Scotland Expeditions Aboard Lord of the Glens

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Through the beating heart of Scotland

Grand castles, lyrical moorlands, mysterious lochs, sacred abbeys, and sweeping mountains. From the long traditions of Scotland’s clans and monarchs to Bonnie Prince Charlie’s famed rebellions, the romance and intrigue of Scotland’s countryside and traditions speak to all of us. Our ship, Lord of the Glens, is uniquely sized to transit the Caledonian Canal, which cuts through the heart of the Highlands, plus venture into the sea for a coastal exploration—offering the rare experience of a single expedition to the myth and mystery at the heart of the highlands as well as to wild, seldom-visited outlying islands.

NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged. More details.

Scotland aboard Lord of the Glens

Special Ships

Scotland's Highlands and Islands

Duration

9 days

May
Jun
Jul
Aug

From

$9,250

Prices are per person

Highlights

Scotland aboard Lord of the Glens

Special Ships

Scotland's Highlands and Islands

Duration

9 days

May
Jun
Jul
Aug

From

$9,250

Top Highlights

Sail the Caledonian Canal, which bisects the country, plus explore the beautiful outlying islands of the Inner Hebrides
Kayak Loch Linnhe, see the storied battlefield of Culloden, beautiful Glenfinnan, the historic Isle of Iona, and the isles of Mull, Eigg, and Skye
Travel to hauntingly beautiful moorlands, grand castles, sacred abbeys, and sweeping mountains
Wave to the locals who turn out to watch Lord of the Glens descend Neptune's Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks that the ship is perfectly sized to squeeze into

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Expedition Highlights

Discover secluded villages, ancient sites, verdant landscapes, and engaging people for an intimate perspective on Scottish life, past and present. Trace history through the Highlands in the footsteps of saints and clan leaders. Stand among ancient monuments and feel the shroud of Scotland's culture and history hang about the experience, the way the fog clings to the hauntingly beautiful moorlands. This is a land of ancient rituals, long-ruling clans, and royal graveyards full of monarchs. Explore Scotland and experience the country, continuously inhabited for some six thousand years.

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Life Aboard

Traveling through Scotland’s breathtaking countryside with its endless vistas and rare beauty gives you a spiritual lift. To compound this healthful effect, we add the luxury of comfort to the privilege of being there—with a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit during your travels in Scotland.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

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5 Things You Didn't Know: Scotland & the Inner Hebrides

Scotland comprises nearly 800 small islands, and around every bend are magnificent ruins, serene lochs, medieval monuments, and enchanting wildlife. Here are a few facts about this bonnie land that just might surprise you.

Surprising Scottish Wildlife with Naturalist Ella Potts

If you know where to look, there’s an abundance of fascinating species to spot in Scotland. To shed light on Caledonia’s unknown wildlife lexicon, we called on naturalist Ella Potts who has lived and worked in the Hebrides for a decade and is very familiar with its incredible wildlife.

Into the Heart of Scotland: Lochs, Lakes & Ancient History

National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson is truly mad about Scotland. Here, he shares some of his favorite highlights from traveling aboard the intimate Lord of the Glens.

Traversing Scotland's Caledonian Canal

Once built as a safer wartime route for the British Royal Navy as well as for bustling passenger ships, the Caledonian Canal now accommodates only smaller vessels since many more modernly built ships have outgrown it. Lord of the Glens is currently the largest ship to transit the locks.

Discover

Discover Scotland

Expedition Leader

Sail with a veteran expedition leader—the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

Historian

Our historians will share the stories, tumults, and triumphs of the people and places we explore. Their colorful personalities and passion for history, from the minutiae to the big picture, make them engaging travel tour guides and companions.

Absolutely everything was excellent. Staff, crew, naturalist, photographer, and expedition leader. I learned a lot about my family's history.

Jill L.

