5 Day Orkney Islands and North Coast 500 Tour from Edinburgh

Orkney is the heart of this trip. In just five days, you reach 5,000-year-old stone circles, ancient homes at Skara Brae, a wartime chapel, Highland whisky country, and the sea cliffs of northern Scotland. I especially like the time given to Orkney’s ancient sites and the chance to see both the North Coast 500 and the west coast on the way home.

I also like the small group of no more than 16 people, which makes short walks and ferry crossings easier to manage. Guides Calum and Karen bring geography, history, and Scottish lore to the long drives. The main drawback is the pace: you cover a huge amount of ground, and several optional admissions, meals, and snacks cost extra.

Key points at a glance

• Orkney’s Stone Age sites: See the Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe, and Skara Brae across two full days.
• A true northern Scotland route: Combine the Cairngorms, North Coast 500, John O’Groats, Caithness, Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond.
• Two ferry crossings included: The price covers the voyage to Orkney and the return ferry to mainland Scotland.
• Flexible small-group touring: A maximum of 16 people allows the guides to adjust parts of the day when practical.
• Whisky and wartime history: Stop at Dalwhinnie Distillery and Scapa Distillery, plus the Italian Chapel built by Italian prisoners of war.
• Many extras to budget for: Add admission costs for Culloden, Dunrobin Castle, distillery tours, Maeshowe, Skara Brae, and a Loch Ness cruise.

Why this five-day route works

This is not a slow country-house holiday. It is a packed road trip through northern Scotland, with long stretches in a minibus broken up by short walks, viewpoints, historic sites, and town stops. You leave Edinburgh at 8:30 a.m. from 256 to 260 Morrison Street and return there on the fifth day.

I like the way the route mixes famous places with sites that are easy to miss on a first visit. Loch Ness and John O’Groats draw the crowds, but Clava Cairns, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the Grey Cairns of Camster, and the Orkney stone circles give the trip its real character.

The price is $928.87 per person. That is a serious outlay, but it includes transport for five days, both Orkney ferry crossings, guided short walks, and visits to the Standing Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. You still need to pay for food and several major sights, so the final cost will be higher. Still, arranging this route alone would mean coordinating ferries, distant accommodation, driving, and a long list of remote stops.

Day 1: Cairngorms, Culloden, and Inverness

The first morning heads north from Edinburgh into Cairngorms National Park. You get about 90 minutes for a woodland walk. This is a good opening to the trip because it lets you stretch your legs after the early start and introduces the broad Highland scenery that continues for much of the week.

Lunch is planned in Aviemore, a practical base in the Cairngorms. You have about an hour there, enough for a meal and a short look around. Aviemore is known for nearby lochs, old forests, mountain paths, and ski runs, so the stop gives you a sense of how the area serves as an outdoor center.

Dalwhinnie Distillery follows, with about 30 minutes at the bar or shop. This is more of a tasting or browsing stop than a full whisky visit. If you want a formal distillery tour, the listed whisky fees apply elsewhere on the route, and admission is not included.

Culloden Battlefield gives the first major history lesson. You have 90 minutes to consider the Jacobite uprising, the civil conflict, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. You can walk the battlefield without paying, but entry to the Culloden Moor Visitor Centre costs about £15. I would treat the paid center as optional if you mainly want the open battlefield and the story from your guide.

Clava Cairns is a short but memorable stop. The burial site and standing stones date back more than 4,000 years, and its nearness to Culloden creates a striking contrast between Scotland’s ancient past and its much later political conflicts. You have only 30 minutes here, so expect a focused visit rather than a long archaeological walk.

The day finishes with two hours of free time in Inverness. That is useful for getting a meal, seeing a little of the city, and resting before the northern drive. The order of stops may feel full, but it gives you a broad first day: forest, battlefield, prehistoric stones, whisky, and a Highland town.

Day 2: The North Coast 500 and the ferry to Orkney

Day two takes you north from Inverness along a section of the North Coast 500. About three hours are devoted to the route itself, with the road, sea views, and changing scenery providing much of the experience. This is a day for looking out the window as much as getting out of the vehicle.

