Testimonials

Curious to learn what others say about my Scotland trip-planning consultation services? Below you’ll find every testimonial I’ve received.

We were incredibly fortunate to have Aelyth’s help planning our trip for July 2019. There are almost too many choices to make when planning a trip with the standard guide books and blogs, but Aelyth helped us to narrow our focus and choose off-the-beaten-path locales and experiences that we will never forget.

Aelyth’s recommendations were spot-on for our style of travel, and perfect given that we started planning a little late in the spring. While we did depart slightly from his recommendations, that was mostly to our detriment! I never would have guessed that we would spend the majority of our trip in such a small area of the northern highlands, but after being on the ground in some of the regions we moved through more quickly, I am so glad that we took Aelyth’s advice.

What was wonderful about our online chat was that it felt like Aelyth had thought about our dilemmas– we like both trendy, hip restaurants and spending time in the middle of nowhere away from everyone– and he outlined a plan that provided the best of everything, for us. The conversation gave us the confidence to fill in some of the details while not feeling locked in to an hour-by-hour itinerary. We were able to explore without a fear of missing out… and now we’re excitedly planning our next trip.

The trip exceeded our expectations, no doubt due to Aelyth’s consultation, which got us off on the right foot. Thank you, Aelyth!

–Stephen & Jill C

Keith helped us plan our first trip to Scotland in 2015, so when we decided to go back this year it seemed obvious to run the general outline of our trip by him to get some feedback.

He suggested a few changes to our itinerary that really helped us get the most out our time – especially recommendations for an extra night in Orkney, and what to focus on as we headed down the west coast back to Glasgow. And all of his food and drink recommendations were spot-on. Thanks Keith!

–Taylor and Dylan

We had a fantastic, entertaining, and educational chat with Keith about our plans for a visit to Scotland next spring. Keith tailored his suggestions and recommendations of where to visit and stay based on our interests. His blog and a travel consultation is a must for anyone planning a trip to Scotland.
Thank you!

–David & Susan Neuhaus

January 2019 – Since I love to do destination research and trip planning, but have never traveled in Scotland, a consultation with Keith was exactly what we needed.

He fine-tuned our itinerary, offering lesser-known options and off-the-beaten-path ideas (always the best)! Keith also helped us work through our biggest challenge, which was narrowing down all the amazing sights and activities Scotland offers to what was most important to us, in the 12 days we had. Full disclosure: before our consultation, we were planning for 10 days. Watch out! He’s inspiring! 🙂

Most importantly, our consult with Keith left us more excited than ever, feeling confident about our choices, and with a resource we trusted for additional questions. Having Keith “kick the tires” firmed up our decisions and cranked up our anticipation – can’t put a price on that! Money WELL SPENT.

–Michelle

If you are wondering if you should spend the fee amount to hear Keith’s tips—let me save you some time–DO IT!! Keith brought up several ideas that we had not even thought of for our trip. One in our group had been to Scotland years ago, and 2 others have not.

Keith is very knowledgeable, friendly, takes time with you when you have questions—keeps everything on track. If you miss something or have more questions–you can contact him after.

We are really looking forward to incorporating his suggestions with our plans. Very VERRRRYYY glad we “chose wisely” and asked for his help.

Thank you sir!!
Stephanie Flamebrain

–Stephanie

This is my first trip to Scotland and as a result I was really overwhelmed! Keith helped my partner and I figure out some potentially tricky logistics as well as great suggestions on unmissable activities/sites in each place. He was prompt, friendly, and professional and his advice was invaluable in perfecting our itinerary. I know our trip is going to be amazing thanks to Keith’s input.

–Yvette Giles

This is exactly what I was hoping for when I signed up to get Keith’s trip planning advice! Normally, I spend hours online and reading guidebooks to figure out just the right vacation for our family. It was wonderful to let Keith plan it for us!

The detailed consultation via Skype was very helpful as well. Keith’s love of Scotland is obvious, and his travel experiences make me confident in his selection of places to visit. (And driving while there…something I was initially reluctant to do.) I can’t wait for us to go on this adventure!

Keith, thanks so much for saving me hours & hours of research. You made an itinerary that will really give us a taste of what Scotland has to offer!

–Melanie

Keith’s advice and recommendations were spot on. We were traveling with our 3 young adult children and were dealing with multiple itineraries and his input was critical to a successful trip.

PS. They are not kidding about the single lane roads up north!

–Chris D

We’ve returned from our trip and with Keith’s planning we had the trip of a lifetime! Not a detail was missed which made all the difference as we traveled around the Scottish Highlands countryside. Part of the pleasure of traveling for us is food and drink, and his pub recommendations provided delicious cuisine in a charming atmosphere. What are you waiting for..…contact Keith today!

–Linda G

Keith gave us excellent itinerary advice for our trip! We had already worked out a skeleton driving itinerary, but really wanted to check in with someone for peace of mind.

Keith gave us wonderful recommendations for areas to check out and castles and battlefield stops along the way, in addition to giving us a reality check on driving times. His advice to skip Inverness entirely in exchange for Grantown-on-Spey in Cairngorms was priceless. We stayed at the Dulaig, which he mentions in his blog, and it was the favorite lodging of our entire trip.

Keith’s on-the-ground experience and advice are well worth the price. I would highly recommend his services to anyone planning a trip to Scotland.

–Elaine Akst

Thanks so much for your assistance. My 3 months in Scotland were a daily adventure and pleasure. I went just about everywhere I wanted to go and saw everything I wanted to see. My only disappointment was we didn’t get to share that pub ale.

–Joseph Peeples

We are so pleased that we found The Traveling Savage. I love planning trips myself, so it came as a pleasant surprise how much working with Keith enhanced our trip and made every aspect of our visit easier and more enjoyable. I wish we could use Keith for all of our vacation destinations.

–Jonah Zimiles

My husband and I are planning a trip to Scotland next year to celebrate our 20th anniversary. I have spent a lot of time searching the internet for information on sites, where to go, what to see, where to stay, eat, etc. It was becoming quite overwhelming. During one of my searches, I stumbled across The Traveling Savage. After reading testimonials as well as Keith’s posts about his adventures, I reached out to him. He compiled an itinerary based on our interests and we had our conference call to discuss it. Ten minutes into the call, I knew we had picked the right person to help with our trip. It was money very well spent!! We cannot wait to begin our journey around Scotland next fall!!

Thank you Keith!!

–Brent & Lynne Jackson

I reached out to the Traveling Savage to help with a 4 day itinerary in the Scottish Highlands and a 4 day itinerary in Edinburgh. Keith did a terrific job organizing our trip, letting us know what days were overloaded, what was worth seeing and what we could skip on our first trip to Scotland. In addition to must see sites he included info on pubs, restaurants, lodging, hikes, distilleries, car rentals and packing tips. After sharing his itinerary, my traveling companions think I’m a hero for reaching out to the Traveling Savage for guidance. His enthusiasm and passion for helping others experience Scotland is evident and his input invaluable! I have a feeling this will not be my first and last trip to Scotland and Keith and I will collaborate in the future. Thank you Keith!!

–Linda G.

My daughter and I just returned from our trip to Scotland for her college graduation. The trip was a great success thanks in no small part to Keith’s help. We built our entire itinerary for our trip based on his advice and he was spot on! Keith’s enthusiasm for Scotland is contagious and helping others enjoy this beautiful place is clearly a passion for him. This came through when we face timed with him and he offered so much helpful advise. He thoughtfully suggested three general areas of Scotland based on our interests (Edinburgh, the Cairngorms and the Isle of Skye) and we followed his suggestions. He had many great ideas for things to do and see at each location. We took many of his suggestions and found other options as well. However, Keith’s guidance in our planning helped me to move away from being overwhelmed by a huge amount of information on the subject of traveling to Scotland and focus on what became the trip of a lifetime!
Thank you so much Keith!

–Thomas

We should have written a review last year when we got back from Scotland. We would recommend Keith’s help to plan your trip He was very informative and not only that but he also answered simple questions we continually asked through email. He was very obliging and answered quickly. We think everything went more smoothly for our first trip to Scotland.

