London-Scotland "Apprentice" 4 star
July 10-18, 2007 9 days/8 nights
$2799.00 per person/dbl occupancy plus airfare
Available Discounts:
Child (12 & under) traveling with 2 adults.
1st child: $750.00 discount, 2nd child: $750.00 discount.
Larger families: Call for availability and pricing
Single Supplement: $600.00
This itinerary has been specially designed with families in mind. This tour 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."
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July 10 (Day One) - Arrive in London
Meals - Dinner
Lodging - Jury’s Kensington Hotel, London, England
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 3:00pm for a Welcome Orientation and distribution of documents. A delightful afternoon tea activity will be enjoyed as our storyteller will teach you how to read your future in tea leaves in a light-hearted divination lesson. Afterwards enjoy some free time to explore London or just rest up from your long journey to the UK.
Dinner included this evening.
Your hotel for the next three nights is the 4-star Jury’s Doyle – Kensington. Jurys Kensington Hotel offers the smartest address in London, surrounded by classical, elegant Edwardian buildings, stylish cafes and busy bistros. This Kensington hotel is perfectly located for the leisure traveller coming to London.
July 11 (Day Two) - Scavenger Hunt, Old Operating Theatre, Pub Lunch, London Theatre Museum
Meals - Breakfast & Lunch
Lodging - Jury’s Kensington Hotel, London, England
 Herbology Lessons 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 including a panoramic tour of the most well-known London sites. 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 (included) at a pub resembling “The Leaky Cauldron”, our afternoon includes another Harry Potter-themed activity.
 Make-up Artist 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 National Portrait Galleries in Covent Garden. See if you can spot the Harry Potter link to this visit!
Dinner at leisure.
July 12 (Day Three) - Cruise the Thames
Meals - Breakfast
Lodging - Jury’s Kensington Hotel, London, England
 Buckingham Palace We’ll begin our day at a leisurely pace before heading out for a cruise on the Thames. Part of the filming for Order of the Phoenix has Harry and friends pursued by their adversaries down the Thames, passing many of the most famous sites in London. Enjoy these famous landmarks through Harry’s eyes and see them in a whole new way!
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 13 (Day Four) - Fly to Historic Scotland, visit Urquhart Castle
Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland
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. We head straight to the fabulous Urquhart Castle which is located right on Loch Ness. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon eating lunch, exploring the ruins, looking for Nessie or shopping.
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: find out some important facts about Scottish History and look forward to that long-awaited visit to a very unique part of Scotland!
 Ruins of Urquhart Castle 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 a 4-star hotel in Glencoe. Dinner included.
 View of the loch - Isles of Glencoe Hotel 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 14 (Day Five) - Hike Steall Falls, a day of movie locations in the Highlands & Slumber Party!
Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland
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.
 The hike to Steall 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 the Glenfinnan Viaduct for some wonderful photos of the viaduct which is featured in the Harry Potter films. Glencoe will be our last stop today (as described above) where we can take a walk up the hill which was host to “Hagrid’s Hut”, pumpkins and magical creatures.
 Andy tells stories at the Pajama Party Dinner included at the hotel.
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 15 (Day Six) - Private Ride on the train used in filming the HP movies, travel to Edinburgh
Meals - Breakfast
Lodging - Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland
 Olton Hall in the Scottish Highlands 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! Entertainment during the journey will be provided by our HP Fan Trip professional storytellers!
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 Hilton Grosvenor Hotel in downtown Edinburgh. Just 50 metres from Haymarket Station, the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor hotel is great for Princes Street shopping and Edinburgh attractions. Check your emails with wireless internet access in public areas, and drink and dine in the restaurant, café or 2 bars.
July 16 (Day Seven) - Alnwick Castle, Land Based Wizarding Game!, VIP viewing of Order of the Phoenix!
Meals - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Lodging - Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland
 Wizarding Team at Alnwick Castle A 9:00am morning departure for a fun 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). Our storytellers will delight you with events throughout the day.
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.
Departure for Edinburgh at 4:00pm in time to prepare for our exciting movie night! We have reserved VIP seating at an historic Edinburgh theatre for our special viewing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We’ll enjoy a light dinner before the movie and then snacks and drinks during the movie in our VIP leather lounge seats – perfect end to a perfect day!
July 17 (Day Eight) - A day in Edinburgh, Banquet and Gala at Edinburgh Castle in Evening!
Meals - Breakfast & Dinner
Lodging - Hilton Grosvenor Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland
Today is your day to visit attractions on your own in Edinburgh in which you are particularly interested. Visit the Camera Obscura and its amazing optical illusion displays, dare to enter the Edinburgh Dungeon or take an Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour. Be sure to stop at the café where J K Rowling spent time while writing the first adventures of our favorite wizard.
 Farewell Gala at Edinburgh Castle Don’t forget to save time to prepare for our final night gala at Edinburgh Castle! The Castle is exclusively ours tonight as we hear tales from our storytellers 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), 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 18 (Day Nine) - Journey Home
Meals - Breakfast
Morning transfers are included to Edinburgh airport for your trip home!
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