HIGHLIGHTS OF SCOTLAND 5 DAYS

Mantra Tour Code - HS5

 

Mantra Advance Booking Offer

 

Book Before 6 Weeks

£20 OFF per adult & child

Mantra Highlights

 

• Gretna Green

• Glasgow City Tour covering Glasgow Cathedral, Main Square & University of Glasgow

• Nevis Range with entrance

• Visit Neptune staircase

• Photo stop at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct & Glenfinnan Monument

• Isle of Skye Tour

• Scottish Distillery

• Free time at Loch Morlich

• Free time at Pitlochry for shopping

• Photo Stop at The Kelpies

• Edinburgh City Tour covering the Royal Mile and entrance to Edinburgh Castle

• Lake Windermere Cruise

• Lakeside & Haverthwaite Steam Train

 

Mantra Inclusions

 

• Round-trip transportation in an executive air-conditioned coach from your chosen pick-up point

• 4 nights stay in 3/4 - star hotel with hotel buffet breakfast

• 4 Indian dinners included

• Entry fees and sightseeing as detailed in the Highlights

• Gratuities covered

• Premium services of a dedicated Mantra Tour Manager

 

The Mantra Twist

 

• Isle of Skye tour

• Visit to Ben Nevis Mountain included

• View the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct & Glenfinnan Monument

• Gratuities included

 

Mantra Important Notes

 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the routing of this tour may be amended. However, all aspects of the itinerary will be covered. Cable car to Nevis range is weather permitted. Group rate will be refunded per person if it’s not operational. Distillery visit can be done on any of the days during the tour.

 

Mantra Pick up & Drop off details

 

Departure Points	Time
ILLFORD - Opposite Ilford Hospital Chapel, Bus Stop F, IG1 2DG	05:00 HOURS
HOUNSLOW – Outside Hounslow West Station, Bath Road, TW3 3DH	06:00 HOURS
HARROW – Outside McDonalds, 363 station road, Harrow, HA1 2AW	06:30 HOURS
KENTON – Mantra Holidays, 296 Kenton Road, Harrow, HA3 8DD	06:45 HOURS
TODDINGTON SERVICES - Toddington Services M1, Between Junction 11 & 12, Bedfordshire, LU5 6HR	07:30 HOURS
NEWPORT PAGNELL - Newport Pagnell Services - M1, Between Junction 14 & 15, Milton Keynes, MK16 8DS	07:40 HOURS
WATFORD GAP SERVICES - Watford Gap Services - M1, Between Junction 16-17, NN6 7UZ	07:55 HOURS
CORLEY SERVICES - Corley Services M6, Between Junction 3 & 4, CV7 8NR	08:40 HOURS
STAFFORD SERVICES -Stafford Services M6, Between Junction 14 - 15, Staffordshire, ST15 OEU	10:20 HOURS
KNUTSFORD SERVICES - Knutsford Services M6, Between Junction 18 & 19, WA16 0TL	11:30 HOURS
For A Different Pick Up & Drop Call Us On 0044 (0)203 773 6333

Note: All services pickups will be from Northbound Services and all drops will be at Southbound Services.

 

 

DISTANCE CHART

 

DAYS	ITINERARY	DISTANCE
1	LONDON – GRETNA GREEN - GLASGOW	390 MILES
2	GLASGOW - LOCH LOMOND - FORT WILLIAM	250 MILES
3	ISLE OF SKYE	240 MILES
4	LOCH MORLICH – SCOTTISH DISTILLERY - PITLOCHRY – THE KELPIES – EDINBURGH CASTLE	210 MILES
5	LAKE DISTRICT - LONDON	445 MILES

 

PICK UP POINTS

 

Pick up points cannot be changed 7 days or less prior to departure date. However, in case of an emergency if you need to change the pick-up point within a week of travel, please advise our office immediately in writing and we will endeavour to assist. Please note that there will be an administration fee of £10 per person if pick up point changed within 7 days. Timings shown in our brochure and website are for indication purposes only. All other pick-up points are subject to minimum numbers, and some may incur a supplement charge as specified on our pickup section. It is imperative that you are at the pick-up point at least 15 minutes before the coach departure time as the coach or pick up vehicle will not wait for passengers coming late. For those who are arriving at the pick-up via taxi, we recommend that you book the taxi the night prior to departure day as trying to get one on the day may be difficult or impossible. If you miss the pickup at the appointed time, it will be your responsibility to get to the next destination on your itinerary at your own expense. No refund will be allowed in any circumstances if you do not continue with the tour. Please be on time, as Mantra Holidays cannot be held responsible or liable for any loss or expenses suffered if you miss the coach.

