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Journey in the footsteps of Clan MacDonald through a fascinating insight into the clan's history and culture. Travel through some of the country’s great sights including Glenco, scene of the infamous massacre of 1692, and Lochaber, where a branch of this great family inherited enormous lands through marriage. Visit Armadale, on the island of Skye, the seat of Clan MacDonald. Journey to majestic Eilean Donan Castle, Glen Sheil and Culloden. Explore Loch Lochy, where Blar nan Leine (battle of the shirts) took place. Don’t forget the commando memorial at Spean bridge via loch Loaggen and Highland Perthshire. A truly memorable journey through the illustrious history of the MacDonald Clan where "By Sea and By Land", the MacDonald Crest, will have new meaning.
Call us to add airfare, transfers, sightseeing or extend your trip!!
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| Hotel (mouse over calendar for hotel date info) | | Category | Location | Double* | Single* | | | Edinburgh Hotel (Standard Room) | | Tourist | Edinburgh | $1869 | $2879 |
| | Fort William Hotel (Standard Room) | | Tourist | Fort William | | |
| | Portree Hotel (Standard Room) | | Tourist | Portree | | |
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Day 1: Arrival Edinburgh: Check into your 3-star hotel accommodations
July 19,2009: Individual arrival in Edinburgh and check into your hotel. Your welcome pack will be waiting at the reception area.
Overnight Edinburgh
Day 2: Edinburgh City Tour
July 20, 2009: Enjoy free time before your Homelands Tour. Take a hop-on hop-off city tour of Edinburgh which is included in your package.
Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 3: Depart on your Clan MacDonald Homelands Tour:
Clan tours departs from 207 High Street (Royal Mile), Edinburgh at 09:00. Please be at the departure point no less than 10 minutes prior to departure.
July 21, 2009: GLENCO-LOCHABER:
Travelling north we will head into Glencoe, scene of the infamous massacre in 1692, and west into Lochaber where a branch of this great family, the MacDonalds of Clanranald inherited enormous lands here through marriage when John MacDonald married Amy MacRuari. Ranald was the only surviving son of this union and from him descend the house of Clanranald and Glengarry.
Overnight Fort William
Day 4: Continuing Tour
July 22, 2009: ISLE OF SKYE:
Crossing the sea to the island of Skye we drive through the Sleat peninsula to Armadale, the seat of Clan MacDonald and a centre for all MacDonald clansmen throughout the world.
The Clan MacDonald Lands Trust bought the Armadale estate in 1971, ensuring that some of the ancestral lands stayed in the clan’s possession, after punishing death duties, in 1970, forced the sale of much of the 130,000 acres. Armadale castle occupies a site of 20,000 acres today, receiving a wealth of visitors annually, many of whom are descendants hungry to reflect on the clan’s glories of the past.
Overnight Portree
Day 5: Continuing Tour
July 23, 2009: ISLE OF SKYE:
From the south west of the island, we will head north onto the Trotternish peninsula, to the ruins of Duntulm castle, sitting on a rocky bluff, with commanding views over the Minch to the outer isles. The castle, although having a shared history, was recognized as a Clan MacDonald stronghold, when the clan moved here from Dun Sgiathach, about 1539. Certainly, they were in residence here to receive a royal visit from James V in 1540 and who declared the castle to be one of the finest in the kingdom!
Overnight Portree.
Day 6: Continuing Tour
July 24, 2009: EILEAN DONAN-GLEN SHEIL-PERTHSHIRE:
Our final day, will see us leave Skye via the bridge, heading by majestic Eilean Donan Castle and through Glen Sheil, where in 1719, a small Jacobite skirmish took place. A small taster of things to come in the north, ending in the more famous ’45, when the MacDonalds of Sleat, MacDonalds of Clanranald and MacDonnells of Glengarry came out in support of the ‘ young pretender’, Bonnie Prince Charlie, at the battle of Culloden.
Our journey south takes us passed the ruins of Glengarry castle by Loch Oich, a former MacDonnell stronghold. The MacDonnells were descended from one of the five sons borne to Ranald of Clanranald.
Continuing past the site of Blar nan Leine (the battle of the shirts) on Loch Lochy, where the MacDonalds met and defeated a force of clan Fraser over a land dispute, we continue south to the commando memorial at Spean bridge, before traversing eastwards, via Loch Laggan and into Highland Perthshire, before our arrival once more in the capital.
Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 7: The Gathering Events: The Clan Gathering is a 2 day event celebrating the history and culture of the Scottish Clans. The main events of the gathering are the World Highland Games in Holyrood Park, the Clan Parade and Clan Pageant.
July 25, 2009: Enjoy participating in the Highland Games, which takes place on both days in Holyrood Park. Competitions include Highland Dancing, Piping, Heavy Events such as tossing the stone, the hammer, the caber etc, a hill race up and down Arthur's Seat, a Food and Drink Festival, an Aristan village feature traditional Scottish products, a genealogy tent where attendees can find out how to trace their Scottish roots, live music (Capercaillie, Red Hot Chilli Pipers etc).
Join in the Clan Parade taking place this first evening, which will feature approx 8000 clansmen and pipers marching up the Royal Mile from Holyrood Palace to the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle taking their seats on the castle esplanade for a spectacular Clan Pageant, which is a theatrical extravaganza training the history of the clans.
Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 8: The Gathering Events
July 26, 2009: Continue enjoying the Highland Games including Highland Dancing, Piping, Heavy Events, a hill race up and down Arthur's Seat, a Food and Drink Festival, an Artisian village feature traditional Scottish products, a genealogy tent and live music.
Overnight Edinburgh.
Day 9: Depart for home
July 27, 2009: Check out of your hotel and depart on your own to the airport.
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Package Includes
8-night accommodations in central 3-Star hotels
Daily Scottish breakfast
2-day Silver Gathering Passport
Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off City Tour
4-day Clan Homelands mini-coach tour with driver/guide
Welcome Pack
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Notes
Your clan tour departs from 207 High Street (Royal Mile) in Edinburgh at 9:00am. Please be at the departure point at least 10 minutes prior to departure.
You will be advised of your specific hotels upon confirmation.
Restrictions
The following entrance fees are not included in the package price: Glencoe Visitor's Centre, Armadale Castle, Duntulm Castle, Eilean Donan Castle.
Lunches, dinners and drinks are not included unless otherwise noted.
Maximum group size for mini-coach Clan tours is 16
Airfare is not included but can be easily added for an additional charge.
Transfers to and from the airport are not included but can be easily added at an additional charge.
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