Best of Britain

12 days
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Small Group Tour
Where did The Beatles, Harry Potter, Peter Rabbit and Doctor Who originate? The UK of course! This 12-day trip will take you to a few of the must-see sites, through the rolling hills, mountainous landscapes and medieval cities of England, Scotland and Wales. Take a punt through Oxford, explore the beauty of the Cotswolds, walk Cardiff and discover popular fil...
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$5,488
From$4,065
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Take part in punting – a truly timeless, quintessentially Oxford pleasure that will see you floating along the idyllic waters of this university city, seeing the beautiful architecture and gardens from the perspective of a boat (or punt).
    • Spend a day exploring arguably the most beautiful and most British countryside – the Cotswolds. Explore the sleepy villages, walk through endless fields and taste some of the best ales in the neighbourhood.
    • Discover cities Cardiff in Wales and Liverpool in England with leader-led walking tours, the best way to discover the city! In Cardiff, explore Dr Who filming locations and in Liverpool, tune in to everything The Beatles.
    • Walk the famous Lon Gwyrfai path in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), and explore the rolling hills, woodlands and picturesque villages. Then, travel to the mountainous landscape of Lake District National Park, taking a relaxing walk along Lake Windermere.
    • With Edinburgh Castle overlooking your every step, walk the winding streets of the Old Town and take a walking tour of the New Town Scotland’s artistic treasure – the birthplace of Harry Potter.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

What's this trip about?

    Where did The Beatles, Harry Potter, Peter Rabbit and Doctor Who originate? The UK of course! This 12-day trip will take you to a few of the must-see sites, through the rolling hills, mountainous landscapes and medieval cities of England, Scotland and Wales. Take a punt through Oxford, explore the beauty of the Cotswolds, walk Cardiff and discover popular filming locations of The Doctor, stroll through the majestic beauty of Snowdonia National Park, be inspired by The Beatles’ past in Liverpool, hike the stunning Lake District National Park and then end it all in picturesque Edinburgh – JK Rowling’s favourite writing location.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityLondon
End CityEdinburgh

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure

Destinations

Attractions

  • Cardiff
  • Cotswolds
  • Edinburgh
  • Edinburgh
  • Lake District
  • Liverpool
  • Oxford

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 12

Trip includes

    • Oxford - Punting Activity
    • Moreton-in-Marsh - Cotswolds day trip & picnic lunch
    • Cardiff - Cardiff guided city tour (Dr Who theme)
    • Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) - Included guided hike: Lôn Gwyrfai trail from Beddgelert to Rhyd Ddu
    • Liverpool - Liverpool guided walking tour
    • Chester - boat tour
    • Windermere - West Shore Lakeside Walk
    • Edinburgh - Leader led walking tour

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 London

Welcome to London! England’s capital and largest city stands on the River Thames and has a history spanning back to the time of the ancient Romans. There’s lots to see and do in this bustling metropolis, so it’s recommended that you arrive a couple of days early to ex...

Day 2 Oxford

After breakfast this morning, take a train to Oxford – established in the 12th century, this city revolves around its prestigious university of the same name. The architecture of the city’s medieval centre led poet Matthew Arnold to the nickname 'City of Dreaming Spir...

Day 3 Oxford

After breakfast this morning, you have the day free to explore Oxford. If you haven’t already, it’s highly recommended that you take a tour of the University of Oxford, with its many prestigious libraries and historic buildings. Then, you might want to explore Oxford ...

Day 4 Moreton-in-Marsh

Enjoy breakfast and then take a day trip to the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. Designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this region rises from the meadows of the upper Thames and is a beautiful place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Explore the E...

Day 5 Cardiff

After breakfast, take a train to Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Enjoy some free time for lunch and then take a walking tour with a local guide – calling all Dr Who fans, this one is for you! Explore various filming locations and a few of the city’s hotspots relat...

Day 6 Snowdonia National Park

Wake up nice and early this morning for breakfast at your hotel and then take a private transfer to Beddgelert – a village nestled in the Snowdonia area of Wales and translating to Gelert’s Grave. This community was named after the legend of Gelert the dog, who Prince...

Day 7 Liverpool

Have breakfast this morning at your hotel and then take a direct train to Liverpool – famously, the hometown of The Beatles. After arrival, check in and hit the streets of this city. You’ll take a Beatles-themed walking tour of the city with a local guide, exploring t...

Day 8 Liverpool

This morning, take a short train ride to Chester - another cathedral city first founded as a Roman fortress in the 1st century. Take a boat cruise along the River Dee and sightsee this ancient city, with its red sandstone Roman walls, from the water. Enjoy some free t...

Day 9 Lake District National Park

After breakfast this morning, you’ll take a train to Windermere, in the famous Lake District of England. A mountainous region and national park, this area is popular for its stunning scenery, glacial ribbon lakes and historic literary association. Enjoy some free time...

Day 10 Lake District National Park

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning with your group. You have a free day to explore the Lake District National Park today – your trip leader will have many suggestions for hikes, short walks and activities in the area. You might like to take a boat tour, very p...

Day 11 Edinburgh

After breakfast, take a train to Edinburgh, Scotland this morning. The birthplace of Harry Potter, Edinburgh is a hilly city that has captured the hearts and minds of many. When you arrive, you’ll take a walking tour with your trip leader. Explore the medieval Old Tow...

Day 12 Edinburgh

There are no activities planned for today so after breakfast, your trip will come to an end. If you’d like to stay and explore Edinburgh for longer, consider booking a combo trip or speak to our booking agent about extended accommodation.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,065
Price per day$339
Last Updated: 12/20/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
21 Apr 2025
02 May 2025
$4,270
05 May 2025
16 May 2025
$4,590
12 May 2025
23 May 2025
$4,315
19 May 2025
30 May 2025
$4,315
26 May 2025
06 Jun 2025
$4,225
09 Jun 2025
20 Jun 2025
$5,075
23 Jun 2025
04 Jul 2025
$4,435
30 Jun 2025
11 Jul 2025
$4,225
14 Jul 2025
25 Jul 2025
$4,390
28 Jul 2025
08 Aug 2025
$4,390

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (11 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Train,Private vehicle,Public transport,

Transportation & flights

Train,Private vehicle,Public transport
Guides
All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD: Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Haymarket Hotel Edinburgh
  • 1 - 11 Coates Gardens, Edinburgh,
  • EH12 5LG
  • Edinburgh
  • UNITED KINGDOM
  • Phone: +44 1313371775
Trip ID
intrepid-BMSB

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