Note: For logistic reasons Manta Holidays reserves the right to change the timings of any pick up one day prior to departure and the right to change coaches during the trip.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

 

Because of the importance of having adequate insurance cover, we suggest all our clients to be covered by an insurance policy before travelling on your booked holiday. If you elect not to take out insurance, you agree to indemnify Mantra Holidays Ltd. for any costs that arise which would otherwise have been met if you had your own travel insurance.

 

WHEELCHAIRS

 

Mantra Holidays does not provide a specialist tour for less abled, however every attempt will be made to accommodate you to our best ability. It is possible to bring along a folding type of wheelchair which may be kept in the baggage hold of the coach. The driver will load and unload the wheelchair from the coach for the passenger however, they will need to be physically fit enough to be able to embark and disembark the coach on their own. It is also essential that a capable person is accompanying such a passenger on the tour to push their wheelchair. Mantra Holidays will also request hotels for suitably equipped rooms; however, this is only on a request basis and cannot be guaranteed. All wheelchairs need to be collapsible and electric wheelchairs cannot be stored on any of our coaches.

 

ESSENTIALS TO CARRY WITH YOU

 

Long journeys are unavoidable, and we recommend you wear comfortable clothing and carry essentials such as a jacket or jumper, dry snacks, water, tissues, chargers, power bank etc., in your handbag as access to the luggage hold may not be possible until a comfort stop or arrival at your destination. Hot foods are not allowed to be carried or consumed inside the coach.

 

COACHES

 

All coaches are fitted with armrests, TV, DVD & CD player, and WC facilities. WC facilities on coaches have limited capacities and therefore we advise passengers to use them only on an ‘emergency’ basis as once it is full it will be locked. We will try to make sufficient comfort stops. On rare occasions, your coach may not have a W.C., TV, DVD player facility on board. All coaches are either air-conditioned or air-cooled. We have a strict "no smoking" policy on all our coaches. Consumption of alcohol is prohibited on all our coaches. During transfers, we may use an alternative vehicle (smaller coaches/car) which may not have the above facilities. For your own safety seat belts must be always worn when you are inside the vehicle.

 

BAGGAGE ON COACH

 

Each Passengers occupying a seat is allowed to carry one piece of luggage whose maximum weight should not be more than 20kg and not exceeding dimensions of 90 x 75 x 43cm / 35 x 29 x 16 inches and one piece of hand luggage whose weight should not be more than 8kg and not exceeding dimensions of 20 x 20 x 48 cm / 8 x 8 x 19 inches which can fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. The main luggage will be placed inside the coach locker and the passenger will only get access to the same when we reach at your destination. The driver will load & unload one piece of luggage per person from the coach. It is advisable to put your name and address on each piece of luggage as many passengers have similar bags and this avoids confusion. If for any reasons your baggage or personal valuable is lost or stolen, you must report it to the tour manager, or in the absence of a tour manager to the local police. Mantra Holidays cannot accept any responsibility for your personal belongings. All baggage is placed at the owner's risk, and Mantra Holidays or its suppliers accept no liability for loss or damage to bags caused anyhow.

 

CHILDREN & YOUNG INFANTS

 

Children and young infants are welcome to travel on our tours. Children under the age of 23 months will be charged an infant fare on all tours. Car/booster seats are not provided on coaches by Mantra Holidays, and it is strongly recommend carrying your own which can fit within the coach seats. Coaches will not provide any cold or hot water to heat up or cool milk bottles. It is passengers’ responsibility to make sure of necessary arrangements for any children in their group. Pushchairs will be kept in the luggage compartment of the coach. Children’s or infants will not be seated at the front of the coach.

