Hiking Scotland’s Orkney & Shetland Islands – Alumni Adventures

August 11-21, 2026 ( 11 days | 15 guests)

Shetland

Broch of Borwick

North Sea Coast, Fethaland

Old Man of Hoy

The Trip

Join Carleton College archaeologist Alex Knodell on this unique hiking tour in Scotland’s little-visited Orkney and Shetland Islands!
This is the perfect opportunity to explore on foot Scotland’s Northern Isles’ amazing wealth of archaeological and geological sites, plus seabird colonies. The Orkney and Shetland islands’ rocks tell the whole story, spanning almost three billion years, and they boast a wealth of archaeological sites dating back 5,000 years. Together the islands have more than 18,000 known sites, with new discoveries being made every year. This archaeological saga is worth the telling, and nowhere else can the evidence be seen in more glorious a setting.
This active land tour features daily hikes that are easy to moderate in difficulty, so to fully enjoy and visit all the sites on this itinerary one should be in good physical condition (and, obviously, enjoy hiking!).

Highlights include:

A private virtual tour of the Ness of Brodgar excavations and access to some of the finds. This ceremonial site in the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” was in use for around 1,000 years and a 20-year excavation project was completed in 2024. The site is within the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Orkney, which also includes the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, estimated to have been constructed around 2700 B.C.; the Stones of Stenness; the 4,000-year-old Ring of Brodgar, one of Europe’s finest Neolithic monuments; Skara Brae settlement; and associated funerary monuments and stone settings. These are unquestionably among the most important Neolithic sites in western Europe.
“The Crucible of Iron Age Shetland”—including Mousa Broch, the best-preserved known broch in the world, Old Scatness, and Jarlshof—where the lack of intensive modern farming means that the preservation of these sites and their landscapes is exceptional.
Eshaness, with some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the Northern Isles. Its cliffs that we see today cut right through the flank of a long-extinct volcano.
Birdwatching in the Isles, one of the major seabird breeding and feeding areas in the North Atlantic, where more than a million birds breed in very large colonies.

All meals are included, and you will enjoy comfortable accommodations: three nights at the elegant Lynnfield Hotel on Orkney; four nights at the remote, charming Busta House Hotel; and two nights aboard a comfortable overnight ferry from Orkney to Shetland and from Shetland to Aberdeen

With a group of 15 participants, two local guides and a tour manager will accompany our group. Our guides will explain in advance the difficulty of each day’s hike(s) and, if you prefer, you can opt out of any hiking excursion but, bear in mind that a few sites can only be visited if you approach them by foot. The hiking duration for each day is estimated within the following itinerary.

Faculty Leader

Alex Knodell is Professor of Classics and Director of Archaeology at Carleton College, where he has been teaching since 2014. Professor Knodell is most broadly interested in archaeological approaches to landscape, interaction, and long-term social change. He teaches courses on world prehistory, the archaeology of islands, and the ancient Mediterranean world. He has conducted archaeological fieldwork in the U.S., Guatemala, Jordan, and Greece, including several archaeological surveys that focus on the discovery, documentation, and interpretation of archaeological sites in their wider regional contexts. His most recent project is the Small Cycladic Islands Project, an NSF-funded research project that has systematically surveyed nearly 100 small, currently uninhabited islands in the Cycladic archipelago of Greece. This international collaboration focused on the identification of particular characteristics of human habitation and use in geographically marginal, small-island environments. His background as a survey archaeologist and research on the comparative archaeology of small islands make him particularly interested in Orkney and Shetland, which are home to some of Europe’s most important prehistoric sites and archaeological landscapes spanning over 5,000 years.

Prices Per Person (9 Nights)

Double Occupancy (12 to 15 participants) $8,045
Single Supplement $1,395
Single room supplement will be charged when requested or required (limited availability).
With fewer than 12 participants, a small group surcharge may be added.

Itinerary

Additional Information

To reserve your space using an online form, click here.
For reservations or for more information, download the detailed brochure, call 800-811-7244 or email Carleton College Alumni Adventures.

Download the detailed brochure.