3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour from Inverness
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour from Inverness
By Rabbie's
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
from per adult
$617.51
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation
Ages 16-99, max of 16 per group
Duration: 3 days
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Admission Fee - Includes admission to Maeshowe and Skara Brae
- Transport by air-conditioned mini-coach
- 2 nights overnight accommodation with private facilities in either a B&B or 3-star hotel
- Professional and friendly driver guide
- Entry/Admission - Skara Brae
- Entry/Admission - Maeshowe Chambered Cairn
What's not included- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Entrance fees: unless specified
- Start:
- 1 Ardross St, Inverness IV3, UKPlease meet your Rabbie's guide at the bus stop next to Inverness Cathedral, Ardross Street, Inverness, IV3 5NS. Please arrive 15 minutes before the tour departs.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2250P69- Most travelers can participate
- All Inverness tours will depart from the bus stop next to Inverness Cathedral, Ardross Street, IV3 5NS
- Skara Brae - We reserve tickets for you. Admission will be included in your tour price.
- Maeshowe - We reserve tickets for you. Admission will be included in your tour price.
- Italian Chapel – We reserve tickets for you. If you want to visit this attraction, please purchase your ticket whilst on tour.
- Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person on our tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
- We apologise, but we cannot accommodate children under 5 years old on our tours. Please note that if this policy is not followed, we will have to refuse travel without issuing a refund. Thank you for understanding.
- Booking three or more people? We can accommodate up to 8 guests in a group, please add each required room to your basket separately. To ensure that bookings for passengers traveling together are not separated, please inform us if you have multiple bookings.
- When booking three or more people, efforts will be made to book a combination of suitable rooms (double/twin/single). Preferences should be noted upon booking in the Special Requirements section
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
- If you cancel at least 22 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
- If you cancel within 21 days of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
- What is the departure point for the 3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour?
- The tour departs from the Bus stop near Inverness CathedralAnswered Apr 2023
- Is parking available near the departure point for the 3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour?
- Parking can be difficult to find in the center of town. It is highly recommended that you take advantage of the excellent public transportation that is available.Answered Jun 2021
- How early should I arrive for the 3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour?
- Check-in closes 15 minutes before your departure time. The tour departs on time, so please do not arrive late.Answered Jun 2021
- Can I bring luggage with me on the 3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour?
- You may bring up to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) and a small bag for onboard personal items.Answered Jun 2021
The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2250P69
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
Overview
Full Map
11 stops
Day 1
Inverness - Dunrobin Castle -...
Day 2
Today is your chance to explore...
Day 3
Kirkwall - Caithness and...
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- gone2bigsur0 contributionsAwesome countrysideAmy was our guide and driver. She is very knowledgeable and I learned so much. Lunch at applecross cafe was amazing. I splurged and had the beef cheeks. The little village of applecross was charming. It was a clear day so you could see Skye and the outer Hebrides.Written September 6, 2024
- gone2bigsur0 contributionsRabbies InvernessThoroughly enjoyed this tour with Dave as our guide/driver. Dave tells great stories and jokes. We were lucky with sunshine most of the day.Written September 6, 2024
- W3198VYsvetlanag0 contributionsSpectacular Isle of Skye. Some issues with the driver.The route was planned very well. We got lucky with the sunny weather, and the views were stunning! Isle of Skye was the highlight of our trip to Scotland. However, it wasn't easy to understand the driver's heavy accent even for native English speakers. I'd suggest encouraging the guides to speak not too fast to make it easier to understand them. Also, Alec spent a little bit too much time complaining about unprofessional drivers which was, ironically, unprofessional to my mind.Written September 6, 2024
- Renée M0 contributionsWonderful tour to ancient sites and the waterfallsWonderful tour with Sheana and Nick, our guide could tell lots of interesting stories and knew the sites we were visiting very well!! The sites are great to visit!Written August 30, 2024
- mar23820 contributionsTotally worth it.A day to remember, traveling around and on Loch Ness. Very thoughtfully guided by Dave, who clearly loves Scotland and makes us love it too. By the way Dave, we loved the Cullen skink. Good tip.Written August 28, 2024
- Z6441VOtg0 contributionsLooking into Scotland’s PastColin was our incredible tour guide. He was knowledgeable, entertaining, intuitive and just an all around great guy. Couldn’t recommend the tour or him more.Written August 28, 2024
