faqs

as an independent company, we strive to offer unique, luxurious experiences that others only dream of.

This is your trip, tailored to your needs and your interests.

With knowledge and expertise on our side, we take care of the boring bits. Leave behind the time consuming planning and focus on what you want from your dream self-drive tour. Experience and attention to detail counts for a lot, especially when valuable holiday time is on the line. From day one, you’ll be partnered with one of our dedicated local experts who will guide you through the whole process.

When it comes to ideas, our team love to think outside the box. No matter what’s on your destination bucket list, we strive to curate your own bespoke itinerary. We always provide the right vehicle for the job. Our fully-equipped Land Rover 4×4s are ideal for our routes.

In case you need anything on your trip, you’ll have our innovative in-car Celtic Route app that gives you specialist backup 24/7.

Your time is precious, and we don’t intend to waste it.

A Celtic Routes self-driving tour is a hassle-free way of exploring our destinations. Guided by your personalised app containing your bespoke itinerary and activities, at the click of a button your route map will be sent to the car’s navigation system to guide you on your way from the comfort of your luxury Land Rover, Range Rover or Mini. Boutique and high-quality accommodation. Stunning scenery along some of the world’s finest driving routes. A range of authentic activities and experiences led by passionate, local guides and experts. This is the essence of a Celtic Routes self-driving tour.

Your quotation will be clear on what is included and excluded from your tour. Your price will typically include your vehicle rental including all necessary insurance, delivery and collection of your vehicle to your start and end points, and your accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis. Most clients have tailored their trip and their final price may include optional extras such as transfers and any chosen activities like tours or experiences. Your quote will make this clear. Lunch, dinner and fuel are not included.

Most visitors now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in advance of travelling to the UK. The cost of this is only £10 per person and applications can be completed quickly and easily online, or via an app. Approvals take up to 3 days to complete but once approved the ETA will grant travel to the UK for up to 6 months at a time for tourism for the next two years. Learn more here.

It depends on your destination and route, and what pace you have told us you like. On average around 3 hours per day but this is an average. There may be some longer days of 4-5 hours of driving but these will be rare and usually followed by a rest day. Some days will be shorter (1-2 hours) especially if you have activities planned like a day’s fly fishing. Your personalised proposal will include driving days on each day. If you have a preference for less driving hours per day and more time to spend on your vacation then we can accommodate that.

That’s the whole essence of a Celtic Routes tour. Your personal Destination Travel Expert will work with you to understand your travel preferences, styles and interests to curate the dream vacation for you. It’s your holiday, nobody else’s, so we listen to your needs and put our deep destination knowledge to work to plan your perfect Celtic adventure.

All of our vehicles are fitted with the manufacturer’s sat nav systems built into the infotainment system.

At the click of a button your app will launch your pre-programmed route for the day into Google Maps which will be automatically sent to the vehicle’s system using Android Auto for a seamless, hassle-free experience. Our vehicles also come with a host of the latest safety and comfort aids including lane departure warning, speed limit warnings, blind spot detection systems, air conditioning, automatic sensing wipers and headlights, and heated/cooled leather seats. Explore in absolute comfort on your hassle-free self-driving tour.

In the very unlikely event of any mechanical failure or breakdown, all our vehicles are covered by Land Rover Assist (the manufacturer breakdown programme) or Mini Roadside Assistance which will either get you on the road immediately or provide a replacement vehicle.

You are fully covered by breakdown assistance who can attend to assist you with a flat tyre if you cannot deal with this yourself. With the exception of the Range Rover Evoque and Mini, all of our Land Rovers come with a full size spare wheel and once changed you will be on your way again.

We can assist in finding you a local garage to repair or replace the damaged tyre so you have another spare for the rest of your journey. Our Range Rover Evoques – due to their size – have space saver spare wheels which have limited range and speed and you will need to attend a garage to repair or replace the flat tyre which we will assist you with. You are responsible for the cost of replacing or fixing any damaged tyres during your tour.

No. We operate a full to full policy which means your vehicle will be delivered with a full tank of fuel and you should return your vehicle full. As a rough average our vehicles will achieve approximately 30 miles to the gallon or around 500-600 miles per tank (vehicle dependent). Depending on the exact route you will use around 1.5-2 tanks of fuel per week. At current fuel prices that would be a rough budget of £200-£250 of fuel per week.

We hand pick all of our hotels and we have stayed at each one. You will typically stay at more intimate, boutique hotels where the service and food is high quality and typically around the 4-star level although many hotels are not part of the official star system. As we personalise your trip we can accommodate your preferences and budget. If you would like to stay in luxury, 5-star accommodation we can deliver that. If your taste is for traditional inns then we can offer that as well. Many of our hotels are interesting or listed buildings. For example, 12th century castles, traditional hunting lodges, and manor houses can be found in our little black book of accommodation.

The app will be shared in advance for you to download on your own phones. The routes themselves are chosen to take you along the most scenic roads. The app works on all platforms including iPhones and Androids.

