Overview
Take a trip to Orkneys and Shetlands on your Scotland Vacation
The Orkneys are a group of 70 islands; 20 inhabited, situated 16 kilometres/10 miles off the extreme north of Scotland. The landscape is fairly flat but enchanting. There is much folklore associated with the Orkneys. It has been invaded by the Norse and the Vikings centuries ago who have left their legacy. There are mystical stone circles and monuments dating back thousands of years. The best-known sites are the Ring of Brodgar—built around 2500-2000 BC and covering an area of almost 8,500 square metres/9,200 square feet—site of ancient rituals and ceremonies, and Skara Brae—a prehistoric village, older than the pyramids and Stonehenge. As for wildlife, everywhere you go in the Orkneys you will see birds and animals, which include seals, puffins and many other seabirds; plus off-shore, there are whales and dolphins.
The Shetlands are further north, 80 kilometres/50 miles from the Orkneys. Probably best known for its knitwear and ponies, the 100 islands, 16 inhabited, are also an overall nature reserve. There are deep glens and steep hills allowing for scenic walks. Numerous seabird colonies exist which include puffins, storm petrels and more rarely, albatross, and snow geese. You can see dolphins, seals, porpoises, and killer whales and purchase locally made, quality glassware, jewellery, and knitwear.
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Island Hopping in Scotland
The Hebrides, Scottish Highlands, Orkneys and Shetlands, Scottish Lowlands, Edinburgh, and Edinburgh CastleExperience Scotland’s rugged soul on this small group adventure through the Highlands, islands, and Outer Hebrides, rich in myth, history, and wild beauty.
15 days
From US$5,530/p.p.
Request a Quote
Orkney & Scotland's North Coast
Scottish Lowlands, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Scottish Highlands, and Orkneys and ShetlandsDiscover wild beauty and ancient wonders on this small group tour through Scotland and the Orkney Islands, rich in history, myth, and rugged highland charm.
7 days
From US$2,382/p.p.
Request a Quote
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perfect trip idea?
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Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
Island Hopping in Scotland
The Hebrides, Scottish Highlands, Orkneys and Shetlands, Scottish Lowlands, Edinburgh, and Edinburgh CastleExperience Scotland’s rugged soul on this small group adventure through the Highlands, islands, and Outer Hebrides, rich in myth, history, and wild beauty.
15 days
From US$5,530/p.p.
Request a Quote
Orkney & Scotland's North Coast
Scottish Lowlands, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Scottish Highlands, and Orkneys and ShetlandsDiscover wild beauty and ancient wonders on this small group tour through Scotland and the Orkney Islands, rich in history, myth, and rugged highland charm.
7 days
From US$2,382/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
What do the experts say?
For somewhere a little lesser known, make sure to visit Dunfermline, the old capital of Scotland. Rich in history, it’s home to the impressive Dunfermline Abbey where many Scottish kings and queens are buried, including Robert the Bruce.
Many tourists don’t realize how diverse Scotland’s regions are, each area has its own distinct culture, accents, and traditions. For example, the Outer Hebrides have a strong Gaelic heritage that’s still thriving.. Also, Scotland has some of the most beautiful white sand beaches in Europe, especially on the west coast and islands.
Scotland hosts two amazing events - Edinburgh Tattoo in August, and Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve). Edinburgh hosts one of the world’s biggest and most iconic New Year’s celebrations!
The best times to visit Scotland are late spring (May to June) and early autumn (September to October). During these months, the weather is generally milder, and the landscapes are especially beautiful
Escape the city life by enjoying the slower pac...
Enjoy the safe haven of Stromness, an isle shap...
Shetland islands, Scotland
Explore the beauty and history of the Orkney Is...
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ExcellentBased on 5,285 ReviewsAbsolutely incredible trip! From beginning to end! All accommodations were excellent. If you want to experience Safaris this trip will fulfill all your expectations! A special thanks to our driver we had for our entire trip Evans! He made our trip over the top! The Hot air balloon ride in the Masai Mara is a must…it’s breathtaking!Pam SeitzI have worked with Goway several times in the past two years and every single trip has been unforgettable. Specifically, our travel advisor, Maria, has helped us book phenomenal trips to Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and most recently, Iceland. Maria is so wonderful and easy to talk to, but what really stands out is her ability to get to know her clients so she can plan trips that perfectly align with our interests and desires. I cannot recommend her strongly enough! Her expertise, hard-work, and dedication towards each trip has given myself, my family, and friends memories to last a lifetime! Kayla CovelloJamil made our 40th birthday trip to Portugal so so very amazing and special! Great service, fabulous hotels, and wonderful day trips! Lane StricklandKatie was great, planned everything we needed, was great with changes and trip schedule conflicts. Fantastic working with her.CTI have been booking with GoWay for more than 2 years and feel so fortunate to have the best Travel Advisor, Maria Spitman, making our vacations unforgettable. I can’t say enough about Maria… she is personable, efficient, detail-oriented, and extremely knowledgeable about her specialty destinations. We have booked many trips with her, including Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Iceland, and our most recent trip in Greece. Maria has not only curated nuanced itineraries, but has done so combining her vast knowledge of each region with our interests and needs being met perfectly. With that, it is evident that Maria learns about her clients to create vacation packages that far exceed expectations. I won’t book with anyone else! GoWay has a gem that is irreplaceable! I highly recommend seeking Maria out for all your destination needs. DarleenGoway has been amazing to work with. Farooq was my agent through Goway and she communicated promptly, planned a great international trip for my clients and was always organized. The trip was flawless to Rome and Malta from beginning to end!Kim KameleskyLisa Dachuk was incredible on organizing my trip. She took the time to know what I wanted and created an experience I will forever be grateful for having.Louise Helie MastersLori Mezzomo and the team at Goway Travel are fantastic! Lori helped plan a 3-week Australia trip for our family of 5. Our teenage boys enjoyed exploring Sydney, Uluru, Cairns and the Gold Coast. Highlights included a Sydney Harbour Bridge walk, sunrise hike around Uluru, snorkeling with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, and surfing on the gold coast. Lori did a fantastic job of creating an itinerary that was engaging for our teenage boys and relaxing for the parents... not an easy task! We miss Australia and would gladly book again with Lori Mezzomo and Goway Travel.BlairSwati was fantastic! She worked with us to create the perfect Greece trip, and handled all the details to make it a worry-free experience.JtvMichael at Goway Travel was great to work with. We were planning a pre-trip with him prior to a group tour. He worked with us to hit the special places we wanted to visit and things we wanted to do. The accommodations arranged exceeded our expectations. Local guides were all amazing. This was the third trip we booked through Goway, and we will definitely book with them again in the future David Picka
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