Our top pick3 days
3 daysFrom Inverness: 3-Day Orkney Islands & Skara Brae Tour
★ 4.8 · 87 reviews
- Three days, Two nights in Kirkwall
- Maeshowe and Skara Brae visits
- En suite guesthouse and B&B rooms
- Free cancellation
$654
Check availability→ Planning the trip
Orkney Islands trip: how many days, and which tour
An Orkney Islands trip on this site comes in three lengths. Six tours fill one day on the islands, two run three days from Inverness, and three run five to eight days from Edinburgh. This guide shows how each fits your plans, where the nights fall and what to book alongside, from $157 per person.
Quick answer
The short answer. If you are already on Orkney or arrive by ship, a one-day Orkney Islands trip covers Skara Brae and the stone circles: the $157 West Mainland day has 275 reviews at 4.9. Coming over on the Scrabster ferry for the day, take the $157 tour that meets the boat. With three days from Inverness, our top pick is the $654 tour with two nights in Kirkwall and Maeshowe. Starting in Edinburgh, the five-day routes add the Highlands on the way.
Orkney Islands trip at a glance
- Tours on this site
- 11six one-day, five multi-day
- Price
- From $157per person, one day on the islands
- One day
- 5 to 8 hoursstarting in Kirkwall, Stromness or your ship
- Three days
- From Invernesstwo tours, two nights on Orkney
- Five to eight days
- From Edinburghthree tours, two nights on Orkney
- Nights on Orkney
- Kirkwallon four of the five multi-day tours
- Ferry on multi-day tours
- Part of the routelistings do not say the fare is in the price
- Skara Brae entry
- In the price on one tourthe day that meets the ferry
- Reviews
- 759across all eleven tours
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationon all eleven tours
One, three or five-plus
Three ways to plan the islands
Where you start decides the length: Kirkwall, the ferry, Inverness or Edinburgh.
The first question for any Orkney Islands trip is where you start. Already on the islands, or calling at Kirkwall by cruise ship, a day tour of five to eight hours covers Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness. On the Scottish mainland with only a day, one tour meets the ferry from Scrabster at Stromness and brings you back in time for the boat home.
With more time, the multi-day tours do the travelling for you. The two from Inverness take three days; the three from Edinburgh take five or eight, with Glen Coe or Loch Ness on the way north. Each crosses the Pentland Firth by ferry and spends two nights on Orkney.
Every trip, current fare
Orkney Islands trip prices, tour by tour
All eleven tours on this site. Ten are priced per person; the private five-hour tour is priced per group of up to three.
| Trip | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Mainland day | $157 | per person | 6 hours | Skara Brae 85 minutes, Brodgar, Stenness, Yesnaby; up to 14 guests | Stand 5, Kirkwall Travel Centre | 4.9 · 275 |
| Day from the ferry | $157 | per person | 5.5 hours | Skara Brae and Skaill House entry. Ferry fares not included | Stromness Ferry Terminal car park | 4.8 · 223 |
| Private full day | $212 | per person | 8 hours | Pickup; Skara Brae, Italian Chapel, Broch of Gurness | Kirkwall, Hatston or Stromness | 4.4 · 5 |
| Beaches, cliffs and stones | $225 | per person | 6 hours | Up to 7 guests; Yesnaby, Bay of Skaill, Brough of Birsay | Hatston, Kirkwall, or your cruise ship | 4.8 · 21 |
| Cruise ship day | $249 | per person | 6 hours | Private; pick-up and drop-off; electric vehicle | Pickup point on the listing | 5.0 · 15 |
| Private five hours | $1,316 | per group, up to 3 | 5 hours | Pickup in Kirkwall; Skara Brae 1 hour | Kirkwall | 5.0 · 50 |
| Three days, our top pick | $654 | per person | 3 days | Two nights in Kirkwall, en suite; Maeshowe, Skara Brae | Ardross Street, Inverness | 4.8 · 87 |
| Three days, far north | $779 | per person | 3 days (2.5 listed) | Two nights on Orkney; Skara Brae, Italian Chapel, Yesnaby | Victorian Market, Inverness | 4.9 · 25 |
| Five days, far north | $1,257 | per person | 5 days | Two nights in Kirkwall; Maeshowe, Churchill Barriers, Italian Chapel | Parliament Square, Edinburgh | 4.8 · 22 |
| Five days, north coast | $1,294 | per person | 5 days | Two nights in Kirkwall, en suite; Maeshowe, Skara Brae, Brodgar | Edinburgh | 4.9 · 30 |
| Eight days, North Coast 500 | $2,314 | per person | 8 days (7.5 listed) | Orkney on days 2 to 4; Skye on day 5 | Edinburgh | 5.0 · 6 |
One day
Six ways to spend one day on the islands
For a one-day Orkney Islands trip, pick by where you start. Christina from Germany, after a port day: «We saw a bunch of stuff and definitely want to come back to spend more time on the islands…»
- West Mainland day, $157
Six hours from Kirkwall Travel Centre: Skara Brae for 85 minutes, Brodgar, Stenness, Yesnaby, then Skaill House or the visitor centre. Up to 14 guests, and the most reviews here: 275 at 4.9.
