A NEW DIRECTION

Scotland remains a stunning destination that continues to attract international visitors. However, Clan MacKenzie Routes will cease to offer driven guided tours due to the challenges posed by new rules and regulations, making it difficult to deliver the desired tour experience. Instead, the business will shift focus to providing themed walking tours in Dunfermline, Scotland's latest city, with a special Mackenzie twist for those with Mackenzie heritage.

We regret the conclusion of our driving tours and express our gratitude to those who have supported us over time, many of whom we now call friends. Should you return to Scotland, consider visiting Dunfermline and participating in one of our walking tours.

While we will no longer be traveling, we will draw upon our extensive touring experience to provide a tailored and personalized itinerary planning service for Scotland, designed to meet the specific interests of our visitors.

Contact us at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com for information.

WE ARE BACK

Whew: What a couple of years! At one point it actually seemed that we were not going to survive the worldwide effect that Covid had on the tourism industry, but, thanks to Grants from the Scottish Government we are still here.

However we have had to rethink our tour strategy in response to Covid and the impact that it had on tourism. Many accommodation providers and restaurants are no longer with us. Historic Environment Scotland has had to close some visitor attractions in order to assess their safety. Many places have reduced visitor numbers in order to provide a safe environment. Hotels and restaurants are operating on reduced hours and capacity due to both staff and ingredient shortages. Prices have increased across the board, including fuel and insurance which have directly impacted us.

We have stopped our online booking system in the meantime as we want to ensure that we can provide the tour that you want, with access to all the sites that we would visit. As we could not guarantee a future tour would be able to do this we felt it better for guests to contact us directly so that we could check what is and what was not possible to provide so we did not make false promises to our visitors.

We have also moved to providing only Private Tours. There are two main reasons for this. 1) A group known to each other is safer in this Covid world and 2) we found that shared tours could create conflict within a group due to differing priorities. We hope you understand this decision.

We hava also removed our Seven day tours for the time being.

Covid taught us that being out in the fresh air was wonderful. We are introducing walking tours of Dunfermline and West Fife and the surrounding areas. There are many open spaces in this area of great Heritage and History, where walking and living at a slower pace will be good for both our health and mental well-being. Get in touch if you are interested by emailing enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com or telephoning 07468481589.

Keep following us on Facebook @ClanMackenzieRoutes for updates

2019...It's going to be a busy year

Bookings are coming in thick and fast. Most of our multi day tour dates are gone for the midsummer months but Scotland is beautiful in the Spring and Autumn (and quieter).

We have introduced a ‘Book Now’ button where you can click and see the available dates and book for our Outlander One Day Series 1 & Series 2 tours and Outlaw King tour. You can book for a Private or Shared experience.

For information on other tours or to check your dates please just get in touch at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com

We look forward to welcoming you and providing an unforgettable experience in our beautiful country.

OUTLAW KING HITS THE SCREENS

We are now offering Outlaw King Tours, available as shared or private tours, one day or more and range in price from £90 per person for a shared set itinerary one day tour or from £320 per day for a Private tour (up to a maximum of 6 people) which can involve multi days, overnights (charged extra) and a tour built just for you (maybe incorporating Outlander locations, Castles, Distilleries, the choice is endless).

The tours can be either visiting actual sites, historically linked to Robert the Bruce, for example Dunfermline Abbey (his burial place), Melrose Abbey (where his heart is buried), Bannockburn (Battle of 1314), Arbroath Abbey (Declaration of Arbroath 1320), Scone Palace (Crowning site of Scottish Kings) or visiting the filming locations used for Outlaw KIng, for example Linlithgow Palace, Doune Castle, Blackness Castle, Craigmillar Castle, Mugdock Castle and Country Park, Dunfermline Abbey, Seacliff Beach, Glencoe and for the really adventurous, Talisker Bay on Skye.

Let us be your guides on a memorable journey, exploring the history, culture and lands of Scotland.

Contact us at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com to discuss your requirements and to check availability

CLAN MACKENZIE ROUTES...WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING?

Hi everyone. It's been a while since we posted but life has been a blur!!

Grandchildren arriving. New tours being planned. Meetings with various people. Presentations given to and for various organisations.

BUT

The season for showing off Scotland is now here and so our tours are going at full tilt.

OUTLANDER is going strong and in this period of #DROUGHTLANDER why not join us on our one day Series 1 and Series 2 filming location tours or combine them in a 2 day experience. Or for that indulgent adventure, sign up for our 7 day trip in September. Full information at www.clanmackenzieroutes.com/outlander-locations-tours-2017/

MACKENZIE LANDS is still proving popular and there are several private tours organised for this season.