–Kelly Kennedy

In what can only be attributed to serendipity, I found Keith’s website while gathering information to travel to Shetland. This trip was the most adventurous thing I had ever considered to attempt solo. To say it was life changing, would be an understatement. Keith’s incredible attention to detail and understanding of what the trip entailed for me in all ways was stellar. Timing the journey with many modes of transportation was certainly a challenge of epic proportion, but it all came together. Without Keith’s storehouse of experience and knowledge, it would have been a daunting task, to say the least. My Skype call with Keith was so informative and gave me the confidence I needed to pull off this solo adventure. I am thrilled to say I was able to navigate planes, trains, ferries and automobiles and arrive unscathed. Each day brought new thrills – from gathering hentilagets for spinning in the fields amongst the sheep who only gave me looks of indifference, speaking with a shepherd sorting sheep for auction, the raw and wild landscape where I experienced peace beyond description, walking amongst ruins thousands of years old, St. Ninian’s where I had the beach to myself on my final day before departing to Orkney – this and more, and I still had Orkney and Edinburgh ahead of me. Keith’s recommendations for Orkney and a couple of nights in Edinburgh were equally as exciting. Something about the wildness of Shetland has captivated my heart and spirit. So much so that I am returning this September for Shetland’s celebrated Wool Week. There’s so much more to see and do. Keith, I cannot thank you enough for fueling my confidence and courage to take this trip. I am eternally grateful! Oh, and not certain if I should be grateful or dubious after your recommendation to tour Highland Park Distillery and discovering I liked Scotch ;). Cheers!

–Cheryl Roberts

I was one confused and crazed out soul -I’m also hugely lazy and overwhelmed with all the information on Scotland -i was also petrified and over worked-and i had to plan a surprise trip for my son-it was one helluva job and i found my messiah-Keith boy he got the haggis rolling!! In a couple of days we had an itinerary up and around and I had my confidence back and was all set to show off to my son.

Yes, Keith we had a great time walking and driving and walking more-loved the quaint villages the great b&b suggestions and where to eat next is always a good problem. It was a perfect itinerary from Edinburgh to Inverness via Pitlochry and Kingussie right up to the cairngorm mountains. And i drove- my first self drive in the UK and I’m so fortunate to have done so.

Many thanks and i look forward to passing on your details to many in Mumbai who are hugely jealous of our travels and looking for help.
the very best to you keith

–Deeya & Jashan

Well I have been planning a 3 week trip for my parents (in their late 70’s) for London, Ireland and 9 days in Scotland. Now Scotland was kicking the day lights out if me for planning. There were so many areas to see and didn’t know where they could stay etc. I found Keith and he made an itinerary that was great. He mapped it out and gave me several choices of sites to see and possible places to stay. I know that because of the expert itinerary that Keith Savage gave me will make my parents vacation in Scotland the best out of all of them. Thanks.

–Linda Hobbs

My family and I just finished our Skype session with Keith, and are bouncing in our shoes to go on our Scotland trip. I knew he would be helpful, and we knew nothing about where to start or the best places to stay, or for how long. He made an itinerary that nailed all of our interests, very well laid-out, and packaged it neatly into a 9 day trip that is easy to follow, and with great suggestions. Also with plenty of room for unplanned wandering along the way, which is important. If you are unsure of whether to use his itinerary service, I highly recommend him–he’s friendly and concise and seems to truly love Scotland, and seems to really want to share the beauty and history he experiences when he goes there. I especially love the lesser-know hidden places that we never would have known about otherwise. I realize anyone can write a testimonial, but I really can’t emphasize enough how much his help will mean to us on our trip. It will be the difference that keeps us from becoming overwhelmed, and just comfortable and relaxed while we enjoy our time there. I will update when we return, and suspect it won’t be our last trip there!

–Theresa & Shawn Greenspun

Keith helped my husband and me winnow down everything we wanted to do in Scotland into a manageable 10-day trip and it was a ball!! He is so knowledgeable and friendly, listened to what our interests were, and we truly had the trip of a lifetime, thanks to his advice. For sure, we will go back to this magical country, and see different areas next time, but our first call will be to Keith!

–Denise Goodwin Pace

I used Keith’s services for a recent 2 week trip to Scotland. I had the itinerary planned out, but wanted someone with Keith’s knowledge, to look it over for me. I am happy to say I am glad I did. Keith definitely pointed me to areas and sites I wouldn’t have thought of and gave me sound advice for days when I was cramming a bit to much into the itinerary. If you have never been to Scotland, I would definitely encourage you, to use Keith’s travel services. There is just so much to see and do, you want to make sure you visit the sites that would be of interest to you and not end up visiting some place that has little on no appeal, no sense in wasting your time. Thanks, again, Keith!

–Robb Morss

My husband found Keith’s blog when we were thinking about a trip to Scotland. Keith took the time to get to know us and what we were looking for via questionnaires and Skype. What resulted was a beautifully customized itinerary for our trip. We followed Keith’s recommendations and relied on his guide throughout our trip. It was truly a trip of a lifetime. The country is wild, welcoming and of course absolutely gorgeous! We are so thankful to have found Keith. Anyone even thinking about traveling to Scotland should immediately contact Keith! His knowledge and passion for that land is truly unique and amazing. Thank you Keith!

–David & Viviana Schilpp

We met with Keith to discuss an upcoming trip to Scotland. His help was SO valuable! He is a wealth of information and really “gets” what you are wanting to accomplish and experience. So worth every penny and more to consult with Keith!

–Judy Zehr

Returned recently from a trip to Scotland where my daughter has chosen to attend The University of Aberdeen for the next four years. We wanted a trip to see some of Scotland before settling her into Aberdeen. We were a little overwhelmed with so much to see/do and limited time. I happened upon Keiths blog and decided it was worth spending a bit of money to get help from someone who was knowledgeable about the area….’twas a good decision. We had a rough plan however chatting with Keith confirmed some things and had us changing up some things. He also answered a lot of general questions about Scotland leaving us feeling much more prepared and ready for the trip. We had a marvelous time using Keith’s suggestions and are grateful for the tips and advice that Keith gave us…can’t wait to go back!

–Lora J. Fults

I’d like to give a big thank you to Keith for his help on fine tuning our 9 day Scotland Itinerary. We had the major points of interest pretty well laid out before contacting him but had no idea how important the small details were until we received his edits/suggestions. Keith did a master full job of filling in the gaps. We were driving from St. Andrews through the Cairngorms National Park but hadn’t considered how many amazing places there are along the way to stop. Keith gave us detailed instructions on points of interest to make this drive much more entertaining and interesting. He did the same with our travel day to Isle of Skye. Also the little things like what pubs to visit, restaurants, distilleries, shops, how to get from point A to B, and special hikes/walks to take. He also provided advice on how to see things in the most logical order so as not to waste our time back tracking about in Scotland.

He provided links containing detailed information about the places we wanted to visit so we didn’t have to waste time scouring the internet to get the info.

Keith also answered multiple emails after his initial suggestions as our group had follow ups about some of his recommendations. He did this at no extra charge.

This is just a small sample of what he did…. I highly recommend Keith.

–David Murchison

I found Keith’s website whilst organising a road trip right around Scotland for my adult daughter, husband & myself which we took in May/June this year for 3 & 1/2 weeks. I had basically come up with a plan, but was struggling to make sure we were spending the best amount of time in each area, unsure of distances between places, & if I had planned it properly.

Keith was absolutely brilliant. He helped me enormously with my timeline: as in spend another day in Orkney….you don’t need to stay at this place, it’s only a short drive from where you are staying…… rather than stay in a city Inverness, stay in a highland village – Grantown-on-Spey (which was gorgeous!!!)…….etc. Plus giving us wonderful places to eat or see along the way! He was very happy to answer any questions.

We had the most amazing trip!! Scotland was absolutely stunning. I would have loved to have spent more time there, but we did get to see everything we planned on. Keith’s advice made me feel very confident. And after the first stop where we used Keith’s advice hands-on re what to do, I would pull out his information & say “let’s see what my mate Keith says”!!!

Thank you so much from Aussieland!!

–Annie Dwyer

Thanks, Keith! I’m amazed at how much, how easily, and how efficiently you were able to assist a complete neophyte. I’m sure I will enjoy my trip much more now. Should we cross paths, I look forward to more of your expertise in sampling Scotland pub fare!

