This was a recent 5 day tour to include the Isle of Harris, Lewis & the Uists (Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra & Vatersay)

Tuesday, 16th July – day 1
– pick up Chris
– meet Christelle at Stirling station
– meet Jack at the Willy Wallace hostel
– drive via Stirling Uni on the A9 up north
– via Atholl Palace, Pitlochry. faskally, Garry Bridge, Killiecrankie, Blair Atholl and Briar
– Dalwhinnie and the Newtonmore highland life open air museum
– Black Isle farm shop and Clootie Well for lunch with the fairies
– Silver bridge waterfall walks
– Corrieshalloch gorge walk
– Ullapool viewpoint. Coop.  Ferry check in.  Free time
– ferry to Stornoway
– 45 minutes drive to the Otter bunkhouse
bhaltos peninsula beaches evening walk

Wednesday, 17th July – day 2
Rainy and stormy day
Uig Lewis chessman and Viking figure outside museum
Drive via the cliffs to the road end
Stormy rainy cliff walks
Managerstadt cliff walk
Uig supermarket

Hostel lunch break

Callanish standing stones via Einacleet
Visitor centre for Standing stones
Carloway broch from the distance
Dal Mhor surf beach
Arnol black house village
Port of Ness
End of road for Tolsta walk
Butt of Ness
Ness lighthouse and cliff walk

BASF pharmaceutical factory

Great Berneray bronze age house.  Beach and island view
Scenic drive without the magical bridge
Deer on the road
End of day radar station viewpoint over West Lewis’ mountains lochs. Braces and cliffs and islands

Hostel with the 2 kayaking girls
Get ready for early start

Thursday, 18th July – day 3
Leave 6am
Leave Lewis at Loch SeForth
Crossing North Harris mountains
Reinigadal road top of hill turn off
West loch Tarbert Huisinish turn off
Drive through Tarbert Harris, capital
Golden route through Stockings rocky
Sandy beach route
One photo stop
Ferry check in at 8am

Leverburgh/ Harris across the Sound of Harris ferry to Berneray

Berneray beach walk
Seals
Hebridean houses
North Uist coast and interior route. Golden beaches

Grimsay

Flodday seal colony walk

Benbecula shopping and Westcoast drive incl past airport

South uist past our lady of the isles to loch skiport fjord past the wild ponies and rsvp reserve to the east coast fjord for a sheltered lunch above the divers and fish farm in the distance
East coast machairvbeach stop after howmore Hebridean hostel
South uig museum
Crossing the causeway to

Eriskay

Eriskay to Barra ferry across the sound of Barra

North Barra airport and beach scenic drive and stops

West coast mountain route for hostel check in in Castlebay

Bhatersay 2 beaches view walk from hilltop photostop

East coast beach drive of Barra incl chicken herding of Christelle

Hostel check in 4 bedded room

Message of Caledonian MacBrayne rescheduling from early to late overnight ferry
Slight open ing of the window  midnight swearing going on outside

Friday, 19th July – day 4
Bonus day on Barra due to ferry rescheduling
930 Kisimul castle ferry
Free time until 1.45 pm in Castlebay

Afternoon Barra tour and walks
Glen Road
Hilltop view of Castlebay Mingulay and Bhatersay
Peninsular views
Fish factory
North Barra hill walk for all round braces mountains and island views incl view across to Eriskay and South Uist
St Barr historic churc
Barra airport
Ferry WC and coffee stop
Golf course views
Scenic hill view villages
Beach photostop
Beach walk half way to broch through Machsir flowers and crossing the burn
Sorting out ferry bags

Free time at hostel

2200 hours Barra to Oban overnight ferry

Saturday, 20th July – day 5
Sleep on ferry
Early morning arrival in Oban
Scenic route to Glasgow

This was a recent 13 day tour we have been running, including the Western Isles

28th June

* Edinburgh airport pick up

* South Queensferry with a photostop below the 3 Forth Bridges

* Falkirk hotel check in

* Boat house dinner and canal walk with view of the Falkirk wheel

29th June

* Stirling castle tour

* scenic drive past the Wallace monument, Stirling Uni and Bridge of Allan and up the mountain road to the Auchingarrich wildlife park for lunch

* Cultybraggan WWII prisoner of war camp exhibition

* through Comrie to St. Filans/Loch Earn for a short walk

* via the Dukes pass to the forestry commission Queen Elizabeth forest park visitor centre for a coffee

