Scotland: Shetland and Orkney Islands – 11 days
Now Booking
1 - 11 May 2025 (11 days)
19 - 29 June 2025 (11 days)
6 - 16 September 2025 (11 days)
Maximum 20 people per tour
Experience an exclusive 11-day discovery tour of the fascinating Scottish Islands
This all-inclusive island-hopping adventure offers an in-depth look at the history, archaeology, bird and plant life, customs, and traditions of these beautiful islands. Enjoy breathtaking landscapes and coastal vistas along the way.
The Shetland Isles, situated in the North Atlantic and equidistant from Norway and Aberdeen, comprise 100 islands with 900 miles of coastline and a population of around 23,000. The Orkney Islands, located six miles north of the Scottish mainland, consist of 70 islands, 17 of which are inhabited.
Both Orkney and Shetland are unique within Great Britain, preserving many of their original customs and traditions. Discover Fair Isle's renowned multi-coloured knitting designs, said to be inspired by the attire of shipwrecked Spanish sailors from the Armada.
Explore Shetland and Orkney’s pivotal wartime roles. At Scapa Flow, a local historian will share captivating tales of WWI and WWII, including the exploits of the Shetland Bus. Visit the Churchill Barriers and the Italian Chapel, crafted from two Nissen huts by WWII prisoners.
On Shetland, visit Sumburgh Head, where the North Sea meets the Atlantic, and explore Jarlshof’s 4,000-year-old settlement and the undisturbed Old Scatness. In Orkney, explore the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, including Maeshowe, Ness of Brodgar, Ring of Brodgar, Stenness Standing Stones, Barnhouse Village, and Skara Brae.
Jona’s Tours offer a fully guided experience with an expert, combining exploration, education, adventure, enjoyment, and congenial company. All meals are included
2025 TOUR PRICE
£3,655 Per person
Single Supplement – £485
Step 1: Fill in and submit the booking form below
Step 2: Make your deposit payment online £250 per person, or see alternative payment options by clicking the following link here
OR
To book the 2025 tour, please pay a deposit of £250 per person. Deposits are fully refundable if you cancel for any reason, up to 3 months before departure date.
To book the 2025 tour, please pay a deposit of £250 per person. Deposits are fully refundable if you cancel for any reason, up to 3 months before departure date.
To book the 2025 tour, please pay a deposit of £250 per person. Deposits are fully refundable if you cancel for any reason, up to 3 months before departure date.
Alternative payment methods:
BANK TRANSFER: Make a deposit payment of £250 per person to the following bank details referencing with your name and selected tour.
Bank:HSBC Sort code:40-09-10 Account Name: Jona Tours Account number: 61539566
Or
CHEQUE: Make cheques payable to Jona Tours of £250 per person and send to our UK office at: 14 Naylor Road, London, N20 0HN
TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
Flights to and from Aberdeen from specific airports.
The Aberdeen night ferry to Shetland docking at Lerwick.
Evening ferry from Lerwick to Kirkwall on Orkney. Dinner on board.
An internal flight from Kirkwall Orkney back to Aberdeen.
Private airport transfers
Accommodation in 4 star hotels.
Day 2, 3 and 4 at Busta House Hotel on Shetland.
Day 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 at Kirkwall Hotel on Orkney.
Last night at Crowne Plaza at Aberdeen airport.
Full board, 10 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 10 three course dinners.
Private coach and driver.
Private guide, Maggie McLeod or John White for the whole tour.
Included in the tour price are all excursions, visits and entrance fees:
Plus Ferries to: Kirkwall on Orkney, Island of Hoy, Tingwall, Yell, Unst and possibly Bressay if crofter available. Plus sailing on Scapa Flow.
Clickimin Broch
Sumburgh Head RSPB
Light lunch at Sumburgh Hotel
Jarlshof
St Ninian’s Isle
Hoswick Visitor Centre
Old Scatness
Ferry to Isle of Bressay, visit to a working croft with native
and heritage breeds (if crofer is available)Scalloway for a light lunch
Shetland Bus Museum
Eshaness
Beswick Community Centre Arts and Crafts
Lerwick Museum
Lunch at Hay’s Dock Cafe
Maes Howe and Ness of Brodgar burial tombs.
