THE BEST OF SCOTLAND & WALES in 11 days
This tour begins with visiting my favorite destinations in Scotland. Enjoy the grandeur of Edinburgh, its cliff-hanging castle, St. Andrews (the home of golf), and the vast, rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands. We’ll wrap up our tour on the west coast in the fishing village of Oban and the remote Hebrides Islands.
In England, relax in the serenity and beauty of the Lake District. Then enjoy three days in North Wales, experiencing medieval castles, quaint villages, beautiful gardens, and steam locomotives.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
| PRICE FROM | DATES | |
|---|---|---|
| $4669 + air | May 10-20, 2026 |  |
| $4569 + air | Jun 17-27, 2026 | |
| $4569 + air | Jul 15-25, 2026 | |
| $4669 + air | Aug 26-Sep 5, 2026 | |
| $4669 + air | Sep 23-Oct 3, 2026 | |
| $4469 + air | Oct 21-31, 2026 | |
Edinburgh – 2 nights
Highlands – 2 nights in two locations
Oban – 2 nights
England Lake District – 1 night
North Wales – 3 nights
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Single Room Additional Cost ~$1050
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Welcome to Edinburgh – Let’s plan to meet at 2:00 p.m. in our hotel lobby for introductions and a warm welcome. Then, enjoy an orientation walk around the famous Royal Mile. You will receive a Hop-On-Hop-Off Edinburgh Bus Pass, providing transportation and a comprehensive open-top bus tour of Edinburgh. Later, we will meet for a group dinner to get to know one another. Walking: moderate. Sleep for 2 nights in Edinburgh. Dinner.
DAY 2: Edinburgh –Today, we will see the best of Edinburgh on foot by strolling the Royal Mile, featuring its historic buildings, narrow alleys, and hidden courtyards. Then, let’s visit the historic Edinburgh Castle, the “birthplace” of the city, which affords spectacular views and vistas. The remainder of the day is totally yours to explore more of Edinburgh on your own. Perhaps you’ll want to visit the National Museum of Scotland, visit Holyrood Palace, hike up Carlton Hill or Arthur’s Seat, enjoy “high tea” in a cafe or do some shopping on the Royal Mile or in the new town. The possibilities are endless. Walking: moderate.
DAY 3: Culross, St. Andrews, and the Countryside —Today, cross the famous Firth of Forth and visit the tiny burg of Culross. Enjoy poking around the burg’s gardens, shops, and a small “palace” manor house. Later, we’ll travel through the Kingdom of Fife to St. Andrews, the home of golf and the famous Old Course. St. Andrews is equally important for its medieval town and cathedral. After lunch, enjoy a ride across some of the most scenic mountains in Scotland on our way to the Highlands. We’ll set up for the evening in a little village where you can enjoy dinner and lots of peace and quiet. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep 1 night in the Scottish Highlands. Dinner.
DAY 4: The Highlands – We will begin with a tour of the haunting Culloden Battlefield, where in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Jacobite supporters were wiped out, ending years of rebellion against the British. Driving: 5 hours. Walking: moderate. Sleep 1 night in or near Inverness.
DAY 5: The Highlands and Oban –Experience the wild, rugged beauty of Loch Ness on a panoramic boat cruise followed by a visit to Urquhart Castle. Later, we will head to the western coastal town of Oban. After a short walk around town, enjoy an event-free evening and a chance to kick up your heels at a local pub Driving: 5 hours. Walking: Light. Sleep for 2 nights in Oban.
DAY 6: The Hebrides Isles —Today, we will board the ferry to the Isle of Mull and eventually Iona, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. Here, you will have several hours to experience the 800-year-old abbey where the Book of Kells was written and fabricated by the local monks. Enjoy some time on your own to experience the island. Finally, return to Oban for a group dinner featuring fresh-caught seafood and a quiet evening in town. Boat: 3 hours. Driving: 2 hours. Dinner. Walking: Moderate to Light.
DAY 7: Loch Lomond and England —Following breakfast, we will take ta drive down to Lake District National Park in England. Here, enjoy a short orientation of our peaceful little village and plenty of time to wander, take a walk or relax. Sleep for 1 night in the Lake District. Driving: 5 hours. Walking: Light.
DAY 8: Northern Wales – After breakfast, we will drive into Northern Wales and set up in our home village. Enjoy an orientation walking tour and a visit to the local castle. We will meet later for dinner at a favorite restaurant. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: Light. Sleep for 3 nights in North Wales. Dinner.
DAY 9: Sights and Attractions to the south of Conwy – We will begin by visiting the colorful Bodnant Gardens (weather permitting) where you can spend several hours enjoying flora and fauna, walking the miles of trails, and relaxing. Next, we will visit a working woolen mill in the village of Trefriw, where you’ll learn how raw wool is transformed into fabric. We will end our day in the delightful village of Betws-y-Coed, a picture-perfect setting with lots of shops, waterfalls, wooded paths, and cafes. Then, it is back to our home base for a free evening. Driving: 4 hours. Walking: moderate.
DAY 10: Trains, Slate Mines, and Castles – This morning, we will hop on an old-fashioned train powered by a steam locomotive to explore Snowdonia National Park. We will finish up our sightseeing with a visit to a slate mine near the village of Blaenau Ffestiniog. After a busy day, you’ll enjoy our grand farewell dinner to cap off your Celtic tour experience. Train: 2.5 hours. Driving:2 hours. Walking: Moderate. Dinner.
