Tour Archive The 2007 itineraries are available here.
London-Scotland “Apprentice” 3-4 Star
July 3-11, 2006 - 9 days/8 nights
$2599.00 per person/dbl occupancy
plus airfare
Discounts of up to $600 available for 3rd
and 4th person (children 12 and younger
sharing a room with two adults).
This itinerary has been specially designed
with families in mind. It offers an exciting
exploration of London, the Scottish
Highlands, Alnwick Castle and Edinburgh
through the eyes of Harry Potter, ghosts and
goblins and legends of this land which have
inspired writers for centuries. Our
storyteller will thrill you with the legend
of Padfoot and the true tale of the Hand of
Glory, which grabs Harry in Knockturn Alley
(Chamber of Secrets). From the journey on a
one-of-a-kind vintage steam train to
knock-your-socks-off exclusive banquets at
Edinburgh Castle, you're sure to be
enchanted with this "kingdom."
Included:
- Eight nights accommodations at 4-star
hotels including hotel used by cast and crew
in Glencoe
- Flight from London to Inverness
- Daily services of a Professional Guide
- Exclusive use of Edinburgh Castle for a
“Hogwarts-style” Banquet including
- Falconry Presentation
- Entertainment in Crown Square
- Storyteller in the Great Hall
- Wizard’s Cavern Virtual Reality Game
- Private tours of exhibition areas
- Ride on Locomotive #5972, the train used as the Hogwarts Express in the filming of the Harry Potter movies
- Professional Storyteller
-
Panoramic tour of London
-
Coach tour of London Harry Potter
film locations including Scavenger Hunt
-
Herbology lesson at The Old Operating
Theatre
-
Theatre Museum workshop on Harry
Potter and “movie magic”
-
Admission to Tower of London
- Tour of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
- Hike to Film Locations or alternative
activity
- Admissions to Alnwick Castle
and Alnwick Gardens
- Score a goal playing in the Wizarding Games at Alnwick –
site of flying lessons in HP movie
- Edinburgh Pass with free admission to 27
attractions
- Breakfast daily, 3 special lunches,
Afternoon Tea, 3 dinners including
"Hogwarts"-style banquet at Edinburgh Castle and Nevis Range private dinner
- Pajama Party
- Complimentary child care
- Transfers as noted on itinerary
- Baggage Handling
- Gratuities to Driver
- Limited Edition Alivan's wands for
children
$2599.00 USD per person/dbl occupancy plus airfare
£1525.00 GBP per person/dbl occupancy plus airfare
Daily Schedule
July 3 (Day One)
Your adventure begins upon
your arrival in Heathrow or Gatwick Airport.
Included in your tour is a Heathrow Express
or Gatwick Express train ticket - travel at
your convenience to the Heathrow Express
terminal in Paddington Station or the
Gatwick Express terminal at Victoria
Station. Taxi transfer to your hotel (at own
expense).
Settle into your hotel for a rest and then
meet the group in your hotel’s lobby at
2:00pm for a Welcome Orientation and
distribution of documents. A delightful
Afternoon Tea will be served but remember to
save the tea leaves as our storyteller will
teach you how to read your future in a
light-hearted divination lesson. Afterwards
our coach will whisk you around London for a
panoramic tour of the most well-known London
sites.
Dinner at leisure.
Your hotel for the next three nights is the
4-star Grange Strathmore Hotel. A former
residence of the Earl of Strathmore, the
late Queen Mother's father, the Grange
Strathmore is a beautifully restored London
Townhouse with a unique blend of Victorian
grandeur and contemporary luxury.
Wonderfully maintaining the style of an
aristocratic mansion, the Grange Strathmore
is ideally situated in the fashionable
borough of Kensington and Chelsea and
provides the perfect location for access to
the world famous Knightsbridge shops.
July 4 (Day Two)
Breakfast included
We begin our morning at the Old Operating
Theatre for a fan favorite - an herbology
lesson in the herb garret and museum.
Grab your map and get ready for a Scavenger
Hunt through London in search of Harry
Potter film locations. While this hunt will
be enjoyed from the comfort of your
air-conditioned coach, be prepared for some
good-natured competition to be the winner of
the “best photos” and guest-led trivia
contest.
After an enjoyable lunch at a pub resembling
“The Leaky Cauldron”, our afternoon includes
another Harry Potter-themed activity.
