Explorateur - Dooner & Campbell

Day 1 - Friday 16^th May - Welcome to Scotland

On arrival at the airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your private driver guide. Together travel north to the Highland Capital of Inverness. Depending on your arrival time, have the chance to stop off along the way to take in the scenery, or to stretch the legs before continuing to your accommodation for the evening.

Overnight: Inverness | Rocpool Reserve Hotel
Room Type: x2 Chic Rooms
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Saturday 17^th May - Loch Ness and Eilean Donan

Today enjoy some fabulous scenery as your guide drives you to the Isle of Skye. Pass the deep waters of Loch Ness and through steep sided mountain glens on the way. Stop to explore the elegant Eilean Donan castle, set out on the water on a private island, surrounded by majestic scenery. You will then continue onwards, passing over the graceful arc of the Skye Bridge onto ‘the misty isle’ itself and carrying on to your lovely hotel in the town of Portree.

Overnight: Portree | Marmalade Hotel
Room Type: x2 Premier Double Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3 - Sunday 18^th May - Exploring Skye

This morning, set off with your guide to explore the breathtaking Trotternish Peninsula, home to the dramatic Quiraing. Your guide will tailor the experience to suit your interests. Discover the towering rock formations, hidden plateaus, and sweeping views of rolling hills, shimmering lochs, and distant islands. Along the way, your guide will share fascinating stories about the area’s geology, history, and folklore.

Overnight: Portree | Marmalade Hotel
Room Type: x2 Premier Double Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Monday 19^th May - Dunvegan Castle

Set out to visit Dunvegan Castle today, a Hebridean fortress which has been home to the same family for over 800 years. Learn about the family ancestry and stroll around the formal gardens, perhaps pausing for a home bake and cup of tea, all the while admiring the stunning views and discovering the history as you explore the corridors.

This afternoon visit a local tannery where they still make luxurious sheep skin rugs using the traditional methods, a fascinating insight into local life. Perhaps enjoy a coffee stop in a local traditional yurt overlooking the bay. Later, your gudie will take you back to Portree, where the evening is at your leisure.

Overnight: Portree | Marmalade Hotel
Room Type: x2 Premier Double Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Tuesday 20^th May - Transfer to Glencoe

Today take the ferry back to the mainland and drive the scenic road, from the white sands of Arisaig and the mountain glens. Stop at Glenfinnan to admire the Viaduct and hear about the Jacobite history behind the monument and the ‘Lone Highlander’ on top. Your guide will then take you onwards to Glencoe and your unique luxurious hotel.

Overnight: Glencoe | Glencoe House
Room Type: x2 One Bed Suites
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Wednesday 21^st May - The West Highlands

Explore the stunning scenery of Glencoe this morning, these dramatic mountains and ridges have featured as the backdrop in many films and once you are looking up at these summits it is easy to see why! This afternoon settle down to listen to tales of local legends and the fascinating dark past of Glencoe told by a local storyteller.

On your final night in Scotland, unwind with a wee dram of whisky as you reflect on the unforgettable landscapes, captivating stories, and cherished experiences, letting the magic of the Highlands leave its lasting mark.

Overnight: Glencoe | Glencoe House
Room Type: x2 One Bed Suites
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7 - Thursday 22^nd May - Scotland to Dublin

Leaving Scotland this morning, your guide will take you to the Airport in time to catch your flight.  Taking with you memories that will last a lifetime. Arriving in Ireland, a private transfer will pick you up from the airport and whisk you into the city to your 5-star central hotel. Check-in is at 3 pm however feel free to leave your bags, freshen up, or have a bite to eat before heading out to explore the city. The rest of today is free for you to enjoy as you wish. We have some great recommendations for experiences and restaurants for you or simply enjoy your hotel and its amenities including its dining options.

Overnight: Dublin 2 | Leinster Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 - Friday 23^rd May - Explore Dublin

Today you get to explore some of Dublin’s highlights and hidden gems. We recommend starting with a fantastic walking tour with a local private guide through this vibrant capital city, with its mix of 1,000 years of architecture from the mediaeval to Georgian to modern. See the Georgian-style Merrion Square, lush St. Stephen’s Green and Fitzwilliam Square, as well as O’Connell Street, the site of the ‘1916 Uprising’ that led to Ireland’s independence in 1922. Your guide is also a historian who will bring the city to life with colourful tales of life in the city in times gone by. Finish your tour near Trinity College and The Book of Kells where you can join a campus group tour and self-guided audio Book of Kells Experience. After a little lunch, we highly recommend going the short distance to the Little Museum of Dublin for a private tour. The quaint little cafe right next door is the perfect spot for coffee and cake and of course, some people watching.

Overnight: Dublin 2 | Leinster Hotel
Room Type: 2 x Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 9 - Saturday 24^th May - Dublin to Galway - Glass Cutting

This morning your private tour guide will meet you at your hotel and take you cross country to the town and county of Galway. Galway is a bohemian town, full of art and artisans, crafters and performers. Just outside the city, you will stop at a family-run crystal factory. Glass cutting in Ireland is part of a vibrant artistic tradition and you will have the chance today to meet the master glass cutter as they craft a personalised item for you. With its cobbled pavement and street performers, Galway is the West Coast’s most vibrant urban centre and a great place to visit. You’ll have lunch in one of our favourite restaurants in the city centre before heading to your final destination, the stunning Ballynahinch Castle in the heart of Connemara. Built as a traditional hunting lodge and owned by the landed gentry Ballynahinch has acres of forestry and woodlands surrounding it giving it, immersing you in nature.

