private tours shetland islands

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Shetland has a range of tour operators offering trips on both land and sea. Most specialise in a particular area, allowing you to build your holiday around your interests, or you can pick and choose the things you'd like to do to create your ultimate Shetland experience.

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Full-day private city tour in lerwick, lerwick, scotland, uk.

Lerwick is the main town and port of the Shetland Islands. On our first stop we will visit the incredible Clickimin Broch. After seeing this remarkable site, we will drive back to the centre and spend some time visiting some of the main attractions...

Itinerary  

- Clickimin Broch (50') A sophisticated type of stone-built round house found only in Scotland  - Fort Charlotte (50') An artillery fort built to protect the village during the First Anglo-Dutch War. Your guide will give you all the details.  - Lerwick Hay´s Dock (20') On this attraction, you are going to find a collection of traditional and restored boats on the beach and in the water. Free time to wander around and have a coffee to enjoy the atmosphere.  - Shetland Museum and Archives (40') On this museum, galleries are split into different zones. It´s closed on Wednesdays and Sundays, so it will be replaced by the Lerwick Town Hall (a municipal building, home of the Shetland Islands Council, used for functions such as marriages, wedding receptions, concerts, coffee mornings and evening events.)  - The Lodberrie (40') This house is probably the most photographed house in Shetland and the home of Jimmy Perez in the popular BBC drama series Shetland. On Commercial Street you are going to find authentic knitwear and locally made crafts and gifts, don´t leave the island without getting one!! - Enjoy the views over Victoria Pier. You will visit the Scalloway area, until 1708 it was the capital of Shetland Island but now it is a fishing port, really worth a visit, on your way to Scalloway you can have a quick look one of most famous ponies on Scotland.

Know before you book

- Duration 6.30 hours

- Prices given per PERSON in US$

-  Lowest Price Guarantee

- No booking fees

- Full refund if port stop is cancelled or ship can't dock.

Inclusions & Exclusions

Inclusions:

- Pick Up at Hotels or Cruise Terminal

- Professional Local Guide

- Private Tour

Exclusions:

- Gratuities

Cancellation Policy

- If your ship can´t dock due to inclement weather conditions there is no cancellation fee.

- If you cancel at least 7 calendar days in advance, there is no cancellation fee either.

- If you cancel between 3 and 6 calendar days in advance, you will be charged a 50% cancellation fee.

- If you cancel within 2 calendar days in advance, you will be charged a 100% cancellation fee.

What to expect

Lerwick is the main town and port of the Shetland Islands. On our first stop we will visit the incredible Clickimin Broch. After seeing this remarkable site, we will drive back to the centre and spend some time visiting some of the main attractions in this amazing village: Fort Charlotte- Hay´s Dock is a beautifully restored historic dock. Visit the Shetland Museum and Archives where the galleries are split into different zones. Enjoy the picturesquely grouped house and stores built on lodberry. Enjoy the views over Victoria Pier. You will visit the Scalloway area, until 1708 it was the capital of Shetland Island but now it is a fishing port, really worth a visit, on your way to Scalloway you can have a quick look one of most famous ponies on Scotland.

PLEASE NOTE: Walking is involved Shetland Museum and Archives is close on Wednesday and Sunday, this attraction will be replaced by the Lerwick Town Hall.

Missing you already !!

Private Guided Shetland Tours

St. ninian's, visit beaches and historic sites, birdwatching and wildlife, learn more about shetland, lerwick sound, stunning scenery, shetland pony, beautiful sunsets, simmer dim, lerwick, lara thomason.

Discover Shetland through the eyes of an islander

Your Shetland tour guide, Lara Thomason, is an independent, green-badge certified tour guide. As a Shetlander who has 22 years of experience in the tourism industry, Lara has a comprehensive knowledge of the Shetland Islands. Lara offers regular private guided tours for groups of varying sizes.

Featured Shetland Tours

By arrangement, south mainland + jarlshof.

Entry fees to Jarlshof payable by guests

Availability

Available all year round

North Mainland + Scenery

Breathtaking scenery. Short walk, or longer 6 hour option with 1 hour walk.

West Mainland + Ponies

May – September

Shetland Native Breeds Tour

Lerwick walk + broch.