 

TOUR MANAGER

 

Professional tour manager/Driver or local guides will accompany throughout your itinerary on all our escorted tours. On rare occasions, your tour manager may not meet you at your dedicated pick-up point but at a later stage; the driver will be there to take care of your needs. On rare occasions, a tour manager will not be available to accompany you; this would be due to unavoidable operational issues, or we will be utilising local guides for their wealth of experience. On rare occasion on some of our tours, there will be no accompanying tour manager and our expert driver or local tour guide will conduct the tour.

 

WEATHER, CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

 

It is recommended to always carry an umbrella and a jacket. We recommend that you visit www.weather.com to ensure you have an idea of the weather at the time of the year you want to travel and can be well prepared by ensuring that you are carrying appropriate clothing, footwear, and accessories. Passengers should also be aware that some sightseeing would be done after dusk. During summer months, it is advisable to wear light garments during the day but keep a light jacket or sweater in your hand luggage for the evening, as it can be quite chilly. Also, few other items which are highly recommended are a family sized umbrella, rain wear, pair of sunglasses, pair of trainers or comfortable walking shoes especially for certain excursions that involve a considerable amount of walking. Smart clothes will be required if you wish to go to a casino or Nightclub. We also recommend passengers to carry a small travel iron, hairdryer, kettle etc. as not all hotels may provide the same in the rooms. You may also be required to be ‘covered’ up when visiting certain places, if you are unsure what to take then please do discuss with us and we will be happy to assist.

 

HOTELS

 

The hotels on our tours are selected carefully to ensure that a minimum 3* category is provided and can be located either close to the city you are visiting or on the outskirts. Facilities vary from hotel to hotel and include en-suite bath or shower and generally a TV and telephone. Some of the rooms may have mini bars and 24-hour room service. You will be charged if you use any payable facilities at the hotel to your room and payable on departure. Most hotels may require a credit card to cover your extras or cash deposits. Not all hotels will have air-conditioning or lift as standard. If you have difficulty with stairs, please advise us so we can try to request a room on a lower floor. Rooms are also allocated by the hotel so some guests may get larger or different type of rooms to other guests. We do not have control over this.

Note: Mantra Holidays reserves the right to substitute hotels whilst passengers are on tour to a similar standard due to unforeseen circumstances. Please note that hotel’s normal check-in times are from late afternoon, e.g. 3pm and checkout around 11am, but it does vary from hotel to hotel.

 

ROOM CONFIGURATION

 

Most hotels can only accommodate a maximum of three persons in each room. If you are a family of four, i.e., two adults and two children, (and prefer all to be in one room), then your first child will be given an extra bed, but the second child will be required to share the double bed as no extra bed can be provided. The extra bed provided will be either a sofa bed or rollaway bed. These extra beds may not be full sized as double beds and are usually suitable for one individual only. The cost of the package is based on a minimum of two adults sharing one room. If your group consists of one adult and one child, the child must pay a full adult fare to make up the cost for the room required. Baby cots are not guaranteed. When you opt for two rooms, each room must have an adult accompanying a child as per regulations of the hotel. A child will always have to be accompanied by an adult in a room. We will try our best to get these 2 rooms next to each other but can’t guarantee the same. Where a quad room is not available for your group, a reduction will be given as stated in the itinerary. Note that quad rooms have limited space and additional beds may not be suitable for tall adults. Any damages within the room or Hotel you are staying in, will be payable at the time of departure by passenger.

 

MEALS

 

Breakfast is normally continental buffet, which will be served in the hotel that you will be staying. All other pre-booked meals will be at an outside restaurant and is not changeable. Passengers may have an option to choose from vegetarian or non-vegetarian (wherever possible Jain/Halal) meals. The meals will only include the food; all extras i.e., alcohol, beverages or any extra items requested by you will need to be settled by you directly with the restaurant. Any meals not taken will not be reimbursed under any circumstances. On some days, you may be provided with packed dinner to suit the itinerary of a particular tour. We endeavour to book Indian meals for dinner wherever possible, however due to local constraints if we are unable to do so, we will offer local vegetarian options. If you have any specific dietary needs or allergies, you must inform us at the time of booking, so we can inform the caterer. However, special arrangements for food cannot be guaranteed for allergies or requests such as Halal or Jain meals. Passengers with severe food allergies are advised to make appropriate arrangements prior to commencing their tour. Mantra Holidays reserves the right to change meal arrangement in circumstances that are beyond our control.