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Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

6/4/2023

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Lord of the Glens

Inverie, Isle of Skye: Armandale & Kyle of Lochalsh

Our last full day on Lord of the Glens began at Inverie, where some brave souls ventured out for an early morning dip into the cold water of Loch Nevis. We crossed over to the Isle of Skye where we visited Armandale Castle and Gardens and Eilean Donan Castle. The evening was culminated by addressing the haggis and a Scottish feast.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/3/2023

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Lord of the Glens

Tobermory, Isle of Eigg, Knoydart Peninsula

Yet again we awoke to a gorgeous morning. Around the ship clear blue skies and mirror calm waters and off to the east, a bank of low cloud. Those who work or live in these parts often mention how unusual this weather window is. For the first part of the morning, there was a choice of activities: an early walk to the lighthouse, a photo walk around Tobermory, or a saunter about this scenic little town and its surroundings. The walk to the lighthouse started through a shaded wood with many ground plants in bloom and periodic glimpses of the sea. The low clouds hung over the water in the distance and gave a ghostly appearance to the hills on the mainland. The foghorn made its deep mournful sound at regular intervals, warning all nearby ships to be careful. The lighthouse was resplendent in the morning light and off in the distance a yacht sailed by. No matter what option we had chosen the meeting point was to be 10.15 outside the distillery for the guided tours. And what wonderful tours we enjoyed around this very old whisky distillery, with its brand-new stainless-steel masher, traditional wooden vats, where the yeast does its work to produce alcohol, and then to the beautiful copper stills. We then proceeded to taste a 12-year-old unpeated whisky and then on to an 18-year-old lightly peated whisky. The lovely little shop became a crowded affair as we all piled in to make our respective purchases. Another very popular place in this town was the bakery, where we tasted the delicious fluffy doughnuts filled to the brim with a choice of fillings. The Lord of the Glens then set sail for the Isle of Eigg. Along the way we spotted many Manx shearwaters, a harbor porpoise, and later, some common dolphins. On Eigg we all enjoyed a good leg stretch through the woods and out onto bracken-covered open fields. Two common buzzards hovered slowly over the area, searching for unsuspecting prey. We then set sail for our final destination for the day, Knoydart. This is a small coastal community that can only be accessed by sea or a very long walk over the hills. The crossing was lively, as we were sailing through open waters. The isle of Skye and the spectacular Cuillin Ridge could be easily seen off on out portside. Dinner was a very special affair today as two of our shipmates celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, complete with champagne, a huge cake, a new proposal accompanied by a spectacular engagement ring! After dinner we enjoyed a talk given by Jackie Robertson, where we learned a lot more about this very particular community. This was followed by an evening walk ashore and then a stop at a little wooden shack to share a dram of malt whisky. The reason for partaking of an evening beverage in a shaky wooden shack was because the soon-to-be inaugurated pub, The Old Forge, has not yet completed its refurbishment. The conversation was animated—after all we had enjoyed another wonderful day in bonnie Scotland.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/2/2023

