Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour This 4 day specialist whisky tour takes you to the “Queen of the Isles” and the Whisky Coast. Islay is home to 8 of Scotland’s finest malt whisky distilleries Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Bunnahabhain, Bruichladdich, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Kilchoman. For the whisky enthusiast this tour will give you an in depth knowledge and even better - you won’t need to drive anywhere yourself! Day 1 Leaving Edinburgh you will head west through Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow along Loch Lomond then west through the mountains to the beautiful little village of Inveraray on the banks of Loch Fyne. Here you can visit the local micro brewery and then sample some of the local seafood. Or perhaps just explore the historic town itself. After lunch you will travel down the Kintyre peninsula to Campbeltown for a visit to Springbank Distillery, one of the last distilleries producing everything by hand. Nearby are the impressive seacliffs of the Mull of Kintyre and the superb beach at Machrihanish. From here it is a short drive to catch the early evening ferry to Islay, before travelling to Bowmore for your 3 night stay. Day 2 A full day exploring Islay. The itinerary today is quite flexible with a mixture of beautiful scenery, white sand beaches, short walks and of course the famous Islay whiskies - renowned for their strong peaty flavours and nurtured by the salty sea air. In the morning we will take the short drive to the west of the island via Saligo Bay for a visit to Kilchoman Distillery (the newest and smallest on the island) with the option of a coastal walk to Machair Bay for any non-whisky lovers. After lunch here you will travel to the tiny harbour village of Portnahaven (look out for seals) then take the back roads along the west coast with its lovely sandy bays. In the afternoon you will stop at the privately owned Bruichladdich Distillery for a tour and tasting followed by a short visit to the Islay Museum or a drink in a local pub before returning to Bowmore. Oban & Distillery Bowmore Distillery Day 3 Another day in paradise! Today you will explore the southern side of the island, home to the smokiest and peatiest of all whiskies – Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. We will make photo stops at the first two then visit Ardbeg for a tour, tasting and lunch. The restaurant here is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy local produce as well as some unique whisky. While in the area we will visit the ruins of Kildalton church with its famous 8th Century Celtic cross. In the afternoon there will be the option to spend some free time in Bowmore village. Here you can visit the famous Round Church, Bowmore Distillery itself (June – Aug) or just relax with a quiet drink looking out over the water. Alternatively you could continue with the tour to Bridgend where we will visit the community craft producers (and brewery!) at Islay House Square or take a walk through the woods along the nearby River Sorn. Day 4 This morning you take the ferry back to the mainland then travel through Argyll and the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. There are more than 350 prehistoric monuments within a six-mile radius of the village of Kilmartin. We will stop here for lunch and a chance to visit the mysterious stone circles and the local community museum. From Kilmartin it is a short drive to Oban – the main ferry port for the islands. Here we will drop off anyone who is continuing on the Mull, Iona and Isle of Skye extension. The others will have some free time to explore the town, before departing for the return journey to Glasgow and Edinburgh. More Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here! Highland Lochs, Glens & Whisky Day Tour A journey through the Celtic heartlands in the central Highlands taking in the waterfalls in Birnam forest, Pitlochry, the Queen's View and the splendour of Loch Tay, an area abundant with standing stone circles. Depart Edinburgh at 09.30 and travel north over the Forth Road Bridge, passing one of Scotland's great engineering wonders - the Forth Rail Bridge. Continuing north into the Kingdom of Fife we pass Loch Leven castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567 and forced to abdicate from the throne. Further on we will also pass Perth, the medieval capital of Scotland, before crossing the Highland Boundary Fault line, and the point where the scenery changes from the rolling farmland of the Lowlands to the forested hills and mountains of the Scottish Highlands. Surrounded by this beautiful scenery and on the banks of the River Tay is the Cathedral town of Dunkeld, our first stop of the day. Dunkeld was for many centuries the capital of the Christian Celtic Church, and its 13th century Cathedral reflects the once great importance of this quaint Highland village. From Dunkeld it's a short drive to the Hermitage, a fantastic woodland walk leading up to the Black Linn Falls where the River Braan cascades into a narrow gorge. Surrounded by some of Scotland's tallest trees and changing spectacularly in appearance throughout the seasons it's a great place at any time of year. You may even have the chance to see the spectacular sight of Salmon attempting to leap up the falls and on towards their spawning grounds. Leaving the Hermitage we follow the wide valley of the River Tay towards the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry. Here you will have the chance to visit the Blair Athol Whisky Distillery and discover the secret of how Scotland's national drink is made. No visit to Scotland is complete without sampling a 'wee dram' and you will get the chance to taste some of the finished product. Known in the Gaelic as Uisge Beatha (or 'water of life') whisky has been produced for centuries in Scotland and the art is now close to perfection. We will spend around 2 hours here to visit the distillery and have lunch in the town. Or if you prefer you can spend the full two hours exploring Pitlochry and its great shops and restaurants or maybe even take a walk down towards Loch Faskally. After lunch we take a scenic drive through the mountains of Highland Perthshire, first crossing over the Pass of Killicrankie before a short stop at the Queen's View overlooking Loch Tummel. On a clear day the view here is stunning, looking over to the unmistakable peak of Schiehallion and beyond to the mountains of Glencoe. Continuing alongside Loch Tummel we then head over the hills and down to the secluded village of Fortingall where you can see Europe's oldest tree - the 3000 year old Fortingall Yew. According to local legend Fortingall also has the strange claim to being the birthplace of Pontius Pilate! Shortly after Fortingall we