Frequently Asked Questions
Day Tours
Q. What is included in the price of the tour?
A. We include transport by one of our luxury touring coaches together with the services of our specially trained driver/host. A comprehensive commentary will be provided in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Frequent stops will be made at places of interest that you can visit, should you wish. Admission fees are not included.
Q. How can I make a reservation and when should I book?
A. You can make a reservation on this website. Our tours get very busy so, to avoid disappointment, it is best to book in advance. Please note that any special rates that we may be offering on our website are only available to customers who book on-line.
Q. Can I book when I get to Edinburgh or Glasgow?
A. Yes, we offer a credit card reservation line which is open from 08:00 hrs until 21:00 hrs daily. The telephone number is 0871 200 8008. Alternatively you can make a booking in person at one of our local agents – VisitScotland Tourist Information Centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness or the ticket desks at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness Bus Stations.
Q. What is your child policy?
A. We welcome children on all our tours. Infants under the age of 3 travel free of charge, however a seat will not be allocated. Children aged 3 to 12 inclusive travel at the child rate.
Q. Where does my tour depart from?
A. Our tours depart from central locations in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. Full information on the departure time and place of your tour will be shown on your tour confirmation.
Highlander Service tours depart from the main bus stations in Edinburgh, and Glasgow which are centrally located and convenient for public transport. They have a range of facilities including toilets, coffee bars and shops. Left luggage facilities may also be available, although it is best to check if this particular service is available at the time that you wish to travel.
Q. Where do I get my tickets?
A. We operate a ticket-less system. If you book on-line you will receive a confirmation that will give you helpful joining instructions and other information. We’re sure that you have better things to do with your vacation time than waiting in queues for tickets that you don’t need!
Q. Do you offer a hotel pick-up service?
A. We know that you will want to start your tour straight away rather than spending valuable time travelling around hotels. By offering a single centrally located departure point we can get you to Scotland’s best scenery as quickly as possible.
Q. Should I tip the driver?
A. A gratuity for good service is always appreciated.
Q. Will there be time for lunch and is it included?
A. Lunch is not included, but we will make a stop where you can get something to eat. When we plan our tours we try to make our stops in places of interest where there is a wide variety of food available. If you wish, you can bring a packed lunch or pick up lunch items at a previous stop.
Q. Will there be time off the coach?
A. When we plan our tours we strive to get a balance between free time and travelling time. As a guide you will not be travelling for muchmore than 2 hours without a break on any of our tours.
Q. What will the coach be like?
A. Our coaches are modern and specially built for luxury touring. All coaches have either forced-air ventilation or air-conditioning. Air-suspension will smooth out any bumps in the road and ABS, secondary breaking systems and a host of other safety features will ensure a safe trip.
Highlander Service tours feature additional amenities such as on-board toilet, additional leg-room and full climate control.
Q. Are your tours suitable for children?
A. Yes, although you may find our “Loch Ness and the Highlands” one-day tour to be too long a day for young children.
Q. Do you offer languages other than English?
A. Yes,all our one day tours offer commentaries in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.
Q. How many people will I be travelling with?
A. The size of our coaches varies from 8 seat minicoaches to 53 seat luxury touring coaches.
Q. I am travelling on a budget. Can I do the same the trip by public transport?
A. Almost certainly not! Our tours are designed to maximise your sightseeing opportunities so we frequently head off the main road and take routes where there is little or no public transport available. Please also bear in mind that the tour commentary that you will enjoy is designed to bring Scotland’s history, nature and scenic beauty to life as you travel around. Reading about your surroundings from a guide book will just not be the same!
Q. Can I join the tour in Edinburgh and leave it in Glasgow (or vice versa)?
A. This is possible on our “Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond & Glengoyne Distillery” and “Oban and and the Western Highlands” tours. Just let the driver know when you board the coach. If you wish you can bring your luggage too.
Q. What will the weather be like?
A. Ah, this is the $64,000 question! It may surprise you to know that we have a very temperate climate in Scotland. The geography of Scotland means that it does rain more frequently in the west of the country and there are stronger winds in the east. If it does rain on your tour we will not be too concerned and neither should you be – we need it to make our whisky!
Q. Do you accept groups ?
A. Yes, we are happy to accept groups on our tours. Discounts are available and we offer dedicated coaches to larger parties. Please contact us for more information.
Multi-Day Tours
Q. What is included in the price of the tour?
A. We include accommodation with private facilities in your choice of guest house or hotel; full Scottish breakfast and transport by one of our luxury touring coaches together with the services of our specially trained driver/host. A comprehensive commentary will be provided in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Admission fees are not included, but discounted admission may be available. On three, four, five, six and seven day tours the excursions from Inverness and Oban are generally provided by smaller sized vehicles. With the exception of the Highlands and the Isle of Skye all three, four, five, six and seven day tours are conducted in English only.
Q. How can I make a reservation and when should I book?
A. You can make a reservation on this website. We would recommend booking as far in advance as you can to ensure that you can travel on the tour of your choice.
Q. Can I book when I get to Edinburgh or Glasgow?
A. Yes it is possible to book when you get to Scotland, however we cannot guarantee that there will be space available on tours that are booked at the last minute.
