Highlights:
-Tour of the renowned Ben Nevis whisky distillery with a private tasting
-Visit Eilean Donan castle, featured in `The World is Not Enough` and `Highlander`
-Tour Cawdor Castle and gardens, home of Shakespeare`s Macbeth
-Extraordinary river, canal and loch cruising & excellent walking opportunities
-Majestic Falconry Display on the banks of Loch Ness
-Visit Culloden Moor, scene of the last major battle on British soil in 1746
_______________
The Caledonian Canal Barge Cruise package includes:
– 6 night barge cruise aboard Scottish Highlander from Muirtown to Banavie
– Gourmet meals prepared by the on-board chef, both onboard and ashore
– Select regional wines served throughout the cruise, a champagne welcome and an open bar with a large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
– Chauffeured and guided sightseeing excursions, including admittance fees (where stipulated)
– Use of non motorised bicycles (E-Bikes if available at an additional charge)
– Attentive service from an experienced crew
– Local transfers to and from the barge and designated meeting points^
_______________
PRICING:
The fares shown here are full brochure fare. Please contact us for the best current offer. All rates in EUR.
Solo Travellers: Single cabins are capacity controlled. Single supplements apply.
CHARTER:
This barge is available for charter. When the vessel is chartered, you and your party will have the full capacity of the boat and may request certain deviations from the regular schedule and the service. When doable, the crews will make all efforts to accommodate. These special requests must be made known at the time of the first deposit and will be confirmed in writing. Please contact us for current charter rates.
THEMED CRUISES:
European Waterways offer a wide selection of themed itineraries available for whole boat private charters, which appeal to all types of interest groups, large or small. Some themed cruises will incur a supplement – please check with our reservations team at time of enquiry.
_______________
Not included:
-Service charges/crew gratuities. Tipping is entirely discretionary but is greatly appreciated by the crew if you would like to acknowledge recognition for the standard of service provided.
-Superior Chateaux vintage wines, optional activities such as hot air balloon flights, items of a personal nature such as laundry, communication charges or purchases and any other items not specifically included in the cost of your cruise.
Special Conditions
Special Validity Dates
Cruise Itinerary
| Date | Activity | Arrive | Depart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 2024 | Muirtown, Scotland |
||
| 21 Oct 2024 | Dochgarroch, Inverness, Scotland |
||
| 22 Oct 2024 | Fort Augustus, Scotland |
||
| 23 Oct 2024 | Kytra, Scotland |
||
| 24 Oct 2024 | Laggan Locks, Scotland |
||
| 25 Oct 2024 | Banavie, Scotland |
||
| 26 Oct 2024 | Banavie, Scotland |
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.
6 Night Cruise sailing from Muirtown to Banavie aboard Scottish Highlander.
NOTE: On alternate weeks the cruise is in the reverse direction. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. Please check at time of enquiry/booking
* Please note, the excursion to Cawdor Castle is only possible between early May and the end of September. A visit to Fort George will replace it either side of these dates.
*** Weather Permitting
Sunday, Day 1 Muirtown
Champagne Welcome and perhaps an early evening stroll to the sea lock with wonderful views over the Moray and Beauly Firths. Dinner on board.
Monday, Day 2 Muirtown to Dochgarroch
Our first cruise will take us up the Muirtown lock flight and through the Tomnahurich swing bridge, with an option to walk alongside River Ness to the hamlet of Dochgarroch. After lunch on board, we visit Culloden Moor, scene of the last major battle on British soil in 1746 where English Government troops faced the Highlanders of “Bonnie Prince Charlie”. If time allows, then we take a tour of Clava Cairns, a pre-historic clan chieftain burial site dating back to 2,000 B.C and setting for the Outlander TV series. Dinner on board.
Tuesday, Day 3 Dochgarroch to Fort Augustus
This morning we enjoy a visit to Cawdor Castle*, forever immortalised in Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”, Macbeth. The picturesque gardens have been listed amongst the top 100 in the UK. The castle contains a superb collection of tapestries, pictures and furnishings and the Dowager Countess of Cawdor still lives there for part of the year. After lunch onboard, we cruise through Loch Dochfour and across Loch Ness, where en-route we pass Urquhart Castle, navigating closely beneath its spectacular 13th century ruins, before continuing our cruise to Fort Augustus. Dinner on board.
Wednesday, Day 4 Fort Augustus to Kytra
After breakfast, we visit the private Highland Club, a spectacular exclusive set of residences and a former 19th century Benedictine Monastery. Here we are treated to a falconry and birds of prey demonstration*** on the banks of Loch Ness, and the majesty of the swooping birds against the backdrop of the sweeping Scottish Highlands is not easily forgotten. There is time to explore the pretty village of Fort Augustus before lunch on board, after which our cruise takes us up the “flight”, as the locals call it, at Fort Augustus and then on to our pretty mooring at Cullochy. This evening we are given a tutored private whisky tasting at charming The Glenmoriston Arms Hotel, followed by dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Thursday, Day 5 Kytra to Laggan
This morning’s cruise can be partially walked as we cross the very scenic Loch Oich, perhaps stopping en route for a spot of fishing, and onto the pretty Laggan Avenue. As we approach Laggan, our Highland Piper may greet us with a stirring rendition of traditional Scottish music. After lunch on board we take in some of the finest scenery Scotland has to offer as we drive to one of its best known and most photographed castles, Eilean Donan, which has featured in movies such as “Highlander” and James Bond’s “The World Is Not Enough” and overlooks three sea lochs. Dinner on board.
