Orkney Highlights Private Tour: Stone Circles & Skara Brae

Walk inside 5,000-year-old stone circles and a preserved neolithic village

A private tour of Orkney's archaeological landmarks, visiting Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and the Italian Chapel, with a live English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and entry to Skara Brae included. The tour runs six hours and covers the island's neolithic monuments, wartime history and coastal views. Moderate fitness helps with uneven ground at some stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Standing Stones of Stenness30m
2. Ring of Brodgar30m
3. Skara Brae1h · entry included
4. Italian Chapel30m · entry included

Explore Orkney's Neolithic and WWII heritage

• Walk and photo at Standing Stones
• Visit Barnhouse Neolithic village
• Explore Ring of Brodgar stone circle
• Tour Skara Brae settlement and Skaill House
• Drive to Yesnaby for views and wildlife
• Optional walk to Yesnaby Castle sea stack
• Photo opportunity at Scorradale viewpoint
• Drive to Italian Chapel and tour
• Optional visit to Scapa Distillery and tasting

The experience

The tour opens at Standing Stones of Stenness, a stone circle raised about 5,400 years ago. You walk around the site and take photographs, then move north to Barnhouse, a small neolithic village that existed only for a few centuries from 3115 BC to 2875 BC. The guide explains what archaeologists know about how people lived there, and the contrast between this brief settlement and the longer occupation of later sites frames the day's descent into Orkney's prehistoric past.

Ring of Brodgar comes next: the largest stone circle on the islands and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built between 2500 BC and 2000 BC, these stones predate Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza by 5,000 years. You stop to walk the circle and photograph it. Then the tour reaches Skara Brae, the best-preserved neolithic settlement in Western Europe, where nine surviving houses let you see where residents slept, built fires and arranged their furniture. Your admission ticket includes entry to Skaill House, a 17th-century mansion on the same grounds. After Skara Brae, you drive to Yesnaby for views across the cliffs and sea life. If you're up for it, a walk to Yesnaby Castle (a sea stack near the car park with uneven, slippery ground), is optional.

A scenic 25-minute drive takes you to the Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war from scrap materials during World War II while they also helped construct the Churchill Barriers. The tour includes a photo stop at Scorradale overlooking Hoy hills and Scapa Flow. An optional visit to the nearby Scapa distillery lets you explore their shop and sample local spirits. The tour provides private transportation, bottled water, midge repellent and emergency weather wear. Pickup from your accommodation is included.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the six-hour tour.
• hotel pickup and return.
• entry to Skara Brae and Skaill House.
• bottled water.
• midge repellent.
• emergency weather wear.
• a live English-speaking guide.
• the optional distillery visit is arranged separately.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 14 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Scapa Taxis

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so you travel with your own guide rather than joining a group, and the pace is set by your interests at each stop. Choose it if you want the flexibility to linger at the stone circles or ask detailed questions about the neolithic settlements without keeping other travelers waiting, or if you prefer not to coordinate with strangers on a full day out.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Skara Brae and what will I see inside it?

Skara Brae is a neolithic settlement with nine surviving stone houses built around 3100 BC, making it the best-preserved prehistoric village in Western Europe. Inside the houses you can see built-in stone furniture, hearths where fires burned, and sleeping areas, giving a direct picture of how people lived 5,000 years ago. Your admission ticket also covers entry to Skaill House, a 17th-century mansion on the same property.

How old are the stone circles we visit, and what makes them significant?

Standing Stones of Stenness dates to around 5400 years ago, while Ring of Brodgar was built between 2500 and 2000 BC: making both roughly 5,000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza. Ring of Brodgar is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is believed to be the last of the great neolithic monuments built on the Ness of Brodgar.

What is the Italian Chapel and why is it on this tour?

The Italian Chapel was built by Italian prisoners of war from scrap materials during World War II. The same prisoners also helped construct the Churchill Barriers, making it a significant wartime landmark. It sits on the island of Lamb Holm, a 25-minute drive from Orphir, and represents both the prisoners' craftsmanship and Orkney's role in the war.

Is this tour physically demanding, and are there steep walks involved?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Most stops involve walking on uneven ground: particularly at Yesnaby, where the terrain can be slippery near the cliffs. The walk to Yesnaby Castle is optional and the operator recommends enjoying views from a safe distance if the ground conditions don't suit you.

What's included in the price, and what should I bring?

The tour includes private transportation, hotel pickup, entry to Skara Brae, bottled water, midge repellent and emergency weather wear. Meals are not included, so you may want to bring snacks or plan to eat before or after the tour. The optional distillery visit is separate.

Can I visit the Scapa distillery during the tour?

Yes, a visit to the nearby Scapa distillery is offered as an optional excursion. You can explore their shop and sample their spirits, though this is not part of the standard itinerary and may incur an additional cost.