Scotland's Highlands & Islands

Fly overnight and arrive in Inverness. Board Lord of the Glens and settle into your cabin. Gather for a reception and dinner on board, and a performance by junior Scottish dancers. (Day 2: D)

Visit Culloden, the infamous battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite forces were defeated in 1746. The battle was brief but bloody and decisive, with as many as 2,000 Jacobites killed or wounded. It had drastic consequences for the Scotland Highlands and was followed by the infamous Highland Clearances that saw the mass explusion of Catholic clansmen from their homes, and in many cases, from their country. Our visit includes both the battlefield and the award-winning visitor center, the National Trust for Scotland's flagship site. See the standing stones and passage tombs of Clava Cairns, dating from the early Bronze Age. The impressive structures of this sacred site were developed for over a thousand years. This afternoon, set sail on 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. Enter Loch Ness, where we’ll learn about the legendary monster said to inhabit the loch. Ascend an impressive flight of locks that run through the heart of Fort Augustus to moor at the top of the village. Set out on a hike this evening. (B,L,D)

Continue along the Caledonian Canal, ascending to 106 feet at Laggan Lock, after gliding along the tree-lined canal known as Laggan Avenue. Sail onward across picturesque Lochs Oich and Lochy before descending Neptune's Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks dropping 64 feet to the sea loch at Corpach. From Corpach, drive to Glenfinnan to explore the spectacularly scenic location now famous for Harry Potter, or chose to explore Loch Linnhe by kayak from our moorings in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. (B,L,D)

Sail through Loch Linnhe to the town of 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, we have a whisky tasting onboard ship. (B,L,D)

Sail to the Isle of Mull, in the Inner Hebrides. Drive across Mull, then cross to Iona by ferry to explore this picturesque island. Explore the island, which is of vital historic importance. Saint Columba arrived here in 563 with twelve followers, built a church, and began the process of converting the peoples of the area to Christianity. Iona became famous as a place of learning and as a pilgrimage site. Visit the medieval abbey ruins and the rebuilt abbey church. Stroll through St. Oran’s Chapel and the royal graveyard where Scottish kings, including Macbeth, are buried.

On Mull, visit Duart Castle. The ancestral home of Clan MacLean—an impressive fortress (with a dungeon!) with dramatic views over the Sound of Mull—was built in the 13th century, and is still lived in by the MacLean family. Re-joining our ship, we sail the dramatic Sound of Mull for our overnight berth at the picturesque fishing community of Tobermory. This evening, we plan to meet with a member of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust to learn about their efforts to protect marine mammals in these waters. (B,L,D)

Sail north to either Eigg or Rum, depending on weather conditions. The islands have small populations of fewer than one hundred souls, but teem with wildlife. Look for marine animals and birdlife, including Atlantic seals, minke and humpback whales, dolphins, basking sharks and harbour porpoises, and one of the largest colonies of Manx shearwaters in northern Europe. If we visit Eigg, we’ll have the chance to walk or cycle around the island trails, enjoy views of the imposing crag of Sgurr, and talk with the local residents. If we visit Rum, we’ll visit fanciful Kinloch Castle, completed in 1900 as the home of Sir George Bullough, who had purchased the island with money he had earned as a textile magnate. The castle is now managed by Scottish National Heritage.

Then sail to the tiny village of Inverie, where you can have a drink at the Old Forge, the most remote pub in the British Isles. (B,L,D)

Continue north to the Isle of Skye. At the Museum of the Isles, trace the legacy of the 1,300-year-old Clan MacDonald, the Lords of the Isles, who once ruled the west coast of Scotland. See the ruins of Armadale Castle, ancestral home of the MacDonalds, and take a walk through the beautiful woodlands and gardens.

Then sail for Kyle of Lochalsh. Set out on a guided walk on the Balmacara Estate, affording spectacular coastal and mountain views. Alternatively, explore nearby Eilean Donan Castle, which sites on a tidal island at the confluence of three lochs, and is connected by causeway to the mainland. A Jacobite stronghold, it was destroyed by government forces in 1719 but restored in the early 20th century. 

Celebrate your voyage with a farewell dinner onboard. (B,L,D)

Disembark in Kyle of Lochalsh and drive through the highlands to Inverness. Then transfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)

Arrive in Inverness, transfer to Kyle of Lochalsh, and embark Lord of the Glens overlooking the Isle of Skye. Tonight, enjoy a reception and welcome dinner onboard, followed by a concert of Scottish traditional music by local musicians. (Day 2: D)

This morning, explore Kyle of Lochalsh. Set out on a guided walk on the Balmacara Estate, affording spectacular coastal and mountain views. Alternatively, explore nearby Eilean Donan Castle, which sites on a tidal island at the confluence of three lochs, and is connected by causeway to the mainland. A Jacobite stronghold, it was destroyed by government forces in 1719 but restored in the early 20th century. Return to the ship for lunch as we sail over the sea to the Isle of Skye.

