In a word... nope. Scotland is what we know and love. It takes time, a lot of time, to learn the ins and outs of a land, to forge connections, to hone an itinerary and to know enough about the areas, to add in last minute surprise happenings. I'm always shocked at how many people lead tours to places they've never been or only been once or twice. This is not about creating new markets and income streams for us. This is about Scotland and introducing all that encompasses this special land to those who travel with us.

Thanks for asking! Our tours are all about stepping lightly and being gracious guests in a country that is not our own. They are not for everyone. However, if you approach travel from the standpoint of a pilgrim, rather than a tourist, chances are you're in the right place. We are a boutique tour company that considers our guests, locals in Scotland and the environment on equal terms. Our ideal guests bring a sense of wonder and a kind and open heart. Perhaps the better question for you to ask is: Am I right for your tours?

I invite you to read our travel guidelines below and reach out with any questions.

We would love to accommodate any disabilities, but cannot always do that. We have had wonderful travelers who were blind and hearing impaired and their tour experiences were lovely. With mobility issues, it's harder. Our tours are geared toward seeing Scotland up close and personal rather than through a coach window. Generally speaking, you should be able to easily walk and/or stand for 2-3 hours a day with no problem.

Hotels also do not have elevators for the most part. If requested, we can do our best to get you on the lowest floor which is still one flight of stairs, but please be prepared to walk up two or more.

Please let us know before booking if you have mobility limitations and be advised that our tours do include quite a lot of walking so there may be many parts of our journey that are not accessible to various needs.

• The advance itinerary at booking is subject to change. An updated itinerary will be emailed to all participants at least 30 days prior to departure. Occasionally, last minute changes may happen due to circumstances beyond our control such as weather, local unplanned closures, late arrival of aircraft etc.

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4 star eco-friendly hotel accommodation when available (double occupancy) with 2 single occupancy rooms available per tour and upon request for an additional charge. Breakfast each day and the dinners specified for your tour, all ground transportation, guide services, site entrance fees and gratuities for venues and group dinners. NOTE: If you are sharing a room but want two separate beds, we will do our best to accommodate but you may not have two beds in all locations.

Airfare to and from Scotland, taxi service to and from hotel, travel insurance and meals and extras not mentioned above.

If you are on a music tour, you have a tour host. This is, in most cases, the musician who introduced you to our tours. The music host is not the guide, however. They will be taking the tour just like you and will also be performing a private concert one of the nights and perhaps joining a session or two as well. Your guide will either be the company's owner, Raven Sinclaire, or Traceless Tour historian and native Scotsman, James Barrowman, or in some cases, both! We also occasionally have local guides that join us for an afternoon or at a site. Whatever tour you choose, you'll always be well taken care of!

The costs to hotels and restaurants who are committed to conservation is often higher than those who are not. In addition, Traceless Tours books 4-star hotels when available while most standard tours offer 3-star accommodations or lower. Even taking these points into consideration, Traceless Tours prices are generally comparable with other companies.

For most of our tours, an $800 or $1,000 deposit secures your reservation on the tour of your choice. Check your particular tour detail page to confirm. Reservations are accepted on a first come first serve basis, as space is limited.

If I have specific questions about your reservation, I'll reach out within a couple of days. Otherwise, group emails begin about 6 months before that tour starts. You'll receive a series of emails with lots of info and a few questions about dietary preferences and accessibility. Sometimes these group emails will go to spam so make sure you add "info@tracelesstours.com" to your contacts asap.

Unless otherwise stated, the 2nd of 3 payments is due 6 months before the tour and the 3rd payment plus any single supplement fee is due 90 days before the start of tour.

If the tour is cancelled by us due to lack of numbers or any other reason, we will fully refund.

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If you need to cancel your place on the tour, the following applies:

1. The deposit is non-refundable except under the following conditions: (1) You or we find a person to replace you on the tour if the tour is a sell out. If the tour does not fill up, your deposit is not refundable, or (2) The deposit is transferred to a future tour. This applies to cancellations up to 6 months or prior to 181 days before tour start date.

The following cancellation charges apply (per person of total tour price minus deposit):

1. 180 - 120 days prior to departure 20%

2. 120 – 90 days prior to departure 30% but ONLY if your spot can be filled. If it cannot be filled, there is no refund.

3. 90 days or less prior to departure or no-show 100% of total tour price is non refundable

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Covid-related Refunds: Note that there is no leniency given for Covid concerns at this point. Venues will not refund us unless the country restricts us from entering so we cannot accommodate refunds due to Covid concerns. We will of course follow safety precautions on the tours.

Covid has affected some of our tours as it has affected every area of life around the planet. If you are especially concerned about Covid or are immunocompromised, group and international travel is not advised.