* through Aberfoyle and on to the organic Portnellan farm at Loch Lomond

* Glengoyne whisky distillery tour with 2 tastings

* via the Campsie hills and Fintry back to Falkirk

30th June

* Abroath to Auchmithie coastal cliff walk

* Dundee V&A visit with views of the River Tay estuary and Discovery Point

* St. Andrews walking tour of the beach/golf course, San Salvador college, the Bishop’s palace, the harbour, cathedral and historic town centre

* via Falkland and the Lomond hills across the Forth road bridge back to Falkirk

1st July

* From Falkirk via Glenogle to Killin and the Falls of Dochart for a walk

* Glencoe visitor centre

* Fort William for fish & chips & a walk along the Old Fort William with views of the Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil sealochs and up towards Ben Nevis

* Glenfinnan viewpoint of the “Harry Potter railway bridge”, Loch Shiel and the Bonny Prince Charlie monument

* drive along the road to the isles via the scenic beaches of Arisaig, Morar and Loch Morar

* free time at Mallaig

* Mallaig to Locghboisdale/South Uist

* Drive to Benbecula for our accommodation in Nunton

2nd July – Tour of North Uist and Bernerary

* from Benbecula via Grimsay to North Uist with a stop at a bakery and smoked salmon shop

* views across the coast, the islands from the North Uist radar station

* coastal drive past golden beaches

* Bernerary beach walk

* Lochmaddy lunch

* Stone circle walk overlooking Loch Euphoirt

* Nunton beach walk & dinner

3rd July – Tour of South Uist and Eriskay

* South Uist beach walk with the weather front clearing and the coastal and mountain views improving

* Loch Skiport fjord walk

* crossing the causeway to Eriskay with a photostop up at the catholic church

* Eriskay harbour via the beach to Eriskay town walk

* Lunch at the Polochar Inn

* drop off for a beach & tidal island walk

* Lochboisdale hotel coffee

4th July – Tour of Harris

* leave Nunton and Benbecula via Grimsay and North Uist on the Bernerary to Isle of Harris/Leverburgh 1 hour ferry on a dreich and rainy day

* Leverburgh – Rodel/St. Clements church via the “golden/stone route” to the visitor centre for a coffee

* drive along the glorious beaches of Harris

* Tarbert lunch and reunion with Marianne

* brief Scalpay island visit

* spectacular drive to Huisinish with a walk and back to Tarbert to say farewll to Marianne

* drive from Harris to Lewis and to the Lathamore B&B

* Dinner in Stornoway

5th July – Tour of Lewis

* Lews castle and museum

* Gearrannan black house village

* Carloway broch

* Callanish standing stones

* to the cliffs. coastal and beach views for lunch near the roadend

* Sand dunes walk with views of Uig beach, the sea and mountains

* Aird Uig cliffs and cafe

* Caladh hotel dinner

6th July – Tour of the Northwest Highlands

* 7am ferry from Stornoway/Lewis to Ullapool

* Ullapool walk

* drive to the Kylesku fjord for lunch

* spectacular tour of the Northwest Highlands, incl. a coffee bothy stop and a walk around Point of Stoer lighthouse

* via Clachtoll and Achmelvich beach

* to Lochinver for dinner

* dramatic, wild scenery & evening drive back to Ullapool

7th July

* Corrieshalloch gorge

* Silverfalls 2 bridges walk

* Strathpeffer Victorian railway station coffee

* Glenmorangie distillery

* Dunrobin castle, gardens & falconry

* Dornoch cathedral and town

* via the Dornoch, Cromarty & Kessock bridges and Inverness to Loch Ness and our hotel

8th July

* Loch Ness photostop

* via Inverness & the Culloden Moor battlefield

* Cawdor castle, gardens & lunch

* Brief walk along the Moray Firth

* Drive along the Beauly Firth

* visit of Beauly

* Urquhart castle/Loch Ness photostop

* Drumnadrochit whisky dinner

9th July

* via Fort Augustus/south side of Loch Ness

* spectacular rural route

* sheep herding

* breakfast at the Grouse & Trout steading

* via Aviemore for a brief visit of the Newtonmore Highland museum village

* via Dalwhinnie to the House of Bruar for a stop

* scenic drive past Blair Castle, Killiecrankie, Pitlochry and the Athol Palace and Dunkeld across the Forth road bridges to Edinburgh

