Bespoke hotel barging cruise on board of SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND through Scotland's stunning landscape

Caledonian Canal, Loch Ness and The Highlands on board of Deluxe hotel barge SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND

7 Days / 6 nights

Deluxe hotel barge SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND
12 passengers / 6 staterooms each approx. 12 sqm, each with en-suite shower/WC and TV/DVD player / 6 crew members / 3 deck levels / spa pool on the rear deck / open bar / saloon with seating area and bar / separate dining area in the saloon / Outdoor dining / rooftop sun deck with table and deckchairs / 8 bicycles on board

Itinerary * :
Sunday, Day 1
Banavie
Guests are met at the Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel (2019) or Kingsmills Hotel (2020) in Inverness** and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Spirit of Scotland. A champagne welcome by the Captain and crew and perhaps an early evening stroll before our first dinner on board.

Monday, Day 2
Banavie to Laggan
Our excursion today will take us to the mystical area of Glencoe, renowned for its geographical beauty and famed for one of the darkest days in Scottish history. We begin our week this morning with a cruise through Moy Bridge, the last hand-operated bridge of its type on the waterway, before crossing Loch Lochy. As we approach our mooring at Laggan, a Highland Piper may be there to greet us with a stirring rendition of traditional Scottish music. After lunch on board, our tour today takes us to Dalwhinnie Distillery, built in 1897 and the highest distillery in Scotland. We are given a fascinating description of the maturing and ageing process of their whiskies, each with its distinctive characteristics, followed by a special tasting of several single malts. If time permits, we can also visit the ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle. Dinner on board.

Tuesday, Day 3
Laggan to Kytra
This morning we cruise across the very scenic Loch Oich, perhaps stopping en route for a spot of fishing or a gentle stroll, then onto our pretty mooring at Kytra. After lunch on board we take in some of the finest scenery Scotland has to offer as we drive to one of its best known and most photographed castles, Eilean Donan, which has featured in movies such as “Highlander” and James Bond’s “The World Is Not Enough” and overlooks three sea lochs. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 4
Kytra to Fort Augustus
This morning we cruise to Fort Augustus and down the “flight” as the locals call it, to moor opposite the Benedictine Abbey at the entrance to Loch Ness. There is time to explore this pretty village, then after lunch on board, we take a gentle drive through stunning scenery to see the falls of Foyers, set in a dramatic gorge leading to Loch Ness and made famous in a 1787 poem by Robbie Burns. This evening we have dinner ashore at a local restaurant.

Thursday, Day 5
Fort Augustus to Dochgarroch
This morning we enjoy a picturesque cruise across world-famous Loch Ness, with perhaps a chance of spotting “Nessie”, where en route we visit Urquhart Castle, mooring right below its spectacular ruins, before continuing our cruise to moor at the hamlet of Dochgarroch. After lunch we visit Cawdor Castle*, forever immortalised in Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”, Macbeth. The picturesque gardens have been listed as being amongst the top 100 in the UK. The castle contains a superb collection of tapestries, pictures and furnishings and is still in use as a home for the Dowager Countess of Cawdor who resides there for several months of the year. Then we visit Culloden Moor, scene of the last major battle on British soil in 1746 and end our tour at the Clava Cairns, a pre-historic clan chieftain burial site dating back to 2000 B.C. Dinner on board.

Friday, Day 6
Dochgarroch to Muirtown
This morning, our final cruise will take us through Tomnahurich swing bridge and through the locks to Muirtown, where there will be the opportunity to take a bicycle ride or walk to the sea lock with wonderful views over the Moray and Beauly Firths. After lunch, we visit the Glen Ord distillery, founded in 1838 on the Black Isle by the Mackenzies of Ord. We are given a fascinating description of the maturing and ageing process of their whiskies, each with its distinctive characteristics, followed by our special tasting of several single malts, including The Singleton. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Saturday, Day 7
Muirtown
After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Inverness**.

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. On alternate weeks the cruise will be in the reverse direction. 

**other locations available for Private Charter bookings

HERE you will find information on the
Deluxe hotel barge SCOTTISH HIGHLANDER, which also cruises the Caledonian Canal. Please contact us for routes, exact departure dates and prices.

Tour departure dates 2024:
Weekly every sunday between April 07 and October 20, 2024
Tour departure dates 2025:
Weekly every sunday between April 06 and October 26, 2025


Rates 2024:

Per person in double cabin from 5,250 EUR to 6,050 EUR per week
Single supplement from 1,900 EUR to 2,200 EUR
Rates 2025:
Per person in double cabin from 5,690 EUR to 6,250 EUR per week
Single supplement from 2,100 EUR to 2,400 EUR


Cruise includes:
• local transfers to and from the hotel barge
• a luxury 6 night cruise
• all gourmet meals on board catered by the on board Master Chef
• all wines/beverages served throughout the cruise
• an open bar 24/7 with a large range of drinks
• inspiring excursions and entrance fees as per the itinerary
• the attentive services of crew members

We will be pleased to provide more details through your
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