At Latheronwheel Harbour, you have about 25 minutes for a coastal walk. The stop is brief, but the cliffs and sea give you a sharp taste of the northern coast. Wear shoes you can walk in, since the trip includes repeated short walks rather than only roadside photo stops.

The ferry crossing to Orkney is included, as is the return crossing later in the trip. The voyage from St. Margaret’s Hope takes about 90 minutes on day four, while the first crossing is part of the journey north. Ferry times and sea conditions can shape the feel of the day, so keep some patience in reserve.

Orkney’s Italian Chapel is one of the most personal stops on the route. Italian prisoners of war built and decorated the chapel during World War II. You have 30 minutes here, and admission is not included. Its story adds a human scale to a day otherwise dominated by roads, water, and wide open views.

Scapa Distillery receives two hours, giving you time for a formal visit and whisky tasting. The distillery fee is not included and is listed at about £22. If whisky is important to you, this is one of the optional costs worth considering. If it is not, you may prefer to save the money and enjoy the surrounding area instead.

You spend the next two nights in Kirkwall, Orkney’s capital. The town offers quiet streets, shops, and cafes, which makes it a useful base after a long day. The small group matters here. With no more than 16 people, moving from ferry to town and fitting in multiple stops should be less cumbersome than with a large coach party.

Day 3: Orkney’s 5,000-year-old heart

Day three is the strongest archaeological day. You begin in Kirkwall with about 75 minutes and the chance to see St. Magnus Cathedral in the center of town. The schedule also gives you time to get your bearings before heading into Orkney’s famous prehistoric center.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairn dates back about 5,000 years. The visit lasts around 90 minutes and includes an expert guide. Admission costs about £11 and is not included. This is one of the places where paying extra can make sense, since the interior and its construction are difficult to understand from the outside alone.

The Standing Stones of Stenness are included, and you have about 45 minutes to see them. These tall stones date back more than 5,000 years. Nearby foundations from ancient homes help connect the monument to daily life. You are not only looking at isolated stones, but also considering how people lived, gathered, and built in the same period.

The Ring of Brodgar receives another 45 minutes. It is one of Scotland’s largest stone circles, and its scale becomes clearer when you walk around it rather than simply photograph it from a distance. The open setting and short walk make this a good place to pause and let the guide explain how the monuments fit together.

Skara Brae is the day’s final major site. You have one hour to see the preserved Stone Age homes, including beds, shelving, and the outlines of rooms. Admission is about £13 and is not included. This is an important extra because the remains offer a rare look at domestic life, not just ritual structures.

The tradeoff is time. An hour at Skara Brae gives you a meaningful visit, but not an unhurried one. Still, the sequence of Maeshowe, Stenness, Brodgar, and Skara Brae is the clearest reason to choose this tour over a route focused only on scenery.

Day 4: John O’Groats, ancient tombs, and coastal ruins

The return ferry from St. Margaret’s Hope takes about 90 minutes. Once back on the mainland, you stop at John O’Groats for 25 minutes. The village is small, and the main goal is a photo at the famous fingerpost marking Scotland’s northern mainland settlement.

John O’Groats is a quick landmark stop, not a full town visit. I would enjoy it for what it is, take the photo, and save your expectations for the quieter places that follow.

The Grey Cairns of Camster offer a more hands-on ancient site. You get about 45 minutes and the chance to crawl on your hands and knees into the center of a burial cairn. Good mobility is needed, and cramped spaces may be uncomfortable. This is a practical detail to take seriously, since the experience is not suitable for everyone.

Castle Sinclair Girnigoe brings the route back to the coast and to a much later period. The 16th-century fortress is now a ruin, but its position gives you broad views of the sea and surrounding country. You have about 45 minutes, enough for a walk and photographs.

Dunrobin Castle and Gardens looks like a fairy-tale castle, with a history reaching back to the 13th century. The visit lasts about an hour and includes the chance to see grand rooms and gardens above the coast. Admission costs about £15, so decide ahead of time if the interior matters to you. If you skip entry, the grounds and exterior still provide a worthwhile stop, though the schedule is short.