–Joe Peeples

Scotland is not an easy place to plan a vacation trip. I tried and after sometime got tired of going around in circles figuring out how many days to spend where and what to see and do. On a vacation especially with family you have limited time. You can only do so many things in a day before someone gets tired and everybodys interests have to be accounted for if you want a happy trip. I started planning 6 months and looked through the usual guides and google but found i was not getting anywhere where i was happy with the itinerary. I found Keith’s website while googling and checked out a few of his blogs and felt it would be best to ask him to create the itinerary using his expertise. The thing is you can ask friends who live there but even they would not be able to give you an itinerary like Keith as the would not have the experience of traveling around Scotland and knowing what might be best to do in each place etc. I got in touch with Keith and filled out his questionnaire to mention what my family and my interests were and how long we were going for which was 12 days. He created the itinerary and then we had the 1 hour call which i found very helpful to answer any questions I had on the itinerary and give me peace of mind which is important when traveling especially with your family. On top of the itinerary his recommendations on the car rental was super helpful. The agency was very responsive to my every question and gave an excellent breakdown of the costs and saved me money as well most probably. I am writing this after our trip and the car and driving part could not have gone any better. His itinerary worked out perfectly and we were able to see and do the activities in the time we had without rushing too much. I highly recommend Keith’s service and the money was extremely well spend and I am a cost conscious person most of the time. 🙂 Thanks Keith for all the help and answering my follow up questions on email and also for the advice on driving as i was hesitant to rent a car at first. It was the best thing we did. It was an awesome trip and we could not have done it without your help.

–Prem

I usually plan our trips down to the smallest detail, but was overwhelmed by the options posed by Scotland. I needed something to help narrow the choices down, and Keith provided that incredibly-valuable service. He has helped us plan the perfect trip based on our personalities and preferences, and he did it in an incredibly short time period. After I got off the phone with him, I was truly excited about the trip, and had gone from thinking about a Scotland vacation to being sure we are going and and being eager to go. Worth every single penny!

–Lily E.

We planned our itinerary but wanted to have Keith check it for us since he is an experienced traveler to Scotland and we were newbies. We’re so glad we did! He helped us avoid a rather long train ride and suggested adding another day to our Dunkeld visit. We also wanted to make sure we hadn’t planned too much for our two week stay. He assured us that our plan looked doable. Everything went smoothly. We don’t think our vacation could have been any more perfect! We highly recommend Keith’s services.

–Barb

We did a lot or research before planning our trip, then had Keith do an itinerary review. He made several significant suggestions regarding things I had not even considered. It helped us save time and make the most of our trip and see a few things we didn’t know were out there. We highly recommend Keith’s services. Great trip.

–Laurie

I asked Keith to help plan our trip to Scotland last September and have been waiting to write a testimonial until we visited this beautiful country, hoping to make this blurb more authentic. So here I am, a few days later, writing my piece.

A little background: I bought flights to Scotland on a whim last September as a Christmas and 5 year anniversary present to my boyfriend. I was so nervous planning a trip on my own. I stumbled across Keith’s blogs during my initial research of Scotland’s to-do’s. After browsing through his site and reading former testimonials, I decided that I HAD to ask Keith for his expert advice and help me plan an itinerary for the big trip in April. Our trip was only a week but I wanted to feel like we did the country justice at the completion of our trip. I also wanted to feel like I saw EVERYTHING.

Well, as you probably could have guessed based on how much Keith has written about this country throughout the years, it is nowhere possible to see everything Scotland has to offer in one trip. But with Keith’s help, by the end of our trip, we definitely felt like we saw everything we really wanted to see in the time we had. Keith created an itinerary that highlighted our interests but was not centered around the touristy must-sees. We definitely could have stayed in Edinburgh for a whole week and taken day trips to Loch Ness or distilleries by bus, but Keith’s plan forced us to travel off the beaten path; it forced us to get lost (both physically and mentally) in the rugged Scottish terrain. His itinerary captured the heart and beauty of Scotland.

We spent the weeks leading up to our trip reading Keith’s posts, contacting B&Bs, and determining places to go. Keith managed to prepare a trip that united my romantic and whimsical interests with Tom’s historical and adventurous interests. We visited castles and distilleries, of course, but we also were entranced by things like the Isle of Skye’s fairy pools and Glen Creran’s fairy bridge. Our journey led us through quaint towns, past old ruins, and up vast mountains. We met wonderful people who suggested Scottish-ly authentic places to eat and visit. Although driving on narrow, winding roads (on the opposite side) tested our relationship, we found that this trip brought a new closeness to our relationship because ventured though places not everyone sees when they plan a “typical” visit to Scotland. We find it difficult explaining many parts of our trip to friends and family because, really, there are no words to describe them. We surely left the country that our vacation feeling like we SAW Scotland and, because of that, we fell in love with the country.

Needless to say contacting Keith was the best decision I made when planning this trip. I believe any trip to Scotland would be memorable, but Keith’s suggestions made our trip memorable, incredible, magical, breathtaking… I owe a huge thank you to him for making our trip the BEST vacation either of us have ever experienced. I know I will never forget the feelings I had and views I saw this past week.

Thank you for everything, Keith!

–Jasmine FitzGerald

My wife and I recently used Keith’s services for a trip to Scotland later this year. We were very impressed. The communications were very timely in what information he needed, times to FaceTime the review of the plan and the emailing of the final itinerary. His recommendations were very specific yet will give us a broad exposure to Scotland. We can’t wait to start our trip. Thank you!

–Chuck Kalb

As someone mentioned in one of the testimonials above planning a visit to scotland for the first time is not very easy. I tried to come up with an itenary for 10 days or so for my family by browsing the usual travel books and the web. 10 days is a long time but it can go very fast when traveling and trying to do things that you want to do. I found it very hard to decide on where to go other than Edinburgh as there are so many other places and the time it takes to visit each one is not easy to figure out. I wanted to have a good relaxed visit but at the same time see what we wanted to see in those 10 days. The more I researched the more frustrated i got as I could not decide whether to go to Glasgow and how long to stay in Isle of Skye and what else to do. The main problem is not knowing how long it takes to do things in Scotland. I wanted the trip to succeed and I finally decided to use Keith’s advice and not waste any more of my time. I had already spend more than 10 days trying to figure the trip out by this time. I am glad I did because the moment I decided I felt relaxed as i knew i was in the hands of an expert so I could get the best advice and use our time wisely. He send me an itinerary which fit all our requirements and the 1 hour call with Keith cleared up any lingering doubts and questions I had regarding the trip. I was now finally able to book the trip without any doubt. Thanks Keith for answering all my questions via email after the call as well.

–Prem

Well Keith what a lovely experience it has been planning our 21 day Scotland road trip with you!!! We found your site by chance and devoured every bit of it with mounting excitement. You have a wonderful way with words and your travel style of freedom of movement and serendipity was right up our alley. It made complete sense for us to then take advantage of your personal trip planning service to guide us on our way. We had got as far as let’s go to Scotland in September, rent a car and just explore.

Your sound and knowledgable advice has now allowed us to relax knowing that if we follow your suggested route and timeframes in the selected areas we will be able to explore Scotland widely without missing the highlights on the way and without needing to overplan upfront. It was truly special to be able to spend an hour with you on Skype today, halfway across the globe, and to share the plan before you emailed us the final version. We had a fun time chatting informally and now we are super excited and counting down the 300 sleeps left before we can go!!

THANK YOU Keith so much 😀 we look forward to sharing our highlights with you as!

–Alison Wilkinson

A trip to Scotland has been on my bucket list as long as I can remember. Keith’s blog is like an all you can eat buffet of where to go and what to do. Too many choices, so I took advantage of his trip planning service. What came from his knowledge and experience was this great combination of structure, flexibility and logistics. The group that is going is wildly enthusiastic about the plan as well and we can’t wait to go!

–Eileen

I highly recommend Keith’s itinerary review service. I’m an over-planner by nature and quickly became overwhelmed with all the wonderful options of things to see and do in Scotland. Keith looked over my (rather extensive) trip plan and helped me set realistic time-line to get as much in as possible without burning myself out. He suggested one change in overnight accommodations that made three whole days flow much smoother and cut hours off of my driving time. His recommendations on “see this, not that” and “go here, not there” were the exact confidence-boost I needed in my plan.

–Heather Y.

As I am finishing up my last 3 days in enchanting Scotland, I just have to say that Keith is THE MAN. Wow, what a trip.

From the top, I was planning a two week trip to Scotland and wanted to leave within three weeks of when I was planning it so it was extremely last minute and I was really needing assistance with planning/sightseeing/organization to get the most out of my extended holiday. Luckily, I stumbled upon Keith’s website and knew he was the right guy to help me get the most out of my trip to Scotland and someone who would really help me find the things I’d love to do regarding my interests. After a Skype interview, I was given a great list and detailed email of places to see, recommendations of where to stay, and most useful transportation recommendations as I was using trains/taxis/buses.