- The ferry day, $157
Meets the Scrabster ferry at Stromness for 5.5 hours. Skara Brae and Skaill House entry are in the price; the ferry fare is not. Not suited to cruise passengers.
- Private full day, $212 per person
Eight hours with five pickup points: Skara Brae for 1.5 hours, Unstan, the Italian Chapel, the Broch of Gurness and, at low tide, the Brough of Birsay.
- Beaches, cliffs and stones, $225
Up to seven guests: Waukmill Bay, Yesnaby, the Bay of Skaill and the Brough of Birsay. The guide can collect you from your cruise ship.
- Cruise ship day, $249 per person
A private six hours in an electric vehicle, with pick-up and drop-off, through Neolithic, Viking and wartime Orkney. Wheelchair accessible.
- Private five hours, $1,316 per group
Up to three people, collected in Kirkwall, at your own pace: Skara Brae for an hour, Brodgar, Stenness, Yesnaby. 50 reviews at 5.0.
On the islands
What a day on Orkney looks like
Three places the tours stop at.
The stone village
Visitors on a path above grass-topped stone houses sunk into the ground, a blue bay beyond.
Red stone and a rose window
A red sandstone church with a rose window and a spire, behind old headstones.
The chapel on the lawn
A white front with red trim and a bell in its gable, built onto a curved hut roof.
Three days
Three days from Inverness: two nights on Orkney
Ferry across the Pentland Firth, two nights on the islands, back to Inverness.
Both three-day tours leave Inverness, drive north up the coast and cross the Pentland Firth by ferry. The $654 tour, our top pick, boards at Gills Bay after John o' Groats, stops at the Italian Chapel and reaches Kirkwall. Day two is the heart of the trip: Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and the cairn of Maeshowe, where Vikings left Norse runic inscriptions in the 12th century. Day three crosses back to Inverness.
The $779 far north tour adds Dunrobin Castle on the way up and time in Kirkwall on the first day. Its second day covers Stenness, Brodgar, Skara Brae, Yesnaby and, if the tide allows, the Brough of Birsay. For a short Orkney Islands trip, this pair puts two of its nights on the islands in three days. Emily from Australia, on our top pick: «The accommodation wasn’t fabulous but in a great position in the township of Kirkwall.»
Five to eight days
Five to eight days from Edinburgh
Each Edinburgh route builds the Orkney Islands trip into a loop of the Highlands, with two nights on the islands.
- Far north, five days, $1,257
Loch Lomond, Glen Coe and Loch Ness on day one; the ferry, the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barriers on day two; Maeshowe and Skara Brae on day three; Culloden and Pitlochry to finish.
- North coast, five days, $1,294
Glen Coe and Loch Ness, then the ferry and two nights in Kirkwall with Maeshowe and Skara Brae. The way back runs past Ben Loyal and Assynt to Ullapool, then Culloden.
- North Coast 500, eight days, $2,314
Orkney on days two to four, with the Italian Chapel, Brodgar, Skara Brae and Stromness. Then the north coast, Smoo Cave, Skye on day five and a day in Oban.
Where the nights are
Where you sleep on a multi-day tour
Where you sleep on an Orkney Islands trip of three days or more, as each listing gives it.
- Three days, our top pick
Two nights in Kirkwall, in small locally owned guesthouses and B&Bs, all rooms en suite.
- Three days, far north
Two nights on Orkney; the listing does not name the town or the type of room.
- Five days, north coast
Two nights in Kirkwall, in en suite guesthouses and B&Bs; others in Inverness and Ullapool.
- Five days, far north
Two nights in Kirkwall and two in Inverness. Travelling alone, choose the Single Room option.
- Eight days
The second night is in Kirkwall and the third on Orkney; the listing does not name the rooms.