come to Loch Tay and make our way around the loch towards Killin. The small town is situated on the edge of the River Dochart and has the fantastic Falls of Dochart at its heart, flowing under the old bridge and past the ancient burial ground of the Clan MacNab who once dominated the area. After Killin we take a drive over the Braes of Balquhidder, the resting place of Highland outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor, and across to Callander for a stop before returning to Edinburgh. More Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here! The Whisky Coast Northern Explorer Tour An exclusive, island-hopping, small group tour of the northern Whisky Coast. Starting from Glasgow or Edinburgh the tour heads straight for Inveraray, home of the “Spirit of the West” Festival – two days of the best food, drink and entertainment from this wonderful region. After the festival the tour visits the harbour town of Oban with its distillery and seafood restaurants before taking the ferry to Mull for two nights. Here we will visit the magical island of Iona as well as Tobermory Distillery. Another two ferries take the tour through the wilds of Ardnamurchan and on to the Isle of Skye. Again only one distillery but people travel a long way to visit Talisker and with good reason! The two nights on Skye allow plenty of time for exploration and the opportunity to sample some award winning food. The final day returns us to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Ben Nevis Distillery and the scenic highlights of Glencoe and Loch Lomond. More Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here! The Whisky Coast Southern Explorer Tour An exclusive small group tour of the southern Whisky Coast including the Spirit of the West Festival. Starting from Edinburgh or Glasgow the tour first visits Arran, with its award-winning whisky and other great local produce. After a night here the tour continues through the Kintyre peninsula for a visit to the family owned Springbank Distillery before catching the ferry to Islay. The “Queen of the Isles” is home to no less than eight distilleries and while we do not have time to visit them all, it will certainly be possible to sample whiskies from each of them. From the smoky peaty flavours of Laphroaig to the softer rounder flavours of Bunnahabhain, Islay has something for everyone! On day four, the tour returns to the mainland and Inveraray, home of the “Spirit of the West” Festival – two days of the best food, drink and entertainment from this wonderful region. On Monday there will be transfers back to Glasgow and Edinburgh or the option to continue the adventure with the Northern Explorer tour. More Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here! Rabbie's Whisky Tours of Scotland Additional Rabbie's Tours If you haven't quite found what you're looking for, Contact Us for additional information. With all the wonder ful tours we have to offer such as Homecoming Scotland Rabbie's Tours, Clan Tours, Company Day(s) Out tours, Groups and other Tailormade Tours, we're sure we can find the perfect fit for you! Let us know how we can help. Our Philosophy We believe a small group tour with a maximum of 16 passengers really does make a big difference to your trip. Why? Because, like our competitors we tried touring with bigger coaches, but you told us you didn't like them. So, unlike our competitors, we sold the larger coaches and are now Scotland's only 5 star tours to guarantee you a small group experience. The smaller groups allow you to meet people from all over the world and make friends for life. Our Guides - Your Hosts Our local guides are your hosts with each hand-picked for their pride and passion for Scotland. Chosen for their expertise, knowledge and ability to entertain, they will regale you with folklore, myths, history and legend. And we don't just leave this to chance - we are proud to be recognised by Investors in People for the extensive training and development of our people so that you get a great tour led by someone who really cares. Our Hospitality Rabbie's is world renowned for going the extra mile for you and because we operate small group tours, we really can give you the personal attention you're looking for. That's why we invite you NOT to get lost in the crowd and allow us to do what we do best, and give you a memorable and enriching experience that lasts a lifetime. To underline our commitment to exceeding your expectations Rabbie's was recently accredited as Hospitality Assured, based upon rigorous criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management. Your Adventure Our tours and mini-coaches are purpose built to show you the secrets of Scotland by getting off the beaten track and onto the back-roads where only smaller tours can go. Time off the bus is important and we pride ourselves on getting you out there for the authentic experience. And, of course, your comfort is paramount as you travel in our eco-friendly, low emission, modern Mercedes mini-coaches, with big panoramic windows (3 out of 4 seats are window seats), stereo systems, full sized reclining seats (with seatbelts) and more leg room than your average coach. We weren't the first Edinburgh tour company to be awarded 5 Stars from VisitScotland for nothing! Legendary Friendliness Established in 1993, and named after Scotland's best loved poet Robert Burns, we are Scotland's longest running small group tour company with a world-wide reputation for the friendliest tours on the planet. Innovation has always been at the heart of everything we do and we have recently been recognised as a Tourism Innovation Award winner for our new gastro-whisky tours Flavours of Scotland. And Caring for our Environment From the very beginning Rabbie's was built by valuing, managing and conserving our environment. We aim to leave the legacy of our beautiful landscape for future generations to enjoy. Our tours are as close as you can get to touring in your own car, but with the added benefit of reducing your carbon footprint by 75% (based on 2 persons travelling the same distance in their own car). We support local businesses and on our overnight tours you are given the choice of accommodation, allowing you to choose your budget, stay in smaller places and meet the locals. This way you help to sustain their communities and promote local cultures, environment and wildlife. And we are very proud that our commitment to environmental excellence has been recognised with 2 top Gold awards from the Green Tourism scheme and Keep Edinburgh Clean awards. In 2007 we also won the inaugural Scottish Thistle award for Sustainable Tourism and were a finalist in the highly competitive VIBES (Vision in Business for the environment Scotland) awards. More Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here!