- Y6997ONmichaelb0 contributionsHighly worthwhile and recommended!This was a wonderful way to see the Highlands and learn a lot about Scotland, its history, culture and people. Our driver/guide Seana was simply superb, ably captaining our comfortable touring van, keeping us entertained with history, tales and engaging conversation about the areas we were seeing and the three days flew by. I most enjoyed the more remote, western side of the peninsula with its pristine beaches, mountain vistas, and of course, many, many sheep. Overall, this was a terrific way to get a feel for the Scotland Highlands in a short period of time. Highly worthwhile and recommended!Written August 24, 2024
- senecag20240 contributionsGreat tour, wonderful guide!Rabbie’s Tours was wonderful! Our guide (Aileigh?) not sure of the spelling - was great. She was very knowledgeable about the Highlands and about the Isle of Skye.Written August 23, 2024
- BeckyA4910 contributionsSkye in a dayHelen and Nick were incredible tour guides! Our stops were informative and the tour was handled in a timely fashion. Skye is a must see and this tour was fabulous!Written August 14, 2024
- Steffi03040 contributionsFantastic experienceWe had a fantastic time during our Isle of Skye trip with Helen. It's a long day tour but we enjoyed it from start to finish. Helen was extremely considerate about taking breaks and stopping for toilets regularly. She was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining, and a very skillful and safe driver. We learned so much about the Highlands, their history, culture, and nature. Highly recommended!Written August 13, 2024
- Jackie W0 contributionsDo itGuide was fantastic, with great historical knowledge, a tale or two and very witty. The tour was well put together and great value for money.Written August 12, 2024
- Syko19690 contributionsEpic views on an epic tour.This has got to be one of the best tours I've ever been on. Our driver, guide, historian, thesbian, Ryan, was truly epic. This tour lasted over 12 hours and was made more enjoyable by him. The views of The Isle of Skye are out of this world. The roads are not for the faint hearted though! Lol.Written August 6, 2024
- Quest247014039500 contributionsWonderfull dayWonderful day - great job, Kev! We had a good time on Isle of Skye. Kev, our driver and guide had lots of stories, facts and also funnies about all spots on this journey and more. Very recommendable...Written August 6, 2024
- Dmgarcia06250 contributionsWell worth the day!So glad we did this! Our family of 4 (including 2 teenagers) really enjoyed the experience, stories, music and the comfort of the van. Amy was awesome!! She told stories, played Scottish music and showed us many wonderful things about the Scottish highlands.Written August 1, 2024
- sarahrC2613MH0 contributionsGreat Tour!Great tour! Beautiful location stops, smooth drive (there was so much chaos for many other tours that day!) and Duncan was so informed, passionate, and engaging about his homeland. What a great guide! Loved the van situation instead of a beast bus, especially once we hit the one lane roads. Organized, smooth, and got to see so many amazing things! Thank you!Written July 31, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
46 reviews
Excellent
44
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Annika N
7 contributions
Aug 2024 • Solo
Excellent tour with a friendly, knowledgeable guide with the most wonderful accent.
Saw everything that was on my list and the weather only added to the atmosphere
(-bring an umbrella if you can, though it *will* break from the wind). I much preferred this to a tour by another company I did to Skye, which was underwhelming. But you really felt alive on Orkney, the wind was wonderful. It helped that the bus was a 16 seater, which makes for a much more personal experience. If you are into stone age civilizations this is your playground. Then there is all the other island specific farming etc going on, which is just delightful to witness and if you are lucky you will hear the melodious Orkney accent when listening to locals. Breakfast in our BnB in Kirkwall was great and for dinner we had takeaway which was excellent, and there are supermarkets everywhere, so go get your sustenance there if no spots are available. The restaurants will be full and they do tell you to make reservations, so make sure you do if you want a proper restaurant experience and you will be dropped of there. Accomodation was spread out over town and you were picked up there in the morning.
We also made plenty of refreshment stops.
It depends on the people in your group, whether a trip is quite successfull, but for the most part the people were getting along and bonding over the course of days.
(Even though some people are never happy, or overly excited - which both was quite draining after a while, get it together people....). I would not neccessarily recommend this for children though. You can bring them, but it might be a little much having to sit still for long periods of time, which in turn bugs the other passengers, so think about that.
However, I wish all islanders the strength to deal with all the cruiseship bs going on and wish they were not overrun with tourists, which was especially a problem in Kirkwall. We were lucky, and it was fairly quiet but on leaving there were two massive ships coming in which is ridiulous. The poor locals. They were friendly and helpful everywhere, but I would totally understand if some were fed up with the backpacking sardines squished into the little towns.