If someone on a tour tests positive for Covid, and they feel well enough to travel, they can either pay for their own transportation to the next hotel or, in some cases, depending on group and coach size, the masked person will ride in the back of the coach, going in and out of the back door and everyone else move forward as much as possible to use the front door. In this event, masks will be expected for everyone.

If they do feel well enough, they can also participate in the outdoor activities, distanced and masked. Any indoor activities are dependent on lots of space and up to the guide. If they do not feel well enough, they are advised to stay in place. If they need to stay in place after the coach moves to another location, this would be at their expense.

At the discretion of the guide, participants will be asked to test and report back. The guide, contracted by Traceless Tours or the owner of Traceless Tours will be the final decision maker on navigating any situations due to Covid19 or other illnesses, and the decisions will not be dictated by individuals within the group. We do strongly insist on Travel Insurance to help with situations such as this.

Please refer to the waiver that all participants agree to.

Please reference refund policy FAQ

In some cases, if it is still 6 months or more until the tour date, you can. However, if a tour is sold out, that means all spaces have been paid for and allocated and it is not possible to change rooming arrangements.

In some cases, if it is still 6 or more months until the tour date and the 2 single rooms offered on the tour are not yet taken, this can usually be arranged.

There is no difference in the actual rooms. They are the same rooms at the same price. Some hotels will give a slight discount on my group rate for singles of £10. They prefer our groups have two to a room because that is another person eating in the restaurant or going to the bar and they could easily sell the room to someone else who would have two people rather than one so they do not offer breaks.

Therefore, Hotel rooms with only one paying guest cost me twice as much. The single supplement rate that a participant pays doesn't cover it all so I split the cost with those wanting a single room. This is why they are limited to 2 and it's not something I can be lenient with considering the type of tours I offer.

If someone comes on the tour with you, they will need to pay for the tour. The tour price includes hotel, group dinners, coach and driver, site visits and local guides, etc. If you request a double room, we are paying for 2 people to do these things. If there happens to be a workshop as part of the tour price, that is not an extra charge that they don't need to pay if they don't attend. Additionally, it's disruptive to the group if someone is on the periphery and the spirit of cohesiveness is not supported. Bottom line: If two people are coming, two people will need to pay the full tour price.

Absolutely. I cannot urge this strongly enough. Refer to our cancellation policy above. If you have an unavoidable issue and must cancel, depending on your time frame, your only recourse may be travel insurance. In the past, I have partnered with World Nomads and Silver Nomads, but since Covid, and policy changes, I am in the process of reapplying for that partnership. You'll be notified when that is complete. In the meantime, my recommendations for travel insurance are Allianz, World Nomads and Silver Nomads.

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Usually the best prices can be found 3-5 months ahead, but I've gotten great deals two weeks before. I wouldn't suggest taking that chance though :). Currently, ALL of our tours will begin with flights in EDI airport.

MOST Importantly, don't book a flight until you are sure your tour is going to 'make.' If a tour does not have enough participants, it will be cancelled and we will refund your money. In the course of our emails, I will let you know when a tour is confirmed and it's safe to purchase a ticket.

Book directly with airlines if possible. Third party booking websites have caused many issues with our travelers in the past. Also if possible, you may want to avoid a connection at Heathrow as it seems most of our cancelled or missed flights originate there. We have found that Delta flights that connect in Atlanta then New York's JFK to EDI, are fairly easy as far as customs coming back into the U.S. However, our favorites are the ones that connect in Atlanta and go straight to EDI from there. These are only available part of the year.

Note for those who are first time overseas travelers: you will leave the day before you arrive!

We understand this can seem confusing. On most tours, we begin with a meet and greet at 5:00PM on the first day (ex: for an April 3-13th tour, that would be on the evening of April 3rd). Many participants fly in that morning. However, you may want to come a day or two early to acclimate and visit some places on your own. The last day of the tour is the morning you depart or travel farther on your own (which would be April 13th on the above-mentioned). I include the day of departure in the tour description dates since breakfast is included in your tour price that day, then you are off on your own! Note: There are rare exceptions to the 5PM meet and greet on the first day, such as the island tour, which begins with a coach pick up on the morning of the 1st day. Your tour descriptions should state this.

You may book your flights to arrive the morning or early afternoon of the first day. There will be time for rest and leisurely sight-seeing close to the hotel before we meet as a group. If you arrive before checkin time, which is generally 3:00PM, you can go straight to the hotel and ask if your room is ready. In many cases it may be or they can give you a time frame and you can leave your luggage with them and return at the time quoted.

With growing tourism in Scotland and hotels staying at capacity, it is rare that you would be able to stay in the same room, but we still try,. You will need to contact our hotel associate, whose name and email will be provided in your group emails closer to the time of departure.

