THE TOURS
Full Day Tours, Half-Day Tours [all year] & Evening Tours [May – August only]:
Personalised Orkney Tours have several recommended routes. We know all the best places to stop for photographs, the best places to stop for tea and the best places to see the wildlife. We also schedule stops for you to go off and explore. We specialise in taking you to the ‘out of the way’ places that make Scotland so special – and that the tour buses can’t reach! We know the places that should be on the Trip Advisor top-ten, but for some reason are not! If you have already seen Skara Brae, Maeshowe or St Magnus Cathedral then let us show you Orkney’s better-kept secrets. HALF-DAY TOUR OPTIONS:
Starting from Kirkwall, Stromness or your accommodation, we’ll take you to some stunning locations and return you within four hours, or longer if you prefer. You’ll have the choice of various routes; we can tailor your tour to your personal tastes (archaeology, wildlife, prehistory, World War military sites to name but a few). Perfect if arriving by Plane, Ferry, Cruise Ship or Bus. Take a taxi or bus to Kirkwall or Stromness to meet us or we can pick you up for a small extra charge. Please note: the minimum time required to see the Heart of Neolithic Orkney is 4 hours, 5 if you wish to include Maeshowe [limited availability due to Pandemic Restrictions], 6.5 if you wish to include the Italian Chapel & 8 if you want to include St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishop's & Earl's Palaces in Kirkwall. Sites further afield such as the Broch of Gurness require additional travelling time. The original Ness of Brodgar Archaeological Dig site has now been covered and backfilled for the foreseeable future. They have enough material to catalogue and analyse for at least 20 years! A new dig is opening from July 7th till July 30th 2026. PANDEMIC CLOSURES
Please note that, during pandemic restrictions, certain sites are either closed or have limited opening hours. Personalised Orkney Tours can advise you of the latest details. All guests are expected to supply their own and use hand sanitiser regularly. VEHICLES
We can either work for you as a Step-On Guide: if you wish to drive in your own vehicle we can sit in as a passenger, so that your guide can focus on you, the client. Alternatively, Jonathan can act as a Driver Guide, licensed by Orkney Islands Council as a Private Hire Driver with a Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, which takes up to 6 passengers. If there is insufficient room in your vehicle for a Step-On Guide, we can use Follow Me procedures: we drive our own car and lead you in your vehicle between sites. As they are always short journeys, we can explain what you will see en route before setting out. We are based in Kirkwall and west of Finstown – with the Heart of Neolithic Orkney on our doorstep. Enjoy a tour with us, and you’ll return home with some very precious memories indeed! To find us, copy & paste this link into your browser:
https://goo.gl/maps/P9W7bQpqe481z2eC9
For ideas of different types of tours to cater for all interests, Email us on [email protected]
PRICES
See the following table scales for tour prices in 2026
[Subdivide by the number in your party for individual costs.]
STEP-ON Tourist Guide – if you have your own vehicle & you drive [or Town Walking Tours]
In English:
4 hours £ 230
5 hours £ 270
6 hours £ 310
7 hours £ 350
8 hours £ 390
In French:
4 hours £ 270
5 hours £ 310
6 hours £ 350
7 hours £ 390
8 hours £ 430
DRIVER Guiding – I drive you in my Licensed Vehicle
In English:
4 hours £ 535
5 hours £ 575
6 hours £ 615
7 hours £ 655
8 hours £ 695
In French:
4 hours £ 575
5 hours £ 615
6 hours £ 655
7 hours £ 695
8 hours £ 735
FOLLOW-ME Guiding - if you have your own vehicle & you drive, following me in my vehicle:
In English:
4 hours £ 495
5 hours £ 535
6 hours £ 575
7 hours £ 615
8 hours £ 655
In French:
4 hours £ 535
5 hours £ 575
6 hours £ 615
7 hours £ 655
8 hours £ 695
Please note that refreshments and site entry fees such as the Italian Chapel are extra. In Orkney the current touring rate for taxis (i.e. the price for a licensed taxi & driver, but without a guide) is set by the Orkney Islands Council, and the minimum charge is £60 per hour for up to 4 people, and £90 per hour for 5 - 8 people. Please note Taxi rates are set by Orkney Islands Council and are non-negotiable. The latest rates came into effect on 1st May 2025. This equates to £480 or £720 per 8-hour day simply for transport between sites in a licensed vehicle. A waiting fee of £50 per hour is chargeable. When you hire a driver-guide you are receiving both transportation and qualified and insured guiding services. Personalised Orkney Tours offer full-day or half-day tours. Evening tours are available during our long light summers. Tours start from Kirkwall or Stromness or from clients’ accommodation. Ferry costs (where applicable) will be charged at the going rate. Refunds due to weather conditions are at our discretion. Prices do not include refreshments, ferry fares [where applicable] or entry to Historic Sites/Distilleries etc., unless specific arrangements have been made in advance. Online payments are made via Electronic Bank Transfer [BACS] in advance or Cash at the start of the tour. Discuss your tour with us and we’ll email you the necessary details. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary of any of the tours if deemed necessary to take account of prevailing weather conditions and limitations of availability due to cruise ship visitors. AIRPORT / FERRY TRANSFERS
Due to the distances involved, we charge £50 per vehicle run for transfers within the Orkney Mainland, including the airport. [This is in line with the rates stipulated by Orkney Islands Council of £50 per hour.] This can be invoiced as part of a tour, or separately as a Private Hire, payable in advance. For transfers from Pentland Ferries [MV Alfred] port west of St Margaret’s Hope in South Ronaldsay to Kirkwall is £60 & to Stromness is £72. Please note that the John o’ Groats’ passenger ferry terminal at Burwick on the southernmost tip of South Ronaldsay is no longer operating as the company couldn’t find a buyer and the assets were dispersed. In order to prepare an Itinerary suitable for your needs, please supply the following information at your earliest convenience:
FULL NAMES [of all clients – for Track & Trace]:
AGE BRACKETS [for site entry fee levels] Infant under 5; Child aged 5—15; Adult over 16; Over 60/Unemployed Concession:
Levels of Fitness e.g. Very Fit [climb mountains/run marathons]/ Fit [walk several miles a day]/Sedentary lifestyle/Limited mobility as some sites may be unsuitable:
Any special areas of interest [Neolithic/Pictish/Viking/World War 1 or 2/Orcadian culture/Orcadian Food & Drink/Orcadian Crafts / Flora and Fauna / Agriculture / Family History]:
Dates / Days / Times requested for Tour:
Mode of Transport [Own Vehicle/Private Hire Vehicle]:
FOR INVOICING PURPOSES:
Full Postal Address [including Postcode]:
Telephone & Mobile Nos.:
Email Address:
Address [including Postcode] of where you are staying in Orkney or the start/end point of your tour:
INVOICES
Invoices will include transport costs as required. A 10% Deposit is needed in order to pre-book transportation, preparation of Itineraries, etc. Payment options will be on the Invoice. A Receipt will be issued electronically after full payment has been received. PAYMENT:
In Pounds Sterling only. On booking in excess of 1 calendar month before a tour, an administration fee is payable of 10% of the total by electronic bank transfer. On booking 1 calendar month or less before a tour: payment in full is expected. CANCELLATIONS
Once an Itinerary has been prepared and site bookings made, there is a cancellation fee of 10% of the total, which is equivalent to the administration fee. The remaining 90% will be refunded within 1 calendar month. Thank you for booking with Personalised Orkney Tours!
