Scotland · ORKNEY ISLANDS TOURS
Orkney means a ferry across the Pentland Firth and a long day either side of it. The 15 below cover Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and Scapa Flow, priced and clear about the sailing times that shape the whole trip.
Join Orkney Travel at Stromness for a five-and-a-half-hour small-group tour, limited to eight people. Guides such as Rachel, Iain, Dougie, and Garry lead you to Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Stenness, Yesnaby, and Kirkwall, with local stories along the way.
“Great tour, very interesting and informative. Our tour guide Iain was very knowledgeable and made the tour interesting.”
Travel from Edinburgh through the Highlands to Orkney in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach. Your driver-guide, such as Martin, Karen, or Jodie, handles the roads and stories while you visit Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Italian Chapel, Culloden, and more. Four breakfasts and selected admissions are included.
“Tour and Guide, Keith were excellent. Only reason one star was kept back was accommodation. Hotel in Inverness was of a good standard, but we were locked out, the key not working and no-one answered the emergency number. A customer had to let us in. Hotel in Kirkwall was very good. Hotel in Ullapool was very tired with black mould on the bathroom tiles, broken toilet seat and broken bath panel. Not what we would expect. All in all the trip was very good and we could not fault the actual trip.”
Travel from Kirkwall in a small group of up to 14 with local guides such as George, Rachel, Garry, or Ron. Visit 5,000-year-old Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Yesnaby Cliffs, Birsay, and Kirbuster Farm Museum, with Skara Brae admission included.
“Wspaniała wycieczka, która pozwoliła mi zwiedzić najważniejsze miejsca na wyspach. Na początek niespodzianka- nasz przewodnik zabrał nas do Yesnaby, z którego mogliśmy zobaczyć The Old Man of Hoy. Mieszkańcy wysp nazywają siebie Orkadianami, co przywodzi na myśl starożytną Arkadię- krainę szczęśliwości. I taką się wydaje Skara Brae. Trzeba tam być, by poczuć ten klimat, tę błogość płynącą z otaczających widoków. Sama osada i pobliskie kamienne kręgi zrobiły na mnie wrażenie trudne do opisania. To trzeba samemu przeżyć.”
Travel by private vehicle with a local guide such as Chris, Garry, or Dougie, stopping at Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Stenness, the Italian Chapel, Yesnaby Cliffs, and Scapa Flow. Pickup is available anywhere in Orkney, making this a smart choice for cruise and ferry visitors.
“Great tour, Chris was waiting for us when we got off the ferry and was very polite and friendly from the outset. He is really knowledgeable about all the sites we visited and made our day very enjoyable. Thanks Chris you’re an asset to your company.”
Spend about six and a half hours touring Orkney from Kirkwall Pier with a professional English-speaking guide. Visit ancient stone circles, Broch of Gurness, the Italian Chapel, St. Magnus Cathedral, and Kirkwall. Guides such as Michael, Iain, Lorraine, and Chris are known for lively local commentary.
“It was an outstanding experience. Our guide Lorraine proved to have a great knowledge of history and archeology and gave us a complete lesson on the places that we visited. The driver was excellent.”
Travel from Edinburgh through the Highlands, Orkney, Skye, and the North Coast 500 in a group of up to 16. You’ll see Culloden, Skara Brae, Dunrobin Castle, Eilean Donan, Glencoe, and the Jacobite Steam Train, with seven B&B nights and breakfasts included.
“We had a wonderful time on our 8 day tour with Highland Explorer Tours. Although we drove over 1100 miles during the trip, we never felt like we were in the van too long, because we stopped every hour or two, and our driver/guide, Ali P., told stories about the places we were visiting, and we also enjoyed listening to and talking about her playlists. The scenery on the Northcoast 500 was stunning. We saw so many beautiful and interesting places each day. Although the van held 16, we had 13 people in the group, so it was very comfortable. Our group got along very well, and it was interesting…”
Travel from Inverness to Orkney in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach, with two nights in Kirkwall. Your driver-guide handles the roads, ferries, and timing while you visit Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, Stenness, and the Italian Chapel.
“All the stops were great but we most enjoyed Day 2 Neolithic historic areas. Every spot was fantastic and the views along the coastal areas were amazing! Far exceeded expectations! James had terrific knowledge to share and was very attentive and accommodating!”
Travel with a private local guide from Kirkwall to Orkney’s finest prehistoric and wartime sights. See Scapa Flow, Unstan Chambered Cairn, the Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, Skaill House, and the Italian Chapel, with pickup and entry to Skara Brae included.