Saw everything that was on my list and the weather only added to the atmosphere
(-bring an umbrella if you can, though it *will* break from the wind). I much preferred this to a tour by another company I did to Skye, which was underwhelming. But you really felt alive on Orkney, the wind was wonderful. It helped that the bus was a 16 seater, which makes for a much more personal experience. If you are into stone age civilizations this is your playground. Then there is all the other island specific farming etc going on, which is just delightful to witness and if you are lucky you will hear the melodious Orkney accent when listening to locals. Breakfast in our BnB in Kirkwall was great and for dinner we had takeaway which was excellent, and there are supermarkets everywhere, so go get your sustenance there if no spots are available. The restaurants will be full and they do tell you to make reservations, so make sure you do if you want a proper restaurant experience and you will be dropped of there. Accomodation was spread out over town and you were picked up there in the morning.
We also made plenty of refreshment stops.
It depends on the people in your group, whether a trip is quite successfull, but for the most part the people were getting along and bonding over the course of days.
(Even though some people are never happy, or overly excited - which both was quite draining after a while, get it together people....). I would not neccessarily recommend this for children though. You can bring them, but it might be a little much having to sit still for long periods of time, which in turn bugs the other passengers, so think about that.
However, I wish all islanders the strength to deal with all the cruiseship bs going on and wish they were not overrun with tourists, which was especially a problem in Kirkwall. We were lucky, and it was fairly quiet but on leaving there were two massive ships coming in which is ridiulous. The poor locals. They were friendly and helpful everywhere, but I would totally understand if some were fed up with the backpacking sardines squished into the little towns.
Written August 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K H
Philadelphia, PA91 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
Rabbie's tour was exactly what we were looking for - the right size and guaranteed departure. Our Orkney tour was 9 people and the group got along so well helped by Kev who was the driver/guide. Kev stopped at the places advertised for the tour and more where only this type of van can go. He added his personal touch to the tour by taking us to special places like this stream in Berriedale where Prince/King Charles likes to fish and stop at Pulteney Distillery in Wick. The drive to Orkney from Inverness was beautiful and scenic - just what you imagine the Highlands will look like. I have been on other similar tours, but I can say that Kev is an exceptional guide who not only knows his job but able to bring his passengers together.
Written April 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eileen C
11 contributions
May 2024 • Solo
Orkney is stunning and sites like Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, the Italian Chapel and Maeshowe all tell a fascinating story of times gone by that will appeal to anyone with even a passing interest in history. This was a terrific Orkney itinerary which packed in all the sites we wanted to see (and even some we hadn't known we wanted to see!) without feeling rushed as well as covering some gorgeous sites north of Inverness too. Helen was a fantastic guide who cheerily adapted the tour to all 16 group members levels of agility and tastes (no mean feat) whether that be history, wildlife, shopping or even hunting for sea glass on some of the most beautiful, wildest beaches I've ever seen. She also excelled at sourcing a magnificent selection of bathroom stops en route (again no mean feat!) and shared her excellent Scotland playlist in the comfortable minibus which served as our vehicle for the duration of the trip.
Written May 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue_at_folly
Soham, UK77 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
An exceedingly enjoyable trip, helped by good weather but even more so by the knowledge and good humour of our guide, Kevin. The visits to Skarra Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and other Neolithic sites were unforgettable, but there were also plenty of stops - both on Orkney and on the drives to and from Inverness - at less famous sites and viewpoints. All the hotel etc arrangements seemed to run smoothly, reflecting credit on the Rabbies staff, given the problems faced by the hospitality industry. Would definitely recommend this trip.
Written September 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ginjerome
Middleboro, MA111 contributions
Jul 2023
Amazing experience. This offered exactly what I was looking for. Our guide, Jim, was extremely knowledgeable, informative, and excellent at adjusting to the unexpected.
I wanted no part of renting a car and trying to drive in an unknown place, and having now seen Orkney, I am even more glad I chose a tour with a very professional driver. The first and third days' schedules are (necessarily) dictated by the ferry crossing timetable; Jim did a great job in filling in the time around those criteria, ensuring we saw and experienced as much as possible while also making sure we made the ferry. I enjoyed both of those days very much, but the real treats came on the second day. The neolithic sites in Orkney are not done justice with photographs. Walking among structures first built by humans 5,000 years ago is just incredible, and this tour gave us easy and direct access to everything Orkney had to offer.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone considering it.