10th July

1/2 day walking tour of Edinburgh

While each of our Hebridean islands tours are different, the group/the individuals of a private tour group have different preferences/interests/priorities, the season and the weather is different, this is a summary of one of our recent Hebridean 6 day (so that was a 6 day and not a 7 day) tours:

Day 1 / – Journey from the Scottish Central belt to Stornoway via the ferry at Ullapool

* Pick up # 1-  Edinburgh
* Pick up # 2 – outside Glasgow

Travel past Stirling with views of Stirling castle & the National Wallace monument in the distance on to the Gleneagles golf resort – through Victorian Pitlochry – Loch Faskally & its woods (which hosts the Enchanted Forest each autumn) – Killiecrankie – stop at the House of Bruar – passisng through Highland Perthshire & “Big tree country” on to the Cairngorms nationalpark – stop at the Inverness Tesco – crossing the Kessock bridge over the Beauly & Inner Moray Firth to the Black Isle peninsula / Ross & Cromarty / Northern Scotland – driving through Dingwall – stopping in Strathpeffer (Victorian railway station, wood carvings of Strathpeffer’s history – Celtic & Nordic mythological figures – Black waterfalls – crossing the mountain pass + passing Corrieshalloch gorge to Ullapool & for some Tesco shopping (everything closed on the Isle of Lewis on a Sunday) – catching the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis – dropping off Irene at the Stornoway B&B & Sonia at the Otterbunkhouse in Western Lewis

Day 2  – a rainy, wet, dreich Sunday on the Isle of Lewis

From West Lewis via Stornoway starting the tour with a photostop by the busy church carpark with views across the fjord in coastal Crossbost before heading to the South Lochs overlooking Marbhig, Calbost, Grabhair fjord, Leumrabhaig & Orinsay.

After another stop at the Ravenscraig communal hostel we head to West Lewis:

We have a quick stop at the Otterbunkhouse before heading along the cliffs to Mealasta at the end of the road with its beautiful beaches.

We stop on top of Uig beach and for a photo of the Lewis chessmen and on to Aird Uig on top of the cliffs.

We drive along the Bhaltos peninsula stopping at Cliff and Reef beach before ending this wet & rainy day.

Day 3 – an active day with short walks on the Isle of Lewis

Our first stop is the Callanish standing stones circle & its visitor centre – Carloway broch with its fabulous great all round view & the gift shop with the Lewis chessmen – Carloway pier – Gearrannan black house village – Dalmor beach – Dalbeag beach & the cliffs – the Sheiling  – drive across the moors to the NE beaches towards Tolsta – Tolsta beach road closure (due to the beaching of 55 pilot whales) – beach stop south of Tolsta – past Stornoway airport on to the  Tiumpan head lighthouse for a walk and great views as far as east to the Scottish mainland along the Far NW coast of Scotland/
We end the day with a walk to the Iolaire disaster memorial & a stroll through Stornoway with fish & chips for dinner.

Day 4  – from Lewis via Harris to the Uists

We are leaving the Isle of Lewis when passing Loch Seaforth sealoch, which divides Lewis from Harris, which are both conjoined on the same island..

We cross the mountains of North Harris and stop at the capital Tarbert in the village by the ferry port.

After leaving Tarbert we continue our tour of the Isle of Harris and in the distance we see the Scalpay bridge and the Golden route, before heading to the beaches of West Harris – opposite Luskentyre, past Seilebost and eventually overlooking Scarista beach.

Leverburgh we leave Harris and head to Berneray, where we walk along the glorious West beach, before heading via the village agnd Gaitliff Trust Hebridean style hostel for a walk along the East beach of Berneray.

After crossing the causeway we leave the Isle of Berneray head to to the Isle of North Uist, where we drive past many beaches before climbing up the radar station viewpoint  hill – with views ranging from St. Kilda and Hirta across the Atlantic in the West and  across much of the Isles of the Outer Hebrides and beyond.

We are leaving North Uist for the Isle of Grimsay and are checking in at the Creelyard.

