Looking for the best small group tours Scotland has to offer? Well, I’m here to help. There are many different companies that provide services for small group tours of Scotland, but it really depends on what kind of trip you’re after! I’ve been to Scotland myself twice, and I know the feel of the country, and I’m also a travel agent (why YES, I CAN book this trip for you if you want!), so I also know the companies! I’ve decided to highlight the best Scotland small group tours by category, so you can see which might suit you best!
- Categories for Scotland Small Group Tours:
Best Highlights
Most Encompassing
Best for Partying
Best for Outlander
Best for Whiskey
Best for Orkneys/Hebrides
Best for Hiking
Best Highlights of Scotland Small Group Tour
This one is my top pick for most people. It hits up the classic spots and in a good amount of time.
G Adventures ~ 7 days ~ from $2299
Accommodations: Hotels
Highlights:
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- Eilean Donan Castle
- Glenfinnan Viaduct viewpoint
- Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle visit
- Culloden Moor visit
- Ben Nevis forest walk
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Harry Potter Bridge!
Pros: The best small group tours Scotland can offer need to hit all the major cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness. It also tacks on the Isle of Skye, and you get to taste some Scottish Whiskey!
Cons: You miss out on some cool spots like Isle of Mull and Iona, as well as my favorite Castle (Dunrobin).
All in All: I think this is a solid Scotland small group tour for someone shorter on time and wanting to see the classic spots!
Most Encompassing Small Group Tour of Scotland
I wanted to have a nice category for a long tour. There are many small group tours of Scotland that are 1-4 days, but Scotland does have a lot to offer… and I wanted to provide you an option for a more expansive tour.
Rabbie’s ~ 12 days ~ from $1482ish
Accommodations: Not included for this tour. Pros/Cons of that! They do offer suggestions, but that means you’re free to select a place more suited for you whether you want a more party hostel, chill hostel, casual cottage, or elegant castle!
Highlights:
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- Eilean Donan Castle
- Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle visit
- Skara Brae
- Iona and Staffa (Puffins!)
- Culloden Moor visit
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This is on the other side of Giant’s Causeway!
Pros: Flexibility in accommodation type since you’re choosing your own (or you can let me take care of that for you!). This small group tour in Scotland includes the Orkneys AND Iona/Mull!
Cons: It might be annoying to you to have to book rooms sep and/or it might bum you out to not be with the friends you’ve made on the tour. Although that could be a pro, depending on how you feel about it!
All in All: I think that this is a great Scottish small group tour for those who like to be with others but also enjoy a little downtime. It also hits up the most iconic spots on one tour and is affordable, but you do have to remember to factor in price of booking a room.
Best Scotland Small Group Tours for Partying
One thing I like to ask my clients when I’m trying to find the best company for them is what level of partying are they into. I actually have a whole category devoted to it in my Small Tour Group Comparisons post. I think it’s important to consider because some are really into that and some people aren’t. Scotland is going to be the same no matter what company you’re with, so you want to find one that vibes with you the best. So for partying, I suggest Haggis.
Haggis ~ 10 days ~ From $1369
Accommodations: Hostels
Highlights:
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- Eilean Donan Castle
- Dunrobin Castle
- Glenfinnan Viaduct viewpoint (and can ride it!)
- Loch Ness
- Doune Castle
- Callanish Standing Stones
- Skara Brae
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I’m basically a princess now
Pros: This tour hits up all the main highlights too, plus whiskey, and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE CASTLE Dunrobin. Ugh… so freakin’ dreamy. This is more of a “younger crowd” tour which includes drinking and staying up late, but surprisingly nicer accomms than those tour types normally have since it’s only a twin share basis.
Cons: This is such a great itinerary, although I feel like maybe I’m personally too old for it. So it really depends on your age and level of partying. Bathrooms are shared and aren’t in the rooms. I’m a shy restroomer hehe.
All in All: This is an excellent option for a small group tour Scotland itinerary for those young enough to stay up late drinking! Of course, I’ve been with Haggis and other similar companies too and can tell you that you definitely don’t have to, but just a heads up!
