Edinburgh Military Tattoo & Perth Highland Gathering

You are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the stunning Perthshire countryside. Famous for its three 18-hole golf courses and venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014, Gleneagles Hotel also boasts a popular spa and fine dining choices. This evening, join your Tour Director and fellow travellers for cocktails and a welcome dinner at the hotel.

Witness one of the most competitive traditions in Scotland: the Perth Highland Games. Testing agility and strength, the games are held every year throughout Scotland as part of the revival of tartan and highland culture encouraged by Sir Walter Scott. Locals compete in a number of different challenges, including hammer throwing and caber tossing. Entertainment also includes pipe bands and Scottish country dancers. Later, return to the hotel for an evening of private whisky tasting.

Travel north, making a stop at Scone Palace, once the crowning place of the kings of Scotland. It contains the “Stone of Scone” or the “Stone of Destiny” — an oblong block of red sandstone used in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. This afternoon, drive through the Cairngorms National Park, home to the United Kingdom’s only freely grazing reindeer herd. This evening, enjoy dinner in the Rockpool Restaurant on the River Ness.

Venture into the rugged landscape of Wester Ross, where the mountains of Torridon dominate the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve. Continue along the shores of Loch Maree until you reach Poolewe and Inverewe Gardens. You may wish to stop in the picturesque fishing port of Ullapool. Back in Inverness, visit Culloden Moor, where the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated in 1746.

Drive along the River Ness until you reach Loch Ness, home of the fabled monster. Visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle and continue through the Great Glen past Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland, and Glencoe, scene of the famous massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells. Pause for lunch at a famous oyster bar before reaching your hotel. The remainder of your evening is at leisure.

Glasgow boasts a stylish, cosmopolitan atmosphere and world-famous art collections. On the outskirts of the city, explore Pollok Park and the Burrell Collection, an enormous depository of fine and applied arts put together by a 19th-century shipping magnate. Return to the city center for lunch at the Willow Tea Room, the only eatery where Charles Rennie Mackintosh took full command over every aspect of its architectural design. This afternoon, a visit to the Glasgow School of Art takes you on a journey back to when Mackintosh won the bid to redesign his former school. The building is a prime example of his eclectic architectural style, influenced by the heavy masonry and art nouveau emblems of the Scottish baronial style.

Stirling, located northeast of Glasgow, is home to the National Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle. Embark on a private tour that takes you back to the time of the poet Robert Burns and his ties with the castle. From there, continue to your hotel, a minute’s walk from Edinburgh’s main shopping area. This evening, enjoy an outstanding culinary experience at the Balmoral’s Michelin-starred Number One restaurant.

Join an expert local guide this morning and explore Scotland’s capital city, beginning at Edinburgh Castle, host of the Military Tattoo. View the “Honors of Scotland” (the Scottish Crown Jewels) and then continue down the Royal Mile, past St. Giles High Kirk, to Holyrood Palace, Her Majesty the Queen’s official residence in Scotland (subject to cancellation in the event of a royal visit). Attend a farewell dinner at Amber restaurant, located within the Scotch Whisky Experience adjacent to the castle. After dinner, witness the spectacular Military Tattoo on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. The annual military musical extravaganza of pipers and drum corps features performers from more than 40 countries. From your grandstand seat, watch as bands march en masse across the drawbridge of the castle during this spectacular event that symbolizes Scottish culture and history.

Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.