• 5 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Dinner (D)

• London: You’ll need Essential Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)From?January 8, 2025, UK law means that if you’re entering/transiting through border control in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland you’ll need an?Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)?before you travel. Confused? Don’t be – just read on here.
• London: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.

• Mallaig: We’ll visit Helix Park, home to The Kelpies (horse statues, standing at 100ft tall & weighing more than 300 tonnes each). It’s a wonder to behold. Plus, there’s also an adventure play park with woodlands and boardwalks for some added fun. 
• Stirling: Explore the sights of Stirling and get a selfie with the memorial to the iconic Scottish knight.
• St. Andrews: If you like golf, you’ll love St Andrews. But if you think it spoils a nice walk in the park, there’s also Swilcan Bridge.
• Loch Ness: Sit back, relax and cruise along the loch with your Contiki crew. But keep your eyes peeled and camera ready for mythical ‘Nessie’.   
• Scottish Highlands: Ever wondered how native animal species – like the Scottish Red Squirrel, Lynx and Beavers – are reintroduced into the wild? Come learn about it all from an expert (who’ll also tell you how the Caledonian pine forest is being reforested too!). Every penny you spend here will directly support Trees for Life, a TreadRight supported project.

Visit Helix Park to admire The Kelpies, Andy Scott’s monumental steel horse heads rising nearly 100 feet above the canal. Stroll the boardwalks and landscaped paths, learning how draft horses once powered industry along the Forth & Clyde Canal, and pause for photos and reflection beside these gleaming modern icons.

Interpretive displays reveal how this reclaimed green space links communities and waterways around Falkirk. The sculptures’ shifting reflections and latticework steel echo Scotland’s engineering heritage while celebrating working horses that shaped the nation’s story.

Explore Stirling’s cobbled lanes and viewpoints overlooking Stirling Castle, a royal fortress perched on a volcanic crag. From the town’s historic heart, capture sweeping vistas toward the National Wallace Monument and the surrounding lowlands, where Scotland’s destiny was fought and forged.

Local insights bring to life the battles of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn and the strategic pass between Highlands and Lowlands. This is a compact immersion into power, pageantry, and the landscapes that shaped a nation.

Walk the medieval streets of St Andrews to the windswept shoreline, passing collegiate quadrangles and the haunting cathedral ruins. Take a moment by the Old Course and Swilcan Bridge, where golfers have crossed for centuries, and breathe the salt air rolling in from West Sands.

Hear how the University of St Andrews, Scotland’s oldest, shaped scholarship and town life. Between cathedral ruins and storied fairways, the town’s layered heritage unfolds in stone, turf, and sea light.

Set out to cruise Loch Ness, gliding over deep, peaty waters framed by steep, forested slopes. Listen to onboard commentary about the Great Glen fault as you scan the surface for the legend of ‘Nessie’ and admire the brooding Highlands in winter light.

From the loch you’ll view the dramatic silhouette of Urquhart Castle, a medieval stronghold guarding this vast waterway. The stillness, scale, and geology combine to create a misty Highland atmosphere that’s uniquely evocative.

Pause in Aviemore to take in crisp mountain air and views toward the Cairngorms National Park. Wander the village and nearby trails for vantage points of snow-dusted peaks, mirror-like lochs, and ancient pinewoods that define this highland landscape.

In winter, the light is low and silvery, the pine-scented air sharpened by frost. This stop captures the vastness and quiet drama of Britain’s largest national park without needing a strenuous hike.

Discover the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, where guides explain how the Caledonian Forest is being restored across Glenmoriston. Learn about native trees—Scots pine, birch, and rowan—and how species like red squirrel and beaver are returning to a richer, wilder ecosystem.

Exhibits and trails reveal conservation science and Gaelic cultural ties to the land. Your visit supports Trees for Life and their long-term vision, as you learn from conservation guides working to revive a landscape once common across the Highlands.

Taste your way through Scotland’s spirit as you sample regional whiskies with a local expert in Edinburgh. Compare Highland smoothness, Speyside fruit, and Islay’s peat smoke and heather honey notes while learning how barley, peat, and casks shape flavor.

Discover how to learn to nose and sip like a pro, from first aroma to lingering finish. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, ideal for deepening your appreciation of Scotland’s national drink.

Step inside Edinburgh Castle, the fortress crowning an ancient volcanic rock above the Old Town. With a local guide, explore the Great Hall, intimate St Margaret’s Chapel, and ramparts offering panoramic views over the city and the Firth of Forth.

Hear stories of sieges, monarchs, and military history that echo through these walls. This ticketed visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, perfect for history lovers seeking Scotland’s most storied stronghold.

In the Cairngorms, meet a local ranger for a guided walk through ancient Caledonian pinewoods. Learn to read the forest—tracks, calls, and seasonal signs—while discussing habitats that shelter red squirrel, red deer, and rare capercaillie.

Gain insight into wildlife and landscapes shaped by climate and conservation across the Highlands. This guided experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering a deeper, more intimate look at a living ecosystem.

Channel your inner Highlander as you try your hand at archery & axe throwing under expert supervision. Learn stance, aim, and safe technique, then enjoy friendly competition with your group as you’re guided by qualified instructors.

Set against a Highland countryside setting, this outdoor session connects modern fun with age-old field skills. This activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Settle in for a home-cooked Scottish dinner featuring dishes like haggis with neeps and tatties or warming cullen skink, followed by a sweet spoonful of cranachan. Between courses, enjoy a live traditional music session that brings stories and melodies to life.

Soak up Glasgow’s legendary music scene in a convivial setting where musicians trade tunes and banter. This cultural dining experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.