Travel Adventures

“A Yogic Taste of Scotland!”

Yoga, Hiking & Scottish Castles

November 7-15, 2023

with Lori McCormick, ERYT, Owner/director of Fusion Yoga Studio, Sacramento

We loveeeee to travel and know that many of you do also… but due to the pandemic, not having a travel buddy, or the cost being restrictive, a lot of us put travel plans on hold (booo!) — but life is short, and we’re not getting any younger…. so, let’s go far and wide while we still can (and make some wonderful memories!)

When planning our adventures, we always do our best to keep costs at a minimum while giving you the most “bang for your buck” by doing a lot of research and price comparisons.  We strive to provide our students/participants with a well-structured trip that they’ll reflect on fondly for years to come.  (Many of our participants have joined us on multiple trips!)  We also keep the group small and easily manageable.

What’s included…

• Hotel accommodations for 8 nights (Ten Hill Place Hotel, 4-star hotel in the heart of Edinburgh)
• Daily breakfast at the hotel
• Yoga classes with Lori
• 4 group dinners
• Group excursions

Group Excursions …

• Hop-On, Hop Off Bus in Edinburgh to get the initial lay of the land. (We have a two-day pass, so you can also hop-off at any time to explore further on your own, if you like… there’s LOTS to see and do!)
• Visit Edinburgh Castle, wander along the Royal Mile (shopping, food) and take a hike to Arthur’s Seat (just above the Royal Mile to get a beautiful view of the city). Later, at night, we’ll take a guided Ghost Tour of the city… spooky and so much fun!
• We’ll discover the “dramatic beauty, history and mystery of Scotland” as we take a day trip to spectacular Glencoe (known as much for a horrific massacre as its gorgeous scenery), a boat tour on mysterious Loch Ness (fabled home of the water monster, Nessie), and the Highlands and Cairngorms National Park.
• Tour the Palace of Holyrood (the King’s official residence in Scotland) near the end of the Royal Mile and check-out the Royal Yacht Brittania too!  If time allows, we’ll visit a couple of the old cemeteries, which are pretty awesome and like no others!
• Explore Loch Lomond (boat tour) and Stirling Castle as we delve into the world of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Rob Roy. Includes a drive through the Trossachs National Park to the Highland Village of Balloch that’s nestled in the banks of Loch Lomond, and see the giant Kelpies as well.
• Viator tour to Roslyn Chapel (featured in the DaVinci Code), beautiful Melrose Abbey (from the 12th century and where Robert the Bruce’s heart is buried), see UNESCO’s Hadrian’s Wall (Roman Britan), the market town of Jedburgh, and the Cheviot Hills lookout (Scotch Borders).

Two Free Days!  

You can do your own thing OR pal around with Lori/Kevin (expenses on these days are extra, or on you).  There’s plenty to check-out around our hotel and are within walking distance, including the really interesting Surgeon’s Museum.  (There’s also some other great museums that are relatively close and are free).

In case you want to join us, some of the things we’re considering doing on the free days include the following …

• An Outlander Tour – we’ll explore filming locations made famous from the TV series, including Doune Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Culross, Aberdour, and Falkland. We’ll hear stories about Outlander’s actors and film sets from an expert guide. (It’s not too late to binge watch the series!)
• Viator trip through the Scottish Highlands to see the Wallace Monument, walk through the Hermitage (incredible waterfalls), a stop in Dunkeld, (a village written about in Shakespeare’s MacBeth), and possibly a whisky sample and lunch at Glenturret Distillery.
• Visit Glasgow to tour the Gothic style Glasgow Cathedral, check-out the local art walk, and possibly pop into Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (or one of many awesome museums in Glasgow). Possibly the Hop on-Hop off bus too.
• There’s a couple other things we have in mind, but there’s too many to list!

Investment / Cost

Double Occupancy (share a room):  $2,900

Single Occupancy (your own room):  $3,600

To make the deposit, click here >>

A $1,000 deposit is required to reserve your spot (due asap).  Call or text Lori at (916) 600-6557 to find out if there’s space and to receive the link for registering/payment.   The balance is due no later than September 30.  DO NOT MAKE AN AIRLINE RESERVATION UNTIL WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE TRIP WITH YOU DIRECTLY.  (We’ll do that once we meet the minimum number of participants.)

Other Things…

Sharing A Room

Please be aware – If you want to share a room with another participant (for double occupancy rates) and there is not another person of the same gender that we can match you up with (and we have an odd number of registrants), unfortunately you will have to pay the cost of single occupancy. (This cost is outside our control.)  Those that register early are more likely to be matched-up with a roommate.  (Of course, if you’re registering with a friend/partner and you want double occupancy, you will be placed in the same room.)

Wondering about the weather…?  

The average temperature in early November is around 53 degrees, which is actually only a 10 degree difference from their yearly high(!), so, it will be cool, but pleasant for most.

As an added perk of traveling in the Fall is that there are less tourists/crowds (winner!), but also Lonely Planet voted Scotland as one of the best places in the world to see autumn leaves! They say it “bursts into a riot of fabulous colors of red, orange, yellow, bronze, and crimson.”  Uh, yes please!  Needless to say, we’re reallyyyyyy looking forward to seeing Scotland in all her beauty this Fall!  But no matter the time of year, there’s no escaping the gray, moody skies (and sometimes occasional misty rain) in Scotland, which is almost always short-lived. All this truly adds to Scotland’s charm and mystique, while also making an outstanding back-drop for photographing castles and ruins!

Trains / Airlines

Trains from Edinburgh Airport to Waverly Train Station run every 15 minutes and takes about 30 minutes. (The train station is less than a mile from our hotel). We can meet you at the Waverly Train Station if you need help getting to the hotel.

The Small Print:

• Space in our group is extremely limited, so making a reservation asap is strongly suggested as we can’t hold a spot for you without a deposit.
• Some excursions may have to be tweaked or changed due to weather, availability, etc. that is outside our control, but we will strive to do our absolute best to make it a wonderful, memorable experience for you, as always.

What’s *not* included…?  

• You are responsible for your own airfare and transportation to/from Edinburgh. (We are happy to give you our input, if needed, but we suggest you fly into Edinburgh.)  Please do NOT purchase an airline ticket until the trip is confirmed.
• You are also responsible for the cost of your meals (with the exception of breakfasts and our 4 group dinners), as well as anything that isn’t specifically outlined in this post.  You’ll also be responsible for whatever expenses you incur on “Free Days.”  (If you join us for whatever we’re doing on the “Free Days,” you’ll have to pay your own way.)

Refund Policy:   

• Since we have to pay for excursions in advance, if you need to cancel, the deposit is non-refundable.
• If we don’t have enough participants, all monies will be refunded to you. 

Got a friend or partner that doesn’t practice yoga but would like to come along…?  They are welcome to join our group, although the cost is the same either way.

For your benefit/protection, we always suggest trip insurance.

Got Questions or Concerns…?

Please call or text Lori at (916) 600-6557

We had suchhhh a great time in Switzerland earlier this year and are looking forward to another fabulous adventure with like-minded yoga travel buddies!