DAY 11: Heading Home – After breakfast, we will get you to the local train station or Manchester airport.
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
INCLUSIONS
Transportation is provided by minibus or motorcoach from your first hotel in Edinburgh to either the local train station or airport in North Wales.
Hand-picked accommodations in centrally located hotels, guesthouses, and B&B’s. All meeting David’s highest standards of quality. All rooms have private en-suite bathes.
All tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurant, and hotel staff.
Guaranteed Small Group consisting of 6-18 travelers.
All breakfasts and five dinners as noted in the itinerary.
Traditional dining experiences at some of David’s personal favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Water is included with all meals. You are responsible for the cost of any additional drinks at all group dinners and while dining on your own.
Tours and admissions to the following attractions, experiences, and sights: Edinburgh walking tour; Edinburgh Castle entry; Edinburgh Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus tour; Culross tour and manor house entrance; orientation walk at St. Andrews; Culloden Battlefield museum and audio-guided tour; Loch Ness panoramic cruise; Oban orientation stroll; Isle of Mull and Iona cruise and coach/walking tour; North Wales village walking tour; North Wales castle entrance; Bodnant Gardens (weather permitting); Trefriw Woolen Mills; Blaenau Ffestiniog Slate Mine (weather permitting); scenic steam train ride in Northern Wales; and much more.
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the art, history, and culture of the tour destinations.
David’s tour handouts are delivered electronically and detail each day’s historical and cultural experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee, once locked in, will never change.
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
EXCLUSIONS
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
SIGN UP BY EMAIL OR POST
If you do not want to sign up online:
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
- FAX 1-800-570-1351
- Email – info@davidmcguffin.com
- email – take a photo of the form with your smartphone and attach it to an email
- TXT – take a photo with your smartphone and TXT to 904-612-8149
KEY TO WALKING & ACTIVITY
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
PRE-TOUR RESOURCES
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
DAVID’S 60 SECONDS DESTINATION VIDEOS
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in the United Kingdom. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David’s Explore the United Kingdom and Explore Ireland and Scotland.
DAVID’S TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY ALMOST-WEEKLY BROADCAST AND VIDEO SERIES BLOG.
Every week, when David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each Travel Talk Tuesday session is recorded. Watch them here.
DAVID’S BLOG ARTICLES
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Just type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (it’s the gray rectangle with a small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL OR GIVE US A CALL.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
Testimonials & Reviews of our UNITED KINGDOM Tours
The Sicily tour was incredible! After touring with David, I felt that I had truly seen all that this special island has to offer: terrific historical sights, vibrant cities, incredible museums, majestic land and seascapes, as well as a delectable cuisine. Throughout the tour David was informative, hospitable and open to suggestions and adjustments. He has a very pleasant and accommodating persona and we were fortunate to have him as our escort. The guides he hires are excellent and really enhanced our experience. The only recommendation I have is to have a guide for EVERY excursion! Our driver, Paolo, was exceptional.
I have longed to go on safari since I was a teenager! When I learned about David's explorations BEYOND Europe, I couldn't wait to secure my spot! The Serengeti Safari was the first trip on my retirement agenda! I had high expectations, and this trip EXCEEDED every one of them. David has a network of skilled professionals at every bend in the road. I highly recommend this trip for anyone hoping to experience the beauty of Tanzania, its abundant wildlife, its rich cultural heritage, and its beautiful people!
This trip truly was a trip of a lifetime. The ability to see all of the animals in their natural habitat was really something so hard to describe in words. In so many ways it seemed surreal. I have visited over 50 of our US National Parks, so being able to visit and stay inside the Serengeti National Park made the trip even more special to me. Our guides were simply outstanding. They were knowledgeable and always made sure we had the best experience possible. Our accommodations were top of the line- even our safari tents were exceptional. If going on an African Safari is on your bucket list I highly recommend traveling with David!
This was our first of what I hope are many tours with David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe. We chose The Best of Scotland and Wales in 11 Days tour from 9/24/25 - 10/4/25. Our tour guide, David Gray, made this tour very special. He is very knowledgeable about the destinations on the tour but was also very personable……which made for a very relaxing tour experience. He’s just a nice man! Our driver, Ian, has a beautiful coach and really made us comfortable. He and David make a good team. We were able to go to places that I never thought I’d see because of them. The drive through The Highlands was breathtaking and something we will never forget. All of our hotels were very comfortable and close to the town centers they were in. We really liked our travel mates which also made for a very positive experience. This tour is very well thought out and planned. There was ample free time as well. My husband and I had a very memorable trip and we highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe.
I have traveled with David for over a quarter of a century on 22 trips soon to be 23. I’ve traveled with as few as 3 total people and as many as an entire high school marching band. No matter where the destination or the adventure David has researched it and will have all the details taken care of before you ever get there. I often joke that on his trips all I ever worry about is getting to the airport on time- he takes care of all of the rest! I highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe— I trust him explicitly and would never consider traveling abroad with anyone else. Knowing David and his wife Charlotte is a blessing in my life and traveling with them is always a pleasure.
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