Bloomington Kiwanis Club
Invites You To Join Them In
Scotland &
Northern Ireland
Edinburgh * Inverness * Scottish Highlands * Cruise on Loch
Lomond * Glasgow * Ferry to Northern Ireland * Londonderry
Giants Causeway * Belfast * 2 nights Cabra Castle
12 Delightfully Lovely Days
October 10 – 21, 2015
Just $4590 from Bloomington
OUR EXCLUSIVE ITINERARY:
Day 01 Saturday, October 10 – USA/En Route
We meet our fellow travelers on the motorcoach ride to O’Hare, where we board our United Airlines flight to Newark,
connecting with our non-stop to Edinburgh, Scotland, the beginning of two magical weeks in beautiful Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Dinner, drinks and a movie during our flight across the Atlantic. (D) (Meals: B=breakfast, L=lunch, S=snack & D=dinner)
Day 02 Sunday, October 11 – Edinburgh
Breakfast on the plane before we land in Edinburgh, After we go through passport control, pick up our
luggage and clear customs, we are met by our Tour Escort and board our private motorcoach into the
city. Time permitting, we will visit the imposing Edinburgh Castle where we can view the Scottish Crown
Jewels and take in the breathtaking views of the city from the castle ramparts. Dinner and overnight at
our centrally located hotel. (B,D)
Day 03 Monday, October 12 –Edinburgh (City Tour; Jamie’s Scottish Dinner Show)
A full American breakfast at our hotel, followed by this morning’s city tour that takes us along
Princess Street with its fine shops and through the lovely Georgian squares and terraces of the new town.
We continue along the historic Royal Mile to the palace of Holyrood, the official Scottish residence of Her
Majesty the Queen. Admission is included for Rosslyn Chapel and Melrose Abbey. This afternoon is free, but we’ll light up the night together
at the famous Jamie’s Scottish Dinner Show. (B,D)
Day 04 Tuesday, October 13 – Edinburgh/St. Andrews/Glamis Castle/Inverness
After a hearty Scottish breakfast, we travel northward, where our first stop is at famous St. Andrews. We’ll have time to take some photos
and buy a golf souvenir or two before we continue our adventure. Today’s main stop will be at Glamis Castle,
“Scotland’s most spectacular castle, ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne and the
childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Following our castle visit, we’ll enjoy a Scottish
sheepdog demonstration. Our drive continues to the lovely seaside city of Inverness, gateway to the
countless scenic delights of the Highlands of Scotland with their host of towering mountains, dark lochs, great
forests and precipitous sea cliffs. Dinner and overnight at our fun hotel. (B,D)
Day 05 Wednesday, October 14 – Inverness (Highlands of Scotland, Cawdor Castle)
Today we shall explore Inverness with its suspension bridge across the River Ness, old stone buildings and
Ben Wyvis soaring above the skyline. We’ll also visit Inverness Castle. There have been sightings of the
ghost of King Duncan walking along the banks of the River Ness. Our next stop is Culloden Battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army
was defeated by the government troops in 1746. Next we visit Cawdor Castle built around a 15th-century tower house. Originally a property of
Clan Calder, it passed to the Campbells in the 16 th century. The gardens are beautiful. We return to Inverness in the afternoon, where we
have some free time before meeting our fellow travelers for dinner. Overnight at our hotel;. (B,D)
Day 06 Thursday, October 15 – Inverness/Loch Ness/Cruise on Loch Lomond/Glascow
This morning we travel along the shores of magnificent Loch Ness, where maybe we will catch a glimpse
of “Nessie.” We’ll make photo stops at Loch Ness and beautiful Glencoe before continuing our drive through
some of Scotland’s most beautiful countryside to lovely Loch Lomond. Our cruise on Loch Lomond gives us
picture=perfect views of the glistening lake and her lush-green surrounding hillsides. After the cruise, our
scenic odyssey continues to Glascow, our home for the next two nights. Dinner and overnight at our central
hotel. (B,D)
Day 07 Friday, October 16 – Glascow (City Tour)
Another great day! A hearty Scottish breakfast then we’re off on a private tour of Glasgow where we’ll
see the cathedral adjacent to which is Provand’s Lordship, the oldest house in the city reputedly built in 1471. We also see the University
which overlooks splendid Victorian terraces and the leafy slopes of one of Glasgow’s many parks. We have included visits to Culzean Castle
and Robert Burn’s Cottage before we return to our hotel. Free time before dinner together. (B,D)
Day 08 Saturday, October 17 – Glascow/Ferry: Cairnyan-Larne/Giants Causeway/Londonderry
Our last Scottish breakfast before we drive to the ferry port of Cairnryan. We say
“goodbye” to our Scottish escort, driver and guide, then walk onto the ferry for our
ride to Larne in Northern Ireland. We meet our lively Irish Driver-Guide at the dock,
load our luggage onto his motorcoach and begin the magnificently beautiful drive
along the coast of Northern Ireland. The scenic highlight of our touring will be a stop
the the Giant’s Causeway, an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. The
result of an ancient volcanic eruption, it has been declared a UNESCO Heritage Site.
