2025 Standing Stones and Archaeoastronomy of Scotland
Scotland | September, 11-21, 2025
We are proud to announce our newest tour: The Standing Stones and Archeoastronomy of Scotland.
Standing Stones, by any account, evoke mystery and awe in the modern mind. As astronomers, we are drawn to standing stones for their calendric properties and alignments. From the intricacies of Callanash to the small community henges scattered across rural Scotland, they all have alignments and fascinating historical stories. Travel with and hear first hand anecdotes from an archeoastronomer who specializes in the standing stones of the United Kingdom. From Edinburgh to the farthest flung reaches of the Orkney Islands, we will traverse Scotland in search of the stones and explore interesting historic sites along the route. This tour has carefully selected luxury hotels and quaint boutique properties replete with all of the charm and history that Scotland has to offer.
Activity Level:
Moderate
Price:
$7,450, Double Occupancy
Duration:
10 nights / 11 days
Trip Highlights
- 4 nights in Edinburgh
- Visits to Edinburgh, Urquhart, and Stirling Castles
- 2 round trip ferry transfers to Stornoway and Stromness
- Skara Brae, the best preserved Neolithic settlement in Northern Europe
- A visit to standing stones of Stennes, Brodgar, Callanish, Brodgar and Lundin
- Luxury accommodations when available
- Full-time experienced guide(s) for the duration of the trip
- Complete guided explanations of all visited sites
- Lectures/talks during the trip
- Northern Lights viewing – conditions permitting, we will spend one or more evenings observing the Northern Lights
- Meals as listed in itinerary (All breakfasts, 2 dinners)
- Luxury coach
Pricing and Terms
Payment
- $7,500 per traveler (11 and older) – based on double occupancy
- Single supplement: $1700
- Lower age limit is 11 years old.
- To secure a reservation, initial deposit ($2,000) with a completed reservation form is required.
- Cancellations must be made in writing by email or mail to Sirius Travel.
- 2nd payment ($2,500) due March 5, 2025
- Final payment due June 5, 2025
Cancellations
- Cancellations made prior to September 12, 2024 are fully refundable.
- If cancellations are made:
- 09/12/2024 – 05/15/2025 (364-120 days prior to travel):
65% of your total tour cost is refunded. - 05/16 – 07/14/2025 (119-60 days prior to travel):
35% of your total tour cost is refunded. - 07/15 – 08/13/2025 (59-30 days prior to travel):
10% of your total tour cost is refunded
- 09/12/2024 – 05/15/2025 (364-120 days prior to travel):
- There are no refunds after August 14, 2025
Detailed Itinerary
Friday, September 12, 2025
Edinburgh (D)
DAY 1
Welcome to Edinburgh! Your tour begins at our hotel in the heart of the Edinburgh, Scotland. Get acquainted with your guide and fellow travelers at our welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Edinburgh, Intercontinental George (or similar)
Meals: Dinner
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Edinburgh (B)
DAY 2
Start your day with breakfast at the hotel. Meet with your tour guide and journey through the streets of Edinburgh. Walk over the famous Royal Mile, view the Witches Well and visit Edinburgh Castle. There will be a break for everyone to explore independently, have lunch in a local pub, do some shopping or rest. Later that evening we will regroup for a tour of Underground Edinburgh. Descend into a section of Edinburgh’s legendary Underground City, where a population once lived in utter misery. Forgotten for centuries and only recently unsealed, this part of the vaults is known as Damnation Alley. With good reason.
Accommodation: Intercontinental the George (or similar), Edinburgh
Meals: Breakfast
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Edinburgh - Scottish Highlands (B)
DAY 3
After breakfast, we will venture to the Scottish Highlands.
Our first stop will be the famous Stirling Castle. At the castle you can meet the costumed characters in the roles of bodyguards, court officials, maids of honour and servants of 16th century life. Take some time to stretch your legs and find lunch in Fort William. Our tour will take us through Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and continue to Inverness where we will spend the evening.
Accommodation: The Royal Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Monday, September 15, 2025
Ullapool - Stornoway (B)
DAY 4
After breakfast the group will go on a Loch Ness cruise and visit Urquhart Castle. Everyone will have time to explore Inverness and have lunch before we travel to visit the Clava Cairns. About 4,000 years old, the Clava Cairns, were built to house the dead and remained a sacred place in the landscape for millennia. Two remains of what is believed to be a larger complex are open to the public. This is an opportunity to view a range of prehistoric burial monuments and the remains of a medieval chapel.
Accommodation: Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Stornoway | Callanish Stones and Dun Calloway Broch (B)
DAY 5
Accommodation: Cabarfeidh Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
(B)
DAY 6
After breakfast, the group will have a guided tour of Stornoway Island. During the tour we will visit the Callanish Stone Stone Circles, Dun Calloway Broch and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. It is thought that the Callanish Standing Stones were erected in the Neolithic era over 5000 years ago. Alexander Thomas and Gerald Hawkins suggested that the stones were a prehistoric lunar observatory. According to some folklore, the Callanish Stones were petrified giants that refused to convert to Christianity. After our visit we will return to Cabarfeidh Hotel.