Over the causeway to the Isle of Benbecula we go shopping and later in for a beach walk and enjoy the coastal views out west to the Mo nach Isles and south to South Uist before settling into our Grimsay Creelyard pods

Day 5  – 2 ferries – travelling from the Isle of Grimsay to the Isle of Coll via many islands

Leaving the Isle of Grimsay early – traversing the Isle of Benbecula and over the causeway to the “Catholic Isles of South Uist, Eriskay, Barra & Bhatersay” – crossing over to South Uist with its Madonna figures – driving to Loch Sgioport and its ponies to the stunning coastal fjord & island view – passing the birthplace of “the French MacDonald” & “Flora MacDonald” before stopping outside the Kildonan South Uist museum – we cross the long causeway to Eriskay before having a photostop from St..Michael’s church down to the island – via the Politician restaurant & a viewpoint stop of Eriskay’s “whisky galore beach” we head down to the pier, where we await the Calmac ferry from Barra.

After a spectacular crossing to the Isle of Barra, Don the international walking group leader from Wales joins us for 1/2 hour  – unfortunately the famed Ardmhor cafe is closed – Barra airport viewpoint stop –  parking at Barra airport and saying goodbye to Don – before crossing the road for a walk along Barra’s most glorious beach – we visit the historic church & pier with its turquoise colours of the sea glistening in the golden sands – before we head to back Barra airport to witness the arrival of the flight from Glasgow to Barry’s low tide beach airport.

We head to Castlebay and have a couple of photostops down across to Castlebay.

While Irene explores more of the town of Castlebay, Sonia explores more of the Isle of Barra.

We embark on our 4 hours sunny ferry from Barra via Tiree to Coll.

After settling into the Coll bunkhouse we head to East Coll and meet Katerina and Slavia for a couple of stunning short coastal & Islands” beautiful evening viewpoint walks.

Day 6 / Thursday, 20 July – after a morning on the Isle of Coll we are travelling on the ferry via Oban back to the Scottish Central belt

After checking out of the Coll bunkhouse,.we meet Slavia & Katerina again for a wee morning tour of West Coll – we start our walk across Hogh Bay from the Project Trust and end up at the Totronald RSPB  – before seeing our 2 companions from Slovakia off in Arinagour.

After a coffee we head to the ferry to Oban – we enjoy great views towards Mull, Ardnamurchan, Rum & beyond. The ferry makes its way through the Sound of Mull towards Oban.

After a quick viewpoint stop on top of the McCaig’s Folly “colosseum” we head inland via Loch Awe & Loch Lomond with a stop in Luss, travelling on across the River Clyde on the Erskine bridge towards Greater Glasgow before saying goodbye to Irene and Sonia at the end of this Hebridean Islands tour

7 day tour prices – Unicorn Tours

Personalised & private small group tours all over Scotland (100+ itineraries: ½ – 7 day tour options & discounted multi-day tours to choose from) – with a set daily tour price for our tour guide driver & 8 passenger seater mini-bus (due to the fixed same overall cost for up to 8 passengers, the cheapest per person price for a private small group tour is if 8, 7, 6 or 5 are travelling together to share the set fixed daily cost, which is the same total cost, no matter if there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 passengers on a private mini-bus tour)

All of these private & personalised, small group tours of Scotland

are available on any available green calendar days for private tours

• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1/2 day tour on any available green calendar day.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1 day tour on any available green calendar day.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 2 day tour on any 2 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 2 day tours will already show a 2.5% discount.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 3 day tour on any 3 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 3 day tours will already show a 5% discount.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 4 day tour on any 4 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 4 day tours will already include a 7.5% discount.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 5 day tour on any 5 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 5 day tours will already include a 10% discount.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 6 day tour on any 6 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 6 day tours is discounted by 12.5%.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 7 day tour on any 7 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 7 day tour prices already show the 15% discount. 

Additionally from September to May there is a 12.5% student discount, which also applies to seniors over 65 and to children up to 17 travelling as part of a family group.

Accommodation on the Isle of Lewis

Accommodation on the Isle of Lewis

On our  Coast, sea Highlands & Islands – Unicorn Tours multi-day tours throughout Scotland, we drop you off at your accommodation at the end of the day touring with us.

In the morning before we start our new touring day, we pick you back up from your accommodation.

plus many more places to stay at

Accommodation on the Uists

(Berneray – North Uist – Benbecula – South Uist & Eriskay)

• Accommodation on the Uists (Berneray, N. Uist, Benbecula, S. Uist & Eriskay)

Information about tour options for a private tour in general

Private & personalised tailormade tours to suit your group’s preferences

This is your very own private tour for you and your friends and family members of up to 8 people travelling on this tour together.