Book alongside
What to book alongside your Orkney Islands trip
What the tour leaves to you to arrange.
- The ferry, for the Stromness day
The $157 tour meets the Scrabster ferry and returns in time for the ferry back, but ferry fares are not included. Buy your crossing first.
- Your cruise day
Choose a tour that meets the ship: the cruise ship day with pick-up, the beaches day that can collect you, or the West Mainland day with drop-off at the cruise port if required.
- Getting to the start
Both Inverness tours ask you to be at the meeting point 15 minutes early. On two listings, late arrivals cannot be refunded.
- The evening you return
Listings give a return at around 19:00 for our top pick and the north coast tour, 6pm for the far north tour from Inverness and 5pm for the eight days.
Before you book
Six things to check before you pay
Two minutes on the listing saves surprises on your Orkney Islands trip.
- Book early for two tours
Our top pick and the north coast five-day tour must be booked at least 14 days in advance.
- Children
Minimum age is 5 on both Inverness tours, the north coast tour and the eight days; 3 on the five-day far north tour.
- Luggage
One bag of up to 20 kg on our top pick; 15 kg on the far north tours and the eight days.
- Maeshowe
Three multi-day tours visit the cairn. No listing says whether the ticket is in the price.
- Meals
No listing says meals are in the price. Plan to pay for your own food.
- Cancellation
All eleven offer free cancellation. The window is longer on some multi-day tours, so check the listing.
Our verdict
Our verdict: match the tour to your days
With three days, book our top pick at $654: two nights in Kirkwall, Maeshowe, Skara Brae and the stone circles, rated 4.8 by 87 reviewers. With one day on the islands, the $157 West Mainland day, 275 reviews at 4.9. Coming over by ferry, the $157 day that meets the boat. Starting in Edinburgh, the $1,294 north coast tour, rated 4.9.
Book direct
Book your Orkney Islands trip: four to start with
Three days from Inverness, the West Mainland day, the ferry day and five days from Edinburgh. All four are priced per person.
Rated 4.9275 reviews
6 hOrkney: West Mainland Group Day Tour
★ 4.9 · 275 reviews
- Six hours, Skara Brae guided tour, 85 minutes
- Limited to 14 guests
- Cheapest here
- Free cancellation
$157$26.17 / hour
Check availability→ 
Lowest price here223 reviews
5.5 hOrkney Day Trip: Meets the Scrabster - Stromness Ferry
★ 4.8 · 223 reviews
- 5.5 hours, Meets the Scrabster–Stromness ferry
- Skara Brae entry fee included
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$157$28.55 / hour
Check availability→ 
Rated 4.930 reviews
5 daysScotland: Orkney and Northern Coast 5-Day Tour
★ 4.9 · 30 reviews
- Five days, Two nights in Kirkwall
- Maeshowe, Skara Brae and Brodgar
- Bestseller
- Free cancellation
$1,294
Check availability→ Common questions
Orkney Islands trip: questions, answered
How long do I need on Orkney?
The day tours here run five to eight hours and cover Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness. Every multi-day tour gives you two nights on the islands.
Can I visit Orkney for the day on the Scrabster ferry?
Yes. The $157 tour meets the Scrabster to Stromness ferry and returns in time for the ferry back. It lasts 5.5 hours, and Skara Brae entry is in the price. You pay the ferry fare yourself.
Can I see Orkney in one day from Inverness?
Not on a tour from this site. From Inverness, both tours take three days, with two nights on Orkney: our top pick at $654 and the far north tour at $779.
Is the ferry included on tours from Edinburgh or Inverness?
The ferry crossing is part of every multi-day route, but no listing says whether the fare is in the price. Check the listing before you pay. On the day tour that meets the ferry, fares are not included.
Where do you stay on a multi-day tour?
In Kirkwall on four of the five. Our top pick and the north coast five-day tour use small guesthouses and B&Bs with en suite rooms.
Are meals included on multi-day tours?
No listing says so. Plan to pay for your own meals.
Go deeper
More guides to Orkney
Day tours
Day tours
The one-day tours on the islands, compared by start, hours and stops.
From InvernessFrom Inverness
The three-day tours from Inverness, and what each day covers.
From EdinburghFrom Edinburgh
The five- and eight-day tours from Edinburgh that cross to Orkney.
From a cruise shipFrom a cruise ship
Tours that mention ships calling at Kirkwall, and what fits a port day.
Getting thereGetting there
Ferries and roads to the islands, and where each tour picks you up.
