Hogmanay New Year

(5 Day Start London)

3.3

12 reviews

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The one that gives you 5 days of vibrant Scottish festivities, kicking off in London

Duration

5 Days

Places

3 places

Visiting London, Edinburgh, Gretna Green

Is this trip for me?

Travel Style

Short Trips & Festivals

Group Size

Average 45 people

Transport Style

Coach

Highlights

City orientation walk of Edinburgh
Entrance ticket to the legendary Hogmanay street party
Enjoy an evening of traditional Scottish food, music and dancing (haggis for the brave)

Only $200 deposit to book
Part pay financing available with UpLift
No change fees
No booking fees

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What's included?

4 nights accommodation

4 nights in Hostel

4 Meals

4 Breakfast

Team

Expert Trip Manager, Driver and Local Guides

Transport

All transport included during the trip

Experiences

2 included, 1 optional that you can add

Scotland for New Year's: now THIS is a thing. One of the world's biggest parties, your Hogmanay hiatus comes complete with rides, live music, and a Winter Wonderland complete with ice-skating rink. Let us escort you in from London with enough time to settle in before the festivities kick off.

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Itinerary

Nights spent per location

London

4 nights

Edinburgh

via

Gretna Green

London

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Itinerary

12 Reviews

3.3

12 independent reviews

Star rating

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Christine Young

Travelled Mar 2019

Let me start by saying Brooke, my Group Leader was excellent, I could not have asked for better. I especially liked how organised Brooke was. She was Australian, so more a guide to the Contiki experience and not the Edinburgh experience; but that was not a deficiency in the slightest. On our long drive from London to Edinburgh, Brooke coordinated some getting-to-know-you-games. So, on the whole, I’m very glad I took the Contiki coach to Edinburgh. I also appreciate that Brooke grouped all the Solo travellers together so we were sharing the same dorms. With regard to the accommodation, we weren’t at Contiki’s regular choice of Backpacker Hostel, which seriously worked to my advantage. We were so much closer to the Hogmanay festivities when compared with the Contiki travellers who had the hard-luck of staying in Contiki’s preferred Hostel. I was able to look out my window and see the famous Royal Mile. Here everything I wanted to see and everywhere I wanted to visit was close by. The first night, it was very thoughtful of Brooke to lead an orientation walk around the centre of the city to point out the meeting places for the optional extras Contiki offered. With regard to the Optional Extras, I would recommend the guided visit to Edinburgh Castle on the first morning. The only problem is, Contiki provided no concrete information about the Optional Extras until Brooke told us what was available during our coach ride. Therefore, I’d already made other reservations for the first morning and I had to visit the Castle separately and by myself. With regard to the Hogmanay events, please be aware that Contiki only included a Street Party Ticket. I purchased Torchlight Procession, Concert and Loony Dook Tickets months in advance because these events sell out. Most members of my group wasted there trip to Hogmanay because they were not prepared in advance with pre-purchased tickets, which meant they missed out on Hogmanay events. And, that’s the whole point of making the effort to go to Hogmanay, to experience the Hogmanay events! The Concert was Spectacular and the Fireworks at the end were UNMISSABLE; it was my favourite part of Hogmanay. The Concert and Fireworks are the one part of Hogmanay that I would go back and do again. One thing I wish I hadn’t pre-purchased was ride tickets at the Christmas Market. Take a look at the rides, before you buy the tickets. If I’d seen how disappointing the rides were first, I might not have purchased the tickets. But if you’re going to Hogmanay, you absolutely have to secure a ticket for the Loony Dook. 20 group members wanted to participate. But only three of us had made the effort to get the tickets. Organise a Fun Costume, buy your Ticket and take the Plunge; you won’t regret it. It was such an epic buzz, I stayed in the water for ages and I even made it into the newspaper with my Aussie Costume. Beyond Hogmanay, I would not try to cram too much else in. Make a separate trip to Edinburgh to thoroughly visit the city. If, however, this is the only time you will ever see Edinburgh, I’d recommend making time for an Edinburgh Castle tour, a visit to the Cathedral and a Stuart Usher tour. There are also excellent Harry Potter tours (if that’s your thing), which focus on the original Literary-Potter not Hollywood (I’d check out Sam Stratford’s tour). All that was worth the money I paid for the trip. I did leave early, after the Loony Dook in the afternoon; I took the train back to London. I didn’t want to do the overpriced, stereotypical Scottish dinner because I hadn’t heard great things about it and the 2nd was only a long long ride home on the coach. The train was cheap enough and quick enough that I was happy to pay the extra money and then I got a whole extra day in London, bonus. But still, if I had my time over, I’d choose Contiki for my Hogmanay trip because I was a solo traveller, Brooke was an excellent Group Leader and the location of the accommodation was excellent too. However, if I was visiting Hogmanay a second time, I’d go with a friend and take the train up on the 31st of December. See the Concert and Fireworks. Spend the night in a local Premier Inn. Get another adrenaline kick at the Loony Dook, then take the train home on the afternoon of the 1st. BUT the only reason I’d have the confidence to do that, is because of the positive experience I’ve had visiting Edinburgh with Contiki!