You return to the Inverness area for the evening. After the ferry, coastal ruins, a cramped cairn, and a castle, this is another full day. The route works best if you see the driving as part of the experience rather than expecting every stop to be lengthy.

Day 5: Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond

Loch Ness begins the final day. You have two hours and the option of a cruise, which costs about £15. A cruise gives you a different view of the famous water and a chance to look for Nessie, but it is not required to enjoy the stop.

Glencoe is next, with about 45 minutes in one of Scotland’s most dramatic valleys. This is a short visit, so you will mainly take in the views and hear about the area from the guide. The stop works well as a final reminder of how much the scenery changes across the Highlands.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park receives about an hour. The focus is on scenery, wildlife, culture, and local history, with time at selected locations rather than a long walk. You then spend about four hours moving through the Scottish Highlands before returning to Edinburgh.

That final driving stretch is worth noting. The day includes several famous names, but it is not a relaxed final afternoon. You should expect a scenic sendoff with plenty of time on the road.

What your $928.87 covers, and what it does not

The strongest value comes from the logistics. The tour handles the long-distance driving, ferry crossings, and remote northern route, while keeping the group to 16 people. You also receive guided short walks and included access to the Standing Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar.

Budget separately for:

• Meals and snacks
• Culloden Moor Visitor Centre, about £15
• Dunrobin Castle, about £15
• Whisky distillery fees, about £22
• Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, about £11
• Skara Brae, about £13
• Loch Ness cruise, about £15

If you paid for every listed option, you would add about £91, before food. You can control the final cost by choosing only the places that matter most to you, but you should not mistake the advertised price for an all-inclusive total.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this trip if you want Scotland’s major northern sights but do not want to drive the full route yourself. It suits anyone who values archaeology, Highland scenery, short walks, ferry travel, whisky, and local stories in one compact journey.

It is also a good fit if Orkney is your main goal. Two nights in Kirkwall and a full day among the prehistoric sites give Orkney real weight, rather than treating it as a rushed day excursion.

I would hesitate if you need slow mornings, long visits at each attraction, or plenty of free time. The tour is not recommended for people with mobility or walking problems. The Grey Cairns of Camster require crawling, and several days combine long drives with multiple stops.

The guides can make a big difference. Calum and Karen are named as the guides for this experience, and their role includes Scottish geography, history, and folklore. The trip also allows some changes when practical, which is useful in a small group, though you should not expect major changes to the route.

Booking and cancellation details

Confirmation arrives when you book, and mobile tickets are accepted. The tour is offered in English and starts at 8:30 a.m. near public transportation at 256 to 260 Morrison Street in Edinburgh.

You can cancel for a full refund at least six full days before the start time. Cancellation two to six full days ahead receives a 50 percent refund. Less than two full days ahead is nonrefundable. The operator also requires a minimum number of people, so a cancellation for that reason brings the choice of another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a big Scotland sampler with Orkney at its center. The ancient sites on day three, the included ferries, and the small group give it strong value for a five-day route that would be awkward to arrange alone.

Skip it if your ideal holiday means lingering for hours at each castle, walking long trails, or setting your own pace. For an active visitor with limited time, though, this is an impressive sweep of northern Scotland, with enough archaeology and local storytelling to make the miles worthwhile.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

It starts at 8:30 a.m. at 256 to 260 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8DT. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately five days.

What is the maximum group size?

The group has a maximum of 16 people.

Are the Orkney ferry crossings included?

Yes. The ferry to Orkney and the ferry back to mainland Scotland are included.

Are meals included?

No. Meals and snacks are not included, so you need to budget for them separately.

Are attraction admission fees included?

Some stops are free, including the Standing Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. Extra fees apply for Culloden Moor Visitor Centre, Dunrobin Castle, whisky distillery visits, Maeshowe, Skara Brae, and the Loch Ness cruise.

Is the Loch Ness cruise included?

No. The cruise is optional and costs approximately £15.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility problems?

The tour is not recommended for people with mobility or walking problems. The Grey Cairns of Camster also require crawling into a cramped space, so good mobility and comfort with confined areas are important.