WHISKY TOURS continue to generate interest. Bookings are now being taken for the 7 day tour in 2018. Dates are not yet set, so why not book now for dates that suit you. A new addition to our portfolio is our WHISKY TASTING evenings. Ideal for people wanting to learn about whisky and also as a fun and informative evening for both corporate business or a group of friends. Contact us at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com for details. 

OUTLANDER SERIES 1 AND SERIES 2 FILMING LOCATION TOURS 2017

'Where is Outlander Filmed?' is a question we get asked a lot. It appears that many people are joining us to find out for themselves. Clan MacKenzie Routes offers both one day and two day tours visiting the series 1 and series 2 Outlander Filming locations. Be quick as the tours are being snapped up by Outlander fans.

Remaining Availability 2017:

• February 15th/16th

• March 1st/2nd, 8th/9th, 15th/22nd, 22nd/23rd

• April 12th/13th, 19th/20th

• May 10th/11th, 24th/25th, 31st/1st June

• June 21st/22nd, 28th/29th

• July FULLY BOOKED

• August 23rd/24th

• September 6th/7th, 20th/21st, 27th/28th

2017 IS A BUSY YEAR

Thank you for all your support. Our 3 and 4 day tours of MacKenzie lands (and really that's through all of Scotland) have proved exceptionally popular and are fully booked except for a tour departing from Edinburgh on the 3rd of May 2017 and returning on the 5th of May visiting such places as Bannockburn, Stirling Castle, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Eilean Donan Castle, Loch Ness, Beauly Priory, Castle Leod, Culloden Moor, the Highland Folk Museum and Killiecrankie. Staying in the Fort William area on one night and the Inverness area on the other. As we travel we pass through some of Scotlands' most rugged and beautiful scenery. We might see Eagles, Deer, Highland cows and we will definitely see sheep!

Come and join us. Tha sibh failte an-seo. You are welcome here.

WHISKY TOURS

Join us on a Whisky Tour.

One day to Seven day tours available. Travel through the 5 Whisky areas of Scotland, The Lowlands, Cambeltown, The Highlands, Speyside and Islay, passing through the beautiful scenery of Scotland, seeing the distilleries, meeting the people involved in its production and most of all tasting and enjoying the different drams that each produce.

Bookings now being taken for Winter 2016 and for 2017. Get in touch with us at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com to discuss your requirements and let us build a tour to introduce you to the world of whisky.

A bheil sibh 'g iarraidh uisge-beatha?  Thig a chèilidh uaireigin! Slàinte.

Do you want whisky? Come to visit some time! Cheers.

WHERE IS OUTLANDER FILMED? NEW 2 DAY TOUR AVAILABLE

There are more and more fabulous filming locations in Scotland used as the backdrop for the Outlander series.

It is difficult to sometimes visit all the locations in one day and this is made even more difficult with the newer locations to visit as well. Here at Clan MacKenzie Routes we can now offer a 2 day filming locations tour, incorporating the favourites from Series 1 with additional sites from Season 2. Join us on this journey and visit these wonderful Scottish places and learn about the fact and fiction of the Outlander series. See the Scottish Versailles. See Lallybroch. Visit and walk around Cranesmuir. You will not be disappointed.

This tour is currently on offer for the special price of £160 per person

DAY 1: Leave Edinburgh at 9 am

Visit Drumlanrig Castle (1 hour)

Visit Hopetoun House

Visit Midhope Castle

Visit Linlithgow Palace

Visit Blackness Castle

Return to Edinburgh at approx. 6pm

DAY 2: Leave Edinburgh at 9am

Visit Dysart Harbour

Visit standing stones (not Craigh na Dun)

Visit Falkland

Visit Drummond Castle Gardens

Visit Doune castle

Visit Culross

Return to Edinburgh at approx. 6pm

To book or for further information contact me at  enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com

DATES AVAILABLE FOR THIS SPECIAL 2 DAY TOUR

Wednesday 10th/Thursday 11th August 2016 (6 spaces available)

Wednesday 14th/Thursday 15th September 2016 (4 spaces available)

Wednesday 28th/Thursday 29th September 2016 (6 spaces available)

This tour can also be provided on other dates and also on non consecutive days. Please contact me with your preferred dates.

Tha sibh fàilte an-seo! You are welcome here!

WHERE IN SCOTLAND IS OUTLANDER FILMED?

Have you ever wondered where the Outlander drama series was filmed?

Well here at Clan MacKenzie Routes we have been busy visiting them over the past few days.

