Join us on a Highland Adventure with daily expeditions into landscapes brimming with tales, mystery and unforgettable scenery. Each day will begin and end in the pretty town of Newtonmore in the heart of the Cairngorm National Park.

The Balavil Hotel in Newtonmore was built in 1900 and has been a family run hotel since 1983. Situated in the beautiful Highland village of Newtonmore in the heart of the Cairngorm National Park, our hotel in the Spey Valley will provide you with perfect tranquillity amongst the rolling hills and mountains. A Highland home from home with open fires, wood panelled bar and a warm and friendly Scottish atmosphere.

Day 1 – Depart from Spalding at 7am, with appropriate convenience stops. Arriving at our hotel about 6.30pm
 
Day 2 – Depart the hotel at 9.30am with our tour guide. Our first day out will take us south, where “Monarch of the Glen” was filmed. Then we’ll hear about the origin of the Commandos, as we drive into Great Glen and head for world-famous Loch Ness. Your boat trip on the loch allows you to see all the sub-aquatic life-forms, and you can keep watching for the big one. Then it’s onwards to Inverness, for some free time in the Highland Capital., and finally a return to Newtonmore.

Day 3 – Depart the hotel at 9.30am with our tour guide. On the second day out we will travel through the countryside through the Cairngorm Range to the Victorian mountain resort of Pitlochry. There will be free time to shop or perhaps visit the unique Heathergem Jewellery Factory. The rest of the day will find us climbing through mountain passes with names like “The Devil’s Elbow” and discovering the attractive towns of Royal Deeside. Braemar and Ballater await. 

Day 4 – Depart from the hotel at 9.30am. On your last Highland guided tour you’ll enjoy the scenic highway of the Struie Hills, and the acclaimed “Millionaire’s View” so admired by Andrew Carnegie. This will be followed by a visit to the Falls of Shin, a spectacular cascade where we may see the Atlantic salmon attempting the leap up the falls. Afterwards, we will visit the Greatest House in the North – Dunrobin Castle. There you can also enjoy a magnificent falconry demonstration in the Gardens. Then we will return to Newtonmore via the Dornoch Bridge.  

Day 5 – Depart from the hotel at 9.30am, to Strathspey Railway. Travel back in time with a nostalgic train journey on our heritage railway. The return trip is just under two hours, departing Aviemore and visiting Boat of Garten and Broomhill stations. Steam or Heritage Diesel depending on day of travel. Step aboard at Platform 3, Aviemore station. The heritage train then travels to Boat of Garten and on to Broomhill (also known as "Glenbogle" station from the ever-popular Monarch of the Glen TV series), the railway takes you on a twenty-mile round trip along part of the original Highland Railway mainline. As the train passes moorland, through woods and alongside the meandering River Spey, the stunning Cairngorm Mountains scenery is ever present. Experience a "Brief Encounter" with a bygone age of rail travel. Then it’s on to the Cairngorm Mountain Railway. Scotland’s only Funicular Railway takes you from the Base Station (635 metres) up to the Ptarmigan Top Station (1097 metres) in under 10 minutes. The Cairngorm Funicular is the only Mountain Railway in Scotland, and the highest in the United Kingdom. It is open year-round and offers a unique and fully accessible experience suitable for all ages and abilities. The 2km Funicular Railway runs a regular service taking visitors to the Ptarmigan Top Station in around 5 – 8 minutes. As you travel up the mountainside, you’ll get the chance to capture spectacular views of the Grampian Mountains, ancient Caledonian pine forests of Rothiemurchus Estate, and glistening Loch Morlich in the heart of Glenmore Forest Park. At the Ptarmigan Top Station you will find the UK’s highest restaurant and Cairngorm Gin Bar, with panoramic views across Strathspey. The outdoor viewing terrace allows visitors to experience the mountain environment first hand. On the lower levels you will find the Shop at the Top, offering a wide range of gifts, clothing, and local products as well as the Cairngorm Learning Zone and immersive 270° “Cairngorm Story” exhibition.

Day 6 – Depart the hotel at 9am with appropriate convenience stops, arriving back in Spalding about 8.30pm

The total price for this package is £767 per person. A non-refundable deposit of £100 per person is required to reserve a place; the remaining balance will be due by Friday 25th June 2027. The remaining balance may be paid in instalments if you wish but must be paid in full by the due date.

This price will include bed (two sharing a twin or double room), full English breakfast, three course evening meal, and all excursions listed in the itinerary. There is a single supplement of £150 per person for a double room with single occupancy. Any special requests must be notified on the booking form when making your booking.

We are now offering a taxi service from our old pick up point in Long Sutton, outside the Baptist Church in West Street, to Spalding Bus Station for all our 2026 holidays. The cost of this will be an extra £16 per person for the return journey. The taxi will depart from Long Sutton 50 minutes before the Spalding departure time. If you would like to book the taxi please mention this when you make your holiday booking


Please note that insurance is not included, we recommend that you take out your own insurance

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