Christmas in the Scottish Highlands

Fly north, and upon arrival at Inverness, or Edinburgh Airports, meet your friendly tour manager for the transfer to your hotel. Take some time to rest and relax as you settle into your new surroundings. The Carrbridge Hotel is situated on the edge of the village, which offers some delightful local walks (the hotel staff will be happy to point you in the right direction) and acts a gateway to the scenic Cairngorms National Park. The famous old packhorse bridge, dating back to 1717 and reputed to be one of the oldest in the Scottish Highlands, is just opposite the hotel. This evening, enjoy dinner followed by some traditional entertainment – the perfect start to your festive break. 

After a relaxed breakfast, join your tour manager for a two-hour cruise across the beautiful Loch Ness, taking in views of the castles and following in the footsteps of Queen Victoria. When you’re back on land, you’ll travel to the resort town of Aviemore, set in Cairngorms National Park. The final stop of the day is a visit to the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, home to around 150 reindeer, which you can see up close with their handlers.

Return to the hotel to begin your Christmas in earnest. Once again dinner is served at the hotel and is followed by some light-hearted entertainment. Perhaps stroll the 400 yards to Carrbridge Church in time for the traditional service.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy a relaxed, informal day in the hotel, with plenty of opportunities to chat with your new-found friends over morning coffee and tea. Perhaps after breakfast you’ll choose to join in the short Christmas Morning service at the Carrbridge Church.

This afternoon, enjoy a traditional sherry in the lounge, followed by a full Christmas Lunch with all the trimmings. A relaxed afternoon is followed by a buffet dinner in the evening and the chance to enjoy a traditional Highland Cèilidh band, completing the pleasures of a wonderful Christmas Day.

Following breakfast, you’ll set off on a tour of many of the nearby area’s highlights. The first stop is Spean Bridge, a small village known for its iconic Commando Memorial. You’ll then be driven to Neptune’s Staircase, a succession of eight lochs on the Caledonian Canal, the town of Fort William, considered a gateway to Ben Nevis, and finally, the hamlet of Glenfinnan. Here, you’ll call at the visitor’s centre, and a short walk uphill will allow you to see the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was featured in several Harry Potter movies.

After breakfast, bid farewell to the Highlands and travel back to the airport for the return flight, at the end of a wonderful few festive days.