If for any reason we are unable to provide the meal, we will refund the passenger with 10 GBP per person per dinner.

 

SEATING, DIETARY OR ROOM ALLOCATION AND OTHER REQUESTS

 

Mantra Holidays at times works with intermediary agents (Hotels, Transport Companies, Other Suppliers etc.) to arrange your holiday. If passengers have special requirements such as a rooming request, or a special meal request etc., then they should advice Mantra Holidays at the time of booking. Any special requests cannot be guaranteed by Mantra Holidays. Seating requests are not taken under any circumstance. Seating is allocated by booking reference number however, there are some exceptions to this, i.e., group sizes, coach size, promotional seating, H&S Laws, pickups, company discretion etc. We do not, promise or guarantee any specific seat on the coach, and we have the sole right to assign your seats. Any indication is for reference only and is subject to change regardless of whether given in writing or any other means. Seat numbers will be informed to all passengers on the day of departure. Groups with children will not be seated in the front of the coach even if they have booked very early. Some seats in the coach may not recline. Passengers who do not want to book under the same booking reference number but wish to travel together, they must inform Mantra Holidays at the time of booking so they can be seated next to each other. Any medical, and or personal grounds are not considered when allocating seats, unless explicitly stated by law or governing bodies.

 

LOST PROPERTY & THEFT

 

It is passenger’s responsibility to ensure that your property and valuables are always safe. If an item has been left in the coach, you will need to call the respective supplier and arrange with them directly for the return of your item. Mantra Holidays will not carry anyone's property across international borders whether it is authorized in writing or by any other means. In case of theft, you will need to advise your Tour Manager immediately and report the theft to the nearest police personnel who will provide you with a police report or crime reference number. You are advised not to carry unnecessary valuables and to be always vigilant, as tourist spots are well known targets for pickpockets. Mantra Holidays recommends all passengers to have valid travel insurance, including EU citizens.

 

LONG DISTANCE JOURNEYS

 

Some journeys can be long, and they are unavoidable when travelling from one city to another. Hence, Mantra Holidays recommend on such long journey days to wear comfortable clothes. As most part of these days will be spent inside the coach, we advise passengers to carry all necessities that they may need for the day such as water, dry snacks, tissues, medication, chagers, powerbanks etc. with them in their hand luggage.

 

EXCURSIONS

 

Due to many visitors, there may be waiting times and queuing times involved, which can be anything up to 4 hours. These times may be modified without notice by the management due to exceptional events, unfavourable weather conditions, large numbers of visitors, or a Force Majeure event. Access to the excursions/monuments depends on the type of ticket purchased, and all exits are final no re-entries are permitted. Tickets issued are for immediate entry. In the case of loss or theft, the tickets cannot be reimbursed. Certain excursions may restrict access due to saturation.

 

ITINERARY & TIME KEEPING

 

The tour manager reserves the right to modify the itinerary during the tour. These changes may occur due to unexpected delays, major local events that can often arise or a Force Majeure event. Time keeping is the most important aspect of a group tour and all passengers must adhere to the timings given by their tour manager. All our holiday packages are subject to governance by DVSA for driving hours hence it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure all departure times are respected. Mantra Holidays will not take responsibility for passengers left behind due to not adhering to itineraries and times stated by the tour manager for whatsoever reason, and any subsequent impact this may cause financially or non-financially. It is a passenger's responsibility to ensure that they are clear in understanding of the departure time from any given point. If in any doubt, please make sure that you recheck the departure timings again with your tour manager and follow the same.

We request you to go through the general information and Terms & Conditions before booking and travelling.