 The setting for Cranesmuir, the village near Castle Leoch, and the actual setting for Castle Leoch, the Clan MacKenzie stronghold. We have been to the French Port of Le Havre, Lallybroch, Jamie Frasers family home and our guests have seen the Duke of Sandringham's residence. We have taken them to the dark setting of Fort William, stronghold of Black Jack Randall and the location used as Wentworth prison. The gardens at Versaille are beautiful as are the location used for filming. Do you want to visit the Hopital des Anges? Do you want to see the location of the Outlander filming studios? (We can't get in, I'm afraid!!).

Then join us on one of our Outlander Inspired Tours. Single Day, Multi Day and Private Tours available.

Tha sibh fàilte an-seo! You are welcome here!

GERMANY HERE WE COME

Clan MacKenzie Routes are off to Schleswig in Northern Germany this weekend to meet up with our German cousins at The Baltic Highland Gathering.

Look out for all the News and action on our Facebook page.

Where is Outlander filmed?

Have you ever wondered where Outlander was filmed in Scotland? Did you think that it was filmed in the Highlands?

Well the first series of Outlander was mainly filmed in and around the River Forth. The filming locations are readily accessible from Edinburgh and our base, Dunfermline, the ancient capital of Scotland.

They include Culross, the setting for the fictional village of Cranesmuir and home to Geillis Duncan, Falkland, doubling as Inverness, Doune Castle (pictured) the location of Castle Leoch, home and stronghold of Clan Mackenzie and Midhope Castle, featuring on screen as Lallybroch _ Jamie Fraser's childhood home.

Clan MacKenzie Routes offers tours to visit all these sites. We provide a 1 day shared tour, 1 day private tours and a selection of all inclusive 2,3 or 4 night stay.

www.clanmackenzieroutes.com and click on the Outlander Inspired link for information, available dates and prices

OUTLANDER IS BACK

Outlander is back……….  Has it captured your imagination yet?

With a mixture of fact and fiction, time travel and romance we get a glimpse of what life was like living in the Scottish Clan System; what we ate, drank and even how we sounded in Gaelic.  Most of all we all seem to agree that the scenery is as spectacular as we would expect of the Highlands.

But……  Did you know much of the filming actually takes place in the Kingdom of Fife?  Scottish history is fascinating.  Legends have it that the first chieftain of the Clan MacKenzie, Colin Fitzgerald saved King Alexander III from being killed by a stag and was rewarded with the lands of Kintail but sadly the same King Alexander III went on to meet his death at the bottom of the cliffs in Kinghorn in Fife.  In fact, Dunfermline was once the capital of Scotland and is still regarded as one of the best surviving medieval landscapes in Scotland.  King Robert the Bruce is only one of a number of our Royals buried in the Abbey.

The local Outlander effect has seen a surge of pride in our Kingdom.  Local tourism partners are uniting to find ways of offering the best all round experience of Scottish culture and many of us are looking forward to showcasing our services this month at an Outlander Inspired Market at Balgonie Castle on the weekend of 23 and 24 April.  We want you to get the chance to enjoy our landscape and our hospitality, indulge in our food and drink and maybe even try out a few Gaelic phrases.  We can also help you choose a few local products to take away as a lasting memory of your trip but most of all we want you to give you a personal experience with memories of that will never fade.   Fife is really easy to get to from Edinburgh.  As you travel by train or car you will first encounter the magnificent Forth Road Bridge now officially a world heritage site.  The Outlander film locations include Culross, Aberdour Castle, Balgonie Castle, Dysart Harbour and Falkland or Inverness (Inbhir Nis in Gaelic) as it’s known in the series.  You can stay in a range of accommodation and as well as visiting filming locations we can take you to the north of Fife.  St Andrews is not only the home of golf and the first Scottish University, it is more recently the setting for the romance of the Earl and Countess of Strathearn or William and Kate as we referred to them then, but it is where you can visit Eden Mill, the first combined craft brewery and distillery in Scotland where they make beer, whisky and gin.

So let us help you enjoy the personalised trip of a lifetime.  Book an Outlander Inspired Tour with us.  We want to welcome you to our homeland, transport you around and offer you dining and wining opportunities. 

Thank you Outlander for inspiring us too. Tha sibh fàilte an-seo. You are welcome here!

Fàilte gu Alba.

