Can I combine an Outer Hebrides and Orkney private tour?
Absolutely. Standing within the towering Calanais (Callanish) Stones on the Isle of Lewis, then exploring the exceptionally preserved Neolithic village of Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, and Maeshowe chambered cairn on Orkney is one of the great prehistoric journeys in Europe — and combining both island groups into a single extended trip is easier than most people assume.
To understand why combining the Outer Hebrides and Orkney into an extended multi-day private tour is worth the logistical effort, you have to look at what makes these two island groups so distinct:
- Outer Hebrides (The West): Home to the Calanais Stones — a cross-shaped setting of ancient Lewisian gneiss erected over 5000 years ago on a ridge above a sea loch. These are not a tourist reconstruction. They are exactly where they have always stood, in the landscape that shaped them, on an island on the edge of the Atlantic. Standing among them is unlike anywhere else in Scotland.
- Orkney (The North): Home to the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Skara Brae is older than the pyramids and better preserved than almost any other Neolithic settlement — you can look directly into the stone-built homes of people who lived there 5000 years ago. The Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe complete a trio of sites that together represent the most significant concentration of Neolithic monuments in Western Europe.
How to combine the Outer Hebrides and Orkney tours
The most rewarding way to structure this trip is by splitting it into two dedicated island private tours with a built-in mainland breather between them in Inverness.
How many days do I need for the Outer Hebrides?
We begin by heading west from Inverness. The 4 Day Outer Hebrides Private Tour takes you across the Minch to delve into the rich archaeological and cultural landscapes of Harris and Lewis. The tour is designed to give you ample time to experience Calanais and the island's other ancient sites without rushing.
Where should I stay between island tours?
After catching the ferry back to the mainland and arriving in Inverness, we break the west and northern journeys with a relaxed free day resting in the city. Alternatively, for those interested in a touring day, I can offer a Highland Day Tour Extension from Inverness that includes visits to Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns in the morning, along with your choice of either Elgin Cathedral and Pictish Stones in historic Moray, or Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. The price for this Highland Day Tour Extension is £650.
What is included in the Orkney tour?
Refreshed from your mainland break, you head north through spectacular coastal scenery to catch the ferry to Orkney. The 4 Day Orkney and Highlands Private Tour covers 5,000 years of history including Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe and the Broch of Gurness, along with Kirkwall, St Magnus Cathedral and the Italian Chapel.
How do I enquire about the tour?
The first step is simply to email me directly at info@thehebrideanexplorer.com with your tour preference and ideal travel dates. I will then reply with availability and a detailed tour quotation (with absolutely no obligation to proceed at this stage) — I usually reply to enquiries within 24 hours.
P.S. — Of all the combined itineraries I guide, this is the one guests most often describe as the trip of a lifetime. Two island groups, five thousand years of history, and landscapes that feel as though very little has changed since the people who built those stones were alive. If you have the time to do both, do both.