The Theatre Museum has developed a
presentation especially for HP Fan Trips. We
will explore the “magic” behind the making
of the Harry Potter movies from the
viewpoint of a make-up artist. Just how does
Warwick Davis “become” Professor Flitwick or
how does an actor become a “Gringotts
Goblin”?
Our themed day winds down with a visit to
the famous Hamley’s Toy Store and other
stores which sell items signed by actors
from the Harry Potter movies. With 7 floors
of toys, it may be hard to leave Hamley’s!
Dinner at leisure.
July 5 (Day Three)
Breakfast included
Plan to spend the morning visiting the
famous Tower of London. With guided tours by
Yeoman costumed guides and engaging
interactive exhibits, you won’t be at a loss
for how to fill the morning hours. Perhaps
you’ll hear stories of the prisoners held
within its walls and towers and learn
whether any were able to escape the clutches
of the royals who put them there. Our guide
will lead the group in the morning but you
are free to visit the Tower of London at
your leisure if preferred.
The Tower of London has been an integral
part of British royal history for nearly
1,000 years. Only at the Tower can you
marvel at the breathtaking Crown Jewels,
stand on the execution site of three English
queens and hear the myths and legends that
make a visit to the Tower a fantastic
experience.
Spend your afternoon for more sightseeing,
to sample the fabulous shopping that a major
city such as London can offer, enjoy an
afternoon theatre matinee or just to wander
and “take it all in”.
Dinner at leisure
July 6 (Day Four)
Breakfast included
We have included a flight from Heathrow to
Inverness to give the Harry Potter fans an
opportunity to visit a location with much
mystery and intrigue – Loch Ness. After a
rest for lunch, visit the Loch Ness Visitor
Centre followed by a tour of Urquhart
Castle.
Enjoy the romance and mystery of Loch Ness
in the Highlands of Scotland, home of the
world-famous monster, known affectionately
to locals as 'Nessie'. For centuries
sightings have been made of a mysterious
creature said to inhabit the deep and murky
waters of Scotland's most famous Loch. Now
you can explore those murky waters for
yourself: examine the evidence, find out
some important facts about Scottish History
and look forward to that long-awaited visit
to a very unique part of Scotland!
The picturesque ruins of Urquhart Castle are
situated 2 miles from Drumnadrochit on a
rocky peninsula on the banks of Loch Ness.
After a chequered history, the building was
blown up in 1692 to prevent it becoming a
Jacobite stronghold. Despite the
difficulties of building, it was a prime
strategic location sitting as it does
surrounded virtually on three sides by the
cold waters of Loch Ness which would have
been a main route through the Great Glen of
the Highlands.
Late afternoon arrival at hotel in Glencoe.
Dinner included.
Your hotel for the next two nights is quite
special for Harry Potter fans. The Isles of
Glencoe Hotel and Leisure Club was used by
the cast and crew of the Harry Potter films
when filming in the Glencoe area. You might
even get lucky and win our drawing to stay
in the very rooms used by Dan Radcliffe,
Rupert Grint, Emma Watson or Tom Felton!
July 7 (Day Five)
Breakfast included
 Stretch your legs and get ready for our
morning hike to Steall Falls, location for
the dragon scene (Task 1 of the TriWizard
Tournament in the HP movies). This is a
beautiful hike taking approx. 1 – 1 1/2
hours each way from the trail head to the
Falls. Hiking shoes are required. After
reaching the Falls, there are plenty of
opportunities for photos, having a snack
break, perhaps even crossing the short “wire
bridge” to get a closer look at the Falls.
For those not taking the hike to Steall
Falls, the morning will include a visit to
the filming location of “Hagrid’s Hut” and
the pumpkin/ “Hippogriff” scenes in Prisoner
of Azkaban. Take a short walk up the hill to
where the buildings and other props were
built and get a view of beautiful Glencoe as
the actors did. (Props are no longer on the
site.)
You might want to stop in at the Inn
directly across the road from the filming
location – surely the cast and crew had more
than a few pints at this charming location
while working on the film. Have a drink, or
if space permits, lunch at this friendly Inn
best known for its award-winning local
brews.
 Afternoon activities for those not doing the
Steall Falls hike include a tour of the Ben
Nevis Distillery, the back storage buildings
of which have often been used as inside
filming studios for movies such as
Braveheart and Rob Roy. Stop nearby for a
quick look at Old Inverlochy Castle.