Ring of Brodgar
Stenness Standing Stones
Barnhouse Village
Skara Brae
Churchill Barriers
Italian Chapel
Hoxa Tapestry Studio
Wartime talk on Scapa Flow
Dwarfie Stane
Scapa Flow War Museum with lunch
Midhowe stalled burial cairn and Midhowe Broch
“Thank you for your Welcome Home letter. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Shetland Islands and Orkney. The whole trip was exceedingly well organised and we felt we got a great understanding of the islands via the many visits to a wide range of locations and various aspects of island life. John and Robert were a great team guiding us round the islands and became part of the group. Their combined knowledge and good humour added greatly to our enjoyment. Robert had us all trained to return to the coach when he started the engine - just like Pavlov’s dogs! The hotels were very comfortable and the food was superb. All in all we had a great time and are currently contemplating booking again with you - perhaps the Iceland - Nature Adventure Ring next year.”
“The tour of Shetland and Orkney was amazing and even better than I had expected. This was definitely helped by the fine weather we enjoyed. John and Robert were great and had everything organised down to the last detail. They were also able to be flexible and arrange people’s special requests, like finding a ‘cake fridge’! I mentioned that my Mum was a WREN in Orkney during the war and Steve offered to take me to where she lived and worked, thanks to Robert. That was very special for me. I learnt so much on so many different subjects, and plan to do further reading on various topics. The group were all good company and fun. Thank you for all your hard work and organisation in putting together an excellent holiday.”
“We can confirm we’ve had the most interesting and wonderful tour of the Shetland and Orkney Islands. John was a brilliant guide – so full of relevant detail, without overpowering us, and very careful to count we had all returned to the bus after the various stops. Robert, the driver, was also lovely, and we all understood if he started his engine, it was time to get on board. But this was always done with humour. The variety of destinations were again well chosen, giving everyone an excellent perspective of past life and current life on the islands.
I’m delighted to report the group members mixed well and looked out for each other. There was much chatting, except when nodding off for a quick snooze on the bus! So, thank you for arranging this tour. It was absolutely brilliant”
“We thoroughly enjoyed your tour of the Orkneys and Shetland Isles. We both felt the organisation was second to none. We felt we were on holiday from the time we left home. The balance of the trip was just right, for us, and having the chance of meeting locals as guides was great. All the hotel staff were magnificent. Needless to say, Maggie was an excellent guide, catering to all our needs, having a sense of humour (and patience) and being a wealth of knowledge. So, Jona, thank you for such and brilliantly organised tour. We are recommending you to many of our friends and are very pleased that you were recommended to us.”
“What an amazing trip we all experienced, made so special by the way all the participants gelled together. We were so lucky to have John & Robert to look after us whilst we journeyed around those wonderful islands. Their combined local knowledge and organisation added much to our enjoyment. “We met as Strangers and departed as friends””
“Thank you for such good organisation and planning... every day full of interest and the scenery stunning. Not to mention the beautiful weather and smooth sailing up the North Sea all of which you must have arranged! It was good to have the same driver Robert and guide John throughout so I did appreciate the care and thought you clearly put into all your trips. I understand you are now booking up for 2027!!”
“We had a superb holiday and have enjoyed telling our friends about it since we arrived home. John was an excellent tour guide, Robert a trusty driver, the weather was good and the ferries ran on time. The two hotels more than lived up to expectations with excellent food so all in all a perfect holiday.”
“It was an unforgettable ten days. I absolutely loved the islands, and the life people were living on them. I am really grateful to you for giving us such an enjoyable time. Excellent guides, good hotels with good food, particularly on Shetland, a wonderful varied programme, which ran so smoothly. What more could one want? Thank you very much. As I said at the start, it was unforgettable for the best of reasons.”
“I enjoyed the holiday very much. Unfortunately it went too quickly. The itinerary covered a wide variety of interests and the scenery is lovely on both island groups. John was a good and interesting guide and was very helpful. Robert’s driving was very good. The organisation was excellent.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday enhanced by Maggies excellent guidance and leadership and Roberts driving skills, humour and local knowledge. Busta House was delightful, I would happily have stayed there much longer where I found the dishes well prepared and delicious. My bedroom in Kirkwall was comfortable and well equipped. I must commend you and Maggie on the flawless organisation of an unforgettable holiday.”
“I wanted to thank you for the most wonderful trip, in fact the trip of a lifetime. I was totally captivated by the stark beauty of Shetland. The trip to Yell and Unst was great fun and certainly a good addition. As for Orkney; well what can I say. I had seen a documentary about the Ring of Brodgar some months ago but nothing prepared me for seeing it for real. A very profound, moving and emotional experience. John did a first rate job as our guide, he was knowledgeable and easy going and kept us in order with a very light rein! Robert, our driver, was so kind and always smiling and showed us some quirky sights that we would have missed on other trips.”