Scottish Highlands & Caledonian Canal

• Exclusive land and cruise journey on an intimate ship built specifically to fit through the locks and canals of the Scottish Highlands.
• Two nights in Edinburgh, 7-night cruise, plus 1 night in Inverness.
• Explore the UNESCO-inscribed Old and New Towns in Edinburgh.
• Transit Neptune’s Staircase, a series of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal that raises the water 62 feet over a quarter mile.
• Included meals | 3 receptions, 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 8 dinners.

Depart for Edinburgh, Scotland. Please check your bags from your gateway city to your arrival city. Be sure to attach the provided Gohagan & Company luggage tags for each piece of luggage, including carry-ons.

Arrive at Edinburgh International Airport in Edinburgh, Scotland. Proceed through the immigration checkpoint to the baggage claim area and retrieve your luggage. After completing a customs screening, meet a Gohagan & Company representative.

Transfer to the deluxe Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa.

Settle in and explore the area on your own, if you wish. Make your own plans for lunch. The Gohagan Travel Hospitality Desk stands ready with information and recommendations.

Join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception at the hotel this evening. Then make your own plans for dinner.

Enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel this morning.

Embark on a panoramic tour of the city. Explore Old Town, site of the ancient city, which grew up along the route of the Royal Mile (Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns are a UNESCO World Heritage site.) Visit Edinburgh Castle, which stands upon Castle Rock, the core of an extinct volcano. This majestic landmark has been the symbol of Scottish strength and power for centuries. The original fortress on this site was built by the sixth-century Northumbrian king, Edwin, the city’s namesake. The oldest part of the castle complex, St. Margaret’s Chapel, dates to the 12th century. Marvel at the glittering Crown Jewels and imposing Mons Meg, a siege cannon of the 1400s. (Activity Level: Moderate)

Spend this afternoon exploring Edinburgh on your own. Feel like stretching your legs? Take a turn down the Royal Mile, made up of ancient cobblestone streets that formed the main thoroughfare of medieval Edinburgh, linking the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, built by James IV on the grounds of an abbey in 1498. You can take in the exhibits at the palace or stroll the grounds and gardens. Or you might be interested in learning about (and tasting!) Scotland’s national drink at the Scotch Whisky Experience. Or indulge your literary side at Lady Stair’s House, a museum dedicated to the lives and works of Scottish writers such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Enjoy lunch and dinner on your own today. For dining and more itinerary suggestions, please visit the Gohagan Travel Hospitality Desk.

Savor a delicious breakfast at the hotel before departing on this morning’s excursion.

Storied Scone was an ancient gathering place of the Picts, the site of an early Christian church, and from the ninth century on, the crowning place of the kings of Scotland. The modern palace, made of red sandstone, was completed in 1807. Tour the palace, which contains needlepoint created by Mary Queen of Scots, a desk used by Marie Antoinette and the bedroom where Queen Victoria slept while visiting. And stroll the grounds — 100 acres of informal woodland gardens, including a pinetum containing rare conifers and a star-shaped maze, all patrolled by peacocks. (Moderate)

Enjoy an included lunch in a local restaurant in Pitlochry. This lovely town, set against the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands, is the perfect spot for a wee respite.

After lunch, travel to Blair Athol distillery for a tour and tasting. (Moderate)

Transfer to Inverness port for embarkation on the Lord of the Glens. Settle into your stateroom and explore the ship. Attend a Welcome Briefing and safety drill.

Join your fellow travelers for a Captain’s Welcome Reception on board the ship this evening. Enjoy a delicious dinner with entertainment provided by Scottish dancers.

Savor breakfast on board before departing for this morning’s excursion.

Visit the battlefield at Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie was dramatically defeated in 1746. The Jacobite Rising, which sought to restore the Stuart kings to the British throne, was crushed during the battle here, in which 1,500 Jacobites were killed. Tour the interesting museum at the site, peruse the award-winning shop and see the battlefield, now a grazing site for Highland cows. (Moderate)

Discover Clava Cairns, a fascinating, well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery. The stones and passage graves here date back 4,000 years.(Moderate)

Return to the ship to lunch on board.

We set sail this afternoon on the Caledonian Canal, built between 1803 and 1822. In the late 1700s, it was quite dangerous and time-consuming for trading ships to circumnavigate Scotland. For instance, a ship leaving Inverness on the country’s east coast would sail north through the rough North Sea and around to the North Atlantic to get to Ft. William on Scotland’s west coast. However, there was a natural waterway — a string of three lochs — cutting through the mountainous Scottish Highlands in the center of the country. Thomas Telford, in 1783, conceived of connecting the highland’s lochs via a man-made canal. It took 20 years for locals to hand-dig (with spades!) the 22 miles of canals 15 feet deep to connect lochs Ness, Oich and Lochy. The end result was the Caledonian Canal — an incredible triumph of civil engineering. Today we enter Loch Ness, the largest lake in Great Britain by volume. We will ascend an impressive flight of locks at Ft. Augustus, a picturesque village where we will moor overnight. (Mild)

Savor a delicious dinner on board tonight.

Wake this morning to breakfast and stunning views as you spend the morning cruising the Caledonian Canal.

