Semi Private Tour - Orkney and Kirkwall
Badge of Excellence
Kirkwall, Scotland
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
What's Included
- ADJUSTABLE TIMES BASED ON THE SCHEDULE OF YOUR CRUISE
- Broch of Gurness
- Italian Chapel
- Professional tour guide
- Shared tour
- Minimum of pax required
- We wait only 10/15minutes of courtesy
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup point
- Kirkwall PierHarbour St, Kirkwall KW15 1HU, UK
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Standing Stones of Stenness
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Broch of Gurness
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
The Italian Chapel
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Saint Magnus Cathedral
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Kirkwall
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
6
Ring of Brodgar
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 9 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 88 reviews
huffmanainsworth, May 2026
Michael was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The tour was very interesting. We spent too much time at the Saint Magnus Cathedral.. More time at the Broch of Gurness would have been nice.
MariaA_G, May 2026
It was one of the best tours i have ever do.
Me and my Husband César enjoy the trip.
Realy it was amazing.
The guide, Lorrainr Jhonson is the best, and energy and special person!
I Am very thankfull.
Thank you thank you thank you
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear customer,
thank you so much for nice review.. we agree Lorraine is an amazing professional with deep roots loving his job..
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
RONALD_L, May 2026
Michael is very good at making you aware of the whole story. He keeps you interested in everything. Gary is a great driver but Michael steals the show. It’s definitely worth going.
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear customer
Thank you so much for your comments.. Michael is one of our main supplier & our business coordinator on the area.. we are vey proud of him.. glad you enjoy our semi private tour
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
PIlar Gonzalez
Joani_T, Feb 2026
Really great tour. Our guide was fantastic and really had great knowledge of the area with a lot of little bits of trivia we would never have known. I felt like I left with a friend. I would 100% recommend taking this small tour over anything the cruise ships offer. They took great care to make sure we missed the other tourists and we were easily back in time. What's missing from the photo I posted?.... Tourists. Just wonderful.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments.. we are happy to know you enjoy your tour
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon agan
Pilar Gonzalez
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susan_w, Sep 2025
We loved our itinerary and our Guide Michael was very informed and enjoyed . Kept us well entertained along with all the history
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear customer,
thank you so much for your comments.. we are delighted to know you enjoy our semi private experience in Orkney
many Thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
Linda_Z, Sep 2025
Orkney
Private tour with Viator
Chris was our tour guide.
We saw standing stones, learned about the Picts, saw old grave stones and churches,
My favorite was visiting a chapel built during WW2 by Italian POWs
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments... Chris is an excellent professional... we are happy to know you enjoy our semi private experience
many Thanks & looking forward to hearing from you
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Patrick_C, Sep 2025
The guide, Lorraine knew her facts and was proud and excited about her work and country. The tour was was well planned and timed out. The group was just the right size (not too large). It was a great way to experience the Neolithic history of northern Scotland/Orkney.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your nice comments.. we passed to Lorraine.. glad to know you enjoy our semi private experience in Orkney
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
Juliane_R, Sep 2025
Our guide Ian (I know I spelled the name wrong) but he was absolutely brilliant! He is so passionate about these islands. Knows every nook and cranny, part of history, significance and little tid bits of interesting facts of these islands. We were just so impressed. We would come back here again but only do a tour with him. He truly is the best!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear customer,
Many Thanks for your nice comments.. we are deligthed to know you enjoy your tour with Iaian
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Shona_H, Sep 2025
This was a well organized tour that is great for cruise ship passengers. Michael was an excellent tour guide and Nicky was a great driver. Michael’s informative and engaging narratives were great. He was very knowledgeable and made it a fantastic tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your nice comments.. passing over to Michael... we are very happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour in Orkney
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
JUANJOSE_P, Sep 2025
It was an outstanding experience. Our guide Lorraine proved to have a great knowledge of history and archeology and gave us a complete lesson on the places that we visited. The driver was excellent.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your nice comments.. we are very happy to know you enjoy our semi private experince at Orkney area.. I am passing it over to Lorraine
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
LaDonna_H, Sep 2025
This was our favorite excursion while on our British Isle cruise. Our guide, Karin, and our driver, George, were very friendly and knowledgeable about the history, culture and life on the island. With only 14 in the group, we were able to stay on track and make all the stops listed except for Skara Brae which was due to the location being closed due to the extreme wind. Karin even planned ahead by having the group preorder lunch to prevent us being delayed at the small cafe we stopped at. For those worried that there are not restrooms available on the coach, George made sure to detour to accommodate any needs in that regard. We spent adequate time at all locations and never had any concerns about being late to the ship. George even made a quick stop to point out some seals sunbathing in the bay and Karin brought delicious treats from her bakery to share with us. The experience with this tour only makes us want to visit Orkney again.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
thank you so much for your comments.. we are very happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience with Karin & George...both of them are great professionals indeed
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Brittany_N, Sep 2025
This was the most expensive tour we purchased while on our cruise, so we had pretty high expectations, but it sadly was quite disappointing. While the island and scenery is absolutely stunning our tour guide was over 30 minutes late, very mediocre, only doing the bare minimum, and seemed to just be going through the motions. The van was quite small and our guide didn’t always utilize the headset speaker which made it very hard to hear him speaking from the back of the van. Overall, very overpriced excursion and would not recommend to other travelers.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Customer,
It's true that Ewan started the tour about 30 minutes late due to a family emergency. However, the tour program was on schedule. We're surprised by your comments regarding Ewan's knowledge. So far, we've had great feedback from other passengers. He's also a professional who helps whenever he can.