Best for Outlander Small Group Tours Scotland
I hope Outlander isn’t the main reason you’re searching for a Scotland small group tour but…. Actually… never mind, who cares! Outlander definitely sucked me into the books and show in the same way that the stones sucked Claire into the past. My last visit to Scotland, I actually took myself on a little road trip that was mostly inspired by Outlander. I had some time constraints as well as other things I wanted/needed to see for my blog, otherwise, I would have done one of these two options. You can check out my cost for my Scotland roadtrip.
Guided Tour ~ Rabbie’s ~ 4 days ~ from $345ish
Accommodations: Not included for this tour. Pros/Cons of that! They do offer suggestions, but that means you’re free to select a place more suited for you whether you want a more party hostel, chill hostel, casual cottage, or elegant castle!
Highlights:
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- Loch Ness
- Culloden Moor visit
- Midhope (Jamie’s place!)
- Falkland (where Claire and Frank Honeymooned!)
- Duone (Castle Leoch!)
- Cullross (Crainesmuir!)
- Blackness Castle (Fort William in the show)
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I’m *IN* the show!
Pros: You’ll go to the major Outlander film locations! It’s pretty amazing to literally be within the actual places where your favorite show was filmed! I’ve been to a few Outlander locations and Game of Thrones in Ireland and in Morocco.
Cons: It might be annoying to you to have to book rooms sep and/or it might bum you out to not be with the friends you’ve made on the tour. Although that could be a pro, depending on how you feel about it!
Self-Guided ~ Go Way ~ 8 days ~ from $1103
What makes this tour so interesting, is that they’ve done all the legwork like renting the car, planning the route, and securing accommodations… but then you can float along at your own pace! I think this would be the best option for a family! AND since you’re on your own time, I could even suggest a few stops along the way or slightly off route to enhance the trip! Even if someone’s not into Outlander, this would be a great tour because those film locations were chosen for a reason… they’re stunning!
Accommodations: Hotel
Highlights:
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- Loch Ness
- Culloden Moor visit
- Falkland (where Claire and Frank Honeymooned!)
- Duone (Castle Leoch!)
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Pros: This one is nice if you want to go at your own place but also don’t want to have to cobble together a whole itinerary. It also includes the rental car (an automatic!) and pretty nice hotels along the way! This is a beautiful mix of planned and flexible.
Cons: It doesn’t quite go to as many film locations as the Rabbie’s does BUT because it’s so flexible (and many of those are on the way, and more), it’d be really easy to add those on. You could even slink away from Inverness for a little and add Dunrobin! Or the “Versailles” Gardens. However, this is best for groups with even numbers.
All in All: I think this is an excellent option for those who like a bit of planning but more time to themselves. Some people feel rushed!
Best Whiskey Small Group Tours of Scotland
Pretty much all of these tours have whiskey stops, but if you want full-on whiskey, this one is for you.
Self-guided ~ Go Way ~ 8 days ~ from $1052
Accommodations: Hotels
Highlights:
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- Small Scottish towns
- Many whiskey distilleries like Glenfiddich, McCallan, and more.
- Culloden Moor
- Loch Ness
- Stirling Castle
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Pros: This tour definitely highlights the distilleries that Scotland is famous for! It’s nice if you like to go at your own pace.
Cons: Bummer that you will drink whiskey and have to drive! Definitely not for someone who wants to imbibe too much.
All in All: Honestly, I feel like if you’ve got a casual interest in whiskey, any of the other tours will include that. But if you’re an adamant and passionate whiskey drinker, this could be the best small group tour Scotland has for you!
Best Scotland Small Group Tours for Orkneys/Hebrides
This one is a bit lengthier, but it really goes over the islands like the Hebrides, Orkney, Skye, Mull, and Iona!
Rabbie’s ~ 17 days ~ from $2073
Accommodations: Not included for this tour. Pros/Cons of that! They do offer suggestions, but that means you’re free to select a place more suited for you whether you want a more party hostel, chill hostel, casual cottage, or elegant castle!
