Sights of Scotland Tour

Your journey begins on your overnight flight.

If you purchased airline tickets from YMT, a representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening with your fellow travelers (included). (D)

Your first full day in Scotland starts with a comprehensive tour of Edinburgh. The beautifully maintained capital city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and tour highlights include the Royal Scottish Academy, The Georgian House, and St. Giles Cathedral, as well as The Scottish Parliament, and Greyfriars Bobby. Your final stop this morning is Edinburgh Castle, home to the Scottish Crown Jewels, the Stone of Destiny, and Edinburgh’s oldest building, St. Margaret’s Chapel. Admission to the castle is included for you to enjoy a self-guided tour. The guided portion of the day concludes at lunchtime, after which you are free to remain in the city and explore on your own, or you can join our afternoon optional tour. (B)

Visit one of the most historically significant places in all of Britain—the iconic Scone Palace in Perth. Home of the Earl of Mansfield, it has been the seat of parliaments and the crowning place of the Kings of Scots since the ninth century. Continue to the Highlands to enjoy some free time, including a stop for lunch in the town of Pitlochry. Today, you’ll also visit the Leault Working Sheepdog Farm for a 45-minute demonstration of up to eight dogs working as a team to herd sheep. Meet the sheepdogs, see the lambs, and perhaps take part in shearing a sheep. Keep an eye out for the Highlander cows that also roam around! En route to the hotel, see Britain’s tallest mountain range in Cairngorms National Park. Upon arrival at your hotel in Inverness, enjoy an included dinner. (B, D)

Our first stop this morning is the historic battlefield site of the bloody Battle of Culloden Moor. Enjoy an innovative interactive exhibit about the battle, as well as a guided visit of the battlefield. Continue to Cawdor Castle, an ancient medieval fortress with three very different and extraordinary gardens. Explore the grounds and castle on a self-guided audio tour before continuing to a whisky distillery for an informative tour and tasting of beautiful Scotch Whisky! (B)

Enjoy stunning views of Inverness as you make your way into the Great Glen, and Loch Ness. Up to 755 feet deep in places, the murky lake has plenty of hiding space for the mythical Loch Ness Monster, or “Nessie.” Take a short scenic cruise across the loch to Urquhart Castle to explore the ruins dating back to the 13th century. After stopping for lunch in Fort Augustus, continue on to the Commando Memorial, a commemorative statue that serves as a tribute to soldiers who served in WWII. Next, enjoy a stop at a woolen mill for some souvenir shopping End your day at Fort William in the early evening. (B)

Your tour takes you to the Isle of Skye, one of the Inner Hebrides islands. On the way, enjoy a photo stop at Eilean Donan Castle before crossing the bridge onto the Isle of Skye. Your tour of Skye will include several photo stops to take in the stunning scenery and picturesque mountains. Stop for lunch in Portree, the largest town and the capital of the Isle of Skye. End your day with a short ferry crossing to take you back to the mainland, and enjoy dinner (included) upon arrival at your hotel in Fort William. (B, D)

Travel along the rugged shoreline into Argyll. Visit Inveraray Castle, built in 1743 in the Gothic Revival style, and see the extensive collection of pikes, muskets and other weaponry. Enjoy a short break on the banks of Loch Lomond, the largest lake in the country, and continue into Glasgow, the biggest city in Scotland. (B)

During a panoramic morning city tour, see the remnants of the monastery at Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis, an ancient cemetery in the middle of the city. Visit Glasgow Green, The Kelvingrove Art Gallery, and George Square, named after King George III and the de facto center of Glasgow. The rest of the afternoon is yours. Join us later for our farewell dinner. (B, D)