The Edinburgh Military Tattoo brings the pomp and pageantry of the world’s finest martial bands to the courtyard of Edinburgh Castle. You’ll enjoy this one-of-a-kind event before embarking on a tour of the untamed Scottish Highlands, where you’ll visit an 18th-century whisky distillery, search for the Loch Ness Monster and wander through ancient castles.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Edinburgh aboard an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Edinburgh

Welcome to Scotland! A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Enjoy free time to relax or begin acquainting yourself with Edinburgh. At an included dinner this evening, meet your fellow travelers.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Edinburgh

A local guide leads this morning’s comprehensive tour of Edinburgh from the elegant Georgian New Town to the Royal Mile. The tour includes a visit to Edinburgh Castle, whose fortifications perch atop an extinct volcano crater in the heart of Edinburgh. View the Scottish crown jewels as well as the Stone of Scone, returned to Scotland in 1997, a full 700 years after an English king stole it away. Then make a stop at the Edinburgh Tattoo Museum for a comprehensive look at the history of this great event. This afternoon, enjoy free time in Edinburgh. Browse enticing shops along the Royal Mile or tour Holyroodhouse Palace, where you’ll hear fascinating accounts of murder and intrigue during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. Alternatively, join an optional, Mary Queen of Scots & Jedburgh. Tonight, prepare for the spectacle of a lifetime as you join thousands under the lights of Edinburgh Castle for an evening of military bands, dance and performances. The Military Tattoo is about to begin!
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Edinburgh Castle and Military Tattoo Museum

$49 USD

Mary Queen of Scots & Jedburgh Journey southeast of Edinburgh today for a visit to Jedburgh. Located in the historic Scottish Borders district, Jedburgh is home to a 12th-century abbey, which you'll visit on an included tour. Later, continue on to the Mary, Queen of Scots House and the Jedburgh Castle Jail.

Day 4 - Edinburgh

Today is free to continue your explorations of Edinburgh. For great views, climb to the top of the Walter Scott Monument, overlooking the Royal Mile, or to Calton Hill, which takes in the Firth of Forth and Arthur’s Seat. Or opt to journey to St. Andrews. This “birthplace of golf” is also famous for its historic university, its castle, cathedral and dramatic coastal setting. The excursion includes a visit to the British Golf Museum.
Included meals: breakfast

$79 USD

St. Andrews St. Andrews is a renowned university town, but it's better known as the birthplace of golf. On this excursion, you'll pass by the 16th-century grounds of St. Andrews University, the alma mater of luminaries including Prince William. You will also pass by the ruins of the town's cathedral and castle. Later, visit the British Golf Museum, where you’ll discover how golf transformed from a Scottish pasttime into a global obsession.

Day 5 - Inverness

On your way north to Inverness, stop in Perthshire, the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, for a visit to Blair Castle and the 18th-century Whisky Distillery, one of the oldest and purest distilleries in Scotland. Arrive in Inverness later this evening and check in to your hotel.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Blair Castle and Whisky Distillery

Day 6 - Inverness

Hugging the base of the scenic River Ness, the city of Inverness is truly a hidden gem with some of the friendliest locals in Scotland and a fine collection of shops, pubs and museums. Discover the city on your own today. You might wish to take a city tour or a river cruise. Or join an optional excursion to historic Culloden Moor, site of the last battle fought on British soil, and Cawdor Castle, the fictional home of Macbeth. The excursion also includes a visit to the Clava Cairns, location of some of the oldest megalithic structures in all of Britain.
Included meals: breakfast

$75 USD

Culloden Moor & Cawdor Castle Culloden Moor witnessed one of Scotland’s most devastating military losses in 1746, when the troops of Prince Charles Edward Stuart faced the British army, commanded by the Duke of Cumberland. Travel to the battlefield and its visitor center to hear a fascinating and detailed account of the poorly matched battle. Your next stop is Cawdor Castle, the fictional setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The well-maintained castle remains vibrant today, and as you walk through its halls and chambers, you can view family portraits, tapestries and elegant furniture representing 600 years of royal history. Please note: In the event that Cawdor Castle is closed on the day of your excursion, you will instead travel to Brodie Castle.

Day 7 - The Highlands

Continuing westward along the Great Glen and towards the Caledonian Canal, stop at Loch Ness, home of the legendary Loch Ness monster, or Nessie, as she is affectionately called. You’ll visit the Loch Ness 2000 Exhibition, view a full-scale replica of the famed creature and see an audio-visual exhibit detailing the myths, sightings and history surrounding the loch. There has been some amazing footage recorded through the years. One of the most intriguing is a vacation photograph of London bank manager James Currie taken in 1938, which shows a long neck and a small pointed head protruding from the water. The film footage is so secretive that it is rumored to be locked up in a London bank vault. You’ll also get a sense of the unique geology of Loch Ness. More than 600 feet deep at some locations and with an extremely flat bottom, it’s the perfect location to hide a monster. Arrive later in the western Highlands region, where dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Loch Ness 2000 Exhibition

Day 8 - The Highlands

The scenery around the Western Highlands is some of the world’s most naturally breathtaking. On a free day, you might explore the traditional Scottish town of Fort William, a great base for ascents to Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Or join a memorable excursion to Eilean Donan Castle and the Isle of Skye. The castle is the most photographed in the world, dramatically situated in the middle of Loch Duich. The isle, meanwhile, is as close as you can get to a time warp. Here is a land of craggy highlands, otherwordly coastline and small country villages where Gaelic is still spoken. Dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

$99 USD

Eilean Donan Castle & Loch Ness Set on a tiny island in the middle of a loch, one look at Eilean Donan Castle and you'll know why it's the world's most photographed castle.

Day 9 - Glasgow

Drive through historic Glencoe, site of the notorious 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan, and take the high road to the bonny banks of Loch Lomond as you travel through the Trossachs to Glasgow, Scotland’s “second city.” An expert local guide leads this afternoon’s tour of Glasgow, which prospered in Victorian times and has recently again come to cultural prominence after being honored as the 1990 European City of Culture as well as the U.K. City of Architecture and Design. Pass through the city’s bustling heart in George Square and along the banks of the River Clyde. Also included in your tour is a visit to the renowned Burrell Collection, whose 8,000 exhibits feature everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts to Rodin sculptures. Tonight enjoy a Farewell dinner with your group.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 10 - Glasgow

If you are not staying for our tour extension in Glasgow, a Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)