In Transit: Overnight flight from North America.

Arrive To: Edinburgh.

Lunch: A light lunch is served in the hotel.

Afternoon: Free time before a welcome meeting at 5:00pm.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Your Group Leader/Ranger makes a presentation on your forthcoming trip.

Lodging: King James (formerly Edinburgh Thistle)

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Note: Stairs and steep climbs at Edinburgh Castle. Stairs at Auchindinny House.

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: A local guide takes us by minibus on a guided field trip of Scotland’s most beautiful city including the great bastion of Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyrood House, the winding cobbled streets of the ‘old town’ and the grid Georgian rigour of the ‘new town’ – the model for the grid layout of American cities.

Lunch: Taken out in Edinburgh.

Afternoon: We drive out of town and through the surrounding countryside to the private country house of the McCulloch family. Auchindinny House was designed by gentleman architect William Bruce and built between 1702 - 1707 for John Inglis, Writer to the Signet. His descendents still live there today and the current laird, William McCulloch, will give a guided tour of his home and gardens and we’ll take tea on the lawn (weather permitting!)

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: King James (formerly Edinburgh Thistle)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: We board a coach and take a four hour scenic ride out of the lowlands and into the Highlands, passing through the dramatic Perthshire landscapes of Macbeth, Shakespeare’s only Scottish play – where Birnam wood moved to Dunsinane! We continue through the Cairngorms National Park – a desolate and dramatic mountain landscape .

Lunch: Packed lunch to eat en route.

Afternoon: The transfer continues and we arrive in time for afternoon tea and Sir John and Lady Lister-Kaye.

Dinner: In the Baronial Hall at Aigas.

Evening: This evening you can explore the formal gardens of the House of Aigas and settle into your cosy timber lodge in the grounds – your home for the next seven nights.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining room.

Morning: Sir John and Lucy will lead us on a gentle guided walk around the house and grounds of the House of Aigas explaining its long and fascinating history, as well as giving an introduction to Lucy’s impressive formal gardens.

Lunch: Buffet lunch in the baronial hall.

Afternoon: The Aigas ranger team will take us on a longer ramble through the estate, past the exquisite mountain loch and onto moorland to look at archaeological remains dating back to the Bronze Age. From here you can look down into the glen and the rangers will provide detailed interpretation of the landscape and its history over ten thousand years, when the last ice age ended.

Dinner: In the baronial hall.

Evening: are free to wander the grounds, use the library or sit by the fire with a whisky!

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Optionmal three mile walk on a well maintained (steep in places) path.

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining room.

Morning: An illustrated lecture on Caledonian Pinewoods. We then drive west for approximately 45 minutes to the mountains and forests of Glen Affric. The last 6,000 years have witnessed the destruction of the native forests of Scotland, to the extent that there are now only small remnants of old Caledonian Pine Forest left. Glen Affric is one of the most beautiful glens in the Highlands and is managed as a National Nature Reserve.

Lunch: Packed lunch.

Afternoon: There will be an optional walk through the pinewood for about 3 miles on a well maintained (although steep in places) path, set in magnificent scenery. On return hear a lecture: Habitats and Wildlife of the Highlands.

Dinner: In the baronial dining room.

Evening: Free evening. You may wish to join a group visit to a wildlife blind to look for pine martens, badgers or beavers.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in baronial dining room.

Morning: Travelling east to Nairnshire, we visit the historic site of Culloden Battlefield, the last battle fought on British soil in 1746. This was a desperate fight which changed the history of the Highlands forever. It led to the breakdown of the clan system and paved the way for the Highland Clearances and emigration to the New World. The Aigas rangers lead you out onto the exposed heath for a blow by blow explanation of the action.

Lunch: Packed lunch overlooking a historical site.

Afternoon: Field trip to Clava Cairns, three well preserved Neolithic cairns, thought to be ritual burial chambers connected with the Winter Solstice and death, which show evidence of both inhumations and cremations. Two of the cairns are Chambered Tombs with cup marked stones and the third is a Ring Cairn, which is unique to the Moray Firth Area. Field trip to Cawdor Castle and Gardens. The Macbeth connection continues! Situated close to the East Highland town of Nairn, Cawdor has been the family home of the Thanes of Cawdor since the 14th century. The castle contains a fine example of a 16th century tower house with elegant 18th century additions. Within the grounds of the castle there are extensive nature trails and fine gardens.

Dinner: In the baronial dining room at Aigas.

Evening: Free evening.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining hall.

