Wild Scottish Isles
Wild Scottish Isles
Wild Scottish Isles
8 Days Starting in Belfast and ending in Edinburgh
Visiting: Scotland, United Kingdom
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ZAW
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
50 - 130
Physical rating:
Leisurely / Moderate
Age range:
17 to
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
History comes to life as you view important Neolithic monuments—the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae—and other architectural wonders, from Mousa’s Iron Age broch and 12th-century Iona Abbey to the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Check In To The /Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast/.
Meals Included: dinner
Check in to the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast, with the rest of the day at
leisure to explore the city on your own. Gather at the hotel this evening for
a welcome reception and dinner.
*Accommodation*: The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast
Day 2 : Depart Overland For Portrush For A Visit To The World Heritage Site Of Giant’S Causeway.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Depart overland for Portrush for a visit to the World Heritage Site of
Giant’s Causeway. This three-mile section of coastline is a geological
masterpiece—some 40,000 closely-packed hexagonal columns of varying heights
line the coast and descend like a staircase into the sea. Embark the /Greg
Mortimer/ and, after lunch, go ashore on the Isle of Islay for a tour of the
Ardbeg Distillery.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 3 : Weather Permitting, Spend The Morning Exploring The Uninhabited Island Of Staffa By Zodiac And Its Most Famous Feature, Fingal’S Cave.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Weather permitting, spend the morning exploring the uninhabited island of
Staffa by Zodiac and its most famous feature, Fingal’s Cave. The cave’s
peculiar rock formations and unusual coloring are a delight to behold, and
the wonderful echo of the sea from within served as the inspiration for
Mendelssohn’s /Hebrides Overture/.
In 563 AD the Christian missionary, St. Columba, built a monastery on Iona
and spread Christianity throughout Scotland. Though the monastery suffered
repeated attacks by Vikings over the centuries and the original was
destroyed, it was rebuilt each time and some of these later buildings still
stand. Visit the monastery site; the nearby cemetery of St. Oran, where
numerous Scottish kings are buried; and the 12th-century Iona Abbey.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 4 : Spend The Morning At St. Kilda.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Spend the morning at St. Kilda, once home to a small community, evidenced by
abandoned houses and /cleits/, beehive-shaped cells where goods were stored.
Spend the afternoon cruising among the Flannan Islands—puffins, fulmars,
murres, and kittiwakes should be plentiful.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 5 : Arrive In The Capital City Of Kirkwall On Mainland Island In The Orkneys Today For Visits To The Magnificent St.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Arrive in the capital city of Kirkwall on Mainland Island in the Orkneys
today for visits to the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral and some of the
island’s major archaeological sites. Visit the enigmatic Standing Stones of
Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae, a remarkably well-preserved
Stone Age village buried in sand some 4,500 years ago. Return to Kirkwall for
an afternoon walking tour of this charming city.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 6 : This Morning Enjoy A Guided Walking Tour Of Lerwick, Capital Of The Shetland Islands, Which Are Steeped In Norse Heritage.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
This morning enjoy a guided walking tour of Lerwick, capital of the Shetland
Islands, which are steeped in Norse heritage. After the tour there will be
free time to stroll the narrow streets and browse the many shops, or raise a
pint at the local pub. After lunch on board, cruise to the Isle of Noss,
where spectacular cliffs support a large and diverse seabird colony, home to
80,000 seabirds—guillemots, razorbills, gannets, shags, and more. This
evening go ashore at Mousa to view one of Britain’s finest Iron Age ruins,
an unusually well-preserved 40-foot broch, a dry stone structure, dating from
about 200 AD.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 7 : One Of The Most Isolated Settlements In The British Isles, Fair Isle Is Renowned For The Quality And Intricacy Of Its Handmade Sweaters, Using Local Wool.
Meals Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
One of the most isolated settlements in the British Isles, Fair Isle is
renowned for the quality and intricacy of its handmade sweaters, using local
wool. It is also famous as a haven for seabirds, including gannets, murres,
black-legged kittiwakes, numerous gull species, and a large colony of
puffins. After a short walk, join some of the 70 islanders at their community
center for tea and cakes, and a visit to the local museum.
*Accommodation*: The Greg Mortimer
Day 8 : Disembark In Aberdeen This Morning, And Enjoy A Scenic Drive To Edinburgh.
Meals Included: breakfast
Disembark in Aberdeen this morning, and enjoy a scenic drive to Edinburgh.
Board your independent homeward flight.
What's Included
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Medical expense coverage and emergency evacuation insurance
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Gift certificates for recommended expedition gear
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Daily activity options including cultural tours, nature walks, and Zodiac cruises
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All gratuities
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All accommodations
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World-class lecture and expedition team
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All onboard meals and group meals ashore, including soft drinks, beer, and wine with lunch and dinner
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All entrance fees, taxes, and landing and port charges
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Arrival and departure transfers on group dates
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners.
What's Not Included
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Passport and/or visa fees
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Email/Internet/fax/telephone charges
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Airfare from your home city/Belfast and Edinburgh/home city
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Airport arrival and departure taxes
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Excess baggage charges
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Transfers for independent arrivals and departures
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Travel insurance
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Items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcoholic beverages (other than listed at left), and other incidentals
Food
Accommodation
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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