SCOTLAND'S PICTURESQUE ISLANDS 2027

The planned itinerary

DAY 1 & 2: FLIGHT FROM GERMANY, SWITZERLAND OR AUSTRIA TO GLASGOW
Overnight stay at an airport hotel in Glasgow. The next day, continue your journey with a private bus transfer to Oban (Scottish Gaelic for ‘small bay’). During the journey, you will enjoy the first sights of the Scottish west. Once you arrive in Oban, the gateway to the Hebrides, you will board the Cape Race, which will take you on a journey of discovery through Scotland’s fascinating island world.

DAY 2 TO DAY 8: THE WEATHER DETERMINES OUR ROUTE!
In stronger winds, we head for the sheltered small islands of the Inner Hebrides. On Iona, we hike up the 101-metre-high hill Dùn Ì, visit the famous Iona Abbey, from where the Christianisation of Scotland began in the 6th century and where almost all Scottish kings are buried in the cemetery, including – probably – Macbeth. Or, if the sea is calm, we venture deep into Fingal’s Cave, the famous cave on Staffa, in Zodiacs, or climb its basalt cliffs. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy is said to have been inspired to write his ‘Hebrides’ Overture here when he visited England and Scotland in 1829. If the wind picks up a little, we anchor in Loch Dunvegan in the west of the Isle of Skye, directly in front of Dunvegan Castle, which is still inhabited by the MacLeod clan.

We visit the impressive rooms and famous gardens. The islands of Canna, Coll and Rùm are also among the possibilities.

The Outer Hebrides entice visitors with white beaches and magnificent hikes across heaths and moors, hills and lush meadows. Whether we actually reach them depends heavily on the weather! And then there are the lighthouses! We hike to Eilean Glas lighthouse, which has been sending its beacon across the Little Minch strait since 1789, or anchor below Neist Point, take the Zodiacs ashore and climb up to the lighthouse, also known as the ‘most beautiful end of Scotland’.

There are so many possibilities that a week is not enough. You can also look forward to visiting Islay’s whisky distilleries, the puffin colonies on Lunga, and Corryvreckan, the world’s third largest maelstrom, north of Jura, whose roar can be heard up to ten nautical miles away (but which we will only approach when the sea is calm, of course). It is not uncommon for schools of dolphins to accompany our ship as we travel from island to island, where we explore numerous other castles, cliffs, moors, lighthouses, tranquil harbours and secluded bays together with our local, German–speaking expedition leaders.

DAY 9: RETURN TO OBAN AND TRANSFER TO GLASGOW
Our exact route will depend on weather conditions and wildlife sightings. The locations mentioned are just examples of some of the many attractions this trip has to offer. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!

OPTIONAL EXTENSION PROGRAMME – INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE IN SCOTLAND

Extend your expedition individually with a stay in Glasgow and/or Edinburgh. Discover historical sights, vibrant culture, cosy pubs and regional cuisine at your own pace. Alternatively, you can hire a car and explore the Scottish Highlands or the coast on your own.