5 Days Orkney Islands & NC500 Tour from Glasgow

Orkney is the star here: you get two full nights among 5,000-year-old stone circles, Viking-era Kirkwall, Skara Brae, and the Italian Chapel, then return by way of the North Coast 500. It is a big sweep of northern Scotland in only five days, with plenty of time outside the bus.

I like the small maximum group of 16, the included Orkney ferries, and the way guides such as John Macrae, Jim, and Calum have added local stories and even surprise birthday cupcakes. The trade-off is a fast pace, several long driving days, and extra charges for major sights such as Maeshowe, Skara Brae, Dunrobin Castle, and a Loch Ness cruise.

Key points at a glance

• Orkney’s ancient heart: See the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe, and Skara Brae across two island days.
• A true small-group format: The tour carries a maximum of 16 people, with some departures operating in a newer, smaller van.
• Ferries are included: Cross to Orkney and back without arranging the island transport yourself.
• A full northern Scotland loop: The route links Glasgow, Inverness, the NC500, Orkney, John O’Groats, the Cairngorms, Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Edinburgh.
• Flexible guiding matters: Past guide names include John Macrae, Jim, and Calum, with the chance for extra stops when the group’s interests allow.
• Budget for admissions: Several headline sights are optional extras, so the advertised price is not the final cost if you want to enter them all.

Why Orkney makes this five-day tour special

Many Highland tours stop at one castle, one loch, and a few roadside viewpoints. This trip goes farther north and gives Orkney a proper place in the schedule. You spend two nights in Kirkwall, rather than racing through the islands in a single day.

That matters because Orkney feels different from mainland Scotland. The tour takes you to ancient stone sites, wartime buildings, a Viking-rooted town, and homes preserved from the Stone Age. The appeal is not one grand attraction. It is the way several modest places fit together into a clear picture of island life across thousands of years.

I especially like the progression on Day 3. You begin in Kirkwall, then move through Maeshowe, Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae. These are not isolated monuments. Together, they show how much planning and work went into Orkney’s early communities.

The group size helps here. With no more than 16 people, the guide can usually explain what you are seeing without turning every stop into a crowded lecture. The available guide names include John Macrae, Jim, and Calum, though your assigned guide is not guaranteed. Their style, based on the information provided, can range from detailed Scottish history to a more flexible approach that allows extra stops when the whole group agrees.

Day 1: Cairngorm forests, Culloden, and the stones at Clava Cairns

The first morning begins at 7:30 am from the taxi rank beside Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow. You head north through the Scottish Highlands toward the Cairngorms National Park, where a roughly 90-minute woodland walk gives you an early chance to stretch your legs.

This is a useful opening stop. After leaving Glasgow, you are not confined to the vehicle for hours. The Cairngorms are known for forests, lochs, mountain paths, and ski areas, and the walk offers a first taste of the quieter side of the region.

Aviemore follows as the planned lunch stop. You have about an hour here, with time to buy food and look around the popular Cairngorms town. Meals are not included, so use this and later town stops to manage your food budget.

Culloden Battlefield gives the day its emotional weight. You have around 90 minutes to learn about the Jacobite Uprising, the civil conflict, and Bonnie Prince Charlie. You can walk the battlefield without paying, but entry to the visitor centre costs about £15 if you want the indoor exhibits and fuller interpretation.

Clava Cairns is only a 30-minute stop, but it is one of the most memorable places on the route. The prehistoric burial site is more than 4,000 years old, with standing stones and ancient tombs in a quiet setting. The short visit will not satisfy anyone wanting a long archaeological study, but it is enough to see why this place has captured so much attention.

Inverness provides two hours of free time. That is enough to eat, shop, or simply get your bearings in the Highland capital. The day ends with a short stop at Dalwhinnie Distillery, where you can have a whisky at the bar or browse the shop. This is a tasting opportunity rather than a full distillery visit, and you should not expect a long production tour from the 30-minute schedule.

Day 2: The NC500 and the sea crossing to Orkney

Day 2 follows a scenic section of the North Coast 500 for about three hours. The route is one of the major reasons to choose this tour over a standard Highland circuit. You see the far north from the road, with time for selected walks and coastal stops rather than simply passing through by coach.

