7 Night Scotlands Highlands and Islands Cruise from Kyle of Lochalsh

Enjoy a scenic Highlands drive from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh to embark your ship.

Sail onward from Kyle of Lochalsh for Armadale, where you'll visit the Museum of the Isles and trace the legacy of the 1,300-year-old Clan MacDonald-the Lords of the Isles who once ruled the west coast of Scotland. Survey the ruins of Armadale Castle, the MacDonald's ancestral home, and ramble through its beautiful woodlands and gardens. Later, depart for Inverie.

In Inverie, you'll embrace nature through a photographic lens heading out on a coastal or inland bog walk. As you travel along the coast, you'll enjoy the scenic views and stunning geology of the Isle of Eigg. Among the possible sightings at sea: Atlantic seals, minke and humpback whales, dolphins, harbor porpoises, and Manx shearwaters. Later, explore Tobermory and its surroundings.

After departing Tobermory, disembark for a drive across the Isle of Mull and ferry-crossing to Iona, a picturesque island long revered as a Christian pilgrimage site. Stroll through St. Oran's Chapel and the royal cemetery where Scottish kings-including the actual Macbeth-are buried. Back on Mull, tour Duart Castle, home and stronghold of Clan Maclean for the past eight centuries with the dungeons to prove it.

In Oban, scope out the panoramic Oban Bay views from McCaig's Folly, a hilltop monument with inner gardens whose circular design and arches mimic the Colosseum. Later, sail through Loch Linnhe.

At Corpach, opt for a drive to spectacularly scenic Glenfinnan, where the Jacobite rising began in 1745. Spend some time on the shores of Loch Shiel, where you'll see the Glenfinnan Monument, erected to commemorate the historic 18th-century event, and the famous 21-arch viaduct constructed in 1898. Alternatively, kayak along peaceful Loch Linnhe with Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, as your backdrop. After ascending Neptune's Staircase-eight interconnected locks that drop 64 feet to the sea, cruise onward across picturesque lochs Lochy and Oich. Continue along the Caledonian Canal, gliding along a tree-lined canal known as Laggan Avenue.

After leaving Fort Augustus, traverse Loch Ness, steeped in monstrous legend. Later, visit Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite forces met defeat in an infamous 1746 battle that had decisive consequences for life in the Highlands. Also, see the Bronze Age standing stones and tombs of Clava Cairns.

Disembark Lord of the Glens in Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands.