Scottish Clans & Castles - 11 Days/10 Nights (including Staffin)

Traveler Reviews

• W

  William

  October 10th, 2024
  5.0
  Excellent staff working on these coaches and their administrators are outstanding. Thank you.
  Traveled in July 2024
• J

  Jamie

  April 30th, 2024
  5.0
  The trip started with a huge storm but our tour guide Di K. and driver John kept us safe while constantly managing...
  The trip started with a huge storm but our tour guide Di K. and driver John kept us safe while constantly managing our trip to include everything we could. The laughter, history and banter were perfect to diffuse a stressful portion of the trip!Show more
  Traveled in April 2024
• A

  Ms.

  June 12th, 2023
  4.0
  This is my third CIE tour and I really enjoyed it. The hosts are always so enjoyable and informative. The only issue...
  This is my third CIE tour and I really enjoyed it. The hosts are always so enjoyable and informative. The only issue I have was one of the hotels the food was atrocious for our included meal was just over cooked pasta. That's my only complaint.Show more
  Traveled in May 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  James

  June 12th, 2023
  4.0
  Our tour guide was good, but we would like to have a guide of true Scottish descent, not English. At times, we were...
  Our tour guide was good, but we would like to have a guide of true Scottish descent, not English. At times, we were deposed off in a small town and told where no when to return but really weren't given any directions except maybe a few suggestions for meals. One town had almost nothing open. This happened in one our most important stops, the Culloden Battlefield. It would have been so very interesting and we definitely would love to have had a guided tour for this. Instead, we were on our own and found ourselves trying to overhear what guides of other tours were saying. We chose to stay for the extra and really had very little assistance from C.I.E. No suggestions on what to see. We didn't seem to have WiFi 10% of the time on the bus. Our guide was there the next morning to see us off on our departure from the hotel.Show more
  Traveled in May 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
• A

  James

  July 24th, 2023
  5.0
  CIE's service was top notch. Everything was well-organized, the transportation was flawless, and the travel around...
  CIE's service was top notch. Everything was well-organized, the transportation was flawless, and the travel around the country was simple. The sites on the tour were fantastic and each day was structured to be full but not exhausting. Rest stops during the drive were just right, and we never felt rushed at any location. Our tour guide, Angela, was very experienced and knowledgeable, and she did a fantastic job of keeping everyone organized. When we go back for another tour, it will be with CIE!Show more
  Traveled in July 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  Ronald

  August 1st, 2023
  5.0
  The best drivers. The best tour directors. The best hotels. The best fast access to sights.
  Traveled in July 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  David

  August 16th, 2023
  5.0
  Our family has used CIE a couple of times. With our Scottish Clans & Castles Tour, we enjoyed 11 days in Scotland....
  Our family has used CIE a couple of times. With our Scottish Clans & Castles Tour, we enjoyed 11 days in Scotland. Our Guide/Director Ian Foster is amazing; knowledgeable, organized and funny, Ian kept us safe, entertained and in-the-know. His communication was clear - necessary for this 11-day trip! - and he shared such rich, local knowledge. We wish he was allowed to dine with us - he was an integral part of the tour! Our drivers were caring and safely navigated the countryside. We wish both Ian and our drivers safe travels and fulfilling lives. The scenery can't be beat! Whether exploring a city, village or the rugged Highlands, there was something new and incredible to simply take-in and enjoy. A country so rich in history - beautiful, painful, resilient, cheeky, complex history - you can't help but be captivated by your surroundings. Each castle transports you back in time; the sheepdog demonstration reminds us that tradition should be respected; the Royal Military Tattoo encourages us to join-in in honoring and celebrating such traditions. Each village showcased their own uniqueness, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring them! There were only two things we wish to be improved upon: there seemed to be a bit of disorganization from CIE. Most of the tour did not receive our vouchers for our last day (pretty much free day) in Edinburgh, and there was a scramble to get that sorted. The other concern is the use of the Glen Mhor hotel in Inverness. The hotel was confused about our booking of three family members, and wanted to split us up, providing us with two separate rooms. It turned out to be that one of those rooms did have three beds, adding further to the confusion. It was eventually all sorted, but we've never encountered this level of confusion during a tour. Their food was just ok. My family didn't hate it as much as others, but it was admittedly a fairly odd selection of dishes: almost trying to cater to Americans and not knowing what to offer. Other hotels provided dishes with local recipes, which enhanced our experience. Despite those two items, we highly recommend this tour. Very much worth it. Thank you. CIE!Show more
  Traveled in July 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  Clara

  August 18th, 2023
  4.0
  Tour Guide (IAN) was excellent and very knowledgeable of the places we visited. We stayed at 4 different hotels and...
  Tour Guide (IAN) was excellent and very knowledgeable of the places we visited. We stayed at 4 different hotels and only one was a poor experience. One of the hotels had some wonderful meals. The hotel (Glen Mhor in Inverness) was a very disappointing experience. The conditions of the rooms were in sad need of some repairs and upgrades. The food at this hotel was really bad and food that should be hot was very cold. We felt like we should have not had these meals included in our tour and should have just gone to other restaurants to eat. I know we had the option to eat elsewhere, but we did try to eat at Glen Mhor in Inverness but always found the food to be not to the standards we found in the other hotels we stayed in. The seats for the Edinburgh Royal Tattoo were WONDERFUL and that event was the highlight of our trip!!! Overall, I had a great experience with CIE and would certainly use them again.Show more
  Traveled in July 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  Ms.

  August 20th, 2023
  5.0
  Tour guide was excellent as was the bus drivers, Most of the hotels were very good. Only one hotel had a few...
  Tour guide was excellent as was the bus drivers, Most of the hotels were very good. Only one hotel had a few minor flaws.Show more
  Traveled in May 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours
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  Susan

  August 21st, 2023
  5.0
  The trip was so well organized by CIE. Our tour director Ian couldn't have been better. He was professional,...
  The trip was so well organized by CIE. Our tour director Ian couldn't have been better. He was professional, knowledgeable, accommodating, and entertaining. I loved being in Scotland......the buildings, the landscapes, the people, all made it such a memorable experience. Hope to make it back there again someday!Show more
  Traveled in August 2023

  Review collected by CIE Tours