At Latheronwheel Harbor, a 25-minute stop offers a brief coastal walk, cliffs, and sea views. It is short, so wear shoes you can walk in quickly and comfortably. This is one of several stops where the value comes from the setting, not from a formal attraction.

The ferry crossing from St. Margaret’s Hope takes you to Orkney. The ferry is included, which removes one significant piece of planning from the trip. Sea conditions and schedules can affect the feel of the crossing, so keep some flexibility in mind even though the ferry itself is arranged.

The Italian Chapel is a touching and unusual stop. Italian prisoners of war built and decorated the chapel during the Second World War. You have about 30 minutes, and entry is not included. The building is small, so this is a focused visit rather than a long museum stop.

Scapa Distillery receives about two hours. The schedule allows time for a tour and whisky tasting, but the admission fee is not included. Check the current cost before you go, since no exact price is supplied here. If whisky interests you, this is one of the more substantial drinks-related stops on the trip, compared with the shorter Dalwhinnie visit.

You spend the next two nights in Kirkwall. That is a practical choice. It gives you a stable base for the Orkney day instead of changing accommodation every night, and it lets you walk around the town after the main touring day. Kirkwall has quiet streets, shops, cafés, and St Magnus Cathedral at its centre.

Day 3: Four thousand years of Orkney in one day

Day 3 is the strongest part of the tour for anyone interested in archaeology. Start in Kirkwall, with around 75 minutes to explore the town and see St Magnus Cathedral. The cathedral is free to visit according to the tour details, although opening arrangements can vary.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is next, with about 90 minutes and an expert guide. The monument dates back roughly 5,000 years and is one of the places where paying for entry makes the most sense. The fee is listed at about £11, and the guided interpretation helps you understand the engineering and purpose behind the stone chamber.

The Standing Stones of Stenness follow. These tall stones date to the same broad period and are included. Nearby foundations show the remains of homes, helping you connect ceremonial sites with ordinary domestic life. The stop lasts around 45 minutes, enough for a good look but not an extended walk.

At the Ring of Brodgar, another 45-minute stop takes you to one of Scotland’s largest stone circles. The setting is open and exposed, so a waterproof jacket is sensible even on a bright day. The stones are not behind a complicated attraction setup. You walk out, look around, and let the scale of the circle do the work.

Skara Brae is the day’s final major site. Here you see the remains of homes dating back more than 5,000 years, including beds, shelving, and stone-built rooms. The entry fee is about £13 and is not included. The site makes ancient life unusually easy to picture because the layout of the houses is so clear.

The main drawback is time. Five major sites in one day means you will see a lot, but you will not linger everywhere. If you want a slow archaeological holiday, book a longer Orkney stay. If you want the best-known prehistoric sites organized into one day, this arrangement is efficient and hard to duplicate independently without careful planning.

Day 4: John O’Groats, remote ruins, and the mainland return

You leave Orkney from St. Margaret’s Hope and spend about 90 minutes on the ferry back to mainland Scotland. John O’Groats follows, with 25 minutes to walk around the small settlement and take the classic photograph by the finger post.

This is a quick photo stop, not a village tour. It works well if you want to mark the northernmost mainland settlement experience, but it may feel brief if you hoped to explore the area in depth.

The Grey Cairns of Camster provide a more physical archaeological experience. You can crawl on hands and knees into the centre of one cairn, so good mobility is needed and cramped spaces may be uncomfortable. This detail is important. The stop is not suitable for anyone with walking problems or a fear of confined spaces, even though the visit itself lasts only about 45 minutes.

Castle Sinclair Girnigoe gives you coastal ruins and wide views from a 16th-century fortress. The 45-minute stop is enough to explore the remains and take in the setting, though uneven ground may make the visit slower for some people.

Dunrobin Castle and Gardens shifts the mood from ancient ruins to a fairy-tale estate. The castle dates back to the 13th century, with grand interiors and gardens facing the coast. About an hour is scheduled, and entry costs roughly £15. You may need to choose between seeing the rooms carefully and spending time outdoors.

There is also two hours in Inverness, where you stay for the evening. By this point, the day has included a ferry, a photo stop, a cramped cairn, a ruined fortress, and a castle. It is an interesting mix, but it is another busy day with plenty of time spent getting from place to place.