Regarding the price, I'm very sorry you found it a bit expensive. However, if you compare it with other tours offered, you'll see that the price is quite competitive.
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
John_M, Sep 2025
Ian was very knowledgeable. We had a great overview of Orkney. Lunch stop could be improved by providing a short list of restaurants in the area with some directions.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
Highly appreciated your comments... glad to know you enjoy our semi private experience in Orkney area.. Iain will be delight
many Thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Patricia_W, Sep 2025
This tour was the best one of our trip. Our guide Iain was knowledgeable and somehow managed to get us to the sites before the big buses every time! A beautiful day!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
Very happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience at Orkney area
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
dan_m, Sep 2025
The best tour of our entire cruise. A well-planned tour. Interesting. The guide Karin was wonderful. We had a great time.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
We are very happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience in Orkney.. Karin is a fantastic professional .. very busy indeed
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
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David_G, Aug 2025
Excellent tour! Great value and a wonderful guide! Chris was our tour guide who took us all around and was super attentive, very knowledgeable and was very accommodating. One of the best tours we have taken. As we were coming off a cruise ship, not only was it a far better value than the cruise line options, but we were met right and had no issues getting back in time for all-aboard. Couldn’t have been better!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments.. Chris will be delighted to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience
Hoping you enjoy your cruise as well
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Jude_c, Aug 2025
This was an amazing tour. Michael’s personality made it even better. We learned so much… and had fun the whole day! This a a “must do” tour. Thanks again Michael for making our day so special!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for this nice review.. Michael is our coordinator on the pier.. great professional, he loves his job
Many thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Yecenia_C, Aug 2025
The tour was interesting and the views were just amazing. Ewan was very knowledgeable and patient. Pick up and drop off was right on n time.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments.. we are delighted to know everything runs on time ( our coordinator Michael try his best on this point) happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience at Orkney.. we agree Ewan is an amazing professional
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Christopher_M, Aug 2025
Our tour guide ( Michael) was outstanding and the the driver (Nicky) was great as well. Very informative and entertaining! We Highly recommend it!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments... Michael is an exceptional tour guide loving all about Orkney.. with great way to communicate & deep knowledge about Orkney & UK
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Raymond_B, Aug 2025
We had an incredible Semi-Private Tour of Orkney and Kirkwall with Michael Chanter and our excellent bus driver. Michael was funny, engaging, and so knowledgeable—his stories and humor really brought Orkney’s history and culture to life. Our tour included iconic stops like the Italian Chapel, the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, and the stunning coastline. We even stopped for lunch and enjoyed delicious homemade crab sandwiches and Doodle Bugs—what an absolute treat! Every moment of the day was made special thanks to Michael and our driver’s smooth navigation. This tour was one of the highlights of our entire trip, and we highly recommend it!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
We are deligthed to know you like our tour experience.. we agree Michael who is one of our main tour guide at Orkney + our coordinator is an exceptional professional.. he just love what he does
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
PIlar Gonzalez
Top Private tours
Bill_B, Aug 2025
We were on time for the tour.
There were 2 people that arrived 1 hour late and the rest of our group had to wait 1 hour outside in the very cold and windy weather.
After one hour of waiting, we got on our way.
The tour stated that if you are 15 minutes late, you would miss the tour.
Disappointed with how the tour started it went much better.
Chris our tour guide was very informative and had a great sense of humor that made the tour a fun experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Customer,
We appreciate your comments... as you know, this tour was scheduled to start at 9:15/9:30 AM due to a late docking of your cruise ship. It's true that you wait for two passengers for about 20 minutes, but the entire program run on time, all visits was done, and you actually had extra time to visit Kirkwall on your own.