Friday, Day 6 Laggan to Banavie
Today, our final cruise will see us pass through Moy Bridge, the last fully hand-operated bridge on the canal, before mooring at Banavie beneath Ben Nevis and a stroll from Neptune’s Staircase leading down to Loch Eil. After lunch on board, our tour today takes us to the renowned Dalwhinnie Distillery, standing in the Cairngorms National Park. Here, we are given a tour of the distillery and taste some single malts paired with a selection of delicious chocolates. If time permits, on the drive back to Scottish Highlander we can also visit the ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle. Captain’s Farewell Dinner and of course, the opportunity to enjoy another wee dram or two.
Saturday, Day 7 Banavie
After breakfast, guests disembark.
Scottish Highlander has the atmosphere of a comfortable Country House with subtle use of tartan furnishings and landscape paintings, a reminder of the spectacular surroundings to be seen on your voyage through the Great Glen.
At 117 feet long, she is spacious and has every comfort needed for enjoying the magnificence of the Highlands during Spring, Summer and Autumn.
The warm and welcoming saloon features rich-coloured wooden panelling, large picture windows and comfortable leather Chesterfield sofas to relax in, perhaps with a mellow single malt whisky from the very well-stocked bar.
Accommodation for eight guests is in three twin/double staterooms and one larger twin/double junior suite, each one centrally heated and with en suite facilities.
There is a cosy observation area behind the wheelhouse where you can admire the passing scenery and chat to the Captain about life on the Caledonian Canal and its interconnecting lochs. On the forward deck area, there is more seating where you can take in the far-reaching views and take photographs as Scottish Highlander plots her course past landmarks such as Urquhart Castle perched alongside Loch Ness.
A cruise on mystical waterways aboard Scottish Highlander as you marvel at some of Scotland’s finest scenery will be one that stays in the memory for a long time.
Cuisine is traditional Scottish fare – salmon, game and seafood, prepared by your own Master Chef, and the hotel barge’s experienced crew of four will take care of your every need.
Ship Profile & Stats
- Length: 35.6 metres
- Maiden Voyage: 1931
- Refurbished: 2006
- Passenger Capacity (dbl): 8
- Crew Nationality: British
Ship Amenities
- En-Suite Bathrooms
- Hair Dryer
- 110 Volt Shaver Socket
- 240 Volt Electricity (UK 3 Pin Plug)
Ship Facilities
- Saloon
- Dining Room
- Bar
We have been involved in all aspects of the hotel barge and travel industry for over 35 years including designing, building, owning and operating our fleet of luxury hotel barges. We have gradually refined our barge cruise holidays into unique travel experiences, which are just waiting to be discovered.
Our fully crewed, all inclusive luxury hotel barges cruise the inland waterways of nine European countries, along canals, rivers, lakes, lagoons and lochs, giving you the opportunity to experience life there from a truly unique perspective.
Our hotel barges are ideal for people looking for either an individual cruise with other like-minded people, or for those choosing a whole barge charter for a family or group of friends.
On your all-inclusive cruise, your ‘floating boutique hotel’ glides gently along while you relax and enjoy gourmet cuisine, fine wines and the company of fellow passengers. There will be guided tours to castles, chateaux, vineyards, markets and when you return to the barge, you can be sure our dedicated, professional crew will be there to look after you once more.
Select the Deck to view detail.
Select the Cabin to view detail.
Three en-suite staterooms each with a choice of twin or double beds.
Macpherson, Mackintosh & Frazer staterooms: approx. 11ft 6” x 10ft (3.5m x 3.04m)
Each cabin has a wardrobe, drawers and cupboards, a bedside reading lamp and solid mahogany fittings. There are two large windows with one opening window.
All cabins have showers, basin and toilet. The bathrooms are fully tiled with a radiator.
There is a 110v shaver socket and air extractor.
Supplied with: towels, washing gel, hand soap, shampoo, hair dryers and bathrobes
Cameron double suite: 12ft x 12 ft 4” (3.6m x 3.77m). Each cabin has a wardrobe, drawers and cupboards, a bedside reading lamp and solid mahogany fittings. There are two large windows with one opening window. The Cameron suite, which is larger than the staterooms, has 2 wardrobes.
All cabins have showers, basin and toilet. The bathrooms are fully tiled with a radiator.
There is a 110v shaver socket and air extractor.
Supplied with: towels, washing gel, hand soap, shampoo, hair dryers and bathrobes
* Unless otherwise noted all pricing is on a per person twin share basis. All prices based on cash payment - credit card fees may apply. Cruise deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions apply. Special conditions may apply - please ask for full details at time of enquiry. All passports, vaccinations and visas are the responsibility of the travelling guest to secure prior to departure from Australia. Any pricing not in Australian Dollars will be converted on the day of payment into the relevant currency based on our daily rate of exchange. Please note that many of the prices shown on this website are not shown in real time. Whilst we endeavour to keep our pricing as up-to-date as possible, the advertised prices shown here may differ slightly from the live prices in our booking system. All pricing and offers are subject to availability at time of booking. Whilst all information is correct at the time of publication, offers are subject to change. We reserve the right to correct errors without penalty. Please submit any data errors/omissions you may notice on this site.
Unless otherwise expressly noted, all materials, including images, illustrations, designs, icons, and photographs appearing anywhere on this website are protected by worldwide copyright laws and treaty provisions. The copyright on such materials is held by the original creator of the materials. None of the materials may be copied, reproduced, displayed, modified, published, uploaded, posted, transmitted or distributed in whole or in part in any form or by any means other than as provided by Cruise Factory and Cruise Traveller to its clients, or with the prior written permission of Cruise Factory and Cruise Traveller. All rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved. Any unauthorised use of the materials appearing on this website may violate copyright, trademark and other applicable laws and could result in criminal or civil penalties.