Small group tours of Scotland & Ireland

Scotland & Ireland Snapshot

Come with us on our small group tour of Scotland and Ireland! Striking green hills dotted with sheep, megalithic Celtic stones, friendly locals speaking Gaelic, small villages with cobblestone streets, cozy “singing” pubs, ancient churches, the Scottish Highlands, picturesque castles, mountains and lochs. Optional add-on to attend the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Emerald greens, Scottish whisky, Irish beer, lively pubs, smoked wild salmon, historic castles, the Irish Cliffs of Moher, the Beara Peninsula, the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Skye.

DETAILSITINERARYPHOTOS

Tour Dates: May 10 – May 25, 2024, Aug 24, 2024 – Sept 8, 2024

Tour Price: $8,399

Tour price includes:

Airport transfers*
14 nights in charming, elegant country houses and inns: Edinburgh (1), Inverness (1), Isle of Skye (2), Oban (1), Glasgow (2), Dublin (2), Kenmare (3), Doolin (2)
All breakfasts and 11 dinners
Full-time tour leader
Transportation by comfortable mini-coach
Ferry from Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland
Highlights in Scotland: Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Inverness, Isle of Skye, Portree, Fort William, Glencoe, Oban, Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond, Glasgow
Highlights in Ireland: Dublin, Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, Kenmare, Beara Peninsula, Bantry Bay (Ilnacullin Gardens), Ring of Kerry, Killarney, Doolin, Burren region, Cliffs of Moher, Galway
Local, expert-guided tours in Edinburgh and Dublin
Whisky-tasting lesson in Scotland and visit to Oban distillery
All tour guides, museums, and entrance fees
All tips and taxes

Tour price is per person based on double occupancy. Single supplements are available for those traveling alone who would like their own room.

*Airfare not included, but Olde Ipswich Tours can assist with flight booking.

Scotland & Ireland Itinerary

Depart the US, flying overnight to Edinburgh.

DAY 1, EDINBURGH: Arrive at this wonderful, lively city, and enjoy a walking tour with a local guide. Welcome dinner.

DAYS 2-4, INVERNESS / ISLE OF SKYE: Overnight in Inverness. Host gives us a whisky-tasting lesson in the pub. Search for Nessie on Loch Ness, and visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle. Spend two nights on the Isle of Skye, and have a full day to explore this beautiful island. See the most photographed castle in Scotland, Eilean Donan.

DAYS 5-7, OBAN / GLASGOW: See the spectacular scenery of the Glenfinnan Gorge (the “Harry Potter bridge”), and spend a day in the beautiful Highlands village of Oban. Try Oban whisky! Spend two nights in Glasgow. Visit historic Stirling Castle, and dine on Glasgow’s newly-discovered gourmet cuisine.

DAYS 8-9, DUBLIN: Take a ferry ride to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and then drive to Dublin to spend two nights and a day exploring this energetic capital city. See the ancient Book of Kells in the historic Trinity College Library.

DAYS 10-12, KENMARE: Stop at the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle on the way to the beautiful west coast, County Kerry. Spend three nights in Kenmare, an iconic picturesque Irish town, full of pubs and good restaurants and with an ancient Celtic stone circle. Explore the Beara Peninsula, Ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park, and the island gardens of Ilnacullin in Bantry Bay.

DAYS 13-14, DOOLIN: Stay at a lovely castle-hotel overlooking the ocean in Doolin, County Clare. Walk along the 700-foot high Cliffs of Moher. Experience one of Doolin’s singing pubs for a taste of live, traditional Irish music. Visit the lively town of Galway. Gourmet farewell dinner.

DAY 15: Depart for Shannon Airport for the flight home.