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United Kingdom
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Scotland
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Highland
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Inverness
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Tours & Activities
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John o’Groats and Duncansby Head Day Trip from Inverness
1 day
Full Day
Instant confirmation
About this activity
Leave Inverness by luxury minivan and head north, across the dramatic Black Isle Peninsula and Cromarty Firth. As you travel through northern Scotland’s beautifully barren plains, your expert guide will talk you through some of the area’s fascinating history. Learn about the notorious First Duke of Sutherland, who evicted several Highland villages in the 19th century, making enemies of many Scots in the process.
After an hour of driving, you’ll reach the coastal village of Caithness – home to some of Scotland’s most fascinating wildlife like red deer and grey seals. After exploring the wee village at leisure, your guide will meet you for lunch (own expense) at a café in the pretty harbor and, as you eat, you’ll learn all about the region’s traditional herring fishing industry.
In the early afternoon, you’ll arrive in John o’Groats – the most anticipated stop of the day! Famed as the northernmost dwelling on the British mainland, the tiny hamlet is set in a sensational landscape of rugged open moorland, and is blessed with some of the finest wildlife in the country.
After stopping for an obligatory ‘I’ve been there’ photo in John o’Groats, you’ll head on to the nearby sandstone cliffs at Duncansby Head – the mainland’s
true northeastern point. Known as ‘Seabird City,’ the spectacular cliffs are alive with a rich variety of seabirds, and you’ll see guillemots, kittiwakes and maybe even puffins during a bracing cliff-top walk with your guide. Watch out for the rocky inlets known as the Stacks of Duncansby before heading back to your minivan.
Back on board, you can continue spotting the area’s fascinating wildlife. The journey south passes through the historic estuary town of Wick, and you’ll arrive back in Inverness in the early evening.
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After an hour of driving, you’ll reach the coastal village of Caithness – home to some of Scotland’s most fascinating wildlife like red deer and grey seals. After exploring the wee village at leisure, your guide will meet you for lunch (own expense) at a café in the pretty harbor and, as you eat, you’ll learn all about the region’s traditional herring fishing industry.
In the early afternoon, you’ll arrive in John o’Groats – the most anticipated stop of the day! Famed as the northernmost dwelling on the British mainland, the tiny hamlet is set in a sensational landscape of rugged open moorland, and is blessed with some of the finest wildlife in the country.
After stopping for an obligatory ‘I’ve been there’ photo in John o’Groats, you’ll head on to the nearby sandstone cliffs at Duncansby Head – the mainland’s
true northeastern point. Known as ‘Seabird City,’ the spectacular cliffs are alive with a rich variety of seabirds, and you’ll see guillemots, kittiwakes and maybe even puffins during a bracing cliff-top walk with your guide. Watch out for the rocky inlets known as the Stacks of Duncansby before heading back to your minivan.
Back on board, you can continue spotting the area’s fascinating wildlife. The journey south passes through the historic estuary town of Wick, and you’ll arrive back in Inverness in the early evening.
Included
- Transport by air-conditioned minibus
- Driver/guide
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 32 travelers
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
70%
Original
15%
Reviews
Very good. I walk with a cane and my guide did everything he could to help me. He was very knowledgeable about the area, it helped made it a very good day.
This tour was great!! Breath taking views, many castles, seals, deer, comfortable coach and knowledgeable driver. A must see.
The drive itself was amazing. Got to see some beautiful countryside. Our guide, however, was just not as wonderful. Limited information, she seemed to take her cues from us, rather than what we were driving through. It may just be that she was young and needs some seasoning. The trip was definitely worth it, though
Excellent views during the trip and great elaborations from the tour guide. Money worth trip indeed!
Lovely day trip with an excellent guide Gary. Well worth the experience of going there.
Sadly we had terrible weather for this day tour - however - that is not the fault of the Tour! You get that in Scotland! Visiting John O'Groats had been on our "bucket list" for a while having done Lands End a few years ago! When we arrived at John O'Groats it was pouring down and freezing - however - we were on a mission to get our photo taken at the "Sign" which says you are "here" at the most northern tip. To our disappointment and frustration we found that the pole was there but not the sign! We went to the kiosk and they explained that you had to pay a fee for the sign to be up for your photo to be taken! This privilege had to be prearranged with a Photography Company that apparently had the "rights" to this tourist attraction. We were absolutely gobsmacked and appalled that this simple tourist attraction of a "sign" was owned and obviously had been exploited over many years! Also we were quite annoyed that we were not advised of this before taking the tour! Our Tour guide claimed no knowledge either (yeah right). By the time we arrived at Duncansby Heads it really was blowing a gale. A few of the braver tourists did the trek with the Guide and came back soaking wet and advised that they could not quite see the Puffins as they were so far away. In summary we found the whole day quite disappointing. Our guide also lacked a bit of personality which didn't add to the day! If you have a car - do it yourself and save your money.