For each day of the trip there will be a route (in Google maps) which connects to the car’s navigation along with a description and helpful information of the places you’re visiting and seeing on your route. It contains everything you need e.g. any tickets for ferries, hotel reservation information and dinner reservation information. As well as the formal daily itinerary and route, in the background is a map with Points of Interest loaded which you can query. It includes historic sites, cafes, distilleries, pubs, etc that aren’t explicitly in that day’s route. There’s also live weather information for all of the places you’re visiting. Finally there’s a set of helpful documents such as our mini NC500 guide, a distillery map, breakdown information, etc

Yes, our vehicles can accommodate up to two medium size dogs or one large dog. Whilst not every hotel accepts dogs, we can put together a pet friendly tour of any of our destinations although there are additional charges levied by most hotels for accommodating your dogs. There are exemptions for service or assistance animals.

Family holidays are fantastic opportunities to connect and make forever memories. Which is why at Celtic Routes, we’re happy to cater to everyone, regardless of age.

Under supervision of an expert instructor, children can also take part in off-road driving in our Land Rover Experiences.

And don’t worry, all of our partner hotels have WiFi!

Yes of course. Our vehicles are all covered manufacturer’s warranty and replaced on a regular basis to ensure our clients are able to drive the latest Land Rover, Range Rover and Mini cars. We cherish all of our vehicles and meticulously maintain and prepare our vehicles so you have a true, luxury travel experience. In the very unlikely event of any mechanical failure or breakdown, all our vehicles are covered by Land Rover Assist (the manufacturer breakdown programme) or Mini Roadside Assistance which will either get you on the road immediately or provide a replacement vehicle.

In the very unlikely event of any mechanical failure or breakdown, all our vehicles are covered by Land Rover Assist (the manufacturer breakdown programme) or Mini Roadside Assistance which will either get you on the road immediately or provide a replacement vehicle.

No, our vehicles are only available to clients booking one of our fantastic, bespoke self-driving tours. It is possible to extend vehicle hire before or after your trip if you don’t need us to plan you accommodation every night. For example, if you’re attending a wedding or staying with friends or family.

You need to have held a full (i.e. not provisional or leaner) driving licence for at least two years from one of the following countries (UK, EU, AU, US, CA, NZ and SA) to be automatically covered by our insurance policy. Drivers from other countries can be referred to our insurers for coverage. There are additional eligibility requirements which you can find here: https://www.celticroutes.com/driver-eligibility/

That depends on how far you’re travelling. We operate a full to full policy which means your vehicle will be delivered with a full tank of fuel and you should return your vehicle full. As a rough average our vehicles will achieve approximately 30 miles to the gallon or around 500-600 miles per tank (vehicle dependent). Depending on the exact route you will use around 1.5-2 tanks of fuel per week. At current fuel prices that would be a rough budget of £200-£250 of fuel per week.

We do not charge a specific single supplement nor do our hotel partners but as the vehicle is charged out the same rate irrespective of the number of passengers, and as hotel room rates are per night it will cost a single traveller or anybody occupying a room on a single occupancy basis more for their trip then two people or more people sharing a vehicle and rooms.

No, we cannot provide a driver or driver-guide service at this time due to restrictions on our vehicle insurance.

We currently do not have any trips available for people to do with their own car. Sign up for our newsletter for updates on any changes with this.

Once all of your reservations have been confirmed you will receive an official confirmation from Celtic Routes. A month before departure you will receive download and login information for your bespoke Celtic Routes app containing all of your itinerary and trip information. All of your accommodation and pre booked activities are prepaid and you will not require any vouchers. We are completely paperless.

Our vehicles are purchased new from the manufacturer and we regularly replace all of our vehicles based on mileage which means that most vehicles are replaced after two years. All of our vehicles are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and are meticulously maintained at the main dealer and thoroughly prepared by ourselves for each client. We no longer have a “classic” Land Rover Defender on our own fleet although we can supply one through our partner. By their nature, these will be older vehicles but still well-maintained and meticulously prepared.

All of our vehicles are fitted with the manufacturer’s sat nav systems built into the infotainment system. Our vehicles also come with a host of the latest safety and comfort aids including lane departure warning, speed limit warnings, blind spot detection systems, air conditioning, automatic sensing wipers and headlights, and heated/cooled leather seats. Explore in absolute comfort on your hassle-free self-driving tour.

Yes all our vehicles have ice-cold air conditioning and most have cooled seats as well.

There a single 13-amp three pin AC socket in the boot. There are 3 x 12v “cigarette lighter” sockets across the front cabin, rear cabin and boot. There are a host of USB-C and USB-B sockets in the front and rear cabins. You will need to bring your own cables.

We’ll work with you to find the most convenient vehicle pick up destination that’s suited specifically for your trip. This could include an airport, or collecting it from a hotel. Relax in the knowledge that your dedicated operator will be there and ready to provide a full and professional handover. Wherever your trip starts, your vehicle will be right there ready for you.

Provided you haven’t had more than one (at fault) accident claim in the past 3 years, and have no more than 6 penalties against your licence, we hire our vehicles to those aged 30-75.