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Lord of the Glens

Isle of Mull, Iona, Duart Castle & Tobermory

As we left Oban there was just the right amount of mist to lend an air of mystery to our evolving Hebridean adventure. We motored on to the Isle of Mull and caught our first glimpse of Duart Castle off the port side of the Lord of the Glens . The original core of the castle dates to around the 7th century. It had been a simple tower which was subsequently renovated and embellished by the present laird’s grandfather. A significant amount of scaffolding betrayed the fact that current works are underway. It also posed some challenges for the keen photographers amongst us, but all these could be overcome by following the expert advice of our onboard expedition photo instructor, Jennifer Davidson. On our approach to port at Craignure in Mull, we had to wait for a bit before we could berth because the schedule of public ferry took priority. Ferry operators Caledonian MacBrayne (or Calmac, as they are known in Scotland) operate what is described as lifeline service. This description came about because ferries play a vital role in Scottish island life. Goods and people need to be regularly transferred to and from the mainland. As soon as we could we all made our way down the gangway and onward to our coach where driver, John Marrow, awaited us. He proved to be a source of great humour and indeed driving skill. The latter was just as well because we needed to reach Fhionnphort in time for the 10-minute crossing to the enchanting Isle of Iona, known throughout Scotland as the “Cradle of Christianity.” That is due to the work of a 6th century Irish missionary who we now know as St. Columba and who chose Iona as his base from which to spread his religion amongst the indigenous Pictish Highlanders. The clock may have been ticking but our trip across the island of Mull was a smooth one and we had time to drink in some truly spectacular scenery. By this time there was no more remaining whisps of mist, only brilliant summer sunshine. We saw a mountain called Ben More, which reaches up into the sky to height of just over 900 metres or 3000 feet. Most impressive in current times, we could only imagine how it was when its summit stood at around 5,000 metres above sea level. But that was way back in the depths of deep time, many millions of years ago. A distant chapter in the history of an ancient and ever-changing landscape. Out of the righthand side of the coach, we also saw the basalt columns of Staffa Island. Its impressive cave has inspired artists and poets for centuries. Composer Felix Mendelssohn stood within its walls and was inspired to write a wonderful piece of music, known simply as “Fingle’s Cave.” And many a famous piper has blasted out a rousing set of tunes, amplified by the cave’s echoing surrounds. We caught the ferry. Of course, we did! That is the kind of logistical challenge that Lindblad excels at. The crossing to Iona took just 10 minutes. On arrival we gradually immersed ourselves in a magical, evocative environment as we made our way to Iona Abbey via the ruins of a medieval nunnery. We just had to pause within its walls because the photo opportunities were amazing, and we were being serenaded by a chorus of birdsong from several different species, all identified by our expedition naturalist Eduardo Shaw. It is said that the veil between heaven and earth is thin on Iona. Many of us felt that to be true. Iona Abbey is home to the Iona Community, a religious organisation founded by Sir George Macleod in 1938. Sir Macleod had survived the horrors of trench warfare during First World War. It inspired his Christian ministry and led him to become a committed pacifist who wanted to provide a nurturing, spiritual environment, and meaningful activities for disadvantaged Scots. He undertook the Herculean task of raising funds and managing the rebuilding of the abbey at the same time as attending to his duties as a church minister in Glasgow. Ultimately doing both jobs proved impossible, and the mission work took over. We left the island after a bit of shopping and a leisurely lunch but there was yet more to come. We made our way by coach to meet Sir Lachlan Maclean at the aforementioned Duart Castle. The weather gods continued to smile upon us, and we enjoyed a tour in the company of the laird and then a traditional afternoon tea. On our way back to join the ship in Mull’s major town, Tobermory, we drew up alongside a field of Highland cows. We disembarked the coach and spent some time looking at them and photographing them. Later that evening, we enjoyed a talk about cetaceans from a representative of the Hebridean whale and dolphin trust. It was a full day and a special one, satisfactorily concluded by some with a late evening meander around the colourful streets of Tobermory followed by a wee dram back on board our ship.

Daily Expedition Reports

6/1/2023

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Lord of the Glens

Corpach to Oban

It’s so nice to finally feel the tides and the open sea! Today, we awoke in Corpach to yet another blue sky and UK’s mightiest peak, Ben Nevis, on our port side. It is here that Scottish mountaineers get their schooling before heading to the higher summits of the Alps and the Himalayas; it is a true proving ground in the harsh winters of the northland. We bid farewell to the most ragged peaks of Scotland and transited southeast through Loch Linnhe, the only “sea loch” along the Great Glen Fault. This geologic seaway led us to the quaint town of Oban and a nice afternoon walk to McCaig’s Tower. A day like this reminds us how lucky we are to once again be chartering the Lord of the Glens . Four years away was just too long.

Daily Expedition Reports

5/31/2023

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Lord of the Glens

Fort Augustus, Glenfinnan, and Corpach

We spent much of today navigating the locks and lochs of the Caledonian Canal and taking in its changing landscapes. Beginning in Fort Augustus, we went through the small locks of Kytra, Colluochy, and Laggan, ending our journey by descending the impressive locks at Neptune’s Staircase. In the afternoon, we left the ship to visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct, walking around its base and to various viewpoints before riding a train along the viaduct to return to the ship where it awaited us at Corpach.

Scotland is a land of grand castles, beautiful moorlands, sacred abbeys, and sweeping mountains, and our unique ship—sized to sail a canal through the Highlands and able to venture to wild coastal islands—lets you see it as few can.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

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Scotland aboard Lord of the Glens

Scotland 2023

Aboard Lord of the Glens | 2023 Voyages

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