“The guide was very knowledgeable and courteous. Although he had a set itinerary, he willingly added a stop. I very much enjoyed the tour!”
Join Orkney-born guide Calum for a private five-hour drive through the island’s standout sights, including Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Yesnaby Cliffs, Unstan Chambered Cairn, and the Italian Chapel. Pickup is available across Orkney, including Hatston Pier.
“Wonderful full day. Callum was fantastic. Very nice young man, very knowledgeable, took the time to explain everything to us and answered all of our questions. He even had a little gift for us from his wife. Really enjoyed our day on this private tour with him.”
Spend seven hours with Paul of JP Orkney exploring Orkney Mainland in a private electric vehicle. Visit the Italian Chapel, Scapa Flow, ancient stone circles, Skara Brae, and Brough of Birsay, with local stories, site admissions, and time for lunch included in the day’s plan.
“Our family was so fortunate to take this tour with Paul. We booked it well in advance as we knew he was good per his reviews. It did not disappoint. Paul was so personable, knowledgeable and engaging. We learned so much at each of his stops, and thoroughly enjoyed each one. He made us feel so comfortable and by the end of the day he felt like part of our family. Orkney is a beautiful part of Scotland and Paul is very proud to show it off!”
Spend eight days touring Scotland from Edinburgh through Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Skye, Loch Ness, and Orkney. Expect B&B stays, ferries, ancient sites, and local driver-guides such as Brodie, Kenny, or Jim, with room for occasional off-route stops.
“Overall, a wonderful experience. Our guides, Brodie and Kenny, were fantastic! Both were so knowledgeable about the locations and the associated history and legends. Brodie even got most of the group together one evening in a pub to enjoy traditional Scottish music and dance. Kenny managed to veer off the beaten path to show us sites that weren't necessarily on the itinerary, but were remarkable. We always felt safe with both of them. Both were safe drivers on some challenging roads. The B&Bs were a little hit and miss. Our expectation was that they would be better than they were, given what we paid. Two B&Bs were very nice. The…”
Travel from Edinburgh through Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Inverness, and Orkney on a five-day small-group tour. A driver-guide such as Stefan or Iain leads the route, with ferries, four nights’ lodging, breakfast, Maeshowe, Skara Brae, Culloden, and Dunrobin Castle included in the plan.
“Great guide who knew the island and went above and beyond to give a great experience. Saw more than was given in the internary.”
Travel with a maximum of 16 people from Edinburgh through the Cairngorms, Inverness, Orkney, John O’Groats, Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond. Guides Calum and Karen add local history and folklore, while ferries, short walks, and key Orkney sites are built into the five-day route.
“An absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. The tour operator - Scotland's Wild - did a great job in every detail. We greatly appreciated both the planned itinerary and the opportunities to make changes as needed. The guides - Calum and Karen - were great company and really enhanced the trip with their knowledge of Scottish geography, history and lore. I particularly valued the many stops at ancient archaeological sites, especially on Orkney, and every stop on every day added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the trip.”
Travel from Inverness to Orkney by ferry and minibus with a local driver-guide, two nights in Kirkwall, and included entry to Maeshowe, Skara Brae, and the Italian Chapel. The compact group visits Neolithic sites, wartime landmarks, St Magnus Cathedral, and Dunrobin Castle before returning to Inverness.
“Pick up in Inverness was efficient, all travel arrangements went according to plan, very good driving and tour commentary from our guide, thankyou. Accommodation in Orkney was a bit hit and miss as we were scattered over a wide area. I booked B and B accommodation but had not realised that I might be parked well out of the town centre. My B and B was very good, but with hindsight I would go for a hotel. Most tour operators lodge all guests together, which for a solo traveller is less isolating. We were advised to buy the all in one pass for attractions mine at concession rate was 15,…”
Spend about seven hours with Calum, a fifth-generation Orcadian guide, on a private tour of Orkney’s best-known historic sites. Visit Skara Brae, Maeshowe, Ring of Brodgar, Saint Magnus Cathedral, Yesnaby Cliffs, and more, with a flexible route for your group.
“My husband and I spent a wonderful day with Calum exploring Orkney. Our tour included learning some of the history of Orkney, experiencing nature, feasting at a scenic restaurant and even learning a “peedie” bit of the Orkney language. CalRead more”
Pick a loch, a castle or a still house.
