Explore Orkney Tours
Explore Orkney Tours
5

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles93 reviews
Excellent
84
Very good
4
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
3

Sue S
16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019 • Couples
We had a wonderful tour with Susan in a very comfortable car. She was a charming and a very knowledgeable guide with lots of anecdotes and a thorough grasp of the history of all the places we visited. We would highly recommend Explore Orkney Tours to anyone who wants a really good personal tour of the lovely Orkney.
Written 28 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caal2019
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
I love ancient history and this tour was everything I looked forward to. As we were the only 2 on this tour, Susan was able to rearrange the tour to include The Ness of Brodgar, and she got us there just as the tour of the site began. We were also able to visit a burial chamber on a private farm not accessable to large groups that was fascinating. Susan was very friendly and welcoming and her local knowledge of Orkney and interesting information made the day really special and a day I will always remember.
Written 20 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

geoff311
Sydney, Australia37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Couples
An excellent tour exploring six remarkable archaeological sites. The itinerary was well-planned with plenty of time to experience each site. These sites are all significant, but for me the most interesting was Maeshowe, the 5000 year old chambered tomb with the Viking rune inscriptions. Susan clearly enjoyed talking about the island and its people and made sure that we had a very enjoyable day despite the indifferent weather. Recommended unreservedly.
Written 28 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MAC65
Massachusetts229 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Friends
We were on a Viking Cruise in May and we try to stay away from the large group shore excursions and it was a very wise decision on our part as we had a great day with Susan of Explore Orkney. It was a small group of 8 people. Susan is from Orkney, she knows the Orkneys and their history and most especially the people. She told us the fascinating story of the Italian Chapel and the long lasting bond it has created between Orkney and Italy. We covered a lot of territory Scara Brae, the Standing Stones, Ring of Brogdar, Italian Chapel, an Earth House and also squeezed in a lovely lunch... . If you want to see the beautiful and very interesting Orkneys (and learn lots), Explore Orkney is the way to go.
Written 28 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robin P
Brisbane, Australia152 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018
We (2) had organised to take the first flight onto Orkney and the last flight out and to be taken to see key sights on the island for the day by Explore Orkney. I had phoned Susan some months before to organise this and discussed flights etc. Susan advised us which airline to fly and where to fly from (Aberdeen was the best option for us as the flight was less likely to be affected by bad weather). We were collected at the airport in a very comfortable BMW sedan by Susan's son, Kevin (? having a senior's moment, hope that's correct), and driven around to Skara Brae, the Italian Chapel and Ring of Brodgar. We had a sandwich and coffee at Skara Brae for lunch and were dropped back to make the last flight out. One of us is a photographer and Kevin very patiently withstood a lot more requests to stop than I suspect are usual. We had a bit of free time before our flight and were taken for a run up to the highest point on the island, which provided a fabulous view. Kevin clearly loves the island and is incredibly knowledgeable about its history, geography and peoples. The weather was fabulous and we got a clear view of the island from the air and while on the island. While the sun was shining, the wind was biting so take your warm clothes or a jacket to cut the wind. I would recommend Explore Orkney.
Written 28 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dell4real
Melbourne, Australia29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018 • Couples
Since returning from our 2-month overseas trip (from Australia), we keep telling our friends and relatives about the amazing, busy day we spent with Susan, who showed just the two of us the main archeological sites as part of the Explore Orkney Megaliths and Mystery tour. So much to see relating to Neolithic people, dating more than 5000 years ago - before Stonehenge. And evidence of later Viking arrivals.
And the added unexpected bonus of hearing an address by one of the archeologists as the team worked on a major new site.
Thank you, Susan
Written 15 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bon S
Fort Wayne, IN56 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Couples
Four of us booked this tour as a one-day excursion on our British Isles Princess cruise We were met by Trevor at 8:30 am and rode with two other couples in a comfortable van on our tour of Orkney. Trevor has lived on Orkney his whole life and seemed to know every person and every nook and cranny on the island. His positive attitude and love for Orkney made the whole day very memorable. We visited the Stones of Stennes, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, and the Italian Chapel. We had a great soup and sandwich lunch at a loch-side hotel and enjoed the day immensely. One of the best tours on the trip!
Written 9 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fcf57
Vernal, UT5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Couples
We had 9 people in our group. We found Kevin via phone call when we got off the ship. We wish we would have found him before our cruise. He took us all for a tour of the sites we wanted to see, and then a few other places. He was wonderful. We enjoyed his fun personality and knowledge. We would call Explore Orkney Tours without hesitation the next time we are in Orkney. Very enjoyable experience!! It would be good wise to wear good walking shoes, and a light jacket. Bring a camera, umbrella, and water. You will want to spend as much time as possible there.
Written 27 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

6220778
Castle Rock, CO23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2017 • Couples
The tour got off to a rough start...there was one other couple and we both had emails from Susan saying that the guide would meet us at 8:30..,. we waited and waited. Trevor showed up and realized we were not happy. He was very apologetic and it was obvious that Susan had given him the wrong information. She tried to cover it up instead of acknowledging her mistake. Anyway, everyone got over it and we were certainly not going to blame Trevor or let it ruin our day. He did a wonderful job and the tour was wonderful. This is a beautiful island and well woth the time to visit
Written 24 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My sincere apologies for the mix up for the start times for this tour date. On investigation an initial email was sent stating an 0830hrs start which was changed by request from one of the guests to 9am. Trevor arrived at 0845hrs as he always tries to be early. I take full responsibility for this mix up, however at no time did I try to cover this up as I was not made aware of this error until after the tour ended. Trevor is very professional and I am delighted that the day went well after the 'rough start'. We always try to use our reviews both positive and negative to improve on the service we offer so we will ensure we double check in future so as not to cause any anxiety for our guests.
Written 30 June 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Faroffplaces1
Minneapolis, MN12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2017 • Couples
I would not recommend this tour group for cruise groups, given the frequent times cruise ships are unable to dock.

It sounded like a great tour, and we were disappointed to miss. I am sure if we had the opportunity we would have expressed the same satisfaction with Explore Orkney.

If I had a complaint it would just be that the Explore Orkney tour communicate better (not the refund policy). I did inquire twice about a 50% refund (that is what I thought I read when I was initially booking the tour - perhaps on a past TripAdvisor review, but I might have been in error) and never heard back. I would have accepted whatever they decided, but I figured it didn't hurt to ask. I would have appreciated a note from the company just indicating their policy. I would have understood either way. I also suggest they add to their webpage a section that outlines their refund policy better. I was unable to find anything. Communication for the booking initially was very good.
Written 10 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Explore Orkney likes to acknowledge all reviews both positive and negative to enhance and improve our tours. The issues appear to be our refund policy and the ability of ships docking in bad weather. We make it very clear to all our guests what our refund policy is and why before we take any payment.. We stand by our claim that it is very unusual for ships not to dock due to bad weather and on this occasion it was a mechanical issue with the ships 'bow thrusters' which made it difficult to dock in any kind of weather and this was reported in the local paper. It is disappointing when people feel the need to vent their frustrations at a single operator. The cruise industry in Orkney is increasing year on year and this would not be so if there were issues which were suggested in this review.
Written 19 June 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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