Day 5: Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the road to Edinburgh

The last day begins at Loch Ness. You have about an hour and the option to take a cruise, with the cruise fee listed at about £17. The tour gives you the chance to look for Nessie while seeing the loch from the water, but the cruise is not included.

Glencoe follows with a 45-minute stop. This is one of Scotland’s most dramatic valleys, and even a short visit gives you a sense of its scale and steep surrounding slopes. The stop is mainly about views and atmosphere rather than a long walk.

You then spend about an hour in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The guide covers local wildlife, culture, and history while you visit selected points around the park. Like the Cairngorms stop on Day 1, this gives you a final outdoor break before the long run south.

The route includes roughly four hours in the Scottish Highlands overall on the final day. That means the tour does not finish with a rushed dash from Loch Ness to Edinburgh. You continue through major Highland scenery before reaching The Jolly Botanist on Morrison Street in Edinburgh.

The stated start is Glasgow, but the stated finish is Edinburgh. That makes the tour useful if you want to connect a Glasgow arrival with an Edinburgh departure, but plan your accommodation and onward transport carefully around the 7:30 am start and the final drop-off.

What the $828.18 price really covers

At $828.18 per person, this is not a bargain-basement bus trip. The price makes more sense when you count the two Orkney ferry crossings, small-group transport, guided short walks, and the amount of ground covered in five days.

You are paying for an organized route through places that are awkward to connect without a car. Orkney, the NC500, the far north, Inverness, Glencoe, and Loch Lomond cover a large area. Having the ferry arrangements and route planning handled is a real benefit.

Meals and snacks are not included. You also need to budget for the paid attractions you choose:

• Culloden visitor centre: about £15
• Dunrobin Castle: about £15
• Maeshowe: about £11
• Skara Brae: about £13
• Loch Ness cruise: about £17
• Other listed optional admissions include Balmoral Castle at about £16 and Glenmorangie Distillery at about £22

The supplied route does not list Balmoral or Glenmorangie as scheduled stops, so do not assume those fees will apply to this exact departure. Scapa Distillery also has a separate fee, with no amount specified.

If you enter the main paid sights listed in the route, the extra cost can add up quickly. I would set aside a separate admission and food budget rather than treating $828.18 as the complete trip price.

Who should book this tour

I would choose this tour if you want a broad first look at northern Scotland and prefer a guide to handle the roads, ferry connections, and timing. It suits active people who can manage short walks, long days, changing weather, and several hours in a vehicle.

It is especially good for you if Orkney is the main goal but you also want the Highlands, Culloden, Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the NC500. The two nights in Kirkwall are a meaningful advantage.

I would hesitate if you want slow mornings, long museum visits, or complete control over every stop. The itinerary is packed, and the short visits are designed to show you many places rather than let you study one in depth.

The small group is a major plus. One departure had only five people in a newer comfortable van, while the official maximum is 16. That smaller format can make the long drives easier, and a flexible guide such as Calum may add stops when the group shares an interest. John Macrae and Jim are also named as guides associated with warm, personal service, local stories, and good group care.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at 7:30 am from the taxi rank at Buchanan Bus Station on Killermont Street in Glasgow.

Where does the tour finish?

It finishes at The Jolly Botanist, 256 to 260 Morrison Street in Edinburgh.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately five days.

Are the Orkney ferry crossings included?

Yes. The ferry to Orkney and the ferry back to mainland Scotland are included.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum group size of 16 people.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

Are meals and snacks included?

No. You need to pay for your own meals and snacks during the trip.

Are Maeshowe and Skara Brae included?

No. Entry to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn and Skara Brae is not included. The listed approximate prices are £11 for Maeshowe and £13 for Skara Brae.

Can anyone take part in the tour?

Most people can participate, but the tour is not recommended for anyone with mobility or walking problems. The Grey Cairns of Camster also involves crawling into a cramped space.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want Orkney’s ancient sites and the far north without arranging a complicated self-drive route. You will see an impressive range of Scotland in five days, from prehistoric chambers to whisky distilleries, coastal ruins, castles, lochs, and mountain valleys.

Skip it if your ideal holiday means lingering at every site or avoiding long driving days. For an active first visit, though, the combination of Orkney’s archaeology, a small group, included ferries, and a Highland route ending in Edinburgh gives the price a solid purpose, as long as you budget for admissions and meals.