Thursday, September 18, 2025
(B)
DAY 7
After breakfast the group will head to port and board the ferry to Stornoway. Once we arrive in Stornoway we will travel to Bragar where we will visit the Blackhouse Arnol. No. 42 Arnol is a unique and precious relic. Once the home of a Hebridean crofting family and their animals, the thatched house is preserved almost as the family left it when they moved out in 1965.
For hundreds of years it was the norm in rural Scotland for people and their animals to live under the same roof. A good number of Hebridean blackhouses were still used as homes in 1965, but none are left today. No. 42 Arnol is all that remains of a vanished way of life. After our visit to Blackhouse Arnol we will overnight in Stornoway.
Friday, September 19, 2025
(B)
DAY 8
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Saturday, September 20, 2025
(B)
DAY 9
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Sunday, September 21, 2025
(B)
DAY 10
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Monday, September 22, 2025
(B)
DAY 11
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Included
- Astronomer / Scientist guides
- Professional bilingual guide
- All ground transportation
- 4-star accommodations
- Airport transfers on 9/25 and 9/30 (other dates are not included)
- Meals (as described in itinerary)
- Lectures: Astronomy/science talks throughout the tour.
- Sky Lagoon entrance fee
- Blue Lagoon entrance fee
- Flyover Iceland admission
- LAVA Center museum entrance
- Hellisheiði power plant entrance
- Friðheimar greenhouse
- Horse demonstration entrance fee
- Park entrance fees
Not Included
- International flights
- Items of a personal nature
- Alchoholic beverages (unless specifically included)
- Tips for drivers and guides
- Meals not specified in the itinerary
- Activities or services not mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
Other Information
Trip cancellation, health, and accident insurance is recommended but not required. It can save you money if you are forced to cancel or alter your trip. We recommend TravelGuard trip insurance (www.travelguard.com) and we recommend that all travelers purchase their insurance within 7 days of their initial reservation to take advantage of any pre-existing condition clause.
Precautions should always be taken seriously and pre-trip education on what to eat or to avoid should be planned. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC website.
It is every traveler’s responsibility to consider all appropriate medical advice regarding whether or not they are fit to take this trip prior to booking their reservation. We recommend that all interested travelers check with their healthcare provider before signing on. COVID-19: Sirius Travel passengers will be required to comply with all Icelandic recommendations and requirements in place at the time of travel. The latest Icelandic regulations may be reviewed on their official website here: https://www.covid.is/english
Children 11 and older are welcome on this tour but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian if they are under 18. Please note that most countries have very strict entry/exit requirements for minors (under the age of 18 years old), especially minors traveling with only one parent. Please review the requirements before choosing to travel with a minor.
If you are traveling alone, you may save quite a bit of money by opting to share a room. We will match solo travelers of the same gender so that they can share a double occupancy room with two beds. We will do our best to match travelers but if we cannot find a match for you then you will be required to pay the single occupancy price.
Historical weather prospects in Iceland: Statistically, the chance of clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy skies is at least 40% throughout September. The weather is usually dry (average precipitation is 67mm) and the average temperature is 7.4°C (45.3°F) but it can go as high as 10-15°C (50-59°F). Wind is frequently the main issue and wind/rain gear is essential. If you don’t block the wind it will feel very cold.
We recommend bringing warm clothes and being prepared for everything, the weather is very unpredictable and it can rain, be sunny and windy, sometimes at the same time. Layers are the key as you want to be able to strip off clothes when it is warm and put them back on when it gets colder. Links here are the same as those on our “packing suggestions” page and are Amazon affiliate links.
- Hiking boots – You will be traveling around the country and walking outside. You need good waterproof hiking shoes that will keep you warm.
- Base layer – Warm layers under the clothes might be the best thing you bring to Iceland. We recommend wearing long wool or thermal underwear, you can buy it in outdoor clothing stores in Iceland.
- Fleece or wool – An Icelandic wool sweater or fleece is a must. Icelandic wool sweaters can be bought all over the country in local stores.
- Parka or water and windproof jacket – Usually you don’t need a parka in September but, if you have space in your suitcase, why not bring it? Swim Parkas are fantastic so if there is a swimmer in the house.. you may need to borrow that. At minimum a water and windproof jacket over the wool/fleece sweater is essential.
- Water and windproof pants – It is windy in Iceland and it rains so bring the pants.
- Hats, gloves and warm socks – Bring at least two sets of everything, a lighter pair and a thick one as well. Consider the wind which can get through a single knit layer easily. Again, if you need to upgrade while in Iceland, there are stores that carry these items everywhere.
- Swimsuit – You are going to want to relax in the warm swimming pools or hot springs after a long day outside. It is possible to rent a swimsuit at the spas if you forget yours.