Departing Inverness with a morning drive to the far North of Scotland and the ferry port of Scrabster near Thurso. The drive north covers wonderful coastal scenery and normally takes around 3-4 hours including photo stops and a brief visit to the historic town of Dornoch. Our 1½ hour ferry journey across the Pentland Firth to Orkney includes a great view of the Old Man of Hoy before our arrival in Stromness. The mid-afternoon is focused on a tour of Skara Brae, a stunning 5000 year old Neolithic village settlement – one of the highlights of the trip to Orkney. We end the day with a short drive to Kirkwall for our overnight stay.
A full day on the Orkney mainland that includes a visit to Maeshowe Neolithic chambered tomb. We also explore the Neolithic standing stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar and the 2000 year old Broch of Gurness. After visiting the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barriers, the late afternoon is spent in Kirkwall at St Magnus Cathedral and the Earl’s Palace. After an evening meal in Kirkwall we catch the late ferry (11.45pm) from Kirkwall for an overnight sailing to Lerwick in Shetland.
Arriving in Lerwick harbour in the early morning (7.30am), we enjoy breakfast on the ferry before exploring the south mainland of Shetland. Sumburgh Head is our first stop – a haven for seabirds (including puffins from mid-May to July). Next is Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse settlement which spans over four thousand years. The afternoon takes us on a beautiful coastal drive to the breath-taking St Ninian's Isle where you can hike across the sands to the island before we return north to Lerwick for our overnight stay.
A day to explore the most northernly inhabited island in Scotland – Unst. Departing from Lerwick we drive north to catch the 20-minute ferry crossing to Yell. After a scenic drive through Yell we take the short 10-minute ferry crossing to Unst. We spend the late morning and early afternoon exploring the island, with visits to Muness Castle, Haroldswick, Burra Firth and Saxa Vord, before our return to Lerwick in the late afternoon.
Departing from Lerwick we head towards the north Shetland mainland. Arriving at Eshaness we savour the dramatic cliffs and sea stacks of Shetland’s stunning coastal landscape. We then enjoy a scenic drive around Scalloway and Burra before returning to Lerwick. The afternoon includes a visit the Shetland Museum and some free time to meander through Lerwick town and harbour. In the late afternoon we board the ferry from Lerwick for an overnight sailing to Aberdeen (departing at either 5.30pm or 7pm depending on travel dates).
Arriving into Aberdeen harbour in the early morning (7am) we enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the ferry before heading east towards to Elgin to explore the stunning seven hundred year old ruins of Elgin Cathedral and the Pictish standing stones of the area. The afternoon takes us back to Inverness where we end the tour with a visit to the four thousand year old burial cairns and standing stones at Clava followed by a guided walk of Culloden Battlefield.
During our time in Orkney we include an additional day and overnight stay in Kirkwall. Along with a more relaxed pace during our time in Orkney, we have some free time in Kirkwall and explore more of Orkney's dramatic coastline around Birsay and Yesnaby. There is also the option to take a whisky distillery tour (advance booking required) at Highland Park or Scapa (home to a beautiful tasting room overlooking Scapa Flow).
Alternatively, for those interested in Orkney's wartime heritage we could spend the extra day visiting the stunning island of Hoy – a 35 minute ferry crossing from the Orkney mainland across Scapa Flow (advance booking required). Along with time at the Scapa Flow Museum, we tour across Hoy to explore the breath-taking scenery of Rackwick Bay.
May to September:
6 Day Tour – £5300
7 Day Tour – £6100
Depart Inverness (8:30am)
Return Inverness
(6 or 7 Days)
The 6 day tour is available on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday start days from Inverness.
The 7 day tour is available on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday start days from Inverness.
Tours are exclusively for your private group only (up to 3 persons) and prices are per tour. I only offer private tours and do not combine individuals or separate groups – if your group size is less than 3 the advertised tour price still applies. Prices include standard ferry tickets, all taxes and an experienced driver/guide and historian (John Alasdair Macdonald).
Your accommodation costs, overnight ferry cabin costs (details below), entrance fees and meals.
I recommend that you book accommodation in Kirkwall (Day 1) and Lerwick (Day 3 and 4) to make the most of your trip. Whilst I do not book accommodation for you I am happy to help with advice on where to stay and eat. The tour quote will include a list of accommodation recommendations and suggestions for overnight locations.
During this tour we will take two overnight ferry sailings where you can book overnight en-suite cabins. Prices depend on your cabin choice (for example, for 2026 bookings, a twin outer cabin in peak season is between £153 and £190 per cabin depending on class). The tour quote will include full details of the cabin options and their current prices. More information about the cabin choices can be found on the Northlink Ferries Website.
The tour itinerary is based on experience, previous clients feedback and timings. However, I have some flexibility and the tour itinerary can be adapted (in advance) to suit specific requests if possible. For example, for those with an interest in Shetland wool and knitwear, this tour can be adapted to include a tour of the Shetland Textile Museum, visits to Jamieson & Smith and Jamieson's of Shetland retail outlets in Lerwick, and the Shetland Woollen Co. in Hoswick along with the nearby visitors centre. Please let me know any requests through the 'Extra Information' section when completing a Tour Enquiry Form.
Absolutely! For those that have enjoyed the Shetland TV series, many of the sites we visit have been shown across the episodes, and along with plenty of time in Lerwick to explore familiar views, no trip to Shetland would be complete without a walk along the waterfront past DI Jimmy Perez's house!
Shetland is a haven for seabirds and we spend time at Sumburgh Head where puffins are common from mid-May to July.
Day 2 is a long extended tour day due to the late night boarding for the overnight ferry (our only ferry option for a tour that includes Orkney and Shetland). We will start at 9am and tour around Orkney until 5pm. After a leisurely evening meal in Kirkwall, we take a final scenic drive (approx. 1 hour) before joining the ferry queue by 10pm. The ferry generally arrives into Kirkwall at 11pm and we are usually in our cabins by 11.45pm. The ferry arrives in Shetland at 7.30am the following morning and we will leave the boat by 8.30am. To ensure a comfortable first day in Shetland, we tend to finish our touring by the mid-afternoon so that you can relax in Lerwick. To visit Shetland (only) without this late departure on the overnight ferry, please consider the 5 Day Shetland and Highlands Tour from Inverness.
Shetland is in the North Atlantic and the seas can be choppy during ferry sailings even in the summer months, though most are comfortable crossings. Ferry sailings are generally reliable in the summer months, but delays and cancellations can occasionally occur. While we cannot be responsible for any extra accommodation, food or other costs that clients may incur due to ferry delays and cancellations, we will make every effort to adapt the tour to minimise disruption. Please note that no refunds will be given for tour and itinerary changes due to ferry changes and cancellations.
The Scottish Highlands and Islands are renowned for changeable weather and even in the summer months we are likely to experience some wet and windy weather conditions on tours. Shetland, in particular though, is a land of 'four seasons in one day'! As such we always recommend a light waterproof jacket for all tours and decent footwear that you do not mind getting a little bit muddy or wet.
