Does anyone have experience with Trafalgar Tours? We are considering their 14 day bus tour...?

Question

...for 2008 or 2009.
We are looking for a comprehensive tour of Scotland which includes the highlands, Skye, Iona, Outer Hebrides, Orkney as well as the traditional sights of Edinburgh, Glamis Castle, etc. We may wind up doing a self-drive tour if we can't find what we want in a bus tour. Any experiences you can share? Any recommendations of great places in Scotland?

Answer 1

We didn’t make it to all of the places that you mentioned but we only took a four-day tour. On their longer tours you will be apt to see much more. The guide and bus driver were both super and went out of their way to learn about our interests so that they could point out sites that would particularly interest us. Another important thing is that they give you some time to explore on your own so that you have time to wander around and see things that the tour doesn’t cover and it also allows you to shop so we sent Scotland home in boxes. Even though we were there in October they arranged a Burns’ night celebration for us and we also had various entertainments lined up at other stops. Besides the things you listed you will want to see Sterling Castle and Roslyn Chapel and you certainly want to spend some time gazing out over the water to see if the Loch Ness Monster will show herself to you.

Answer 2

I can answer the primary part of your question about having experience with Trafalger Tours. I went to France by myself in 2000 to take an 11-day tour of France on a Trafalger Tour. It was fantastic. Since I was with the tour group, I had no qualms about traveling "alone." The tour guide was British, and he was very friendly and helpful and full of all kinds of information; and the bus driver was amazing - the way he manuevered that bus through those tiny streets!



The tour was very well organized, and, at least on the tour of France, there were usually different options for you to choose from. You didn’t have to stay with the group if you didn’t want to - as long as you were on the bus and ready to go when they were, you could do whatever you wanted - though some things were included in the price of the tour, so it made sense to go with the group for those things.



These tours are a good way to see lots of places in a short time, especially if you are unfamiliar with what there is to see or if there is any kind of language difference. I have not been to Scotland, but I can only guess that the Trafalger Tours of Scotland would be just as good as the one I took in France.



I hope you have a great trip.

Answer 3

In 2002 I did a 16 day tour of Western Europe called the European Whirl. It included England, France, Switzerland, Italy(including the Vatican), Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2005 I did a twelve day tour of Ireland, including Northern Ireland called the Irish Experience.



The great thing about Trafalgar Tours is that they do everything for you. Your luggage is brought from the coach to your hotel room and from your hotel room to the coach and all tips are included in the price with the exception of the tips for the tour director and coach driver. The hotels have always been great and the director and drivers on both tours were excellent. You will meet people of all nationalities and they have always been friendly, especially the Aussies. I still exchange emails from people I have met on both tours.



The European Whirl was very rigorous because of all the place we went, so having problems sleeping at night was not a problem. I will do it again one day. The Irish Experience was a more leisurely tour and was quite pleasant and would like to do it again.



Also, when you arrive your Tour director will meet you at the airport and you will be transported to the hotel. When the tour is over, the tour director will transport you back to the airport.



You can't go wrong with Trafalgar. You will love it.



Have fun.