I wanted no part of renting a car and trying to drive in an unknown place, and having now seen Orkney, I am even more glad I chose a tour with a very professional driver. The first and third days' schedules are (necessarily) dictated by the ferry crossing timetable; Jim did a great job in filling in the time around those criteria, ensuring we saw and experienced as much as possible while also making sure we made the ferry. I enjoyed both of those days very much, but the real treats came on the second day. The neolithic sites in Orkney are not done justice with photographs. Walking among structures first built by humans 5,000 years ago is just incredible, and this tour gave us easy and direct access to everything Orkney had to offer.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone considering it.
Written July 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Natalia G
42 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
Tour guide Seana was charming, knowledgeable, engaging, funny and friendly. A true scottish highlander, I feel privileged that I got to spend three fantastic days in her company and my mind is buzzing with all the fascinating facts and stories that she shared on this tour. The itinerary and sites that we got to see on this tour were incredible, communication was perfect and times allotted for each site were just enough to thoroughly explore the site and not get bored waiting for the tour to move on. The nature of Orkney is not as spectacular as in the highlands, but all the Neolithic and bronze age sites that we got to see just blew my mind. This tour is a must for anyone interested in ancient history and archeology.
Written September 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl O
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Did the 3-day Orkney tour with our guide Kev. He was awesome. Provided us with an A1 time and showed us so many sites it was an amazing adventure (aside from the single grumpy couple in our tour who complained about pretty much everything.) The entire remainder of the bus was on Kev’s side when he advised if they weren’t happy they could leave the tour at any time. They of course didn’t leave but at least were not quite as vocal.
I would 100% recommend Rabbie’s tours & especially guide Kev!!!
I’m off on another 3 day now & so far it’s shaping up to be just as good!!
I would 100% recommend Rabbie’s tours & especially guide Kev!!!
I’m off on another 3 day now & so far it’s shaping up to be just as good!!
Written September 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NJWanders
39 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
Kev, our bus/driver guide, was so informative and funny. The small group size, 16 participants in the mini bus, made for a comfortable journey. We were given enough time at each site to explore and take photos without feeling rushed. We had booked our own accomodations so can't comment on that service offered by Rabbie's. On our way to and from Inverness, where the tour started, we passed and saw every sites. I would recomend this tour if you wish to spend a few days in Orkney.
Written September 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tseneka
Edmonton, Canada25 contributions
Jul 2024 • Friends
We absolutely loved this tour. Amy was hands down, the best tour guide on any tour, in any format, in any place I have ever met. She was welcoming and kind and unbelievably knowledgeable. Not just about Scottish history, but history of language, agriculture, pop culture, geology and everything in between. Even details as small as the music in the van - every song was curated for exactly the spot we were in at the moment. I cannot recommend Rabbie's enough. We did a second Rabbie's tour on this trip (Edinburgh to St Andrews), and it was also an excellent experience.
Written July 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
charisma2015
Wantage, NJ272 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
Kevin was great in many ways. He is very knowledgeable and has a good sense of humor. We visited all the key important and interesting sites in the Orkney Islands plus learned lots of history and some folklore. Kevin was quite considerate and accommodating - he made our 3 days full of adventure, excitement and fun. ..plus he played the greatest Scottish tunes! All the six friends in our group fully enjoyed our tour and stay in the Orkney Islands. Having a small group tour gave us additional flexibility which was really awesome. Highly recommend!
Written September 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Inspire541490
Burlington, Canada
Are all the seats in your van facing forward and do your vans have a solid roof or roof skylight?
I took a 3-day guided tour with another tour company and had to sit backwards because the van had a table in the back with some seats facing forward and some backwards around the table. Travelling backwards made me nauseated the entire tour. We had to keep the same seats for the tour so I saw very little. The van also had a solid roof so we could not appreciate the height of the highlands. I was very very disappointed in the tour. Hope your mode of transportation is more conducive for sightseeing.
Written March 22, 2021
We are planning this trip for August 7-9, 2020. What clothes do you advise? Will it be cold and rainy? Just asking... we were very unprepared for our previous trip to the Isle of Mull in June of 2017. We had not packed warm enough clothes and really needed rubber boots. I know there is a baggage restriction (???) and I am the world's worst packer. Please let me know what I might expect weather-wise.
Written January 31, 2020
Do you have to book accommodation separately? Is it included in the tour? Is there a choice of where the accommodation is?
Written May 5, 2019
Showing results 1-5 of 5
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.