Highlights:
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- Loch Ness
- Isle of Mull and Iona
- Orkney Islands
- Hebrides
- Skara Brae
- Oban
- Eilean Donan Castle
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pros: This small group tour of Scotland hits up some jewels, although they aren’t the “classics,” they are well known. You’ll see a variety of Scottish landscapes.
Cons: It might be annoying to you to have to book rooms sep and/or it might bum you out to not be with the friends you’ve made on the tour. Although that could be a pro, depending on how you feel about it!
All in All: If you’ve got the time, you’ll definitely check off the major spots to see in Scotland with this bad boy.
Best for Hiking Small Group Tour of Scotland
This is a great tour that goes to some key sites, but is also a little more active if that’s your style!
Intrepid ~ 8 days ~ $2325
Accommodations: Hotels and guesthouses
Highlights:
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- Eilean Donan Castle
- Glenfinnan Viaduct
- Loch Ness
- Isle of Skye
- Whiskey tasting
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How awesome to be so close to photoshoot backdrop-worthy spot!
Pros: If you’re outdoorsy, this one affords more time to get out into nature and the Highlands.
Cons: This one doesn’t go to as many castles.
All in All: Small groups of Scotland go to many similar places, but this one is the best for hikers out there!
In Conclusion!
There is a wide variety of small group tours in Scotland, and I tried to narrow them down the best I could for you. If you still aren’t sure which one (or want to see more options!), please consider using me as a booking agent to find the perfect one for you! Just contact me here, and check out my testimonials!
SERIOUSLY FABULOUS
Carly was amazing from day one!
I originally booked for a different destination in Saint Martin but there were some issues with the resort. Carly personally spent hours on the phone to get things resolved and us transferred to a new resort. Top notch personal attention to details and even made us an itinerary!!
Seriously cannot recommend this lovely soul enough! So helpful and friendly!!!
Perfect trip!
My family’s trip to Disney World and Universal Studios was perfect! I especially loved the packet that Carly sent to us; it included our itinerary and our Universal tickets with confirmation codes too. Carly is the best!
Carly found the PERFECT trip for us!
I happened to meet Carly in a women’s travel Facebook group when I started asking questions about the best photography equipment if I was to go to Antarctica one day… SO GLAD I MET HER! After considering companies online on my own, we turned to Carly to help suggest a trip that would best fit our desires and budget. We were two women in our late twenties and my best friend’s father in his 60s. With Carly’s help, we secured the perfect trip and found reasonable discounts that worked for us.
After securing our trip, Carly was an amazing resource to us as we prepared and packed. I even got a hold of her via Facebook messenger while in Ushuaia when we had an issue with our cab plans. I trust her completely and would happily book with her again and again.
If you are not sure about going to Antarctica. Go! The Drake Passage was amazing if you are in for the ride. The scenery is breathtaking. The wildlife is unmatched. And, especially on Quark, I felt they had excursion options for all fitness levels! I had just finished chemotherapy and was running slower than normal – and I was capable of doing everything I set my mind to…even climbing mountains and kayaking and polar plunging! The staff always made me feel supported!
Smooth sailing in Egypt
I usually book my trips independently, but I knew Egypt would be a tricky one. I meet Carly in the Girls Love Travel Facebook group. Since we are both teachers, we hit it off. She helped me book a 10 day trip through Egypt. She was professional, flexible and easy to work it. I will reach out to her in the future when I feel safe traveling again. Peace, love and travel!
A faboulous trip!
I had a pleasure of boking my G Adventures Morocco trip with Carly Heyward whom I met online in one of the travel groups. Carly exceed my expectations, she went above and beyond of what I expected from a travel agent. Her customer service focus is unmatched. She was very organized and patient in answering my numerous questions. I was super impressed with Carly’s knowledge, dedication and commitment to meeting the needs of the customer. I would not hesitate to book another tour with Carly, as a matter of fact, I am already looking at booking my next trip. Thank you, Carly, for helping us create the memories of a lifetime!
Carly is awesome to work with!!