I pretty much followed all of the details in the email, met so many awesome people along the way, and am pretty much ready to cancel my flight back to the US and make a life over here. It has been most enjoyable, and I am so grateful for Keith’s assistance.

One quick memory that was perhaps one of the best I wanted to share to really help those who are pondering the idea to go to Scotland to just buy a plane ticket is:

For three nights, I stayed outside Dunkeld (small Scottish town) in the village of Caputh (a small farming community) in a cottage built in the 1700s with a very charming lady. During my time here, I was able to go on absolutely breathtaking walks around the community, hang out with her incredible border collie, Brea. And also exchanging stories with my host, Debbie and friend Jonathan in front of a coal fire in a Cozy lounge.

Thanks for everything Keith, Cheers!

–Christian Herndon

I am so happy that I discovered the services of Keith Savage. He made my trip planning so much easier. Headed to Scotland in winter, and not sure of what to see during limited daylight and what the best things are to see in a limited time. He was so great about capturing our interests and building an itinerary from there that suited what we were after. His involvement lessened the pain and greatened the excitement for the visit. Thank you so much Keith!

–Judy Beach

I stumbled upon Keith’s website by pure luck, and am so happy I did! My husband and I contacted him to help with an itinerary for our trip to Scotland in September 2017. From the beginning he has been quick to respond, easy to talk to and so very helpful. Our Skype appointment was so informative and the subsequent email was extremely detailed. He provides links to each location, sight, hotel and restaurant that he recommends. His knowledge of Scotland is deep – almost like talking to someone who has lived there for years. I am so happy we were lucky enough to find him; I would not feel nearly as comfortable and secure about our trip had I not. I cannot wait for our trip!! 🙂 Thanks again, Keith!!

–Vicki Patterson

Keith was invaluable in helping us with an itinerary for our 2 1/2 week to Scotland. My husband and I began planning the trip on our own, but it wasn’t until we found Keith, that things started to gel. Once we had our route and knew how many nights to book in each place, the rest was easy. And he was spot on…..the Orkney’s (which we might have skipped) were a highlight and the whole trip was better than we could have imagined. His tips of what to see and do while we toured around were great as well. We are very grateful to Keith for his love and knowledge of this wonderful country. We definitely will be back, and will contact him for a 2nd go around. If you have any doubts about using Keith’s expertise, rest assured, you won’t be sorry if you decide to use him. It was a flawless process and undoubtedly made our trip the success it was. Thanks so much, Keith! We now share your enthusiasm for Scotland and can’t wait to go back.

–Karen Izenberg

A long overdue thank you… I used Keith’s services to help with our two-week trip to Scotland in September and I’m so happy I did! He helped to organize the trip so much better than I could have done on my own. The only negative is that there is so many wonderful things to see in Scotland that it is difficult to choose when your time is limited. It was an incredible trip. The weather was outstanding except for three days of nearly constant rain and wind. But we expected that and were prepared. I can’t wait to go back. Until then, I’ll have to content myself with Keith’s posts!

–Lisa Eudy

My husband and I just returned from our honeymoon, throughout which we followed the fabulous guidance Keith provided us. We were lucky enough to find some hidden gems including the fabulous fairy bridge walk just north of Oban, which we never would have known existed if we hadn’t enlisted Keith’s help in planning our trip. Keith offers just enough guidance to set you on your way, while still making your trip your own. He listened to our interests and provided us with great trips on how to make our honeymoon our dream vacation. His love of Scotland is evident, and he’s created two new believers in the two of us. Thanks so much for your great advice and insight! Our trip wouldn’t have been the same without it.

–Hanna & Mike Chouest

Where do I begin to sum up how my husband and I feel about our amazing trip to Scotland? The most important thing to do is thank you, Keith. Your understanding of our goals and expert advice left us with a vacation we will never forget. Without your guidance, we would never have been able to do what we did. We’ve absolutely fallen in love with Scotland. From the kind, generous people, to the sweeping vistas, historic castles, charming villages and crazy fun driving experience, we are changed forever. I even learned how to drink whisky!

Though we are home now, in those two short weeks we left a piece of our hearts in the Highlands that we will never get back. The only answer? We must go back! We’ve only just uncovered the tip of the iceberg.

In the mean time, we will continue to read your excellent blog, and dream about our next trip.
Until next time, Slainte mhaith!

–Joanie Murray

We engaged Keith to help us plan our first trip to Scotland. He was incredibly responsive and, once he understood our interests, gave great advice on where to go and how to sequence our trip. Beginning with a short stay in Edinburgh, we went on to the Cairngorms, Orkney, the West Highlands, Skye, and Glencoe over the course of almost three weeks. Every single place was richly rewarding, both in natural beauty, fascinating history, beautiful crafts, and warm, friendly people. We were blessed with great weather throughout our three-week August trip, with ever-shifting vistas of purple heather-covered mountains, wildflower-filled fields, forested glens, crystal blue skies, and sparkling seas. At one point we joked that we weren’t sure we could stand one more gorgeous vista. An unexpected highlight of the trip for us was how much we enjoyed learning about single malt whiskys – and of course tasting as many as possible! Keith was also great in responding to real-time queries that helped us tweak our day-to-day plan on a couple occasions, and his website resources were vital in helping us choose great hikes, distilleries, and more from among the many options available. Thanks, Keith!

–The Hurleys

We had a great summer trip to Scotland in late June that Keith helped me plan. We didn’t get to do everything he recommended because there were so many choices – the country was beautiful! Keith’s advice from car rental to places to stay were invaluable. He gave me great advice once he knew our interests. I loved the off the beaten track tips and he really helped me navigate our trip to include something for everyone. Well worth the cost to have expert advise! I would add that anyone renting a car from Celtic Legend, Arnold Palmer – use the tram getting to and from Edinburgh. It was super easy and avoid driving in the city centre if possible. The tram also takes you out to the airport and avoids traffic. We’ll be back!!

–Mary Day

We have recently returned from our trip to Scotland, that Keith helped us plan, and it was amazing. I started planning our trip a year ago, and was quickly overwhelmed by the amount of information I could find with very little direction. During my searches I found Keith’s blog, and signed up for his original planning service after reading several entries. We would have never ventured as far as we did, nor experienced some of the breathtaking beauty of Scotland had we not had Keith to help us. We spent 3 days in Edinburgh, 3 days in Speyside and 3 days on Skye. I could sit for hours in the late afternoon sun, and listen to the Spinning Blowfish outside the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. As we got out of Edinburgh though, that is where we fell in love with the country. Our time at The Dulaig was the most relaxing I’ve had in a very long time. We would have never stayed here without Keith’s advice. Carol and Gordon are two of the loveliest people I’ve ever met ,and truly embody the warmth of the Scottish people. Breakfast was decadent and we so enjoyed sharing the table with the same person every day. Our hearts though belong on Skye. The scenery is absolutely stunning. We pulled over many times just to look at the area around us. Without a car we would have never seen the many small villages that dot the island, driven down the longest single track road in search of a hairy coo, nor found Grumpy George’s photography. We are already talking about our next trip and hoping we can spend a bit more time next time. Keith was so helpful throughout the stages of planning. He answered all of my questions, and there were a lot, even the last day when we had no idea when to leave our hotel for the airport. You will not regret engaging Keith’s services. Be prepared to fall in love.

–Amy French

The decision to use Keith’s consultation service was one of the best things I did for our trip! My daughter and I spent 4 days in Glasgow before meeting with a tour group. “What to do for 4 days?” Keith made time saving and useful recommendations based on our interests & our time schedule. We walked from our hotel downtown to St. Mungo’s Cathedral and the Necropolis, a good walk. There we met a volunteer who gave us a tour and along the way shared some of our Cameron family history. The same day, after tea at the Millennial, we took a taxi to Kelvingrove Park & Art Gallery (amazing..) Another day we took a chauffer (a wonderful company and inexpensive for a Mercedes) to the Cameron House for High Tea and a 60 minute Champagne Cruise on Loch Lomond. It was all lovely! To pubs, suggested by Keith, who welcomed traditional musicians. For tea at infamous Willow Tea Room. And shopping! There were many other things to do and see in Glasgow, but we chose enjoyment in a leisurely fashion, and were very satisfied.

