Scotland · SHETLAND TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Good shetland tours & activities fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 10 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Short Pony Express from Lerwick: Carol's Shetland ponies, optional Scalloway, and Tingwall Valley views, great value for 1-2 hours.
“Nice bus ride and local commentary through the countryside to see Carole’s ponies. Easy and inexpensive to pick up as a cruise port stop. Carole was lovely and knowledgable. Glad we did it!”
Half day private Shetland tour from Lerwick with Carol’s ponies, Jarlshof ruins, and puffins at Sumburgh Head, plus a Scalloway castle stop.
“Fantastic day of touring. Being in a small group allowed us to moved quickly and see all the highlights without too many cruise passengers around us. Peter was a fabulous tour guide and made the day special”
Private Lerwick tour with pickup, Clickimin Broch, Fort Charlotte, Hay’s Dock boats, Lodberrie photos, Scalloway harbor, Croft House Museum.
“Broch of Clickimin and The Shetland Crofthouse Museum were both great stops. The Sumburgh Lighthouse had magnificent views and we saw Puffins up close. The countryside is breathtaking, as well as the beaches! Our guide, Tom was friendly, knowledgable, and accommodating.”
Ferry to Bressay for croft life, sheep herding, and archaeology with guide Chris, plus lighthouse and church ruins from Lerwick.
“If you are ever in Lerwick, Scotland take this incredible tour to Bressay! One of a kind, up close and personal tour of the quiet, pristine and self sufficient Garths Croft. Chris is a historian, archeologist, and sheep herder to name a few of the hats he wears developing this homestead and helping to preserve and understand the natural history of Bressay. Go! You won’t be disappointed! The best tour we have ever done…”
A private hour from Lerwick to Scalloway and Carol’s Ponies, with quick village sights, Norse-era stops, and included pony time.
“Carol knows EVERYTHING about Shetland ponies and it was fun to learn from her and pet the ponies. The ride to and from is more like a taxi ride than a tour. The driver was very sweet but didn’t give us much information about the town or countryside we drove thru. We saw in town that rides to the ponies were available for significantly less money, but I don’t think they included Carol’s presentation which was the highlight for sure.”
Private 4-hour Northern Exposure tour from Lerwick, featuring Mavis Grind, Hillswick, Tangwick Haa Museum, Eshaness cliffs, and Braewick.
“Our group of five friends had a wonderful, informative tour. We were met at the pier by our guide Jackie and driver Dave in a spotlessly clean van. Both Jackie and Dave were not only personable, but a lot of fun! Our group was blown away by how beautiful the Shetlands were. Jackie shared plenty of interesting information about the islands, as well as sharing her personal experiences from growing up here. We made a number of stops along the way, including a wonderful lunch at The St. Magnus Bay Hotel. We invited Jackie and Dave to join us for lunch and enjoyed talking to them about their homeland. All…”
Private 5-hour Southern Shetland tour from Lerwick to St Ninian’s Isle, Jarlshof, Sumburgh Head, and Hoswick, with pickup and expert guiding.
“Guide Mandy certainly knows Shetland extremely well. Went to great lengths to show us everything and provide all information and history. We loved that the islands were Norse but became Scotland as part of a royal dowry, with Shetland thrown in as added extra because Orkney wasn't quite worth enough. Mandy has the answer for every question. Our little stop with Carol at Shetland pony farm was also great, they're little cuties and Carol knows all about them too.”
Private Shetland TV locations day from Lerwick with beaches, cliffs, and story stops plus pickup. Up to 6, English guide, 8 hours.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our Shetland tour with Maureen, who is knowledgeable and super friendly. She was able to condense our scheduled 8-hour tour into 6 due to time constraints. She showed us many more things than we had anticipated. Though the tour was based around the TV show Shetland, Maureen also talked about the islands’ history going back to the Vikings. Very informative, and we plan to live stream Up Helly Aa in January 2026. Our stop at the original Cake Fridge was delightful! We would highly recommend this tour. Thank you, Maureen, for sharing Lerwick and Shetland with us! Keith & Laurie F”
Private 5-hour geology and coast tour from Lerwick, with Mavis Grind, Eshaness cliffs, Tangwick Haa Museum, and northern fish and chips.
“I had a wonderful experience touring with Mandy, I learnt so much about Shetland and saw some amazing scenery. Mandy is clearly passionate about sharing her knowledge of Shetland and is an excellent communicator. I had a great day and I highly recommend touring with Mandy.”
Private full-day historic Shetland tour from Lerwick to Eshaness cliffs, with brochs and museums, pickup, and admissions for up to 6.
“Tour guide Neville was great - he knew his stuff, answered our questions, and shared his love and enthusiasm for his country. Phil kept us safe as he drove the mini van (which was extremely comfortable). Beautiful countryside and towns. Extremely worthwhile day tour.”
Every kind of day out, from an hour under the Old Town to a week in the islands.
