The 11 Best Orkney Tours from Mainland Scotland

1.5-Day Orkney & Northern Coast Tour from Edinburgh Incl Admissions

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,454Our pick

5-day Orkney and Northern Coast tour from Edinburgh with Highlands views, ferry crossing, and admissions to Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and Culloden.

“Our driver and tour guide Martin w Rabbie's Tours was spectacular. His knowledge of history and animated, kind personality made it a rich experience. It was our first group tour and I would happily sign up for one again. It was an active 5 days and each day was full. The Scottish weather smiled on us this time.”

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2.5-Day Orkney & Northern Coast Tour from Edinburgh Incl Admissions

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,454

5-day Orkney and Northern Coast tour from Edinburgh with Highlands views, ferry crossing, and admissions to Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and Culloden.

“We thoroughly enjoyed this trip through the Highlands of Scotland and Orkney. Every minute of the tour was filled, the number of things we saw and experienced plus the informed and entertaining commentary from our guide/driver kept everyone's interest throughout. The two days in Orkney were particularly good, especially if you were interested in the historic remains such as Maeshowe and Skarra Brae. The Italian Chapel was very moving. The accommodation in Inverness could have been better but the hotels in Kirkwall and Ullapool were excellent. Our guide Karen, was brilliant, when time allowed she took us to see places outside the itinerary, her local knowledge and love of Scotland…”

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3.Semi Private Tour – Orkney and Kirkwall

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 85 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $229Best value

A semi-private Orkney and Kirkwall shore tour with iconic Neolithic sites, the Italian Chapel, and St Magnus Cathedral, plus smart timing for cruises.

“This was a well organized tour that is great for cruise ship passengers. Michael was an excellent tour guide and Nicky was a great driver. Michael’s informative and engaging narratives were great. He was very knowledgeable and made it a fantastic tour.”

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4.8 Day Isle of Skye, Orkney & North Coast 500 tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 8 days (approx.)

8 days from Edinburgh to Skye, Orkney and Scotland's North Coast 500. B&B included, plus the Jacobite Steam Train and key sights.

“Packed itinerary showcasing the best of the Scottish Highlands. As a couple, we were part of a group of 14 travelling on a small, comfortable coach. Our driver/guide, Rich, was extremely knowledgeable, and mixed factual narrative with funny stories about family and friends. He really made all the daily journeys thoroughly enjoyable, and helped us all get to know each other as the days passed. The overnight accommodation was generally good overall, and Rich always recommended good places to eat in every location we stayed. In summary, this tour was an excellent overview of the Scottish Highlands, and we would definitely recommend it (particularly if you are lucky enough to…”

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5.3-Day Orkney Explorer Small-Group Tour from Inverness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $690

3 days from Inverness to Orkney by 16-seat Mercedes, guided Neolithic wonders, Kirkwall stay, and a Pentland Firth ferry crossing.

“I joined this Rabbies tour because I wanted to see the Neolithic sites on Orkney, I was not disappointed. In fact the trip wildly exceeded my expectations. Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar were magical, and our guide, not an expert but well read and full of tales, was careful to take us to innumerable sites of interest, historical, geological and cultural, and was quick to point out things of interest, such as wildlife and traditional crafts, in passing. The Albert Hotel in Kirkwall was a good base, with staff who were friendly and helpful”

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6.From Kirkwall – Orkney Mainland Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $451

Private 7-hour Orkney Mainland day from Kirkwall with Scapa Flow, Neolithic stone sites, Skara Brae, Skaill House, and Italian Chapel.

“The guide and the tour were great. My upset is that Viator charged us TWICE the rate that the local contractor charges. I understand overhead and profit, but I believe 10% is reasonable and 100% is outrageous.”

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7.8-Day Orkney Skye and Highlands Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 8 days (approx.) · from $2,164

8 days from Edinburgh through the Highlands, Skye, and Orkney, with ferry crossings, B&B stays, and guided stops across top and lesser-known sights.

“Overall, a wonderful experience. Our guides, Brodie and Kenny, were fantastic! Both were so knowledgeable about the locations and the associated history and legends. Brodie even got most of the group together one evening in a pub to enjoy traditional Scottish music and dance. Kenny managed to veer off the beaten path to show us sites that weren't necessarily on the itinerary, but were remarkable. We always felt safe with both of them. Both were safe drivers on some challenging roads. The B&Bs were a little hit and miss. Our expectation was that they would be better than they were, given what we paid. Two B&Bs were very nice. The…”

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8.5-Day Orkney and Highlands Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,305

A guided 5-day Highlands and Orkney trip from Edinburgh with four nights lodging, daily breakfast, ferry rides, and world-famous prehistoric sites.

“Our five day tour of Orkney couldn’t have been better. Our guide, Stefan went above and beyond his responsibilities. He was the most wonderful tour guide I’ve ever experienced. He was so knowledgeable so informative, so generous with his information and his goodwill. he added discretionary stops to our bus ride to show us beautiful and unusual sites. He told us very thoroughly the background of the events, the etymology of the words the history of the and any useful information, all the while, pointing out birds flying by and facts about climate and terrain. He had a translation of the Orkney saga and had me read relevant passages as…”

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9.5 Day Orkney Islands and North Coast 500 Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $928

5-day Orkney and North Coast 500 tour from Edinburgh with Viking ruins, whisky stops, small groups up to 16, guided walks.

“An absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. The tour operator - Scotland's Wild - did a great job in every detail. We greatly appreciated both the planned itinerary and the opportunities to make changes as needed. The guides - Calum and Karen - were great company and really enhanced the trip with their knowledge of Scottish geography, history and lore. I particularly valued the many stops at ancient archaeological sites, especially on Orkney, and every stop on every day added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the trip.”

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10.Tours around the Neolithic Sites of Orkney (Guided from my car)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 1 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $445 per group

Private guided drive from Kirkwall to Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, Stenness and Yesnaby Cliffs, with pickup and air-conditioned car.

“Gail was a delight to spend time with. She is genuine, relaxed, and very friendly. She hit the highlights and we throughly enjoyed the experience!”

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11.5 Days Orkney Islands & NC500 Tour from Glasgow

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $828

5 days from Glasgow through the Cairngorms, NC500, and Orkney, with Viking sites, stone circles, whisky stops, and Loch Ness.

“Jim was an outstanding guide. Funny, informative, and ensured all were happy! He even surprised me with "Birthday Cupcakes"! This tour fulfilled all my expectations of the beautiful Scottish Highlands and Neolithic and northern sights. Orkney Islands - I truly felt like I was at the end of the world !!! AND WE SAW PUFFINS!!! And fed the Highland Coos! Everything I wanted and more.”

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