We didn’t visit Stirling, the castle, or new statue of W. Wallace because Queens St station was redirecting trains to other stations and our time was limited.

I highly recommend using Keith’s thorough consult. He has the expertise and love of Scotland to make your trip more efficient and memorable ! I will contact him again when able to visit again! Thank you Keith!

–Paula Coon

My husband and I recently came back from our two week vacation in Scotland. As so many others have stated, our heads were spinning during the planning process. We are so happy that we contacted Keith to help us with our itinerary, and after our Skype session with Keith, our excitement for the upcoming trip increased tremendously. We started and finished in Edinburgh and did a huge counter-clockwise loop that took us to St. Andrews, Grantown-on-Spey, Mey, Orkney, Inverness and Skye. We learned so much about the history and it was such an interesting time because we were there right after the Brexit vote. We also saw castles, went to a wool mill, saw different crafts and visited archaeological sites. I even crawled into maeyshowe (I was so proud of myself !).We hiked, took distillery tours and tasted different whiskies, and, of course, shopped (and that included bringing home whiskies) It is hard to believe how much we saw and did, but now realize that there is so much more to see and do. You know that you have had a great vacation when you can’t wait to return.

Thank you for your travel planning service, Keith, because I don’t think that our trip would have been as well planned and memorable without your help. We are now so aware of why you have fell in love with Scotland.

For anyone reading this who is planning a trip to Scotland, I highly recommend Keith’s services. I don’t think that you will be disappointed at all.

–Mary Seaboldt

My husband and I decided to plan a “last minute” trip to Scotland (only 2 1/2 months prior). Our heads were spinning and our dining room table was covered in maps. Where to go? Where to stay? Keith to the rescue!

We filled out a thorough questionnaire and set up our Skype session. By the end of the session we had a detailed itinerary and after emailing with a few follow up questions, our trip was booked within a few days. Keith is extraordinarily knowledgable, professional, prompt and gracious.

If you’re thinking about setting up a session, DO IT. What a lifesaver! Counting down the days until we leave.

–Robyn Spurr

Every time I performed a search for itineraries and guides for Scotland, Keith’s site came up. Finally I took the leap and reached out to Keith. Not because I couldn’t come up with an itinerary–I had three! We all know what we know, but we don’t know what we don’t know. And therein lies Keith’s magic. You have provided me what I needed most—confidence in making decisions. Within an hour of our conference, I was committing to reservations that for 2 months, I was afraid to make the decision–the wrong one! With your help, your genuine interest in answering all questions and gently suggesting new tips, we are better prepared for a trip than before. We’ll keep you posted for sure, but to anyone on the fence as I was, take the leap; I can personally guarantee Keith will absolutely enhance your experience.

–Laura Wilson

My husband and I are planning a two-week trip to Scotland at the end of September. This has been my dream for years! I have been reading books, looking at maps, and reading articles online and wondering how to fit it all in. Two weeks is just a teaser! Fortunately, Keith has sorted it out and given us a plan that is exciting but not draining. Because of his expert knowledge of Scotland, he has provided direction and ideas for our trip that take us off the beaten track with more confidence than we would otherwise have had, while showing us the most exquisite beauty of Scotland! I am so happy that I contacted Keith!

–Lisa Eudy

My husband and I used Keith’s services to plan our trip to Scotland a year from now. We had ideas of the types of things we wanted to see, but no idea where exactly to go or how exactly to get there. Keith’s knowledge was invaluable. He is truly an expert on all things Scotland – no exaggeration. He gave us incredible advice on how to experience all the amazing things we wanted in the time we have, and gave us tips on the lesser-known things to see and do. And he’s very accessible – the call going over everything was awesome and got me completely jumping-in-my-seat excited for the trip, and he’s been happy to provide follow-up advice too. I’ve already recommended him to my Facebook friends and will happily recommend him to anyone looking to visit beautiful Scotland. I can’t wait for our trip! Thank you Keith!!

–Jennifer Thorpe-Moscon

We just returned from our Scotland trip and everything Keith laid out worked out perfectly. His advice is worth every penny and then some as he focused us on seeing the special places. He has deep knowledge and certainly match us up well with the different sites based on our interests. Can’t recommend his services enough and maybe he can branch out to other countries 🙂

–Thomas & Karen Rose

So grateful that I stumbled across Keith’s site. The thought of planning our trip to Scotland in September 2016 was overwhelming and anxiety inducing. I had no idea where to start. Keith’s love for Scotland is evident and he created a perfect itinerary for us, taking into consideration our wants and needs. We were even more excited after speaking with Keith and having the itinerary in hand with Keith’s recommendations and suggestions is priceless. It was such a comfort to speak with someone who has traveled Scotland extensively. I would highly recommend a consult with Keith for anyone planning a trip to Scotland!! It is well worth the cost.

Keith, THANK YOU!! Can’t wait for September!

–Kara Archuleta

I can’t say enough great things about this service!!! My daughter and I spoke to Keith last week and the information we received is invaluable! Not only is he very nice and accommodating, he really took the time to read our interests and was able to recommend not only a great itinerary but also gave us very helpful information about driving (very tricky considering it’s on the “wrong” side of the road) and the weather. He also gave us great tips on some cool, off-the-beaten-path places to visit and answered the numerous questions we threw out at him like a pro! He eased our anxiety of visiting a new place on the other side of the globe and he all but ensured we would have the time of our lives! Because of his knowledge and understanding of our desires I’m already planning our second trip to Scotland and I will be sure to utilize his service again! The trip-planning service is a great investment in what will be an amazing adventure! Thanks Keith for all your help!

–Missie Tullier

Talking to Keith is like talking to someone who lives in Scotland….it’s invaluable when planning a trip to another country. It would have taken me hours and hours to plan an itinerary and I would not have any confidence that I chose wisely! Well worth the money to just talk to someone who has traveled there extensively, more than worth it to get a plan to follow. I highly recommend this. I am looking for the same kind if thing for our trip to Ireland and can’t find anything. Keith’s service is a true gem.

–Michelle

I asked Keith to look at 2 suggested tours of Scotland given to us by a Scottish friend as we didn’t know where to start or which one was our best option. Keith managed to put together the two tours and suggested interesting places to visit on our way. He is also willing to answer questions after you receive your itinerary which I found very reassuring. I can’t wait to begin booking up campsites and train journeys as it all looks so inviting. Many thanks Keith!

–Angela Martin

My husband and I recently used Keith’s services to help us plan our trip to Scotland next year, and we were thoroughly impressed. He managed to lay out a plan that encompassed nearly everything on our extensive “must do” list, and then some. Who knew we have time to explore Orkney? We are thrilled with the service we received from Keith. Based on his recommendations, I have begun booking accommodation and researching each region we will visit to plan our activities.
Words can’t express how excited we are for this trip and Keith’s thoughtful suggestions are helping make our dream a reality. Couldn’t have done this without you, Keith!

–Joanie & Bryan Murray

Just wanted to let you know and to thank you so much for all your advice…we had a fabulous time. We fell in love and if not for grandchildern could have stayed forever. We are planning our next visit next fall and hope to make it to the Orkney Islands. The B And Bs we stayed in were fantastic…such great hosts. On Skye, we stayed at Creol na Mara, and Ross, our host makes bagpipes and is in a band….we got to hear him at a wee small pub the one night, they played and sang old galic songs…it was great…as was the whole trip. Mark was not real fond of the single track roads, and the lack of road signs…but it just made the trip more interesting…Thank you again for your help…we will probably be contacting you again for our next visit….Thanks again.

–Nikki & Mark Dolan

Just thought that I would drop you a line and tell you how much we enjoyed our trip. Thanks to you, we had great accommodation and saw a nice variety of things. We particularly liked the 15 Glasgow and the Dulaig B and B. We really liked Glasgow and had no trouble filling four days there. We found a great restaurant and ate there twice. Edinburgh was fun with all of the festival activity. We were in an apartment on the Grassmarket under the castle so we heard the tattoo and saw the fireworks twice before we actually got to the real thing. It was well worth it and the weather that evening was fabulous so made it that much better. The drive to Skye was lovely…such scenery! All of the hills were purple with heather and we loved all of the hundreds of sheep. We did get a lot of rain there so did not do as much walking as we would have liked. Our accommodation was not that great but we couldn’t get ones you had recommended. It was fine but… One of the unexpected highlights were the Braemer  games! So much fun seeing all of the activity and of course the pipes. It really was just a country fair on a large scale but felt intimate..added bonus was the Queen and her family showing up. At the Copper Dog pub outside of Grantown-on-Spey we had great fun being entertained by two serious 14 year old boys playing traditional music…an unexpected pleasure. We were really just tagging along with our friends on this trip as Scotland was not really on our list of places we had to see before we died but I must say it was a lovely two weeks.we loved the country, the people, the food, the music…thank you for putting together the itinerary for us. We have told our friends that they definitely must go and we will highly recommend them to you.

