Kilmahog – Loch Lubnaig
Complete Orkney Tour in Edinburgh
7 Day Orkney Itinerary from Edinburgh
Day 1 – Edinburgh to Nairn
Join Tour Guide Scotland on a trip of a lifetime to the Orkney Isles from Edinburgh. Our first day on route to Orkney, we stop at the iconic Kelpies Statues in the Helix Park. The Kelpies are the tallest equine statues in the world, towering up to 100 feet into the Scottish skyline.
We then travel on a short journey to Doune Castle in Stirlingshire. Doune Castle was built in the 14th century for The Duke of Albany, known as Scotland’s uncrowned King. The castle has been featured in many movies and TV shows, such as Outlander, The Game of Thrones, and Monty Python’s Holy Grail.
We shall then partake in a delightful lunch at the Lion and Unicorn Inn, serving fine food and ale since 1635.
Continuing northwards through Perthshire, we stop at The Hermitage and stretch our legs on a short forest walk through the Douglas Fir Pine Trees to view the thunderous Black Linn Falls on the River Brann.
Finally, we journey through the Scottish Highlands to Nairn, where we will make our first overnight stop.
Day 2 – Day Tour of Moray
Before travelling on to Orkney, we will spend the day in the picturesque, Scottish Highlands. Our first visit of the day will take us to pay our respects at the eerie, atmospheric, Culloden Battlefield, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s campaign to take the British throne came to an end in the last pitched battle on British soil on April 16, 1746.
From Culloden, we will journey on to Clava Cairns to view the prehistoric standing stones and burial cairns the, followed by lunch at the quaint Cawdor Tavern.
In the afternoon, we will explore the ever popular tourist attraction, Cawdor Castle and its lush gardens and forest. We will then spend a second night in Nairn.
Day 3 – Nairn to Orkney
Leaving bright and early from Nairn, we travel north through the charming Scottish Highlands to begin our exciting adventure to the Orkney Isles. From there, we will take the Northlink Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.
The sail over the Pentland Firth, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea, is approximately 90 minutes, sailing past the iconic, Old Man of Hoy.
Once ashore, we will visit Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney, having plenty of time to explore the town centre, before continuing on to the ancient, Saint Magnus Cathedral.
Saint Magnus Cathedral, also known as the ‘Light in the North,’ was founded in 1137 by Viking Earl Rognvald in honour of his uncle, St Magnus, who was martyred in Orkney.
In the evening, we will be spending the first of two nights in Kirkwall.
Day 4 – Day Tour of Orkney
After a hearty breakfast, we will journey on to Skail Bay to see the spellbinding ancient Skara Brae stone village, estimated to be 5000 years old, making them older than the Egyptian Pyramids! This is indeed a must see historical site. In addition to this, we can take some time to visit the nearby Skail House, before driving on to view the enigmatic ceremonial site Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle and Henge, dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. Whilst in the area, we will also visit the Standing Stones of Stenness.
In the afternoon, we will head to Orkney’s Broch of Gurness, an ancient broch with a Viking village built on it. If time allows, we will drive over the Churchill Barriers to Lamb Holm in the Orkney’s to visit the simply charming, ornate, Italian Chapel before overnighting once more in Kirkwall.
Day 5 – Orkney to Nairn
This is our last morning in Orkney before sailing back to Scrabster, on the Scottish mainland from Stromness. On the agenda, is a visit to the delightful stately home, Dunrobin Castle, which is often called the Jewel in the Crown of the Scottish Highlands.
Dunrobin Castle has a rich history, dating back to the early 1300s, and it was the residence of the Earls and later the Dukes of Sutherland. The castle’s striking conical spires make it look like a French château. It is situated on the east coast of the Northern Scottish Highlands, offering stunning views overlooking the Moray Firth, just north of Golspie and Dornoch. Dornoch is known for its cathedral and the esteemed Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
After visiting Dunrobin Castle, we will head south for an overnight stay in Nairn on the Moray Coast.
Day 6 - Nairn to Glasgow
On Day 6, we will travel south to Dores at Loch Ness before continuing through Scotland’s Great Glen to Fort William. Additionally, there is an optional visit to the Nevis Range. There, you can enjoy an incredible gondola ride, the only one of its kind in Britain, reaching heights of 650m. This gondola was initially built on the north face of Aonach Mòr, the 8th highest mountain in Britain, to transport skiers to the slopes.
Our journey will then take us to the atmospheric Glen Coe Mountain Range, where we will stop for a photo opportunity. We will then continue south to the picuresque, Loch Lomond and finally arrive at the vibrant city centre of Glasgow for our overnight stay.
Day 7 – Glasgow to Edinburgh
Having rested and breakfasted in the largest city in Scotland, we leave behind the “Dear Green Place” of Glasgow, and travel onwards to the iconic, splendid Stirling Castle, situated on a volcanic crag. Referred to as the “brooch” that binds Scotland’s Highlands and Lowlands, this medieval fortress has housed the Stewart monarchy for over three centuries.
After exploring the castle, we will take a short journey for lunch at The Lade Inn in the Trossachs National Park. Having had our fill of Scottish fayre, we make a brief visit to Kilmahog, to feed our friends, the hairy heilan’ coos.
In the afternoon, we take a leisurely drive to the tranquil, freshwater, Loch Lubnaig near Callander. The loch is nestled in the space between Ben Ledi and Ben Vorlich.
We will then make our way to Edinburgh where we will complete our outstanding, Orkney Tour.
Extend and Customise your trip to Orkney from Edinburgh
When booking, you have the option to shorten or extend your Orkney Tour from Edinburgh. If you are short on time, you can visit the islands over five days. If you would like to extend your stay, you can book more nights on Orkney or even consider visiting Lewis and Harris and the Isle of Skye in a bespoke tour of Scotland. It is also possible to depart from any location.
Check availability and how to book your Orkney Tour from Edinburgh today!
Please feel free to reach out to us to discuss your requirements for your private Orkney Tour from Edinburgh, check availability, and make a booking. Let us help you to design your perfect Scottish adventure.
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