Joshua Robbins

Travelled Jan 2019

Good value - don't get upset if the weather isn't great one is in North Europe and it is the winter.

Anonymous

Travelled Jan 2019

Could have included more daily activites to encourage people to mix and mingle.

Are flights included in my trip?

International flights to/from the destination your trip starts and ends in are not included in the cost of the trip, and must be purchased separately. You can book these independently if you want to shop around for the best quote, or through your travel agent.

Any flights you take during your Contiki are included in the cost of your trip. On certain European trips we use planes to get you from A to B as quickly as possible, and all of this is included.

What documents do I need to travel?

Dependent on where you’re travelling and your nationality, you'll need a valid passport and may also need visas to enter into certain countries - please check this well in advance of your trip departure date. The majority of our Europe trips travel in countries that are covered by the Schengen Agreement which relates to visas. Citizens of many countries - e.g. Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada - can travel in the Schengen area without a visa. If you require a visa to enter the Schengen area you only need to obtain one visa which will allow you to travel in all Schengen countries. For non-Schengen countries, you may be able to obtain a visa upon arrival, depending on your nationality. Some countries also require passports to have 3-6 months left on them before the given expiry date, so be sure to double check this before booking your travels.

IMPORTANT
1. Visas can take up to six weeks & a fee is normally charged.
2. Failure to obtain all necessary visas could cause you to miss part or all of your trip & will result in you incurring considerable expense & inconvenience.
3. It is better to apply for all visas through your travel agent or local consular services before you leave home.
4. Contiki will provide you with visa contacts from our London base at the Royal National Hotel, if necessary.

What are the luggage restrictions?

On our European trips, you can bring one bag or suitcase of 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29” x 20” x 10”), with a max weight of 20kg (44lbs) to be stored in the hold & one small day bag to take on board. Your day bag should be a backpack, duffel bag or satchel only (no small luggage cases or suitcases with wheels on board the coach).

What do the Contiki team do?

People are at the heart of everything we do, and our team is what makes our trips the best. Our worldwide On-Road Team, locally based staff & network of Local Guides are all extensively trained & widely travelled, & are the best in the business. But we know it’s not just about training, it’s about passion & our team have it in their blood.
Your Trip Manager is like your walking, talking guidebook – just for you. They plan your itinerary every day, organise your food and accomodation and book your Free Time Add ons, and because they know everything about where you’re going, you will too. Your Drivers are the experts on getting you from A to B efficiently and safely in Europe. They know their way around better than google maps & they’ll drop you at your door & unload your bags for you. Local Guides provide specialist knowledge when you need it and will always help you avoid the tourist traps.

What's not included that I should budget for?

Aside from essentials like flights, how much spending money you’ll need will depend on the duration of the trip and how much you anticipate spending on personal expenses like alcohol or shopping. Before you travel, it’s also a good idea to read up on and get an idea of the Free Time Add-Ons you think you’ll want to do on trip, as these will form part of your overall budget. We’d advise doing some research on your chosen European destinations beforehand, looking at things like:

- Cost of a local lunch

- Cost of a local dinner

- Cost of a local taxi

- Cost of entry to a sightseeing spot

In all areas of the service industry in Europe, from restaurants, bars, hotels & taxis, it is common practice to tip if you feel that the service received has been excellent.
The same goes for your Contiki Team. If you feel that your Trip Manager & Driver’s service has been exceptional, then feel free to tip them if you feel they’ve done a great job. If you choose to tip, we recommend around 2 Euros per day, however whether or not you choose to tip (& how much) is completely up to you.

Will I be able to access WiFi on my trip?

Yes! Our fleet of modern, sleek coaches are kitted out with WiFi in all places except Greece, as are most hotels & hostels across the continent, so you’ll always be able to effortlessly get online and update everyone back home about your incredible adventure.

What are Contiki’s sustainability credentials?

We believe that travelling sustainably and consciously, matters. Contiki Cares is our commitment to protecting the communities we visit, the wildlife we interact with, and the planet we all share. Our founding partner, the TreadRight Foundation was established 10 years ago as a not-for-profit organisation focused on promoting sustainable tourism within The Travel Corporation’s family of brands. From street tours that support local residents, refugees and the vulnerably housed, to dining experiences that support local farmers, our consciouc travel experiences let you see things from a different perspective. Find out more at https://www.contiki.com/uk/en/about/contiki-cares.

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