Before any private tour, we always discuss with you and check for your must-see stops, interests, hobbies, activities, preferences, priorities and any special requests you might have and we ask you about your preferred pace of travel so to tailor make and personalise the tour to suit your needs.

The route, the stops and the itinerary we give on our website for any private tour are for information and guidance only, as in the end it is you, who decides, what you wish to do, where you wish to stop and what you wish to do and see.

Any private tour itinerary can be shortened, extended or amended, if you wish to do so.

Flexibility on private tours

We also like to keep things flexible as our experience is that there are places, once you arrive and see them, you just fall in love with and wish to spend more time and longer.

whereas some other times we arrive at a place and they are different from what you had expected and you are ok to have a shorter stop and to move on quicker.

Flexibility is also good as on a beautiful gorgeous blue sunny day when all colours in nature and the landscapes are sparkling and you have clear and amazing far distant visibility and the scenery and places are at their best, you probably prefer to spend more time outdoors, while on a stormy, wet, dark, grey and cold day, you are likely to prefer more indoor venues during your stops.

Travelling at your own pace on private tours

Some guests are on a whirlwind tour with little time and wish to pack as much into a short time as possible and are ok with just short photo stops,

whereas other tour guests prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace to be able to explore and discover and soak it all in and leaving the tour with a memorable and lasting experience.

All of this is possible within the constraints of your chosen route, the distances involved

and during the winter season the shorter daylight hours we have.

Lunch breaks on private tours

Some guests put a lot of emphasis on a good quality lunch in a good atmospheric restaurant and we can prebook lunch venues,

whereas other guests are ok to just stop at a supermarket for a sandwich to eat on the go

or just need a short lunch stop for some light snack to eat.

Your tour options on any private tour are unlimited and endless

Same place, same route – but one one private tour, the private tour guests would want to visit the castle, while on another tour at the same place, they want a whisky tour instead and yet again same place on the next tour the private tour guests, want to just go for a walk on the beach there, while another time at the same place, they just want to go shopping, visit the museum or stop at the golf course – so same place, but on each private tour at this very same place, we visit different places and the itinerary, stops and experience is different. 

As this is a private & personalised tour to suit your interests, preferences, hobbies and activities, it is up to you and we can either offer our normal tour itinerary for the location with all the many local highlights and sights and be flexible depending on the season, the weather, the time we have and also be fully flexible during the tour (as some places, you will love and stay longer and at other places you come to, you might wish to just take a photo and then leave, so in the end you might on the day of the tour decide to stay longer or shorter at some of the places we visit or you might still decide to add in some additional stops and places you had not thought about before)  and also partially or fully adjust it to suit your interests and preferences or entirely turn it into a specialist interest tour “a whisky tour”, “a castle, cathedral, historic sights tours”, a “walking tour”, a “nature & wildlife tour”, a “golf tour”, an “activity tour”, etc. depending on what you request (also see our full range of  Activities, special interests & tour themes.)

If it says on the tour itinerary, the tour starts in A and ends in Z and on our journey from A to Z we are travelling and can be stopping at B, C, D, E, F…… X & Y,

it might be the same route on every such private tour, but with every private tour group and individuals, it could still be an entirely & very different tour after all,

as there are so many different special interests & tour themes

so that the main focus of some private tour groups could be

• architecture & charming towns & villages
• castles, history
• child-friendly stops
• churches, abbeys & religious sites
• dining & and having a great lunch eating out
• events based, such as visiting the Highland games while on the tour with us
• family history & genealogy
• gardens, flowers & parks
• golf, football or other sports’ venues
• literature, film or movie fictional based tour, i.e. visiting filming locations of Outlander, Harry Potter, Shetland crime series, Downtown Abbey. etc.
• nature & wildlife, seabirds, puffins or whale
• watching
• the scenery, the coast & beaches
• snow and wintry landscapes
• tourist steam train in conjunction with our tour
• walking
• waterfalls
• whisky distilleries, gin and breweries
• etc.

Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours

As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:

•  for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
•  for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
•  for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
• for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base

Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.

(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based

and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)

Accommodation on multi-day tours is your choice

Some of our guests are budget travellers, whereas others are luxurious travellers, while others chose a mid-range 3* hotel.

