* Update 17th May 2021
Recommended voluntary self-Covid testing before visiting the Scottish islands & most of Scotland moving to tier 2:
- Lifting of some restrictions as most of Scotland is moving down to tier 2 on 17th May
- Western Isles – voluntary self testing before visiting
- Northern Isles – recommended test before you go
* Update 21st April 2021
Travel to the Scottish Islands – pre-departure testing (correct on 21st April 2021)
Travelling to the Scottish islands: pre-departure testing
To reduce the risk of coronavirus being brought into island communities by people who are unaware they are infectious, we are encouraging anyone planning to travel to a Scottish island to test before they do so. You can order rapid lateral flow tests for delivery to your home anywhere in the UK and they should arrive within 24-48 hours. We recommend that you test three days before you plan to travel and then again on the day of departure. If you are positive, this would allow you to self-isolate before you begin your journey.
Please note that if your test result is negative, this is not a guarantee that you do not have coronavirus. You must continue to follow national and local restrictions, including FACTS guidance. If you develop coronavirus symptoms you must self-isolate and book a PCR test.
This is a voluntary scheme and you will not need evidence of a negative test to travel to a Scottish island. However, we would encourage you to participate in order to reduce the risk that you inadvertently carry coronavirus into one of our island communities.
Update 18th April 2021
Update 03rd April 2021
Update – 19th March 2021
Proposed Scottish government timetable out of lockdown:
As of 26th April 2021 travel within mainland Scotland is permitted again,
but due to the corona virus tier system there will still be localised restrictions:
Scottish government’s timetable out of lockdown
Update – 18th March 2021
Scotland remains in lockdown with travel outside your council area only being permitted for essential reasons.
Scottish government corona virus update
Update – 2nd July 2020
- We are delighted to be able to offer our full range of Scottish tour services again.
- However due to the continuing 2 m social distancing rule, our maximum number of passengers is currently 2 (maximum 4 if you are from the same “social bubble”*).
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis-update-approach-physical-distancing-light-advice-scottish-government-covid-19-advisory-group/pages/2/
- In light of this situation our default full 10 hours plus daily rate is our winter rate of £240 (is £60 per person for a group of 4) or proportionally less for a shorter trip.
- We are happy to assist with your personalised itinerary, accommodation, visit of sights and ferry bookings, etc. for multi-day tours.
“same social bubble”:
The only people you do not have to distance yourself from are those you live with and those you have linked to in a support bubble.
In Scotland single adults living alone – or single parents with children under 18 – can form a bubble with one other household of any size, and visit each other’s homes.
Upate – 10th June 2020 – 15th July set for the re-opening of Scottish tourism
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52998176
We are delighted to welcome you back and are now able to run tours as of the 15th July 2020 again.
The advice regarding the coronavirus is to stay clear of large crowds and people gatherings.
At Unicorn Tours we take you to lonely, wild, spectacular places, beaches, bens, lochs & glens in the Highlands & on walks with no/very few other people around.
Our tours have a maximum size of 8 passengers.
It is your own private small group tour, so only your friends & family and the people you already know are on the tour.
Our main focus is the great outdoors, nature, wild and remote places and very much off-the beaten track places away from the tourist crowds and where larger coaches won’t go.
You select your own preferred accommodation and we pick you up/drop you off from your chosen small hotel, private guesthouse, hostel or even campground with lots of clean & fresh air around.
Update – 9th June 2020 – Safe & efficient anti-bacterial spray
We keep plenty of hand sanitiser in our mini-bus/people carrier vehicle for you and use a safe, fast and efficient way to sanitize the vehicle after every use:
https://www.dewproducts.co.uk/top-12-tips
While in the vehicle you should wear a facecover.
Update – 8th June 2020 – Easing of lockdown in Sctland
Currently we are in phase I
Of the easing of the lockdown in Scotland
In terms of Unicorn Tours being able to restart offering
Short, 1, 2, 3 days and longer tours throughout Scotland
We will have to wait until phase III
when “driving outside your local area for leisure and exercise” is permitted again.
The great news is also that “restrictions on hotels, B&Bs and holiday homes” are due to be lifted then as well and “museums, galleries” (and alongside with that I hope for the other Scottish tourist attractions such as gardens, castles, whisky distilleries and the like to be allowed to reopen as well)
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-framework-decision-making-scotlands-route-map-through-out-crisis/pages/4/
Update – 24th March 2020 – Coronavirus
Due to the coronavirus all but essential travel and gatherings of more than 2 people have been banned and a lockdown order to stay at home has been imposed.
These and the social distancing rule of 2 metres means that the only service we are currently able to offer are our pre-bookable A to B private hire journeys for absolute essential journeys – which is travel to work only, where work from home is not possible – with a maximum of 1 passenger (sitting in the rear seat to be socially distant) in our 9 seater vehicle.
At some stage when these rules might be relaxed again, we can revert back to the situation as it was up to 23rd March 2020:
The advice regarding the coronavirus is to stay clear of large crowds and people gatherings.
At Unicorn Tours we take you to lonely, wild, spectacular places, beaches, bens, lochs & glens in the Highlands & on walks with no/very few other people around.
Our tours have a maximum size of 8 passengers.
It is your own private small group tour, so only your friends & family and the people you already know are on the tour.
Our main focus is the great outdoors, nature, wild and remote places and very much off-the beaten track places away from the tourist crowds and where larger coaches won’t go.
You select your own preferred accommodation and we pick you up/drop you off from your chosen small hotel, private guesthouse, hostel or even campground with lots of clean & fresh air around.
We will be able to resume all of our full tour services back to normal once the Corona virus situation improves and after the government restrictions have been lifted.
As Unicorn Tours is a small one man company with just the all of Scotland driver/guide/walking group leader Mike, who is working nightshifts at a warehouse through the coronavirus outbreak, Unicorn Tours is able to withstand and get through these difficult times financially more easily than some larger overgrown tour operators.
Small is beautiful.
Stay safe and healthy and we are looking forward to welcoming you back on our Scottish tours soon.