–Brenda & Gordon Williamson

Rich and I had a great trip to Scotland and the Shetland Islands for two weeks last September. Your itinerary worked for us and when I found out FlyBe touched down in Orkney we added a couple days to our trip and had a wonderful tour around the Island (Orkney) with a taxi driver. Some of the best food ever at Helgi’s. If anyone is thinking about going to Scotland, by all means put your faith in the Traveling Savage. The places that you suggested that we stay in the Highlands and Isle of Skye were over the top with breakfasts to last all day.

–Rich & Linda Lunna

We stumbled onto this website via a Google search in preparation for our first trip to Scotland. We were immediately intrigued by the story of Keith’s first trip to Scotland and checked out some of his articles on Scotland. Being overwhelmed by the number of great places and regions to visit in Scotland we essentially bought the “$99 insurance package” and were not disappointed. Keith’s recommendations were precise and detailed as to the reasons not to miss this or that. He doesn’t make reservations for you as a travel agent would, but then he isn’t getting commissions on the bookings, so his suggestions are born, it seems from his obvious love of this place and his many trips there.

He really tailors the recommendations to individual preferences set forth in the questionnaire and seems to focus on places that one might not find in a standard tour guide. We leave in July and are looking forward to our trip and are now even more excited about the planning of this adventure after our session with Keith….Thanks for a great valuable service.

–Bill & Mimmie Byrne

I started following Keith’s blog about a year ago in hopes of finding ideas for my upcoming trip to Scotland to study the Presbyterian Reformation. When I saw that Keith offered the service to help plan my trip, I was thrilled! After looking at books, websites, books again, and then more websites, I was becoming very overwhelmed with all the information that I was finding and decided that Keith’s help was exactly what I needed. I was very impressed with the turn back time for him to get back to me. It took a week or two before we Skyped each other, so that he could go through my planned trip with me. The questionnaire was a great way for Keith to know exactly what was important for me to see and do during my trip. I feel as if the trip is completely focused around what I want to do, rather than what he thought was best for me. I would definitely recommend this trip-plan package to anyone that is overwhelmed or wants a trip focused around them.

–Carmen Rabel

Before our Skype date with Keith, we had a meal of Scottish foods. Terry was ready to go with his whisky while I had my cup of hot tea. I am not tech savy, so I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t see Keith during our Skype, but it really didn’t matter. He gave us LOTS of great ideas on what we could do with our time in Scotland. He planned an itinerary that sounds like it includes a lot of wonderful things to see and do on our trip. Through the questionnaire he had great ideas that were about us. He make sure to include golf for my husband, and ruins of castles or abbeys for me. He also encouraged us to take the road less traveled. Now I have work to do to decide exactly how I might tweak his ideas that were sent by email. He also encouraged us to email if we have more questions. It was a great Scottish date night. Thanks Keith for getting us excited about our trip.

–Christie Wiltz

We recently used Keith’s trip-planning service. We were very impressed with his responsiveness and his recommendations. We are a party of 8, ranging from young children to grandparents, so we felt we needed some expertise planning our itinerary. Keith planned alternative itineraries, one using public transportation and one renting cars, and he answered our questions concerning budgeting and accommodations. He was also very pleasant, and we enjoyed our call. All in all, we are very grateful to Keith for his guidance!

–Angela LaFratta

While I have traveled a fair amount, I’ve never put together our itinerary or its timing. In planning our trip to Scotland, I was a bit paralyzed trying to figure out how to best spend our time. It was preventing me from making our bookings for lodging. Impulsively, I paid the $99 for Keith’s help and it was money well-spent. He contacted me very quickly and after our hour Skype conversation, my path was so much clearer. Immediately, the next day I began. Our trip isn’t until May 2016 and time won’t pass quickly enough for me, but our trip outline is set: the “base locations” and the days in each, our chosen lodging, rental car and we even found our “deal” on airfare. Only 230 days to go and time to investigate possible activities! Thanks, Keith for your conversation, recommendations, both on Skype and in the follow-up e-mails. Not least, I appreciate your figuratively holding my hand to reassure me that ‘I’ve got this!”

–Susan Dukes

I found Keith thru my research for planning a trip to Scotland. I have no idea what I’m doing as I’ve never been to Europe. After reading the reviews on Keith I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did and it was well worth the small fee. Keith was so fast getting back to me and getting my recommendations in order. Our skype call was great, Keith is very well informed and answered all my questions. The itinerary he planned is exactly what I was looking for. I would certainly recommend him to my friends and family. I’m so happy with his service. I can’t wait to start booking my trip!

–Heather Liberg

We are lucky enough to be planning a three week trip to Scotland in the spring of 2016. Keith’s blog, his personal experiences, assessment of our interests and our Skype phone call with him moved the trip from books, websites, maps and ideas into an actionable itinerary. We were having difficulty with timing and importance – it nice to have someone look at your interests; be they historical, whiskey or nature and say ‘three days here and two days there will be great to see the sights but you don’t want to miss this’.

–Jeanne & Tony Krukowski

We just used Keith’s service to plan a week in Scotland, after we have just cruised around the British Isles, in May 2016. Keith took into account that my father-in-law is 80 years old, we wanted to see two specific sites, and what types of things we were interested in. Within a week, we had our conference call and reviewed Keith’s suggested itinerary. We then received a detailed email with links to specific information.

Keith has always answered questions whenever we have them. Keith suggested places we would never have thought of visiting, but they were such great suggestions we probably will. I highly recommend his service – it saved many hours of time!

–Ann Brooks

We just got off the phone after a really fun visit with Keith. He outlined a trip to the kinds of places we’d mentioned in our initial contact with him, suggested the number of days it would take to truly appreciate them, and upped our enthusiasm — already high — even higher with his descriptions. Keith is personable, listens well, and knows Scotland. Rather than googling PLACES TO SEE IN SCOTLAND, then wandering around hoping we were not missing anything, we will now visit Scotland knowing we’ll be spending time in the places that interest us most — with a bit serendipity thrown in. Thanks, Keith! (AND we might even come home with an appreciation for whisky!)

–Rick & Terri Herr

Thanks to Keith we are looking forward to an amazing two weeks in Scotland. Keith helped us arrange a two week detailed trip. I knew I have the two weeks there but was not sure as to what I can cover and accomplish. Now, after an hour skype conversation with Keith, his follow up detailed e-mail listing what we can and should do in each location, recommended hotels, B&B, restaurants and more, just an amazing service. Dear Keith, million thanks.

–Josh Buch

What a great find Keith Savage is! My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland this fall and Keith’s website was chock full of great ideas. Even more helpful I think was the consultation we did with him. My wife sent our proposed itinerary to him and he reviewed it before our session and he had many thoughtful and helpful suggestions. Keith clearly loves Scotland and loves sharing his experience with others! Great experience!

–Rob & Terri Burkham

Just finished a conference call with Keith and am excited to travel his custom made itinerary. I found our conversation very helpful and informative. His answers to my many questions verifies his vast knowledge of the Highlands. My itinerary seems to include all the highlights I asked for and takes me to places I never would have explored. Thanks Keith will get back to you in September!

–Liz Meraw

Keith, We’re so thankful that Greg came across your website on our search of “all things Scotland”! We’ve dreamed of going there for years, but really had no idea of where to begin. We knew that an “all inclusive” tour group was NOT what we were looking for…and we were lucky enough to find you! Your enthusiasm and expertise are invaluable in planning an experience that truly fits the preferences of the traveler. Both of us really appreciated the phone conference…and couldn’t wait to get your list of recommendations for us! The plan you suggested has been our “go to” guide in putting together a vacation we’ll never forget. I also want to thank you so much for your willingness to promptly answer questions as they pop up along the way. Because of you and the valuable service you provide, we’re both feeling much more confident with being “newby” visitors to Scotland. Can’t wait for our trip to unfold in June!