We are happy to give you tips, links and info about your accommodation options for the towns and villages we are staying overnight, but in the end it is up to you, where you would like to stay, at which hotel or guesthouse and for which price.

However much or however little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is your choice.

On a private tour we will pick you up from any accommodation in the morning and in the evening drop you off at any accommodation of your choice for your overnight tour accommodation and and chosen location.

Private 7 day tour pick ups & drop offs anywhere throughout Scotland, incl. the Hebridean, Orkney & Shetland Isles + the North of England & Northern Ireland

*** for those in your private group, who can’t make it for the full 7 days Skye & Outer Hebrides tour

(& for those prefer to fly to/from the island quicker

without the need to catch the ferry and include the Scottish mainland tour part to the ferry port) ***

• We are happy to pick you up from any of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminals, if you make your own way to either Oban/Mallaig or Ullapool ferry port (to where you have rail/bus connections
• We are happy to pick you up from Benbecula or Barra (or Inverness or Stornoway) airport

—

• We are also happy to drop you off at any Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal from where you can get back to the Scottish mainland (either Oban/Mallaig or Ullapool) with onward rail/bus connections
• We are also happy to drop you off at Benbecula or Barra (or Inverness or Stornoway) airport

Our standard tours start from / finish back at the Scottish mainland

Pick up / drop off points for private small group 7 Days Tours, from anywhere as it is your own private tour:

• within the Stirling/Uni area
• within the Forth Valley area
• from within the Scottish Central belt, Edinburgh & Glasgow included
• from within the Dundee, St. Andrews & Perth area
• throughout all of Scotland & all Isles
• from places beyond, from the North of England on request

+

• from places listed along or nearby the route and the stops of this particular 7 Days Tour

To enquire about this tour or to book please email contact@unicorntours.co.uk

As this will be your very own tailormade, personalised, flexible private small group tour, we will discuss:

• Your preferred travel dates
• Your preferred route
• Based on your preferred route, we will give a choice of overnight locations to stay
• Once you have chosen your preferred overnight location, we would like to know about your preferred type of accommodation, any special requests or a price range and your preferred roomtypes
• Based on your choice, for example hotel with * ** *** **** ***** star rating, guesthouse/B&B, self-catering or budget hostel accommodation, etc. for each overnight location, we can then give you suggestions and also check the room availability for each night

Accommodation

• Unicorn Tours is happy to assist you with your questions regarding your accommodation & accommodation booking
• The general rule is that you should then book your accommodation yourself, let us know where you are staying during which night, as it is there that we will drop you off at the end of the tour day and pick you up on the beginning of the next tour day

• The choice of your accommodation, how much or how little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is unconnected and separate from your tour with Unicorn Tours throughout the daytime – for the same day and tour, we have picked up guests from 5* hotels and guests from budget hostels, but the tour experience during the daytime with Unicorn Tours remains the same.

• When ferries or any other additional costs are involved, we also want to make sure, you are happy with those

Once the tour details, including

• tour itinerary & special requests
• pick up/drop off locations & timings
• tour duration, passenger numbers and price
• etc.
• have been discussed and agreed
• and you are happy to proceed with the booking
• we send you an invoice which allows for payment by Paypal / card or by BACS bank transfer

This tour is for a private small group of up to 8 people.

We will personalise & tailor make this flexible tour itinerary to suit your preferences, interests & requirements.

This tour is available on any green calendar day

except during our Scottish Islands based tour days

for a few weeks each year.

Once you wish to book, we send you an invoice with a payment link and also allowing for a UK & international bank transfer.

Once you have paid, we send you your tour confirmation and will mark this day as “red” unavailable/booked out in our tours availability calendar

We can pick up from anywhere, but for a 7 day tour the free pick up zone is within 75 miles from our Alloa home base (which includes Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, St. Andrews and anywhere in between, such Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles plus places throughout the entire Scottish Central belt & beyond )

Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours

As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:

•  for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
•  for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
•  for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
• for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base

Additionally as stated we offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a Hebridean tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be picking up from / droppng off at locations west free of charge, including places near Oban, Mallaig and Ullapool, subject to the exact routing of the tour, for example starting north in Lewis (via Ullappool) or finishing south on Barra (via Oban).

(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based

and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email  contact@unicorntours.co.uk to discuss further