Since there are so many flights coming in to EDI, we found it was not conducive, and a bit chaotic to hire a shuttle service because of wait times in between. Additionally, many of our participants come in by train from parts of Europe or have arrived in Scotland several days before the tour. There are taxis at the EDI airport. Just follow the signs upon exiting and an attendant will assist you. Our tours that begin in Edinburgh stay at Radisson Blu on the Royal Mile. Your driver will know where it is. The cost for a taxi is usually about 25gbp. Costs for Uber and Lyft tend to be the same.

It is much less expected than in the U.S. However, for waitstaff at restaurants, 10-15% is nice. For bartenders, it is not expected for each round of drinks. However, if you are paying with cash, you may tell them to keep the change or "buy them a drink" if you are settling up. For your tour, gratuities to hotel staff, local guides and waitstaff for the group dinners are included. If you wish to tip your coach driver or Traceless Tour guide at the end of the tour, that is lovely but not at all expected.

For our Scotland tours, keep in mind that it is an unpredictable place at any time of year. It's best to bring layers including sweaters and a raincoat. The weather can change from warm to cold to rainy and back again in a matter of a few minutes so keep this in mind and dress to peel off and add back on. There is a fair amount of walking so bring comfortable walking shoes for stone walkways and city streets, and one pair of all weather foot wear for hikes. There is no need for dress clothes but you may want to bring something akin to business casual for a nice dinner. We most often hear from travelers that they brought too much and didn't wear half of it. Light packers seem to be happy travelers! I'll send a detailed packing list out to each tour group a few months before travel.

Scotland uses GBP or pounds sterling. You will usually get the best rate if you exchange for these at your own bank before you leave. Since everyone takes a credit card and you can also get cash if needed from an ATM while there, I usually suggest taking only £300-£400 with you.

If you like! There are times and places on the tour for musicians in each group to meet and play and sing, either in small groups or the whole group, if that is of interest.

We have some down times or group activities that are more conducive to your "missing" them. Let us know you're interested and we can help with the best time to schedule and the appropriate people to contact for your activity.

Our tours are active tours. Some require more walking than others. If that's the case, it will be explained on each tour page. Generally, you should expect to walk and/or stand for 2-3 hours a day with no problem. You should be prepared to carry your luggage up one or two flights of stairs. I will help those who need it, but there is usually only one of me :).

Waiver of Release - All tour participants will be required to sign a waiver releasing Traceless Tours from responsibility of injury or mishap.

I love that you're asking! You'll find some suggestions below. However, when someone asks how they can best prepare for Scotland, I say "Reading is great, but it's much more important to walk. Walk up hills and down, walk farther and faster." You'll enjoy Scotland the most if you are used to seeing things on foot.

This list is ongoing so check back often. Note that we have given corporate links in some cases so you can read more details. However, we always advocate purchasing from local booksellers and indy shops when possible.

Novels:

Outlander (Outlander 1/9) by Diana Gabaldon, 1991

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord… 1743.

A Dark and Distant Shore by Reay Tannahill, 1983

Reay Tannahill’s great bestseller is the story of an extraordinary woman’s determination to win back her birthright – the remote and beautiful West Highland castle of Kinveil – sold by her father to a Glasgow merchant when she was seven years old.

It is also the intricate picture of a family in the heyday of the British Empire, an epic story spanning almost a hundred years and stretching from Edinburgh to the Crimea, from an expanding America to the India of the Raj.

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (Isabel Dalhousie 2/11) by Alexander McCall Smith, 2005

Nothing captures the charm of Edinburgh like the bestselling Isabel Dalhousie series of novels featuring the insatiably curious philosopher and woman detective. Whether investigating a case or a problem of philosophy, the indefatigable Isabel Dalhousie, one of fiction’s most richly developed amateur detectives, is always ready to pursue the answers to all of life’s questions, large and small.

The Observations by Jane Harris, 2006

A powerful story of secrets and suspicions, hidden histories and mysterious disappearances set in Victorian Scotland.

Scotland, 1863. In an attempt to escape her not-so-innocent past in Glasgow, Bessy Buckley—a wide-eyed and feisty young Irish girl—takes a job as a maid in a big house outside Edinburgh working for the beautiful Arabella—the “missus.” Bessy lacks the necessary scullery skills for her new position, but as she finds out, it is her ability to read and write that makes her such a desirable property. Bessy is intrigued by her new employer but puzzled by her increasingly strange requests and her insistence that Bessy keep a journal of her mundane chores and most intimate thoughts. And it seems that the missus has a few secrets of her own, including her near- obsessive affection for Nora, a former maid who died in mysterious circumstances.