You must have also held a driving licence for at least 2 years from one of the following countries: United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

If you fall into this group, our insurance will cover two people at our standard prices. If it so happens that you fall outside the criteria, we can pass your details on to our insurance company for approval.

We strongly advise you to purchase adequate and appropriate travel insurance too.

At Celtic Routes, we charge a security deposit to not only protect us, but you too.

Our insurers ask that all of our hirers provide a refundable vehicle security deposit; this is common practice across our industry. It is taken by way of a pre-authorisation or hold on your credit card and providing the vehicle is returned undamaged the hold is automatically released and no funds are taken from your card. Details of the cost of our security deposit can be found here.

Your deposit represents your total liability in case of damage, accident or theft, providing you do not breach the terms of your hire contract. Following the safe and undamaged return of your vehicle, your deposit will be refunded.

In some cases, where a client falls outside of our eligibility criteria an enhanced insurance excess may apply. For example, for drivers aged 76-80 subject to prior approval by our insurer the insurance excess may increase. Details of the cost of our security deposit can be found here.

You are fully covered by breakdown assistance who can attend to assist you with a flat tyre if you cannot deal with this yourself. With the exception of the Range Rover Evoque and Mini, all of our Land Rovers come with a full size spare wheel and once changed you will be on your way again. We can assist in finding you a local garage to repair or replace the damaged tyre so you have another spare for the rest of your journey. Our Range Rover Evoques – due to their size – have space saver spare wheels which have limited range and speed and you will need to attend a garage to repair or replace the flat tyre which we will assist you with. You are responsible for the cost of replacing or fixing any damaged tyres during your tour.

This has never happened but if it did you would be charged for the cost of replacing the lost keys. You can read our full rental terms and conditions on our website: https://www.celticroutes.com/rental-terms/

Provided you haven’t had more than one (at fault) accident claim in the past 3 years, and have no more than 6 penalties against your licence, we hire our vehicles to those aged 30-75. You must have also held a driving licence for at least 2 years from one of the following countries: United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, United States, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

Provided you haven’t had more than one (at fault) accident claim in the past 3 years then it’s no problem. If you have more claims than this then please contact us and we can refer you to our insurer who may still offer coverage on the same or enhanced terms.

Depending on how many and what for, you will usually still be eligible for coverage. For UK licence holders, no more than two “3 point” minor convictions (e.g. 2 x SP30).

For UK licence holders, no more than one “4 point” conviction.

For UK licence holders, a single “6 point” conviction from the following endorsement categories SP30, SP50, and CU80.

For non-UK driving licence holders from acceptable countries (EU, AU, US, CA, NZ and SA) all driving convictions must be declared at the time of booking and will be subject to approval from our insurance company.

Yes, you can providing that all the other drivers meet the eligibility requirements and complete the rental paperwork before departure. The lead booker/driver will be held responsible for the vehicle.

Your 25% booking deposit is non-refundable and we therefore encourage you to have adequate travel insurance in place. We will work with you to postpone or alter your travel subject to availability and any change in the cost of accommodation if your plans change. See https://www.celticroutes.com/booking-conditions/ Your vehicle security deposit is not taken from you directly but is taken as a pre-authorisation and only taken if there is damage to our vehicle. See https://www.celticroutes.com/rental-terms/

In the event you need to cancel your trip, you can do so up to 8 weeks before your set departure date. If you cancel within this period, your trip will be fully refunded, with the only charge being your 25% booking deposit.

Alternatively, you can postpone your trip, and we’ll transfer your deposit accordingly.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and if they’re any less than 8 weeks in advance to departure, they are non-refundable.

Keep in mind that our flexible booking policy means you can hold a trip date for 7 days free of charge. You can make unlimited free changes up to 8 weeks before departure too.

For the finer details, please read our full terms and conditions. https://www.celticroutes.com/booking-conditions/

A camera, your passport and your credit card are the essentials. Beyond that we recommend you pack for all weather. Your spacious vehicles will swallow all your luggage so there’s no need to pack light. We recommend packing a waterproof coat in case of rain although all our vehicles are equipped with umbrellas. Sensible shoes and hiking boots or trainers if you’re planning on more strenuous walks. And comfortable clothes which can take you from around 20 degree in full sunshine down to single figures on a blustery, wet day.

We strongly recommend you purchase trip cancellation / interruption insurance directly after the reservation is confirmed. This coverage reimburses the Customer for most non-refundable costs of the tour should he or she need to cancel due to illness, injury or other reasons covered under the policy. For passengers with pre-existing conditions: coverage must typically be purchased from a travel insurance company within 24 hours from the time a reservation is confirmed to cover cancellation resulting from the pre-existing condition. So whilst it is not a requirement it is highly recommended.

Depending on your route and length of stays at each place this is usually possible. Your Destination Expert can advise where you can do laundry and/or dry cleaning during your tour.

We require a 25% non-refundable booking deposit to secure your booking. Your 75% outstanding balance is due 8 weeks before your departure date. Once paid, this amount becomes non-refundable. Up to 8 weeks before departure we will work with you to change dates subject to availability and any changes in the cost of travel. See our full booking terms on our website: https://www.celticroutes.com/booking-conditions/