16 Day Island Hopping Extravaganza, Scotland

3 nights in Islay, 2 nights in Oban, 2 nights in Portree, 1 night in Inverness, 2 nights in Orkney, 2 nights in Ullapool, 2 nights in Lewis, 1 night in Portree.

Day 1 includes travelling through Loch Lomond National Park and visits to Inveraray, Loch Fyne and the Kingdom of Dalriada. Here you can visit the Kilmartin standing stones and community museum before catching the ferry to Islay for 3 nights in Bowmore.

Day 2 Your day is quite flexible with a mixture of beautiful scenery, white sand beaches, short walks and the famous Islay whiskies - renowned for their strong peaty flavours and nurtured by the salty sea air. The day’s highlights include the lovely sandy bays of Islay’s west coast, Saligo Bay, Kilchoman Distillery, Machair Bay, the tiny harbour village of Portnahaven, Bruichladdich Distillery and the Islay Museum.

Day 3 Explore the south side of Islay, home to Laphroaig and Lagavulin followed by a tour, tasting and lunch with local produce at Ardbeg. Other options include the ruins of Kildalton church with its famous 8th Century Celtic cross, free time in Bowmore village or a visit to the community craft producers at Islay House Square and the woodlands along the River Sorn.

Day 4 Farewell to Islay as you take the ferry back to Argyll and the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. You will have a free afternoon in Oban to enjoy this bustling and busy highland town.

Day 5 is an island adventure exploring the dramatic southern coastlines of Hebridean Mull and the peace and tranquility of Iona - birthplace of Celtic Christianity and traditional burial ground of Scottish Kings. It also gives you the option to take a boat trip to Staffa.

Day 6 takes you north along the west coast, passing the impregnable Castle Stalker and visiting Glencoe. Then on to Fort William, and the dramatic mountain scenery of Glen Garry to Eilean Donan Castle (set of “Highlander”) and over the sea to Skye, where you stay in the picturesque harbour town of Portree for 2 nights.

Day 7 focuses on exploring Skye including the wild north of the island, the Old Man of Storr, the mountain pass of the Quiraing and Skye’s most westerly point at Neist.

Day 8 returns you through the Cuillin mountains to the mainland past the 5 Sisters of Kintail, on to eerie Loch Ness. At Loch Ness you will join up with the tour travelling to Orkney and the Far North. With your new crew you will continue north following the Great Glen travelling the entire 23 miles of the famous Loch passing by Urquhart castle and onwards to Inverness.

Day 9 takes you north through the Black Isle, past the imposing Dunrobin Castle, before crossing the Pentland Firth from near John o’ Groats to the Orkney Isles. You stay in the Viking town and capital of Orkney, Kirkwall for 2 nights.

Day 10 is your chance to explore this fantastic ancient island; a land of contrasts where fertile green pastures are fringed by shores of golden sands washed by waters of the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Highlights include a visit to Skara Brae, the mystical prehistoric stone circle at Brodgar, the standing stones of Stenness, and Maeshowe, where in the 12th century the Vikings left one of the largest collections of Norse runic inscriptions.

Day 11 takes you back across the water to the cliffs and sandy beaches of Scotland’s dramatic northern coastline, passing Ben Loyal, Ben Hope, Durness and Assynt with a visit to the 15th century Ardvreck Castle, and staying overnight in the whitewashed fishing village of Ullapool.

Day 12 You have a free day in Ullapool to do as you please before joining up with your new crew the next day. There are many possibilities available in this lovely town, Options for your day include enjoying a day just to relax and absorb the highland tranquil pace of life whilst browsing the small craft boutiques nestling through the streets of the town. Or why not take the local boat, the ‘Summer Queen’ from the pier for an idyllic ‘summer Isles’ cruise.

Day 13 Your ferry will take you past the Summer Isles to the Isle of Lewis with opportunities to see dolphins, whales and seabirds. You are on the north west edge of Europe now and your afternoon is spent exploring historic blackhouses, crofting townships and the Butt of Lewis. 2 nights in Stornoway, capital of the Western Isles.

Day 14 Highlights include the pre-historic stone broch at Dun Carloway, Gearrannan blackhouse village, the famous Callanish stone circles and the remote beaches and communities of Great Bernera or Uig. This is the wilderness of the Western Isles at its finest.

Day 15 Today you explore the Isle of Harris, famous for its locally produced Harris Tweed, and home to the highest mountains in the Outer Hebrides and the stunning white sands of Luskentyre. Following a visit to the historic 16th century church at Rodel and lunch in nearby Leverburgh you travel over the sea to Skye, for your overnight stay in the picturesque town of Portree.

Day 16 Your return to Edinburgh has many highlights – the Cuillin Mountains of Skye, a visit to Eilean Donan Castle, Fort William, the dramatic scenery and dark history of Glencoe and the Falls of Dochart at Killin. An adventure to remember forever.