Morning: Loch Ness is world famous for its mighty monster and you won’t be able to resist scanning its waters as we drive along its scenic shores. However, the Aigas rangers will also tell you about the fascinating natural and cultural history of this enormous lake, so steeped in folk lore. We stop for a visit to the magnificently situated Urquhart Castle, on a promontory jutting into Loch Ness. Its ruinous state gives testament to the turbulence of its 500 year history as a medieval fortress. The visitor centre contains a shop, interpretation area, audio-visual presentation and tearoom and toilets. Stunning views of the loch can be obtained from visitor centre veranda.

Lunch: Return to Aigas for a buffet lunch in the baronial hall.

Afternoon: this afternoon the estate is yours. Roam up to the loch, relax in the gardens, read in the library, sit by the fire, climb to the viewpoint at the Iron Age fort if you want to stretch your legs.

Dinner: In the baronial hall.

Evening: Free evening. You may wish to join a group visit to a wildlife blind to look for pine martens, badgers or beavers.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Boat ride in a rigid inflatable boat.

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining room.

Morning: A variety of Ranger-led workshops to choose from based on the habitats, species and land use within the mosaic of the Aigas Estate

Lunch: Packed lunch.

Afternoon: This afternoon we take an exciting and fun ride in a rigid inflatable boat into the Cromarty Firth to look for the resident population of the bottlenose dolphins. (This trip could take place in the morning as it is tide dependent.)

Dinner: In the baronial dining room.

Evening: An illustrated presentation on the Isle of Skye in our state of the art education centre.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining room.

Morning: A leisurely free morning in the small and picturesque town of Beauly. There will be time to visit the 13th century Priory, House of Beauly, Campbells Tweedshop (of Royal patronage) or visit the local distillery for a tour and some tasting.

Lunch: Packed lunch.

Afternoon: A ranger led field trip to Reelig Glen, a charming 19th century woodland walk popular with local people and which hosts a profusion of native and exotic species of plants and trees.

Dinner: In the baronial dining hall.

Evening: Sir John hosts your farewell dinner and a Highland piper entertains with some traditional music.

Lodging: Aigas Field Centre and House of Aigas

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Continental breakfast and porridge in the baronial dining room.

Morning: We drive across some of the most dramatic mountain and moorland scenery of the Highlands to get to the west coast. The Aigas rangers stop along the way to regale us with tales of turbulent clan history, details of historical and modern land use and we keep an eye out for golden and white-tailed eagles.

Lunch: Packed lunch.

Afternoon: We continue our gentle drive and arrive at our hotel overlooking the Isle of Skye the misty isle to which Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped after the Battle of Culloden and the impenetrable stronghold of the Lords of the Isles for centuries.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: An optional foray to the local pub in search of traditional fiddle music and some craic (Gaelic for fun!)

Lodging: Portree Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: We journey to the South of this - the most famous of the Hebridean islands. The soil in this area is lime rich, leading to the most diverse habitats on the island, a rich mixture of woodland, open moorland and jagged coastline. The dominant land use is crofting and there are many typical crofting and small fishing communities scattered throughout the peninsula. Sleat is in the territory of the MacDonald Clan and we visit their clan seat at Armadale Castle, which has an excellent interpretation centre and gentle walks in the extensive castle grounds.

Lunch: Lunch at the Michelin starred Kinloch Lodge, established by Lady Clair Macdonald, wife of the current Lord Macdonald, Godfrey Macdonald of Macdonald, High Chief of Clan Donald.

Afternoon: After lunch we refresh ourselves with a short and scenic ferry ride back to a remote headland of the mainland. Our journey takes us past the Bernara Barracks (which was built in 1720 after the Jacobite Rebellion of 1719) and we stop at the impressive Iron Age brochs (towers) of Dun Telve & Dun Trodden.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Portree Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast we depart by coach for a scenic ride back to Edinburgh. Our route follows a winding country road down the west side of Scotland through magnificent mountain scenery. We stop at Glen Coe, a stunning wild Highland glen with a bloody history of betrayal and murder. Your Aigas ranger will recount the foul deeds of 13 February 1692 and we'll visit the excellent visitors centre. Further south we wend our way along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.’

Lunch: Stop to eat our packed lunch at a viewpoint overlooking this lovely loch of such romantic fame.

Afternoon: Return to Edinburgh and check-in at the hotel.

Dinner: Farewell meeting and dinner in the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Lodging: Quality Hotel Edinburgh.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Edinburgh Airport. 5 minutes walk from the hotel or a 2 minute complimentary shuttle bus.

Breakfast: Full Scottish breakfast in the hotel. Some departures may leave before breakfast.

Meals Included: Breakfast