Orkney Islands Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Orkney Islands. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Orkney Day Trip

• 5-Day Orkney & Northern Coast Tour from Edinburgh Incl Admissions

• Orkney West Mainland Tour

• Orkney Travel Highlights Tour: 5-6 hours

• Semi Private Tour—Orkney and Kirkwall

It’s free to visit the Orkney Islands—you’ll just need to budget for transportation, plus accommodation if you plan to stay there for a night or longer. Cost-effective tours are available that explore the local area and arrange travel to the islands: coach tours start at US$100, small-group tours are upwards of US$230, and private car tours typically begin around US$450.

Yes, the Orkney Islands are worth visiting, especially if you're interested in history and archaeological sites. The UNESCO World Heritage–listed islands are known for the Neolithic village of Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar. To get more out of a visit to Orkney, many visitors book day trips to discover local highlights with a guide. These typically depart from Stromness Ferry Terminal and offer a hassle-free way to explore Orkney highlights without hiring a car.

Per one customer who booked the Orkney Day Trip, "Excellent visit! This tour allowed us to get around without needing to rent a car. We enjoyed all of the sites and got a unique look at Scotland's very early history."

The must-visit attractions of Scotlands’ Orkney Islands are Skara Brae, a stone-built Neolithic settlement that dates to 3180 BC; the Yesnaby cliffs, sandstone pillars that spit out of the sea; the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness, both similar to Stonehenge; and the island’s barking seal colonies.

You have two options to reach the Orkney Islands from mainland Scotland: airplane or ferry. Flights from Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Glasgow land in Kirkwall, the largest town. Ferries will land you in Kirkwall, Burwick, St. Margaret’s Hope, or Stromness. Once you’re on the islands, you can island-hop, too.

Yes, you can visit the Orkney Islands on a day trip from mainland Scotland, but should you? Between flight or ferry time, you’ll have only a handful of hours to explore the neolithic sites, small towns, and wildlife. With only one day, take a tour that’ll pack in the best sites.

The best time to visit Scotland’s Orkney Islands to avoid crowds is around April and September when you'll get mild temps, dry skies, and falling tourist numbers. Summer—roughly May through August—sees the vast majority of visitors, and in winter, the islands largely close up shop for a chilly holiday slumber.

A minimum of three days is best to fully experience Scotland’s Orkney Islands, with around five being ideal. In that time, you can see the highlights of the “Mainland,” like the Ring of Brodgar and the cliffs of Yesnaby, with time to explore other islands, including South Ronaldsay or Hoy.

Most people visit Scotland’s Orkney Islands to visit neolithic sites like Skara Brae (a 5,000-year-old settlement), explore small towns like Stromness, and catch incredible views of sea cliffs and the crashing Atlantic Ocean. The Orkneys are a great spot to hang out with seals, otters, whales, and seaweed-eating sheep.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Orkney Islands. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Scotland:

• Isle of Skye

• Glencoe (Glen Coe)

• Edinburgh Castle

• Fort Augustus

• Loch Ness

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Scotland.