After a stop at the Giant’s Causeway Visitors Center, we continue on to beautiful
Londonderry – or, if you prefer “Derry” for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
Day 09 Sunday, October 18 – Londonderry (Derry Walking Tour)
A full Irish breakfast welcomes us this morning and gets us ready for our walking tour of the city. The official Anglican
name of Londonderry was given to this city in 1613 when King James I granted it a Royal Charter. The name “Derry” is
preferred by nationalists, Northern Ireland’s Catholic community and by the Republic of Ireland. Some of the main sights
include: Austins Department Store, the Free Derry Corner, the Peace Bridge across the River Foyle, Diamond War
Memorial, the “Hands Across the Divide” sculpture and the old Derry Walls. The afternoon is free; dinner together. (B,D)
Day 10 Monday, October 19 – Londonderry/Enniskillen/Cabra Castle near Cavan
After a great breakfast at our hotel, we travel south past the Strabane Standing
stones to Enniskillen, a small town and civil parish in the middle of County
Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Here we’ll enjoy a memorable walk and boat ride
in/through the fabled Enniskillen Marble Arch Caves. Our journey continues
through the lovely, rolling countryside as we cross the border into the Republic of
Ireland – but don’t be disappointed, there are no border guards, stops or signs.
We drive into Kingscourt, Cavan County, Ireland to the Cabra Castle Hotel, our
wonderful home for the next two nights. (B,D)
Day 11 Tuesday, October 20 – Cabra Castle (Excursion to Belfast with City Tour and the “Titanic Experience”)
After breakfast at our castle, we drive northward, crossing
back into Northern Ireland to its thriving, rejuvenated
capital, Belfast. We’ll meet our local guide and enjoy a twohour city tour. We will see why Belfast, Ulster’s Capital, is
“welcoming a new generation of tourists” with its
rediscovered waterfront, regenerated old Gasworks and
redeveloped Victoria Square. A highlight of our visits in
Belfast will be the Titanic Experience, a stunningly dramatic
museum, featuring Belfast as the home of the Titanic. We
drive back across the border to our castle home. Perhaps
there will be time for a few holes of golf on our course before we get ready for our final, great dinner in Ireland! (B,D)
Day 12 Wednesday, October 21 – Dublin Airport/USA
A last royal breakfast before we drive to Dublin’s International Airport for our flights back to Chicago, the end of a
wondrous tour of Scotland and Northern Ireland!! Most of us will motorcoach back to Bloomington. (B,L,S)
OUR INCLUDED FEATURES:
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Roundtrip motorcoach Bloomington/O’Hare
Roundtrip scheduled airfare ORD/Edinburgh,
Dublin/ORD
Meals and beverages served aloft according to
airline schedule
Private transfers between airports and hotels
10 nights accommodations in superior tourist and 1st
class hotels, including two nights Cabra Castle in
rooms with private bath/shower
Luggage handling of one suitcase at hotels, where
available
Full Scottish and Irish breakfasts daily
3-course dinners each night, including Jamie’s
Scottish Dinner Show
City tours in Edinburgh, Glascow, Derry and Belfast
Scottish sheepdog demonstration; Cruise on Loch
Lomond and Ferry between Cairnryan and Larne
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Private touring program in deluxe motorcoach with
licensed Scottish driver and guide and with a
professional Irish Driver/Guide
Admission fees to: Edinburgh Castle, Rosslyn
Chapel, Melrose Abbey, Glamis Castle, Cawdor
Castle, Culloden Battlefield, Culzean Castle, Robert
Burns Cottage, Giants Causeway Visitor Center,
Enniskillen Marble Arch Caves and the Titanic
Experience in Belfast
Hotel taxes and service charges
Free $100,000 Automatic Flight Insurance
Not included: passport fees; items of a personal nature;
drinks that are not included with the meals; laundry; gratuities
for local guides and drivers $12/person/day = $132 total; $99
gov’t taxes & fees on airfare; fuel surcharge (as of Oct. 1,
2014) $385; single supplement, if available, $687