6-Day Shetland Islands Private Tour

Days 1–2: Your Shetland adventure begins with a personal pick-up from your Edinburgh hotel — timing will be confirmed closer to your travel date depending on your sailing, as the NorthLink ferry departs Aberdeen at either 5pm or 7pm depending on the day and whether it calls at Kirkwall en route. Heading north, you'll make time for one of Scotland's most dramatic stops: the clifftop ruins of Dunnottar Castle, perched high above the North Sea just south of Stonehaven, before continuing to Aberdeen to explore its handsome harbour and historic old town ahead of the evening sailing. As the ship slips out into the North Sea, settle into your en-suite cabin for the overnight crossing — you'll wake to the unforgettable sight of Lerwick harbour.
The second day is given to Shetland's South Mainland: the remarkable ruins of Jarlshof, where 4,000 years of history unfold from the Bronze Age to the Vikings; the towering cliffs of Sumburgh Head, alive with puffins and seabirds; and the dazzling white sands of St Ninian's Isle, reached by walking across one of Britain's finest tombolos, with a relaxed lunch along the way. Arriving into Lerwick, Shetland's lively capital, in the mid-afternoon, you'll have time to find your feet in the town before settling in for the night.

Days 3–4: A remarkable day takes you to the very top of Britain — the Isle of Unst — crossing by short ferries via the island of Yell. Here you’ll find the soaring cliffs of Hermaness, home to thousands of puffins and gannets, looking out to Muckle Flugga lighthouse and Britain’s most northerly point, as well as the medieval ruins of Muness Castle. With a relaxed lunch along the way, you’ll return to Lerwick for the night. The following day explores the wild North Mainland, where the dark volcanic cliffs and sea stacks of Eshaness offer some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in Scotland. You’ll tour the ancient capital of Scalloway, with its imposing castle and the moving wartime story of the ‘Shetland Bus’, pausing for a relaxed lunch, before a visit to the award-winning Shetland Museum reveals the islands’ rich Norse and maritime heritage.

Days 5–6: On your final Shetland day, you'll visit the astonishing Mousa Broch — reached by a short boat trip — the finest preserved Iron Age tower in the world, standing over 13 metres tall after more than 2,000 years. Note: Mousa is scheduled for this day on the 7pm sailing; if your ferry departs at 5pm, we will move Mousa to Day 4 to ensure a comfortable return to Lerwick ahead of check-in. There's time for a last wander through Lerwick, with its stone-flagged Commercial Street and 17th-century Fort Charlotte, and a relaxed lunch, before you board the evening NorthLink ferry for the overnight crossing back to the mainland.

Arriving in Aberdeen at dawn, you'll head south through the Kingdom of Fife for a morning in the St Andrews area — the ancient university town, the home of golf, and the magnificent ruined cathedral on the clifftop — before the scenic drive home returns you to Edinburgh, your Shetland adventure complete and a wealth of unforgettable memories made.