Today, pass through Loch Oich and picturesque Loch Lochy before encountering the spectacular Neptune’s Staircase. Descending the dramatic series of eight interconnected locks, Lord of the Glens will be lowered to sea level at Copach. All the while Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Great Britain, looks on. This is an awesome feat of (Victorian!) engineering and a highlight of the cruise. (Mild)

Dig in to a terrific lunch on board before disembarking for this afternoon’s excursion.

This afternoon, take a train ride along part of the famed West Highland Railway. Glide over the spectacular Glenfinnan viaduct, curving high above the waters of Loch Shiel; this scene will feel familiar to fans of the Harry Potter films as the route of the Hogwarts Express. (Moderate)

Return to the ship for a lecture and dinner on board.

Wake this morning to breakfast and lovely views as you spend the morning cruising to the end of the Caledonian Canal. The ship will enter the serenely beautiful and sheltered waters of Loch Linnhe and sail out to Oban.

Tuck in to a delectable lunch on board, then disembark for this afternoon’s excursion.

Take a walking tour of the charming town of Oban, with its waterfront shops, cafes and cobbled streets. Then tackle a bit of a challenge on a guided walk up to McCaig’s Tower, perched on Battery Hill above the town. Inspired by the Roman Colosseum and made of local granite, the tower affords spectacular views of the Hebrides Islands. (Moderate)

Return to the ship for a yummy dinner on board, followed by a whisky tasting.

While you are breakfasting this morning, the ship will depart Oban and sail to Craignure on the Isle of Mull.

Visit the Inner Hebridean Isle of Iona. On this emerald-green, teardrop-shaped island, visit Iona Abbey, founded in the year 563 and considered the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. It was the monks of Iona who spread Christian ideas across Scotland and the north. St. Martin's Cross—dating to the eighth century—still stands by the roadside, and a replica of St. John's Cross is found by the doorway of the abbey. This is also well-known as the resting place of some 50 Scottish kings, including MacBeth. (Moderate)

After lunch, enjoy some free time to relax this afternoon.

Savor a delicious dinner on board.

While you savor a delicious breakfast this morning, the ship will sail from Craignure to Tobermory.

The Isle of Mull, in the Inner Hebrides archipelago, is well-known for its rugged beauty and marine and bird life. As you disembark in Tobermory, you may even spy eagles diving in the coastal water. Charming, brightly painted houses line the waterfront, which the British Fisheries Company originally built to house its workers. (Moderate)

Return to the ship for lunch on board. Enjoy an educational talk by a local ranger.

As the ship departs Tobermory and sails to Eigg this afternoon, look out for lovely seascapes and glimpses of nearby islands.

This community-owned island is a designated nature preserve. The nutrient-rich waters around the island support many species of seals, whales and dolphins, and a variety of seabirds. 212 different bird species have been recorded at Eigg, an impressive feat for such a small island. Head out on a guided tour in search of wildlife — don’t forget your camera! (Moderate)

After dinner on board this evening, the ship sails to Inverie. Here in a little community called Knoydart, is the “most remote pub in mainland Britain” (that’s the official listing from the Guinness Book of World Records). The Old Forge Pub can only be reached by boat or three days walk. Luckily, you’re on a boat with an agreeable captain and can enjoy a pint (or whatever tickles your fancy) in this remote corner of the world. (Moderate)

While you tuck in to breakfast this morning, the ship sails across the Sound of Sleat to Armadale on the Isle of Skye.

Disembark to explore this fascinating museum, located near the ruins of Armadale Castle, which is surrounded by 40 acres of woodland gardens. The exhibits here tell the history of Clan Donald, Scotland’s largest and most powerful clan. Learn about 1500 years of history and culture in this area — once known as the Kingdom of the Isles. (Moderate)

Return to the ship and dig in to a delectable lunch as the ship departs Armadale and sails for the Kyle of Lochalsh. Disembark for this afternoon’s excursion.

Visit Eilean Donan Castle, one of the world’s most recognized and famous castles—located on a tiny island at the confluence of three sea lochs amid some of Scotland’s most dramatic scenery. During your visit, learn the rich history of this castle and its clansmen. Eilean Donan was named for the sixth-century Irish saint who established the first community on the island. There has been a fortified castle on this site since the 13th century, although it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times in its long and turbulent history. The restored castle you will see today was completed in the 1930s. (Moderate)

Join your fellow travelers for a Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner on board the ship this evening.

Following breakfast, disembark and transfer from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness on a scenic motorcoach drive. Take in rolling hills, lochs and glens as you head east to the shores of Loch Ness.

Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart Castle has a dramatic history. There has been a fortified building on this spot dating back to the sixth century. Urquhart was an important medieval fortress with an ideal location alongside Loch Ness, guarding the entry into the Great Glen (and the Highlands, the center of the country). During the last of the Jacobite Risings in 1692, government troops had occupied Urquhart and as they left, they blew up the castle behind them to prevent the Jacobites from taking it. What remains are picturesque ruins surrounded by the cold, deep waters of Loch Ness. Climb the tower, stroll the remains of the great hall and even peer inside a prison cell. (Moderate)

Make your own plans for lunch today.

After lunch, visit this recently debuted interactive attraction at Inverness Castle. Through fascinating exhibits, learn about the Highland landscape, culture, history and heritage. Soak up beautiful vistas of the River Ness and the surrounding gardens. (Moderate)

Check in to the first-class Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness and enjoy an included dinner.

Following breakfast, transfer to Inverness Airport (INV) for your return flight home. Arrive in your home city and go through immigration and customs.