Book now

Outlander Inspired Experience

TRAVEL SCOTLAND, TAKE AN OUTLANDER INSPIRED JOURNEY: FOR UP TO SIX PEOPLE

2, 3 or 4 night exclusive experiences, each of which are designed to provide excellent value including accommodation, tours and most importantly, your peace of mind and include:

2 NIGHT STAY

• Pick up and drop off at arrival/departure point in the Edinburgh/Fife area*

• 2 nights Bed and Full Scottish Breakfast at Northcraig Cottage or other chosen accommodation

• Full day tour of Fife/West Lothian/Outlander filming locations, including Doune Castle and other historical sites

• Traditional 18th Century Scottish meal with Courses for Cooks at “The Gables” on one evening

• Visit to Outlander inspired and Celtic jeweller and an evening in Edinburgh (optional meal can be booked)**

All transport and tours are provided by Clan MacKenzie Routes

3 NIGHT STAY: AS ABOVE WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS

• 3 nights Bed and Full Scottish Breakfast

• 2 relaxed full days touring the locations, giving time to stop, explore and investigate

• One evening in Dunfermline, the burial place of Robert the Bruce and other Kings and Queens of Medieval Scotland and the Birthplace of Andrew Carnegie. (optional meal can be booked)**

4 NIGHT STAY: AS 3 NIGHT WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS

• 4  nights Bed and Full Scottish Breakfast

• 3 relaxed full days touring locations or selecting our optional extra: a Scottish Cookery Course @ £75 per person***

• One evening in North Queensferry. (optional meal can be booked)**

*pick-ups/drop offs at other locations may incur a slight surcharge

**meals on evenings out can be booked on request. There is no charge for this service. There are many eating places available in each venue catering to all dietary requirements.

***The optional Scottish Cookery Course would take place on one of the days of your stay.  

COSTS:

2 NIGHT STAY: from £270 per person

3 NIGHT STAY: from £395 per person                                                                              

4 NIGHT STAY: from £495 per person

PLEASE NOTE:

The Outlander inspired 6 course evening meal IS included in the quoted fee. Please inform us of ANY dietary requirements/allergies at the time of booking.

1. NO meals are provided on the day tours (water is available) but we will stop for refreshments.

2. NO entry fees are included in the quoted cost.

AVAILABLE DATES FOR 2,3 or 4 night stays in 2016

 APRIL:           Monday 18th- Friday 22nd inclusive

MAY:             Tuesday 17th- Friday 20th inclusive

JUNE:             Tuesday 14th- Friday 17th inclusive

JULY:              Monday 25th- Friday 29th inclusive

AUGUST:       Monday 8th – Friday 12th inclusive

SEPTEMBER: Monday 5th – Friday 9th inclusive

OCTOBER:     Monday 3rd – Friday 7th inclusive

Bookings or enquiries can be made at:

enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com 

"Will ye no come wi' us?"

It is now that time of year to plan or take your visit to Scotland, when the days are getting slightly longer and the buds (and hopefully the sun) are appearing. Here at Clan MacKenzie Routes we can provide you with pre set 1 to 4 day tours, travelling around our spectacular country OR let us help plan and take you on your own personal journey. Visit the Outlander filming locations. See Castles full of history. Majestic Mountains and gorgeous Glens. The variety of wildlife. The people. The food. The whisky.

Join us on a journey through lands of history and beauty.

An tig sibh comhla ruinn? Will you come with us?

HAPPY NEW YEAR...BLIADHNA MHATH UR

Wishing you all a great and prosperous 2016.

It's now time to think about your summer and Scotland awaits.

Are you or your friends looking for a day out? How about a retail therapy visit to the fabulous House of Bruar, near Blair Atholl, combined with a visit to a local Distillery? Or why don't you relax and let us drive and visit a selection of Distilleries and sample their produce? Is Outlander of interest? Join us as we visit various filming locations. Or it may be that you just want to relax and travel around Scotland, taking in the historical sites and the wonderful scenery.

We provide custom tours or can create a tour or visit to suit your personal requirements AND if you book before the 31st of January 10% discounts are available. Further discounts are also available if you sign up for our newsletter.

For further information, prices and bookings, please contact us at enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com

Please feel free to share with your friends and family.

Tha sibh failte an-seo, you are welcome here.

AN EVENING AT STIRLING CASTLE WITH NEIL OLIVER AND DIANA GABALDON

We still have places left at this sold out event at 7.30pm on Monday 23rd November 2015. For only £45 per person come as our guests to hear Neil Oliver and Diana Gabaldon talk about how Scotland inspired them in the writing of both Neil's novels and Diana's OUTLANDER series. The price includes transport to and from the Dunfermline/Edinburgh area and entry to the lecture.

Full details are available by contacting us on 01383 431 765

or by email enquiries@clanmackenzieroutes.com

Full details about Clan MacKenzie Routes itineraries and experiences can be found at www.clanmackenzieroutes.com