Wild & Ancient Britain With Ireland

Check in to the Hilton London Paddington Hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure to explore the city.

Enjoy Lunch and a Tour of Pourtsmouth before boarding Le Dumont d'Urville.

This morning take a stroll through Trebah Garden, and after lunch on board, take a tour of the Eden Project.

Board local boats and cruise to Tresco to visit the ruins and lush, subtropical gardens of the medieval Tresco Abbey.

Ballinskelligs Priory was founded in the 12th century by monks who moved to the mainland from Skellig Michael after numerous Viking attacks.

Drive through scenic countryside to Waterford. Options today include a visit to the renowned House of Waterford Crystal to watch master craftsmen at work, or enjoy a tour of Mount Congreve, a magnificent estate with exquisite gardens.

Board the Isle of Man Steam Railway, and ride through quaint, picturesque villages en-route to the southern resort of Port Erin.

Disembark at Portrush and visit the World Heritage Site of Giant’s Causeway before go ashore on the Isle of Islay.

Spend the morning exploring the uninhabited island of Staffa by Zodiac and its most famous feature, Fingal’s Cave.

Spend the morning at St. Kilda, once home to a small community, before spending the afternoon cruising among the Flannan Islands.

Enjoy visits to the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral, the enigmatic Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae.

Stroll the narrow streets of Lerwick, cruise to the Isle of Noss, and vist Mousa to view one of Britain’s finest Iron Age ruins.

During your visit, join some of the 70 islanders at their community center for tea and cakes, and a visit to the local museum.

Disembark in Aberdeen this morning, and enjoy a scenic drive to Edinburgh before a special farewell dinner.

Transfer to the airport.

Ride Victorian-era steam railroads, sip Scottish whiskey during a distillery tour, witness some of Europe’s largest seabird colonies, stroll through magnificent estate gardens and visit impressive ruins as you explore the best of the British Isles. Listen to tales of Norse mythology in the Shetland Islands. Marvel at the geological wonders of UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway and listen to tales of the Irish giant, Finn McCool. Visit stone age villages preserved in the sand for thousands of years in the Orkney Islands. Step into scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi on the island-hideaway of Luke Skywalker, Skellig Michael. Pay your respects at the cemetery of St Oran, the burial site of numerous Scottish kings. Visit uninhabited islands and listen to the echoing of the sea which inspired Mendelssohn on the island of Staffa. From start to end, each day is packed with new adventures. Your guide for the journey, Peter Smith, hails from County Cork, on the south coast of Ireland where he studied Old English and archaeology. With a passion for birds and the wonders of the natural world combined with his humanities studies, Peter is the perfect guide for your British Isles exploration. Joining Peter is a team of renowned ornithologists, naturalists, historians, archaeologists and more who will be on hand for exciting excursions, educational lectures, and daily recaps to truly make this a trip to remember.