2 hours moderate/easy walking followed by shuttle bus to Clickimin broch

Friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. Lara is a passionate tour guide with a deep understanding of the Shetland Isles. A very enjoyable tour experience, would recommend! Adrian

Discover The Hidden Treasures of Shetland

Welcome to Experience Shetland, a privately run tour company based in the beautiful Shetland Islands. As a Tour Guide, I am passionate about introducing you to the stunning sights, captivating sounds, and unforgettable experiences that await you on your travels. With our wide range of tour packages and tailor-made bespoke tours, we ensure that you have a truly immersive and personalised experience. Whether you're interested in exploring the rich history, breathtaking landscapes, or vibrant culture of Shetland, we have the perfect itinerary for you. Get in touch with us today to start planning your unforgettable adventure!

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THE 5 BEST Shetland Islands Private Tours

Private tours in shetland islands.

• Private Tours
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• Ports of Call Tours
• Walking Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
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• Multi-day Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick

2. Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland

3. Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway

4. 4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick

5. Private Tour from Lerwick West Side Explorer

• Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland
• Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick
• Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway
• 4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick
• The Shetland Pony Experience - Private Tour
• Discover Shetland
• Sea Shetland
• Adventure Shetland
• Shetland Guided Tours
• Shetland Wool Adventures
• Go Shetland Tours

Island Trails -

• Walks And Tours
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Current Tour Status 

Island Trails is taking bookings for 2024.   Please see the news page for the latest on availablity and what's coming up.

Guided tours introducing visitors to Shetland's scenery, wildlife, history, culture and more!

Welcome to Island Trails! If you have a week, a couple of days or even just an afternoon, Island Trails can ensure that your experience of Shetland is a truly magical one. With both private and small group tours there is something for everyone, helping visitors make the most of their precious moments on the Islands. Join us for a tour and experience the real Shetland! Let us introduce you to the magnificent landscapes, wildlife, history, people and stories of Shetland. Take a look at our Tours page to learn more.

Island Trails is owned and managed by local crofter and tour guide James Tait. James has a keen interest in the wildlife and history of Shetland and enjoys sharing his knowledge with visitors. To find out more about James and the history of Island Trails please visit our About Us page.

The beautiful Shetland Islands are the most Northerly point of the UK at exactly 60 degrees North of the equator. At this latitude, mid summer is a magical time when for several weeks it never gets completely dark! A time that the locals call “Simmer Dim”. Shetland’s beauty is not reserved for summer only with each season bringing its own colours and character to the ever changing landscape. The unpredictable weather only adds to the mystery and ambience of these unique islands which have so much to offer visitors. You can find out more about Shetland by browsing some of the local sites listed on our links page .

Shetland Minibus Tours

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Shetland Minibus Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

THE 5 BEST Shetland Islands Private Tours

Private tours in shetland islands.

• Private Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Ports of Call Tours
• Walking Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick

2. Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland

3. Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway

4. 4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick

5. Private Tour from Lerwick West Side Explorer

• Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland
• Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick
• Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway
• 4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick
• The Shetland Pony Experience - Private Tour
• Discover Shetland
• Sea Shetland
• Adventure Shetland
• Shetland Guided Tours
• Shetland Wool Adventures
• Go Shetland Tours

J&DS HALCROW – SHETLAND EXPLORER COACH & PRIVATE TOURS

Shetland Explorer Tours

Welcome to Shetland Explorer

Planning a trip to the Shetland Islands? If so you’ve come to the right place! We provide short bus tours which take in some of the major sights in Shetland.  Our 2024 coach tours will be available to book very soon! We also provide private small group tours which could focus on a particular interest, for example, wool. The small group tours can be half or full day depending on your time and interest.

Lying 60° north this archipelago of 100 islands is beautiful at all times of the year, whether it’s in midsummer when it’s always light, or in the dark days of winter when sunlight is scarce. Shetland is a treasure trove – and we are keen to share our heritage and wonderful landscape with you. We invite you to explore our archaeology, scenery, history, wildlife, and culture with us and hope to enhance your experience of Shetland with a tour fitted to your needs.

    Guided ​ To​urs of Scotland

Private tours with dri​ver-guide greg kain.

Home of The Mirrie Dancers, Simmer Dim and Up Helly Aa!