The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle by Kirsty Wark, 2014

Elizabeth Pringle has lived on the beautiful island of Arran for over 90 years; the retired teacher and spinster is a familiar and yet solitary figure tending her garden and riding her bicycle around the island. When she dies she leaves her beloved house, “Holmlea” to a woman she merely saw pushing a pram down the road over thirty years ago. That young mother, Anna, had put a letter through Elizabeth’s door asking to buy the house, but Elizabeth never pursued her. But time passed and Anna is now in a home with dementia and it falls to her daughter Martha, the baby in the pram, to come and take up their inheritance.

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell, 2017

Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, Wigtown – Scotland’s largest second-hand bookshop. It contains 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving, with twisting corridors and roaring fires, and all set in a beautiful, rural town by the edge of the sea. A book-lover’s paradise? Well, almost … In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun provides an inside look at the trials and tribulations of life in the book trade, from struggles with eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, who include the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky. He takes us with him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, recommends books (both lost classics and new discoveries), introduces us to the thrill of the unexpected find, and evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life, always with a sharp and sympathetic eye.

The Winter Sea

by Susanna Kearsley

In this novel, readers follow two protagonists in a dual timeline: Carrie McClelland, a modern-day American author, and Sophia Paterson, Carrie’s ancestor from the early 1700s at Slains Castle. Carrie, seeking inspiration for a new novel, becomes captivated by the castle ruins in Cruden Bay.

As she writes, the events in her dreams seem to blur the line between fact and fiction, unraveling a lesser-known aspect of Jacobite history and delving into the concept of genetic memory.

The Blackhouse

by Peter May

In this suspense thriller, Edinburgh’s Finlay Macleod investigates a murder on the Isle of Lewis, a place he left after university. Intriguingly, he discovers the crime is linked to his childhood, with the victim being a former high school bully.

The smashing success of The Blackhouse led May to write two additional novels in the series: The Lewis Man and The Chessmen

The Bookseller of Inverness

by S.G. MacLean

A gripping historical thriller set in Inverness in the wake of the 1746 battle of Culloden from twice CWA award-winning author S. G. MacLean. Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Andrew Taylor.

After Culloden, Iain MacGillivray was left for dead on Drumossie Moor. Wounded, his face brutally slashed, he survived only by pretending to be dead as the Redcoats patrolled the corpses of his Jacobite comrades. Six years later, with the clan chiefs routed and the Highlands subsumed into the British state, Iain lives a quiet life, working as a bookseller in Inverness. That's about to change.

Non-Fiction:

The Highland Clans

by Alistair Moffat

The Highland Clans is one of the best books on Scotland history, delving into the origins of famous clans. Moffat explores Highland Clan culture, religious beliefs, Gaelic, and notable battles.

If you’re an Outlander fan seeking a comprehensive guide to Highland culture, this book is an excellent starting point, complete with a clan map and names list.

Mary Queen of Scots

by Antonia Fraser

You may want to read this non-fiction book after reading the historical fiction account of Mary, Queen of Scots. Although most people are familiar with Mary’s tragic end, you may not know about her earlier life, the marriages that became her undoing, and the rest of her fascinating story.

Fraser’s engaging writing style brings her subjects to life, making this non-fiction read enjoyable even for those not typically inclined toward the genre.

Robert the Bruce: King of Scots

by Ronald McNair Scott

Robert the Bruce had himself crowned King of Scots at Scone on a frozen March morning in 1306. After years of struggle, Scotland had been reduced to a vassal state by Edward I of England and its people lived in poverty. On the day he seized the crown Bruce renewed the fight for Scotland's freedom, and let forth a battle cry that would echo through the centuries.

Using contemporary accounts, Ronald McNair Scott tells the story of Scotland's legendary leader, and one of Europe's most remarkable medieval kings. It is a story with episodes as romantic as those of King Arthur, but also one which belongs in the annals of Scottish History, and has shaped a nation.

Wayfaring Strangers: The Musical Voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia

by Fiona Ritchie and Doug Orr

From ancient ballads at the heart of the tradition to instruments that express this dynamic music, Ritchie and Orr chronicle the details of an epic journey. Enriched by the insights of key contributors to the living tradition on both sides of the Atlantic, this abundantly illustrated volume includes a CD featuring 20 songs by musicians profiled in the book, including Dolly Parton, Dougie MacLean, Cara Dillon, John Doyle, Pete Seeger, Sheila Kay Adams, Jean Ritchie, Doc Watson, David Holt, Anais Mitchell, Al Petteway, and Amy White. In 2017, noted Scottish musician Phil Cunningham followed this musical migration for the acclaimed BBC tv series "Wayfaring Stranger" to which the authors contributed. In the pages of this book, tv viewers will enjoy re-visiting the people and places they loved on screen.

Note: Fiona Ritchie comes to meet as many of our tour groups as she can. If you have this book, bring it along and maybe she can sign it for you.