–Greg & Deb Wiepz

I am so glad my sister found Keith and convinced me to check out his proposal instead of the already planned itinerary and I am now shuddering at the thought that we might have never found Keith and had our trip planned by someone who understood our hopes and dreams and love for William Wallace. There is no way we would ever have time or means to plan out our trip in a way that would allow us to experience Scotland the way we wanted in the short time we are there. Now I am convinced that what we have planned will get us the experience we were dreaming off. Will check back after our trip and update on how it went.

–Anastasia Borukhov

Keith’s trip planning service is exactly what my husband and I were looking for! It is well worth the price. Keith mapped out our itinerary based on our interests, our travel style and our timeframe. What guidebook can do that? Thank you, Keith! We can’t wait for our trip!

–Cheryl Einhorn

Well Keith, we are sitting in the airport waiting to board our flight into Edinburgh! To say I feel well prepared is an understatement…thanks to how thoroughly you spelled out every last detail! Our itinerary is so exciting, but we would never have come up with all of this cool stuff to do if my traveling buddy Sara hadn’t happened on your outstanding web site! Your advice was worth WAY more than your modest fee, Keith, and we will certainly keep you posted throughout our travels! We are very grateful to you, and it seems that you really dialed-in to our trip wish-list! So…for anyone who is a bit uncertain if this is worthwhile, I suppose you could spend over 12 months of your life accumulating this knowledge yourself, or skip the learning curve and go straight to the guru!!!! See you in the Highlands!!

–Jenny Schnettler

You my friend are a Godsend! Your help has been so invaluable! I do not think I could have planned my vacation without you. You tailored your research to fit my specific wants for my trip. On our call, you painted a vivid picture of the wonders I would see, and turned my level of excitement to an 11! I cannot wait for August to get here! I highly recommend anyone planning a trip to Scotland to seek your help. It’s well worth the price!

–Luke Buchanan

My husband and I went to Scotland for our first time last May. We spent one week in Northern Ireland and another in Scotland, and at the end of our trip we ran out of time and didn’t get to see everything that we wanted. So, we decided to plan a follow up trip to Scotland this year. Although we had already been there once, it quickly became apparent that planning a return trip was even harder than the first time, because we knew all the places we wanted to visit and see the second time around. We just didn’t know where to start or how to divide our time between the different areas. This is where Keith’s trip planning services came in handy.

Keith was able to put together an itinerary that gave us the right amount of time in each location without interrupting other parts of our trip. At each stop along our two week vacation, he offered things to do, see and places to eat. He gave us suggestions that we never would have thought of on our own (like flying to Orkney instead of taking a ferry). During the Skype call, we were mesmerized by his storytelling as he went through the history of each area we planned to visit. What might have turned into a stressful time planning our trip has turned into pure excitement now.

I highly recommend Keith’s expertise to anyone who wants to maximize their trip to Scotland. You will not regret it! We cannot wait until September to have our Savage vacation!

–Mae & Joe Kirby

I am sooooo excited that I found this site when searching for Scotland trips. While I’ve been to London, I had no idea where to start trying to figure out how to see Scotland. I contacted Keith about his trip planning assistance and he was so responsive and inquired about what I thought I wanted to see, what my interests are, and what my concerns were. We just finished our Skype chat and if I could leave tomorrow for Scotland, I would! Keith knew exactly what I was asking for – just from my email – and has planned what I know will be a spectacular trip. He took time to tell me about each place he suggested, what was special about it (from art galleries, to castles, to national parks, and historical sites – oh, and of course, sites from Outlander!). I was so nervous about the trip and the planning and after speaking with Keith, I can’t wait to go! For anyone planning a trip to Scotland, I highly recommend Keith’s planning services! And I’ll certainly share my thoughts when I get back!

–Stephanie Schlatter

Thanks to Keith and his trip planning service, my friends and I are so excited and looking forward to our September trip to Scotland. I found his blog quite by accident trying to research traveling in Scotland. He put together a wonderful itinerary for our stay. There is no way we could have organized this on our own. We knew a few cities we wanted to see but did not know where to start. Our itinerary now includes everything we asked for and additional places we would have missed had we not talked with Keith. We recommend Keith for all your Scotland planning. We enjoyed our skype call this evening. Thanks for all your help!

–Andrea Hopkins

Hi Keith, What an awesome and truly helpful conversation! Your passion and love of Scotland is contagious and we felt like we were already in a pub having a fine chat! You integrated our interests so beautifully. This has taken a lot of the guess work out of how to organize our two weeks in Scotland, though must say I love how you advocate for being open to serendipity and discovery on the journey as well… YES! The areas you recommended for exploration all look superb and now we know where to plant ourselves for days at a time. My sense is growing that this will be a “first” trip to Scotland. Heartfelt thanks, for your significant contribution to supporting travelers and for your appreciation, knowledge and curiosity about this part of the world! We will post on our return, stay tuned.

–Colette & Allan Herrick

Latha math…

Whether you have already made a trip to Scotland, or are planning one in the future, I would URGE you to work with Keith on your travel plans! We found him to be extremely helpful, insightful and knowledgeable in all aspects…travel, accommodations, the various regions, etc.

Our upcoming trip, in August, 2015 will be our second…the first, in 2009 was a small guided tour, which was excellent…a week in the Republic of Ireland and a week in Scotland. We learned enough on that trip, and gained enough of a comfort level that on this upcoming trip, a three-weeker, we decided to take the plunge, rent a car, plan our own trip, at our own pace and make a bit of a circuitous route to experience more of Scotland. There’s NO way one can see all of what Scotland has to offer in that short of a time period, but we’re sure we’ll see areas that we can come back to and explore further in the future. (One could put ALL of the UK inside the borders of Oregon where we live…the ninth largest of the U.S. states).

That said, I sent Keith our itinerary. In just a short period of time, he asked for a Skype chat, which we did tonight. It was VERY obvious that he knows his stuff…and that he has a great love for Scotland. I did have some initial concerns that with our original schedule, we might have planned “too much, too quick”. Keith acknowledged that feeling, but instead of simply telling us to “cut this” or “do that”, he made some recommendations to consolidate a few things to where we’ll have a chance to slow the pace down and “stop and smell the roses”…and yet still see most of the areas we had originally planned on.

While it would have been quite easy for him to simply glance over our itinerary and give us a simple “Looks good” rubber stamp, he treated us the same way he would treat someone who didn’t have any travel experience in Scotland, or hadn’t done any pre-planning.

For ALL of these reasons, I would heartily recommend that you work with Keith on your Scotland travel plans…his attention to detail, his knowledge of the regions and his love of the country will serve you well!

Fair winds and following seas…

–Neil & Stella Mackey

Found this site by accident while planning a trip to Scotland! Keith was so helpful in the beginning with a couple of random questions and his responses were so great and timely, we decided to hire him to help us further. The fee for him to help us plan our trip has been money VERY well spent! We had a great Skype chat (we are no longer Skype virgins) 😉 and Keith really listened to what types of travelers we are which allowed him to offer great suggestions that will totally be our cup of tea. He also offered us additional suggestions that just may very well change the whole scope of our trip for the better! Keith’s passion for Scotland is very evident and his vast knowledge about the many areas of this beautiful country have been very appreciated. If you are planning a trip to Scotland – we highly recommend shelling out and hiring Keith for sure!! We hope to cross paths while in Scotland and buy him a pint (or two)! Cheers!

–Robin deKleine-Stimpson

Keith “heard” exactly what we were asking for and returned us a plan that followed just that. We had plenty of time to have him answer our burning questions and we still have access to him should another question arise. I think his service is well worth the cost and then some. A wonderful pre-trip bit of guidance and something we wish had been available in this form for other countries we have visited. Thanks so much, Keith!

–Chuck Nakell

Money well spent! We cannot wait for our trip next summer. We’ve already booked accommodations, and we’ve been reading up on the places we will visit. This is not our first trip abroad, but what a difference. No more stumbling around, trying to figure out what to see and how long to stay in one particular city. We don’t leave for months and I’m already mentally planning a second trip. Thank you for not only making our 15th anniversary something special, but for making it so easy!