Overnight: Connemara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: 2 x Superior
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 10 - Sunday 25^th May - Connemara National park

This morning it’s a 45-minute drive through the windswept Twelve Bens Mountain Range to Killary, Ireland’s only fjord. Start the day with a sheep-herding demonstration at a local farm, and you’ll have the opportunity to cut peat from the bogs – a method that’s been used to harvest fuel in these parts for aeons. Take a stroll along the abandoned Famine Trail and hear stories of the people who emigrated en mass due to the harsh conditions they found themselves in.

After your walk spend a little time in the nearby village of Clifden where you have the opportunity to browse the craft shops perhaps picking up a memento or two for home. On route back to your hotel, be sure to stop at the stunning Kylemore Abbey. Built in the 1800’s as a dedication to his wife by Mitchell Henry MP, a wealthy businessman, today Kylemore is owned and run by the Benedictine community who have been in residence since the 1920’s.
Tour the house and walled gardens and be sure to stop by the cafe and gift shop, the homemade chocolates, made onsite are a delicious treat to take away.

Overnight: Connemara | Ballynahinch castle Hotel
Room Type: 2 x Superior
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 11 - Monday 26^th May - The Cliffs of Moher

Leaving Galway, we make our way south, into the county of Clare home to one of Ireland’s most enduring visitor attractions, The Cliffs of Moher. Towering over the Atlantic Sea on the rugged west coast, the cliffs are not only dramatic but home to thousands of seabirds during the spring and summer months. On a clear day, the views are tremendous, with the Aran Islands etched on the waters of Galway Bay.
Explore the visitor’s centre and take a walk along the pathways and viewing points for some of the most breathtaking scenery you will experience in Ireland. There are options to visit a local microbrewery this afternoon and meet the master brewer. This evening join your guide at a local traditional pub where Margaret, the landlady will bring you on a fascinating whiskey-tasting journey through some of her extensive collection.

Overnight: Clare | Gregans Castle Hotel
Room Type: 2 x Superior
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 12 - Tuesday 27^th May - The Aran Islands

We hope the weather gods are on our side today as we head out to visit one of the remote islands that dot the Irish coastline. Inis Mor (Inishmore) is the largest of the three Aran Islands, and our destination this morning. Explore the island with the aid of some off road adventure vehicles as your local guides, Padraig and Aonghus bring you to all the off the beaten track spots on the islands that only their 4×4’s can reach. Learn of the Gaelic language spoken on the islands, the unique Irish culture and traditions of the local people, the flora and fauna that inhabit the islands and of course the filming site from the recent Banshees of Inisherin film! For dinner this evening, after a day on the islands, we recommend staying onsite at Gregans award-winning restaurant.

Overnight: Clare | Gregans Castle Hotel
Room Type: 2 x Superior
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 13 - Wednesday 28^th May - To Dingle

The county of Kerry is made up of four peninsulas, The Kerry Head, The Beara, The Iveragh and probably its most well-known,  The Dingle Peninsula and your destination today. Following a relaxed Irish breakfast hit the road to explore the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. This is Gaeltacht country where the Irish language is still widely spoken as a first language and culture and traditions remain strong. Once you get checked into your hotel you have free time to explore and perhaps visit some of the pubs that Dingle is so well known for.

Overnight: Dingle | Heatons Guesthouse
Room Type: x2 Junior Suites
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 14 - Thursday 29^th May - The Dingle Peninsula

Meet some feather friends this morning on an exhilarating Hawk Walk. Watch as these magnificent birds of prey swoop and soar with breathtaking speed and learn all about their fascinating habits. Afterwards, tour around the peninsula visiting a fascinating array of ancient sites including Iron Age forts, beehive huts, inscribed stones, and historical churches. The Peninsula culminates at the dramatic Slea Head—Europe’s most western point.

Overnight: Dingle | Heatons Guesthouse
Room Type: x2 Junior Suites
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 15 - Friday 30^th May - Ireland to London

Departing from Dingle this morning your guide will take you to the Airport in time for your flights to London.

On arrival at London Airport, you will be met by a private transfer driver who will whisk you to your hotel in the centre of Knightsbridge.  You are free to settle in and relax or head out to explore the surrounding area.

Overnight: London | Knightsbridge Hotel - Firmdale - London
Room Type: x2 Deluxe Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 16 - Saturday 31^st May - A Free day in London

Today you have a full free day to spendentirely as you wish. Take in some of the iconic sites from The Houses Parliament, Buckingham Palace to the iconic London Eye.  Maybe make the most of the shopping opportunities, or head to one of the world-class galleries or museums. The choice is yours!

Overnight: London | Knightsbridge Hotel - Firmdale - London
Room Type: x2 Deluxe Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 17 - Sunday 1^st June - Depart

A private transfer will collect you from your accommodation and take you to the airport to make your onward connections. Waving farewell for now but taking with you special memories and wonderful stories of your explorations.

Meals Included: Breakfast