Steall Falls hikers – after returning to the
trailhead, travel to Glencoe (as described
above) and then take a walk up the hill
which was host to “Hagrid’s Hut”, pumpkins
and magical creatures.
Take a break back at the hotels before an
evening “near the stars”.
We have a delightful dinner party planned at
the top of the Nevis Range – with fantastic
views of Britain’s tallest mountain – Ben
Nevis. Take the Gondola ride up the
mountain, enjoy a few easy walks from the
top of the gondola, before a casual and fun
evening with dinner and entertainment.
Wonder at the long daylight hours at this
far Northern latitude. On a clear day you
can actually see Ireland in the distance!
Back at the hotel, get ready for a Pajama
Party! Bring your pillows and pajamas while
we hear stories, play games, and generally
have fun into the night. Don’t worry about
staying up late, we have a late start the
next morning!
July 8 (Day Six)
Breakfast included
Enjoy a sleep-in as we have a late start
this morning. Arrive at the train depot by
9:30am for a fabulous private ride on Olton
Hall, Engine #5972! Travel through the
Highlands, take loads of pictures, sit in
the very cars used in the movies, and enjoy
a fantastic day with all of the HP Fan
Trip’ers!
Return to Fort William at 4:00pm for the
coach transfers to Edinburgh. Share stories
of your adventures or just catch up on some
sleep during the ride through the beautiful
Scottish countryside.
Dinner at leisure. Your accommodations for the next three
nights will be enjoyed at the beautiful
4-star Dalmahoy Marriott Hotel and Country
Club.
The Baronial Manor House of Dalmahoy is set
in 1000 acres of wooded parkland at the foot
of the rolling Pentland Hills. It was built
in 1724 and extended in 1990 when opened as
a hotel and country club. Leisure facilities
include an indoor heated swimming pool,
sauna, steam room, two championship golf
courses, gymnasium with professional fitness
instructors, Health & Beauty Salon,
solarium, and tennis courts.
Complimentary child care is available so
that parents are able to have dinner, do a
round of golf or simply relax after an
exciting day filled with Harry Potter-themed
activities.
July 9 (Day Seven)
Breakfast included
An early morning departure for an all-day
adventure at Alnwick Castle, a film location
for the first two Harry Potter movies. Your
coach will whisk you in comfort into England
and the village of Alnwick. Here you will
gaze upon the scenery used for Harry's first
flying lesson. You will learn about the
deadliest plants in the world at the new
Poisonous Garden and take a lesson in
herbology. There is plenty to do at this
exciting location!
Competitions will be held throughout the day
as fans play the very popular HP Fan Trips’
Wizarding Game, inspired by Harry's favorite sport (The Wizarding Game was developed for us
by the National Governing Body for the
Olympic sport of Team Handball).
Alnwick Castle is the second largest
inhabited such structure in England after
Windsor Castle, and has been home to the
Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland
since 1309.
Lunch included.
Early evening return to Edinburgh.
Dinner at leisure.
July 10 (Day Eight)
Breakfast included
Today is your day to visit attractions in
Edinburgh which you are particularly
interested in. We have included an Edinburgh
Pass which includes the entrance fees to 27
of Edinburgh’s top tourist attractions,
unlimited bus travel for transport around
the city and the surrounding area, and
special offers from shops and restaurants.
Visit the Camera Obscura and its amazing
optical illusion displays, dare to enter the
Edinburgh Dungeon or take an Edinburgh
Literary Pub Tour – all included in the
Edinburgh Pass. Be sure to stop at the café
where J K Rowling spent time while writing
the first adventures of our favorite wizard.

Don’t forget to save time to prepare for our
final night gala at Edinburgh Castle! The
Castle is exclusively ours tonight as we
enjoy falconry demonstrations, hear stories
in the Great Hall (the location where JK
Rowling read from Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince as a kick-off to the
worldwide book launch), play the Wizard’s
Cavern virtual reality game in the education
vaults, take private tours of the Scottish
Crown Jewels and other exhibition areas of
the castle, and enjoy a fabulous banquet!
End the night with music and a party in
Crown Square in the heart of the Castle!
July 11 (Day Nine)
Breakfast included
Morning transfers included to Edinburgh
airport.
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