Shetland Tours From Mainland Scotland

Located at 60 degrees north, roughly the same latitude as Bergen &  Anchorage, Alaska, Shetland is Scotland's most northerly archipelago, made up of 100 islands, sixteen of which are inhabited, with a population of 23,000 humans and up to one million birds! The warming effects of the gulf stream, even this close to the Arctic Circle, means that there is a plethora of marine and bird life to be seen around these unspoiled islands. In addition, Shetland is home to some remarkable history, from its ancient three billion year old geology, 5,000 archaeological sites dating from 4,000 BC, through to its Viking occupation from the 9th to 14th centuries and since then as part of Scotland's rich maritime tradition.

What To See In Shetland - Nature

​As you would expect from an island chain, Shetland has an amazing coastline, all 2,700 kilometres of it, which offers a variety of tall cliffs, beaches, sea stacks, rocks and walks for the visitor to explore. The whole archipelago is a UNESCO Global Geopark This landscape provides a habitat for a plethora of wildlife, including puffins, particularly around Sumburgh Lighthouse in the far south and at Hermaness Nature Reserve on Unst - the most northerly inhabited island in the country, rare birds such as the red-necked phalarope and marine mammals such as otters, seals and pods of orcas, who prey on the latter, are all relatively common sightings in the summer. And although not wild, you can't talk about animals in this part of the world without mentioning the impossibly cute Shetland pony!

What To See In Shetland - History

Nowhere epitomises Shetland's history more than Jarlshoff, where neolithic, bronze age, Viking and medieval buildings compete for space in a remarkably small area in the south of Mainland Shetland. And just next door is the iron age village of Old Scatness as well as the beautifully located Ness of Burgi iron age fort, making this area an ancient history lovers dream. Further north there are medieval castles, well preserved brochs (fortified beehive shaped houses) such as Mousa and Clickimin and recreated Viking longboat and longhouses. 

Shetland Culture

Although the Hebrides, Orkney and parts of mainland Scotland fell under Viking control for hundreds of years, nowhere is their legacy more obvious than in Shetland. Place names, local dialect, festivals, architecture and its flag have all been greatly influenced by Shetland's Scandinavian past, despite having been formally annexed by Scotland as long ago as 1472, likely aided by its remote location halfway between Norway and the Scottish north coast. 

Another commonality with the Nordic nations is the folklore belief in Trows, little people who live in the hills. Trows are mischievous and playful and some believe that Shetlanders love of folk music comes from their ancestors hearing the Trows playing the fiddle. Whatever the truth of this, Shetland have produced many great fiddle players over the years and is host to the Shetland Folk festival which is held in the Spring. The most famous festival on the islands though, and one which celebrates the Norse legacy, is Up Helly Aa at the end of every January, a fire festival where hundreds of participants dressed as Vikings march through Lerwick and set fire to a longboat in the harbour. 

Shetland Food & Drink

As you would expect from an island archipelago in the North Atlantic, She​tland is famous for its seafood, including cod, halibut, lobster and crab, and although most of it is exported you can still sample it in many places around the islands. My own favourite is the award winning Frankie's Fish & Chip Café in the village of Brae, a great venue with stunning views out to Busta Voe. Beef and Lamb is also produced on the islands where good grazing can be found, including on the beaches where sheep graze on the seaweed giving the meat a unique nutty flavour. Although not plentiful there are cafés and restaurants which cater for gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets.

Shetland Climate & Weather

Lying on the same latitude as Anchorage and Bergen you will already have realised that you are not going to choose Shetland for a tropical beach holiday. However, owing to the warming effects of the gulf stream, winter here can actually be milder than the interior of Scotland's mainland whilst summer is cooler owing to the sea breezes. Whatever time of year you intend to visit Shetland, it is wise to warm clothing, waterproofs and layers. Shetland is the best place to see the Northern Lights in Scotland, known locally as the Mirrie Dancers, particularly in the winter when the days are short and the nights are long, conversely in mid-summer it is light for 24 hours per day, the hazy twilight  around midnight is known as the Simmer Dim.

Travel To Shetland

 Ferry is the usual mode of transport for tours to Shetland (7 hrs 45 m from Orkney and at least 12 hrs 30 m from Aberdeen). If you choose the ferry option the good news is that all of the ferries, in both directions, travel through the night, therefore you are not losing a day's touring through travel. Tours can begin in Glasgow, Edinburgh, or any other city in Scotland. The ferry is also the most convenient way to combine a Shetland tour with an Orkney tour . If ferries aren't your thing then you can fly from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness or Kirkwall into Sumburgh Airport in the south of Shetland, where I could meet you, after bringing my van over on the ferry from Aberdeen.