Q. Do you offer a hotel pick-up service?
A. Our tours depart from centrally located bus stations in the heart of Edinburgh and Glasgow. We regret that we are unable to offer a hotel pick-up service, however taxis are in plentiful supply and are very moderately priced. Please see information on this website for suggested hotels close to our departure points.
Q. How many people will be on the tour?
A. Normally we restrict the number of people travelling on any multi-day tour to between 16 and 30 persons.
Q. Where does my tour depart from?
A. Our tours depart from the bus stations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Full joining information is available on this website.
Q. Will I get any information?
A. Yes, you will receive a full information pack that includes a map, full itinerary, guides and other helpful material.
Q. Are your tours suitable for children?
A. Yes, the relaxed nature of our tours makes them uniquely appropriate for children aged 5 and upwards.
Q. I’m an independent spirit, will I enjoy your tours?
A. Almost certainly. Our multi-day tours are designed to have as much free time as possible. We have designed our tours to combine the freedom of independent travel with the cost advantages of group travel. In particular we think that our relaxed excursions from Inverness and Oban will appeal to those who enjoy time on their own to enjoy their own pursuits.
Q. Tell me about the accommodation you use?
A.We use theHighland capital city of Inverness and the picturesque part of Oban as our touring bases. When you travel with us there is none of the packing and unpacking which so infuriates holidaymakers. We offer a choice of accommodation – hotels or guest-houses. Our hotels are centrally located, just a short stroll from the many attractions, restaurants and bars. The accommodation is comfortable, in a traditional style with en-suite bathrooms. All bedrooms have TV, tea/coffee facilities and other amenities. Our guesthouses are family run and are just a short walk from the city centre. All of the accommodation that we feature has private facilities which means the bathroom is either en-suite (in your room) or adjacent to the bedroom, which is available for your exclusive use. Like our hotels the guest houses offer TV, tea and coffee facilities amongst other features.
Q. What does twin/double & single mean?
A. A twin room is one that contains two single beds, a double room has one large bed. Both twin and double refers to a room that will sleep two persons. A single room is built to accommodate one person. Please note that, in general, king sized beds are not available and a double bed is likely to be similar to a queen sized bed that is common in North America and elsewhere.
Q. What is a full Scottish breakfast?
A. A Scottish breakfast is a hearty meal that will keep you going all day long! Typically the meal will start with a choice of juice, fruit, yoghurt and cereals. A choice of cooked items will be available including bacon, sausages, egg and tomato. Sometimes this is augmented with haggis, black pudding (a type of blood sausage). There is a good supply of tea or coffee together with toast and preserves. In hotels it is usual for breakfast to be served as a buffet where you help yourself. In guest houses you will usually help yourself to cereals and the main course is freshly cooked to order.
Q. What will my motorcoach coach be like?
A. Your tour will be split into two sections. On the journey from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Inverness/Oban and from Inverness/Oban back to Edinburgh or Glasgow we provide a luxury touring coach with air-conditioning, reclining seats, on-board washroom and double glazing. These coaches also boast substantial luggage space, which means that you can bring a reasonable amount of luggage with you. On the excursions from Inverness/Oban we employ mini-coaches with air-conditioning. These smaller vehicles can get to places that a big coach can’t which really add to the enjoyment of these tours.
Q. Should I tip the driver?
A. A gratuity for a job well done is always appreciated by our drivers.
Q. Can you organise accommodation before and after my tour?
A. We regret that we are unable to make reservations for you. Please contact http://www.visitscotland.com/where they will be happy to assist.
Q. How much luggage can I bring?
A. You can bring a reasonable amount of luggage with you on the tour. As a guide we will be happy to carry one full-sized suitcase and one carry-on bag per person.
General
Q. How can I pay for my tour?
A. We are happy to accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards. Debit cards linked to a UK bank are also acceptable.
Q. Do you have any local agents that I can visit?
A. If you wish to pay in person then you can visit the following agents:
London:
Britain Visitor Centre, 1 Regent Street
Edinburgh:
VisitScotland, 3 Princes Street
Scottish Citylink, Edinburgh Bus Station
LastMinute.com,Waverley Station and Edinburgh Airport
Glasgow:
VisitScotland, 11 George Square
Strathclyde Passenger Transport, Buchanan Bus Station
Q. I’ve missed my tour, can I get a refund?
A. Like other tour operators we cannot be responsible if you miss your tour because you are not at the departure point in good time. If you miss your coach then you should contact us as we may be able to rebook you on another tour, however there will be a charge of 50% of the brochure price of the tour for this facility.
Q. I need to cancel my tour?
A. Please call or email us. Provided that we have the appropriate notice we will be happy to refund your money (less a £5 per person administration fee). Unfortunately if you give us less than 72 hours notice for a one day tour then we are unable to give you a refund. If you are travelling on a multi-day tour then you need to give us at least 14 days notice to get a refund. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance.
Q. Do you ever cancel tours?
A. All our tours are guaranteed to operate which means you can book with confidence.
Q. Do you offer discounts for children?
A. Infants under the age of3 are carried free of charge, but will not be entitled to a seat of their own. Children from3 to 12 years inclusive receive a discount – see the Essential Tour Information on each tour listing for the appropriate price.
Q. I have a question that is not covered by these FAQ’s?
A. Please use the Contact Us email facility on this website to ask a question. We do our very best to answer your query as soon as possible.
Scotland's Clans and Tartans