Scotland

Arrive in Inverness and transfer to the hotel for a welcome reception and dinner with fellow travelers.

Enjoy a hearty Scottish breakfast at the hotel before venturing to Speyside Cooperage, the only working cooperage in the UK, located in the heart of Speyside Malt Whisky Trail. Then take a walk along River Spey, one of Scotland's finest salmon rivers, and a visit to Walkers Shortbread, located within the same small community of Aberlour for over 100 years. Enjoy lunch at the Victorian Dowans Hotel, set high above the picturesque Spey Valley, then return to Inverness for an afternoon of independent exploration.

This morning visit Culloden, the battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite forces were defeated in 1746. Learn about the mass expulsion of Catholic clansmen that followed, known as the Highland Clearances. Afterward, travel to Clava Cairns to see the standing stones and passage tombs of this sacred burial site from the Bronze Age. Enjoy lunch in a local pub before traveling to Kyle of Lochalsh on the Isle of Sky to embark Lord of the Glens in the late afternoon. Tonight, enjoy a reception and welcome dinner onboard, followed by a performance by junior Scottish dancers.

This morning enjoy a guided coastal walk or a visit to nearby Eilean Donan Castle.  Head south to Armadale where we trace the legacy of the 1,300-year-old Clan MacDonald, who once ruled the west coast of Scotland, at the Museum of the Isles. See the ruins of Armadale Castle, ancestral home of the MacDonalds, and take a walk through the beautiful woodlands and gardens. Later sail to the tiny village of Inverie, where we sip a drink at the Old Forge, the most remote pub in the British Isles.

Sail west to either Eigg or Rum, depending on weather conditions. The islands have small populations of less than one hundred people. Watch for marine animals and birdlife, including dolphins, Atlantic seals, minke and humpback whales. On Eigg, walk or cycle around the island trails, enjoy views of the imposing crag of Sgurr and talk with the local residents. Alternatively on Rum, we visit fanciful Kinloch Castle. Sail south and overnight at the picturesque fishing community of Tobermory. A member of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust joins us this evening for a talk on marine conservation in these waters.

Cross the Isle of Mull to join the ferry to Iona where you’ll explore the medieval abbey ruins. Stroll through St. Oran’s Chapel and the royal graveyard where Scottish kings, including Macbeth, are buried. Back on Mull, visit Duart Castle, the ancestral home of Clan MacLean that was built in the 13th century and is still inhabited by the MacLean family today. Rejoin our ship and cruise the dramatic Sound of Mull to Oban, set on a picturesque bay on the Firth of Lorn. There is time to explore this lively town on foot, visiting a whisky distillery and McCaig’s Folly, a monument on a hill overlooking the town and bay that was inspired by the Roman Colosseum. This evening, enjoy a whisky tasting onboard ship.

Sail through Loch Linnhe to the town of Sail Loch Linnhe to the town of Corpach. Drive to Glenfinnan to explore the spectacularly scenic location now famous for Harry Potter or choose to explore Loch Linnhe by kayak from our moorings in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain.

This morning, enter the Caledonian Canal, built between 1803 and 1822 to connect Loch Linnhe with the three other lochs that lie in the slip fault of the Great Glen.  Ascend Neptune’s Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks that raise the ship 64 feet from sea level. Sail onward across picturesque Lochs Oich and Lochy before descending 106 feet at Laggan Locks, home of the tree-lined canal known as Laggan Avenue. Spend the evening in Fort Augustus where an evening hike will be offered.

Descend an impressive flight of locks that run through the heart of Fort Augustus to enter Loch Ness.  Arrive in Inverness for an afternoon visit to Leanach Farm where you’ll learn about Scottish farming history and be mesmerized by a sheepdog demonstration.  These highly trained and irresistibly sweet working dogs will showcase their skills in controlling and manipulating the herd with astonishing precision and coordination in response to a range of calls and whistles, each unique to the dog and the command. This evening, celebrate our voyage at a farewell dinner onboard the ship.

Disembark in Inverness and transfer to the airport for homeward-bound flights, or to Edinburgh for those joining the post-trip extension.