What's really interesting is that you called me the day before asking in case you were late ask Chris Matthews to wait for you that you don´t want miss this nice tour & now you don't think it's right for our driver/tour guide wait for the other two passengers. A little empathy is always a positive thing
Greetings, and thank you for your comments.
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Linda_M, Aug 2025
Knowledgeable guide and good driver.
Enjoyed learning about the area.
The time spent at each venue was adequate.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer
Thank you so much for your comments we are very happy to know you enjoy our tour experience at Orkney
Many thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Terry_R, Aug 2025
Wonderful excursion! Everything ran smoothly from pickup at the port to drop-off. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, sharing fascinating history about Kirkwall and Orkney while keeping the pace relaxed. Highlights included St. Magnus Cathedral, the harbor, and beautiful countryside views. Highly recommend for anyone visiting by cruise ship!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your nice review.. Rachel was tour guide on your party.. she is a great professional.. happy to know you enjoy our semi private tour experience
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
PIlar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Jennifer_W, Aug 2025
Too many visits to the stones. The commentator spoke in a very low voice and microphone didn’t always work
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer
We appreciate your comments.
We've taken note of them, although I'd like to point out that full itinerary is posted on Viator, where you can check whether there were many stones or not
many thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Jerold_W, Jul 2025
We were very happy with the semi-private tour experience which really allows more appropriate timing. The driver was excellent and the van comfortable. Our guide, Norman, had a lot of information but even in the van it was difficult to hear him in any row but where he was sitting. I also would have appreciated the availability of water for the passengers and the trip really didn't have much time for having lunch.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments ..Norman will love to know you enjoy your tour experience.. however I would like point out on our tours we do not offer water.. we pay very well to our suppliers to have quality experiences..about microphone .. you were 6 people on your vehicle.. with this number of pax normally is not need it any microphone
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Anthony_E, Jul 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the main Orkney Island. Our guide Chris was excellent he provided an excellent commentary as we drove between sites and as we were a single family group was very flexible in the timings. I would strongly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your nice comments.. yes Chris is an excellent professional & better person.. taking care of all our clients.. trying his best to accommodate all their wishes, offering great experiences
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
Top Private Tours
Suann_S, Jul 2025
Chris was our driver for our day in Orkney. He has a thick Scottish accent, but we soon learned how to communicate without any difficulties! He was funny, kind, considerate, intellectual, and sensitive to our needs. Most importantly, he knows the area like the back of his hand and guided us through our various stops expertly! We would highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to see the island
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Dear customer,
We are delighted with your comments.. we are going to pass it over to Chris... pretty sure he will love it
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon
Pilar Gonzalez
topprivatetoursuk@gmail.com
Christy_R, Jun 2025
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and nice.
My concerns- The day started chaotic, and it seemed unorganized. We were eventually put in groups and started the tour. This was a semi-private tour so I knew we woukd be with others, but I would call it small group with the number we had.
The price was also too expensive for the tour. I truly overpaid for the excursion.
I wish I had chosen another excursion.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you so much for your comments, our semi private tour as published though viator, is going from 6 up to 14 pax, on your case you were in a 8 seaters vehicle which I think is not much crowded.. allow me suggest next time book a private shore excursion, only your party... about unorganized.. June 21st we did manage around of 80 people in a different vehicles.. everybody had instructions how to find tour guides plus on the pier we are having a company coordinator, just for your information none other company got it... all tours run on time & nobody got lost... but we are taking note of your comment... regarding price.. not sure if you notice you visit around of 5/6 different sites which 3 of them need to pay admissions which was included on your price .. if I compare our price with some others suppliers or cruise ships excursions are not expensive at all plus you are having option of free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to tour date though viator which most of suppliers doesn´t offer it
many Thanks & best regards
Pilar Gonzalez
topprivatetoursuk@gmail.com
Deborah_L, Jun 2025
Michael, the tour guide was great and very easy to understand. Gary, the driver was very nice also.Michael told the history so it was interesting. He told us both the myths, what is fact and what is anyone's guess. I fell in love with the Italian Chapel and in turn the Scottish people for allowing the prisoners to do it. A must see.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear customer,
Thank you very much for your comments... it's true that Italian Chapel has a wonderful history, and without a doubt, Michael is an exceptional guide knowing all about
many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
Pilar Gonzalez
April_W, Jun 2025
It was a really good tour. Babette and Gary did a wonderful job. We got to see everything we wanted to and made it back to the ship in plenty of time.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dar customer
Thank you so much for your comments.. either Babette or Garry got large experience managing tours.. very happy to know you enjoy our best semi private tour
Many Thanks & hoping see you soon again
PIlar Gonzalez
topprivatetoursuk@gmail.com
From $268.72
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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