This afternoon, visit the Museum of the Isles, tracing the legacy of the 1,300-year-old Clan MacDonald, the Lords of the Isles who once ruled the west coast of Scotland. See the ruins of Armadale Castle, the ancestral home of the MacDonalds, and take a walk through the beautiful woodlands and gardens.

We then sail to the tiny village of Inverie and stop at the Old Forge, the most remote pub in the British Isles, where you can chat with Inverie’s residents over a pint of local ale. (B,L,D)

This morning, sail south to the Small Isles to land on Eigg or Rum, depending on weather conditions. The islands have small populations of fewer than one hundred souls, but teem with wildlife. Look for marine animals and birdlife, including Atlantic seals, minke and humpback whales, dolphins, basking sharks and harbour porpoises, and one of the largest colonies of Manx shearwaters in northern Europe. If we visit Eigg, we’ll have the chance to walk or cycle around the island trails, enjoy views of the imposing crag of Sgurr, and talk with the local residents. If we visit Rum, we’ll visit fanciful Kinloch Castle, completed in 1900 as the home of Sir George Bullough, who had purchased the island with money he had earned as a textile magnate. The castle is now managed by Scottish National Heritage.

We continue aboard Lord of the Glens to the picturesque town of Tobermory. The colorful village was established in 1788 and is famous for the brightly painted houses that line its waterfront, located at the bottom of a cliff face. This afternoon, explore the town and visit its small whisky distillery. This evening we plan to meet with a member of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust to learn about their efforts to protect marine mammals in these waters. (B,L,D)

This morning, sail along the coast of Mull to Craignure, then drive to the ferry that will take us to Iona. Explore this picturesque island, which is of vital historic importance. Saint Columba arrived here in 563 with twelve followers, built a church, and began the process of converting the peoples of the area to Christianity. Iona became famous as a place of learning and as a pilgrimage site. We’ll visit the medieval abbey ruins and the rebuilt abbey church. Stroll through St. Oran’s Chapel and the royal graveyard, were generations of Scottish kings (including Macbeth), the Lords of the Isles, and High Kings of Norway were buried.

On the way back to Craignure, visit Duart Castle. The ancestral home of Clan MacLean—an impressive fortress (with a dungeon!) with dramatic views over the Sound of Mull—was built in the 13th century, and is still lived in by the MacLean family. Then, sail across the Sound of Mull to the bustling town of Oban, set on a picturesque bay on the Firth of Lorn, where we stay for the evening. If you wish, walk all the way up to McCaig’s Folly, a monument on a hill overlooking the town and bay that was inspired by the Roman Colosseum. This evening, we have a whisky tasting onboard. (B,L,D)

This morning, Lord of the Glens sails to Corpach, where we 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. Kayak from our Corpach moorings in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain. Or choose to drive to beautiful Glenfinnan, along Loch Sheil and surrounded by mountains, where Bonnie Prince Charlie first raised the Jacobite standard on mainland Britain in 1745. Explore the spectacularly scenic location, home to the Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct on the West Highland Railway line, made famous in the Harry Potter movies. We moor at Corpach for the night. (B,L,D)

From Corpach, we ascend Neptune's Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks rising 64 feet from the sea lock at Corpach. We sail into Loch Lochy, glide along the tree-lined canal known as Laggan Avenue, sail across picturesque Lochs Lochy and Oich, and descend an impressive flight of locks that run through the heart of Fort Augustus. Seeing the process of getting the ship through the locks is always exciting, and Lord of the Glens is purpose-built to fit in the locks’ narrow confines. The ship is always an object of curiosity among local residents and other visitors as we make our transit. This evening, we moor at Fort Augustus, with a chance to take an exploratory hike through the surrounding countryside. (B,L,D)

Enter Loch Ness, cruise past the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle, a Norman castle on an Iron Age site, and learn about the legendary Loch Ness Monster, which is said to inhabit the loch in this vicinity. Continue through Loch Dochfour to Inverness.

This afternoon, we visit Culloden, the infamous battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite forces were defeated on April 16, 1746. The battle was brief but bloody and decisive, with as many as 2,000 Jacobites killed or wounded. It had drastic consequences for Scotland's Highlands and was followed by the infamous Highland Clearances that saw the mass expulsion of Catholic clansmen from their homes, and in many cases from their country. Our visit includes both the battlefield and the award-winning visitor center, the National Trust for Scotland’s flagship site. We continue to the evocative burial chambers and standing stones of Clava Cairns, dating from the early Bronze Age. The impressive structures of this sacred site were developed for over a thousand years.

Tonight, enjoy a reception and dinner onboard, with a special after-dinner performance in the lounge by a local troupe of junior Scottish dancers. (B,L,D)

Disembark in Inverness and transfer to the airport for homeward-bound flights. (B)