Scotland's Wild North: 5-Day Orkney & Highland Discovery

Scotland is by far the Most beautiful if all countries I have visited. The driver/guide was without doubt the kindest most efficient and knowledgeable of any with whom I have travelled. His name Sean Gordon 5 star.

First and foremost, our tour guide, Chris, was fantastic! He was knowledgeable and very entertaining. Our primary goal in taking this tour was to visit the Orkney Islands, specifically Skara Brae , Maes Howe and the Ring of Brodgar. We had plenty of time at each of these, and they are all extraordinary sites. We also had a lot of time at Culloden, on the last day of the tour. Seeng the extensive and very well done exhibits in the visitors center really enhanced the experience if the battlefield, as did all of the information Chris imparted over the five days. He gave us a sweeping sense of Scotland's history, from the glaciers that created the landscape to the battles for independence. Of necessity, because we travelled the length and breadth of Scotland, it was a lot of driving. It seemed like we stopped every 90 minutes or so, for bathroom breaks (there is no toilet on the little bus) and to see spectacular views of waterfalls, lochs and neolithic sites. I would have liked to have more time to explore more of the sites we passed along the way like Stirling Castle and where we stayed overnight, like Inverness, but a lot was crammed into the five days. One very welcome surprise was that we stopped to visit the magnificent Kelpies, two 98-foot tall steel sculptures of the mythic horses' heads. They weren't on the itinerary, and I have very much wanted to see them. They didn't disappoint.

Our guide Mac was phenomenal! He shared so much information from history of the clans, nature related topics, movie set locations, and the best spots in each town! The 5 days flew by so fast, we wish we had more time. Our accommodations were great for the 1-2 nights we were at each spot. The highlands and Orkney Island were beautiful. During the long drives, we got to stop at some scenic spots that had very few people so it was very peaceful.

We spent 2 weeks in the UK and this 5 day Orkney tour was the highlight. We loved the prehistoric sights of Maeshowe, Skara Brae, the standing stones and the Ring of Brodgar, but we also highly enjoyed all the extra scenic beautiful or interesting sights and also the stops to view or visit with unusual Scottish animals. The Highland cattle are beautiful and we got to feed two huge Hungarian Hairy Hogs. There were suitable coffee and restroom breaks and lunch/snack stops. Our driver and guide Billy was wonderful and was a wealth of information. It was also pleasant meeting people from other countries. In our group we had people from Australia, Canada, Sweden and the US. Our hotel accommodations were good also.

I think the tour guides/drivers must either make or break the trip. Our's was really good. His name was Christopher and he was in control and master of everything. Besides being cheerful and friendly he was a good driver, organized, responsible and chock full of Scottish stories, history, politics, geology and music, you name the subject he could talk about it in an informative and interesting way. The only criticism I have is that the tour didn't allow enough time to explore the little towns, eg. Kirkwall. I would gladly have skipped a couple of the cliff viewing stops to spend a little more time in the towns. I think Rabbie's should rearrange their tour schedule a little to make room for this. Don't expect much from the B&B and hotel accommodations. They were clean and basic and except for one they were all teeny-tiny and had queen size beds. You are on remote islands so keep that in mind.

We had a fantastic experience on our 5 day tour of Orkney and the Highlands. Queen Kelly of Scotland provided impeccable service throughout. We were told incredible stories, cheesy jokes, and great facts. The tour itself was really well run, accommodation was all fabulous, and the places visited were stunning and interesting in equal measure. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning more about this beautiful country. Kelly did everything she could to provide a fabulous experience to everyone on our bus. Thanks Rabbies!

Our driver and tour guide Martin w Rabbie's Tours was spectacular. His knowledge of history and animated, kind personality made it a rich experience. It was our first group tour and I would happily sign up for one again. It was an active 5 days and each day was full. The Scottish weather smiled on us this time.

On the 5-day tour of Orkney and the northern coast of Scotland, our guide and driver was the very aptly named Jim Divine. I cannot imagine a better guide -- he knows the history and geology of Scotland better than I've ever known anything! He was funny and thoughtful, and as a driver he was conscientious and considerate. He had recommendations for places to eat wherever we went. His love for Scotland is evident and he made sure we knew what we were looking at wherever we stopped. The tour buses are small, holding just 16 people, which makes for a perfect group size for 5 days. Everyone got along well and Jim was a big factor in that. He has eclectic music tastes, and he introduced us to the music of several Scottish bands, which was delightful. The accommodations were very good, and I think the longest we ever drove without stopping at least to stretch our legs was about 90 minutes. And there is nothing as beautiful and majestic as the Scottish Highlands. Every stop brought us to unimaginable beauty and deep history. I still can't quite believe that we were able to go inside Maeshowe or actually walk up to and touch the standing stones at Sternness and Clava Cairns. I loved every minute of this tour!

This trip actually warrants more than 5 out of 5! I had one of the best trips ever!!! Jim Divine was our driver /guide, and he is very knowledgeable and fun.The amount of history he shared with us was mind-boggling. From the beginning to end,it was full of adventure, rubbish weather, and the most breathtaking scenery you can imagine.

We were so lucky to have found this tour online. Me and my partner wanted to visit Scotland and Orkney, so this tour was perfect. We were travelling in a small group of 7 visitors and everybody was really nice. Our tour guide Kelly was amazing and had a huge variety of stories and history to tell, accompanied with great music 🎼 🎶 and all around the best of atmospheres! We absolutely loved this tour and the experience. We would have loved to have more time for places like Culloden, but the schedule is completely understandable. Thank you for an amazing tour Kelly, in case you get to read this :) To all future travellers who might not be aware: please be sure to make reservations for all private activities (tours, resaurants, etc) since otherwise it could be hard getting a free spot ;)