–Amy French

At the outset, a big thank you to Keith.. My wife and I started planning a trip to Scotland for our anniversary with sole idea of exploring as much natural beauty through our trip as we could. Internet is overloaded with thousands of posts, views and blogs which at times is confusing to take a decision and while reading about Scotland I stumbled upon Keith’s services. I was initially reluctant but with such wonderful reviews I went ahead and paid the initial USD 99 and post that there was no looking back.. Keith’s promptness and understanding of our needs made it an enriching experience to plan a holiday. He guided us on every aspect of the trip. The call made the experience more personal and was a great confidence builder. The follow up email was more than informative with all the requisite links .. Informed traveling has its own merits and Keith’s role is a stepping stone for our 10 day trip. I so wish that there are more people like Keith who can help travelers and indeed have a wonderful experience.. Keep up the good work Keith! Cheers!!

–Abhishek Soni

Keith helped plan our trip for August 2015 and we are very much looking forward to spending a holiday which is balanced with both relaxation and sightseeing activities. Before engaging Keith, we were people who always tried to pack too much into our holidays but this time we wanted to get it right – travelling 23 hours all the way from Australia and losing out on the pound conversion was already enough stress for us let alone getting the planning & logistics right! We feel confident that Keith listened to what our interests were and planned an itinerary based around both our travel needs – definitely feeling like we’ve got it right this time thanks to some sage consultation. Don’t delay in engaging Keith now to maximise your trip to Scotland.

–Jayde & Joel Fuller

After much research and planning, we had come up with a decent plan about what we wanted to see in our two-week tour of Scotland. The important missing piece was the pacing of the trip. Questions of how long to be in an area and real travel times loomed large in our minds until I happened on Keith’s site while trying to answer these very questions. True personal recommendations are very reassuring and with Keith’s experience and engaging personality – you soon know he will help you immensely. The entire process was fun and the Skype chat was most reassuring. I was then able to complete all necessary bookings to flesh out our itinerary with confidence. I look forward to sharing out post-trip experiences upon our return. Thanks!

*****

We have returned from out two-week adventure around Scotland with an emphasis on castles and distilleries (plus a short side-trip to Switzerland) and had a fantastic time. I cannot say enough good things about the Scots. They are a wonderful people with an epic landscape. Keith’s assistance with the pacing of the trip was very helpful for planning out the number of days to spend in each region.

I highly recommend Keith’s service for first-time traveling to Scotland.

–Mark Schwobel

I highly recommend Keith’s Trip-Planning Package; yes, he *can* help! Until I came across his blog, I’d never met Keith, but I can now say that I’m thrilled that I did! By the time I contacted him for a consult, I had a fairly good idea of my itinerary, theoretically, but was baffled by logistics like whether/when to take a car or train? What might it be like learning to drive on the opposite side of the road? What was the *real* travel time between locations? Where should I stay and how should I figure out length of time to spend in each accommodation based upon what I wanted to see? Keith managed to both encourage and reassure me about my plans. Skyping with him was great! I felt like he was really listening to what I personally was seeking in the journey, and he responded with attention to details that would make my visit to Scotland as fun and streamlined as possible, and with minimal worry on my part. This was vital to me as a middle-aged, female solo traveler exploring the Highlands and Islands for the first time. The follow-up email to our conversation was excellent, including additional suggestions and links. If you’re planning a trip to Scotland, take Keith up on his offer to help – you absolutely will not regret it. Thanks, Keith!

–Darla Palmer

Keith’s advice was invaluable in helping plan out my brief Scotland trip. I contacted him beforehand, worried about the short deadline due to my last minute trip and he responded very quickly and had an excellent itinerary full of great recommendations ready right away! The hour long Skype call was also a great help, he talked through the itinerary answering any questions I had along the way.

If you’re debating whether or not to use Keith’s service, do it right away! For the cost of dinner, you can gain valuable, experienced knowledge and ensure your trip is a success.

Will absolutely be recommending to friends and family.

Thanks Keith!

–Cole Sikes

We were a family of 4 traveling to Scotland last summer for 2 weeks from BC Canada. My teenage sons 14 and 18 and my husband.

I wanted to let you know that because of you our trip was absolutely fantastic. The Orkneys were amazing — can hardly wait to go back one day. The Isle of Skye and the West Highlands Drive were also so incredible. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Grantown-on-Spey all such great places. So many incredible memories. Again can not thank you enough. Scotland was the trip of a lifetime with your recommendations.

–Patti Fulton

Thank you, Keith, for a great consultation and for basically planning our itinerary. You provide an incredible service and I am just sorry that I spent too many hours trying to figure out what to do in Scotland on my own before stumbling upon your site!

For others – I HIGHLY recommend working with Keith. My husband and I have a trip planned to Scotland in a little over a week, with nothing actually “planned” other than the plane flights. I reached out to Keith last night and in less than 24 hours he has answered my questions, done the research, created a great itinerary for us with options and choices tailored towards our interests, and made the time to have our phone consultation. I have no doubt that our trip will be far better than it could have been without Keith’s help.

Keith, I look forward to updating you once we return, and likely will be in touch with some additional “last minute” questions.

*****

Hi again, Keith! Just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of your recommendations. We are back from Scotland and had a fabulous time. Your suggestions were incredibly helpful and we enjoyed following along many of them, as well as using them as a basis to jump around and try things we found while just exploring. We commented throughout the week about how great it was that we’d found you and how different our trip would have been had we just tried to plan on our own.

To anyone considering working with Keith – I can’t recommend him enough! If you have any hesitation about paying for the service (as I admittedly did, not knowing what I’d get given that I had stumbled across his site late one night while trying to plan my trip without any luck!) there is NO need to worry! If you tell Keith what you’re looking for in Scotland, and your interests, he will work with you to provide some fantastic suggestions. Without his help we would have wasted more time in planning and would have wasted time on our trip doing things that were not nearly as interesting as what Keith recommended. I know we wouldn’t have found Dunnottar Castle, the first place we visited, and it was one of my favorite places and a fantastic way to start our trip. The money is more than well spent in getting Keith’s expert recommendations.

Thanks again, Keith!! Great business and we will happily refer any friends or family to you in the future. And, of course, hope to have the opportunity to work with you again now that we can fully appreciate your love for Scotland!

–Laura Horne

We just returned from 8 days in Scotland, using the itinerary recommended to us by Keith. I am SO GLAD we went with our gut and reached out to Keith for his help. Planning a trip to Scotland is deceptively difficult. I’ve planned travel without assistance to 5 other European nations – ones where English isn’t even the native language! – and found it less challenging than Scotland. Having Keith look at our interests – which were all over the map, literally and figuratively – and boil it down to something that was achievable made our trip a success. We loved our call with him – we were bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm for the trip afterwards – but having him a quick email away when I was putting together the final details was such a relief. All of his recommendations were excellent. And DEFINITELY do his pub crawls. You won’t be sorry. (Well, maybe you will, but once the headache passes… ) THANK YOU, Keith!

–Tammy Wannemacher

I cannot say enough good things about the recommendations from Keith! I am in Scotland for a year so he tailored a plan of suggestions to encompass exactly what I was looking for during my free time. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting him via Skype and his enthusiasm for Scotland is hard to beat. I waited to write until I had the chance to experience my first set of recommendations, which happened to be in the Perthshire area last weekend. Everything from things to do, places to stay, places to drink and everything in between was dead-on to what I was looking to experience. If you are planning a trip for three days or three years you cannot go wrong with a sit-down with “The Traveling Savage!”

–Kate Clarke

I JUMPED on the opportunity to utilize Keith’s trip planning service and now have a clear plan of where my travels will take me. By asking pertinent questions (that we often forget to ask ourselves) Keith was able to put together an itinerary that would allow me to explore Scotland based on MY terms. BUT the real value came during the Skype call when he was able to get a true sense of my personality and we were able to discuss and adjust certain aspects of my trip (housing as an example). Believe me that hour went quickly and his love of Scotland is truly infectious.

Here is my advice – DO THIS! His knowledge is a tool you cannot afford to pass up and it will save you countless hours stressing over books, maps and websites. Who better to turn to than someone who has been to the country many times and has immersed himself in their culture, history and regions? Who better to guide you than someone who wants you to experience the best of that country, tailored specifically to YOUR interests? How often can you get first-hand knowledge of accommodations, car companies, pubs and eateries and historical sites from just one source AND be able to ask any question that comes to mind. This one service will save you so much in the long run, not to mention, give you peace of mind.

I have confidence my trip (I believe it will be the first of many) will exceed my expectations – it already has because I’ve made a new friend in the planning process.

–Lynn Porter