Carly made our trip to Antarctica so easy!! We had no idea where to start when planning a trip to Antarctica. Carly helped laid out all of the options we had and the pros/cons of each. It was great that she had first hand experience in Antarctica and on some of the cruise companies. I would highly recommend her to others!!
You need a trip advisor!
I worked with Carly while booking my trip to 5 different countries in Africa. I am so glad I decided to! At first I thought why do I need her its not like I am organizing the trip all by myself- I was using a company. But I was wrong. There was still a lot of deadlines and small details that needed to be addressed like which countries required visas ahead of time, what vaccines were required etc.
She kept everything super organized which led to much less stress on my part. She even gave me this super organized folder that included extra copies of the itinerary, my flights and packing lists that I know keep as a remembrance of the amazing trip I took. I highly recommend Carly!
Travel made easy
We were thankful to have Carly work with us to plan our trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe. She recommended a tour that fit our wishes, always answered questions within a reasonable time frame, and kept an eye on our plans to make sure we did not miss booking any extra hotels, flights, or interesting excursions.
Highly Recommended!!!
Carly helped me book my family trip to Peru with Intrepid. It was our first time joining a group tour and I was very nervous about how it would all work. Carly gave me expert advice, insights and tips! It definitely helped that she had personal experience travelling to Peru! It was a pleasure working with her and I would not hesitate to book another trip with her in the future!!!
Well Taken Care of on our Trip of a Lifetime
Planning a trip like this takes a lot of time and effort. Carly started by making a Zoom presentation to my two traveling companions and I on the various options for Antarctic tours. After understanding what we were looking for, Carly encouraged us to use Quark. What a recommendation!! All aspects of the Quark crew were top notch, from the tour guides to the dining room / kitchen staff to navigation to housekeeping.
It was almost a year between the time we committed to the trip and actually left for it. During that time, Carly was very responsive to questions we had while preparing. Even after the trip, she continues to take care of us, helping me get a refund for one of the services I paid for but didn’t use. I give Carly my top recommendation.
An Amazing Adventure
Thank you Carly for booking our trip to Morocco. You were always available to answer our questions and made our adventures go smoothly. We will be reaching out to you again in the future for future adventure bookings.
So easy and So fun!
I have always planned and booked my own vacations: Iceland, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Peru….But I doubt I will again. Carly made everything so easy and stress free! The tour with G Adventures was amazing, but Carly was also booked my hotels for extra time before and after the tour began. This was one of the best vacations ever partially because I didn’t have to sweat the details! Thank you Carly!
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Working with Carly was very easy–it was like asking a fellow traveler for assistance which is wonderful. Knowing Carly has the experience I could trust her advice. Booking the Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan tour was easy and her insights for hotels on my extra days were helpful along with inputting my flight details with G Adventures. I would definitely use Carly again and appreciate her insights!
Amazing guidance for an amazing vacation!
Carly helped me find the perfect trip based on my wants, needs, and timeline. I ended up going to Bolivia with G Adventures. She arranged everything and sent a detailed itinerary with everything I needed. She was always available to answer questions. I had the time of my life on this trip and am so grateful!
Beautiful Adventure, Perfect Planning
We recently booked a trip to Iceland through Carly, and it was fantastic! We never thought we’d be able to take a trip like this, but with Carly’s help and recommendations, we were able to see the most amazing parts of Southern Iceland. She helped us find the right tour for us in our budget, and by relying on her experience and expertise, we were able to book a tour that enabled us to see so much of the country in just 5 days. She prepared a detailed itinerary for us, and the entire trip went smoothly – from transferring from the airport to our accommodations, meeting up with our tour group, and through the return trip home. We would highly recommend Flight of the Educator, and can’t wait to plan our next adventure through her!
Carly Cares!
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Amazing Experience
Carly helped me originally book a trip to South America. However, due to the civil unrest in Peru my trip had to be canceled last minute. Carly was extremely helpful in changing my trip so that I could still go somewhere else without feeling like I missed out on a vacation. Within a few days I was already booked and ready to go to Costa Rica. It was truly an amazing experience and I can’t think Carly enough for all that she’s done for me!
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