Orkney Uncovered - Kirkwall

Kathlyn H.

15/10 a must do when in Orkney! Kinlay is a fabulous guide and has been one of the highlights of our trip. We will be back and we will be booking Kinlay again! He took us to some places we would have never found on our own and the depth of the info he gave was amazing. His personal connection to the area brings a whole new level to his ability to share and guide. Both him and his wife made great recommendations and were amazing to work with. Down to earth, practical, hilarious and like you’re being toured around by a good friend.

pamela H.

We were recently in Orkney and spent the day with the most amazing tour guide. Kinley has a deep knowledge of the Orkney Islands and we were fortunate enough to be able to spend the day with him. His sense of humour and good nature made the day light hearted and entertaining. Although the weather was against us he was still able to change things up and take us to the most amazing places. We highly recommend Orkney Uncovered.

Anthony V.

We came to Orkney to meet a certain Kinlay Francis tour guide. He arrived outside the hotel in Kirkwall at 8:45 in the morning in his very comfortable VW transporter. It was obvious from the start that he was very knowledgeable especially in Orkney history surrounding the first and second world War. He has an encyclopediac knowledge of Orkney and it's history. A very entertaining and helpful man, he is an absolute credit to the tourist industry. The four of us thoroughly enjoyed our visit and would not hesitate to recommend Kinlay STGA guide as your personal guide to all aspects of Orkney.

Linda U.

We had such a great day with Orkney Uncovered on the Ancient Explorer tour. I’ve been on a lot of private tours but I must say none of them have been as good as our Orkney tour with Kinlay. First and foremost, Orkney is just an amazing place to visit with beautiful scenery, fascinating history, friendly folks, delicious food, and comfortable places to stay. I’ve dreamt of visiting Orkney since I was a kid and read about Skara Brea. I can’t recommend Kinlay enough for having as a guide in Orkney. His excitement for showing people around and his passion about his home is contagious. We learned so much from him. Not only did we see many of the fascinating sites on the mainland; we saw birds, animals, and gorgeous scenery. We enjoyed peppering Kinlay with questions and had many a good belly laugh during our day with him. He and his wife, Kirsty, also gave us great suggestions that improved the rest of our visit including other places to visit, the best place to get pies, beaches to walk, and movies to see about Scotland. Finally, after our day with Kinlay, each of us felt like we made a good new friend and isn’t that the best attribute you can have with a guide? Book with Kinlay, it will be the highlight of your Orkney visit.

Tracey J.

If you are coming to Orkney you must book with Orkney Uncovered and Kinlay. He really is a viking! But he's also incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and fascinating to listen to, what he doesn't know about Orkney probably isn't worth knowing. This was our 4th visit to Orkney but the first with Orkney Uncovered but we will be booking again on future visits. Kinlay made our holiday this year - don't think about it, just book with him if you are planning a visit - you won't regret it.

Eirik V. J.

Ah, Kinlay. The first word you said was «Wild». With a big grin you clarified «It takes a special sort of traveler to brave the wild wild weather of Orkney, but if you are interested in Orcadian life, this is the time to visit». We smiled cynically, feeling that we had seen wild before, and this was not it but Orkney soon wiped that off our faces. It is wild in a totally unique way, and we loved it.

Kinlay is six feet eight, with a sprawling red beard, an infectious laugh and a million crazy stories. And we learned to trust him all the way as he took us beyond the obvious and into the edges and corners that tourists rarely find. He shared his love of near history and a special Orcadian pride in what remains after all the fighting is over, be it world wars or Pictish tribal conflicts from thousands of years ago.

We strongly recommend Kinlay, Kirsty and Orkney Uncovered for all travelers!

Will

It was an absolute privilege to be guided by Kinlay on our ancient historical tour yesterday. We travelled up and down Orkney in his people carrier, seeking to glean as much information as possible on the historical treasure troves that the island guards. All the while, Kinlay’s passion and knowledge of his home resonated throughout the tour he had prepared for my partner and I, culminating in a day we will never forget. If there is only one thing you do when visiting Orkney, it must be to reach out to Kinlay and Kirsty to check their availability for a guided tour of the island - an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed!

Deeann B.

4 is us visited Kirkwall on a cruise ship, so just had 6 hours to see as much as we could. We contacted Orkney Uncovered and are so glad we did! Dealing with Kirsty before the trip was a pleasure - timely and efficient. Kinlay promptly picked us up at the harbour and took us to all the must-see sights in his comfortable van. We had so much fun and learned sooo much of the history of the Orkneys. By the time Kinlay dropping us off, we felt like we were leaving a wonderful new friend. We HIGHLY recommend Orkney Uncovered - they're incredible!