Shetland & Orkney Tours

Shetland and Orkney make up two groups of islands that are commonly known in Scotland as the Northern Isles. Their relative proximity means that it is possible to combine both archipelagos in a circular island hopping tour, facilitated by the fact that every second ferry between Aberdeen and Lerwick, Shetland stops in Kirkwall, Orkney. Even better, the ferry journey is through the night so you won't lose a day's touring and there are comfortable cabins on board Northlink's fleet of ferries for you to get a good night's sleep. For more information on Orkney please visit my Orkney tours page or contact me  directly.

For more information email me or fill out an enquiry form

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Tours of Shetland and Orkney Islands - Scotland Tours | Go Scotland Tours

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Orkney Explorer and Far North of Scotland Tour

• Tour ID: 1019
• Tour theme: Group Sightseeing Tours (Multi-days) ,
• Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
• Starts from: Edinburgh

Orkney and northern Scotland tour, Highlights of the tour are prehistoric Orkney archipelago, Scotland northern coastline, Loch Ness and Cairngorm National Park

Orkney Tour Experience from Inverness

• Tour ID: 1264
• Tour theme: Day Tours from the Highlands , Group Sightseeing Tours (Multi-days) ,
• Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights
• Starts from: Inverness

Enjoy a 3 day tour from Inverness to the magic and mystery of the Orkney Isles. 2 nights in Kirkwall, sightseeing to Maeshowe, Skara Brae, Stenness, and more ..

Scotland West Coast Islands and Orkney Tour

• Tour ID: 1046
• Tour theme: Group Sightseeing Tours (Multi-days) , Scotland Island Hopping Tours ,
• Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights

The tour of dreams 9 days to enjoy 5 fantastic west coast islands, Iona, Mull, Staffa, Skye and the prehistoric Orkney islands, Scotland Tour also Loch Ness....

Private Tour

Private tour to Outer Hebrides and Orkney Islands

• Tour ID: 1600
• Tour theme: Historic and Cultural Tours ,

Go Scotland Tours is offering a private guided tour combining the Western Isles of Skye, Harris and Lewis with Orkney. This is a customizable tour and can be tailor-made to your preference.

Short Break Private Tour to Orkney from Inverness

• Tour ID: 1487

A fantastic short break Private Tour to Orkney from Inverness. Come explore pre-historic sites such as the Ring of Brodgar, Stenness, Maes Howe and Skara Brae.

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Massive swath of uk’s breathtaking shetland islands can be yours with bids starting at $1.63m.

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A significant portion of the Shetland Islands is now available for purchase.

Located about 110 miles from mainland Scotland, floating in the North Sea between the Faroe Islands and Norway, is the Shetland Islands archipelago known for its dramatic vistas, Norse heritage and eponymous small horse breed, the Shetland pony. 

Now, a significant section of the remote region has hit the market and is available to “offers over” $1.63 million.

The listing , which is held by Strutt & Parker, encompasses a total of roughly 1,500 acres of land spread over three lots rich with agricultural land and natural capital, while lacking any residential development — save the remains of several historical buildings. 

The first lot, Graveland, is the most northerly and, at approximately 1,160 acres, the largest of the three. It is extremely diverse, “remote in places” and includes numerous “lochs” (lakes), coastline cliffs and “a substantial amount of peat.”

The second lot, Gunnigarth, offers “a substantial area of coastal grazing and peatland” across some 336 acres, and the third lot is the private, about 12-acre Island of Holm West Sandwick. 

Located off the western coast of Yell — which, with a population of 950 people, is the second largest of the Shetland Islands — Holm West Sandwick is uninhabited by humans but home to a large range of wildlife, and “orcas and dolphins can often be spotted in its coastal waters,” according to press materials. 

“The Shetland isles are one of the most staggeringly beautiful parts of Europe where Scandinavia meets Scotland,” Strutt & Parker Inverness director Euan MacCrimmon told The Post in a statement. “Those who are willing to embrace its seclusion and live here are rewarded plenty — with sheltered sailing waters, plenty of wildlife and rich archaeological sites.”

The Scottish land market has experienced “huge spikes of activity” in recent years, MacCrimmon added, and as a result “we are expecting to see global interest” in the listing, especially in terms of developing the abandoned structures and capitalizing on the peat. 

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