KiwiVenture also offers language adventure culture tours of Scotland. This is a two week trip for those who are serious about developing their English. Forget the hermetic tour van, we get round on tour bikes as well as taking in one of Europe’s most scenic train routes. We try our hands at kayaking, biking, and maybe horse riding. To unwind we go dolphin spotting and take an evening cruise to the castle in which they filmed Highlander.

We won’t force you to try the fresh haggis but we will give you every opportunity to sample the best of Scottish food and whisky.

And you will need a good breakfast as most mornings we start off with a couple of hours of formal English learning with a qualified and experienced teacher who will introduce you to the themes of the day.

All up there are 40 hours of classroom instruction but that’s really just the starting point. Your teacher then exchanges his business shirt and tie for guide shirt and cap. Now we go out and put the English into action. You get to negotiate the day's adventure in English and instead of just reading about Scotland in your textbook  and listening to the CD you get to hear about it first-hand. You can expect plenty of informed commentary on the local culture and you don't need to turn to your classroom  partner for a discussion you can put your questions directly to the local experts.

14 Day Sample Programme

Day 1 The Celtic fringe of Europe
On the first day of autumn we set off the land of lochs, legends and lairds – departing Bologna, arriving Edinburgh. Then we take the train to rough and ready Glesca (Glasgow), renown for its boisterous humour and live music scene.

Day 2 Fort William
We take the spectacular West Highland train line to the heartland of Clan Cameron - home to your guide's ancestors. Sited close to Britain’s highest peak, Ben Nevis, this place is quintessential highlands. Few towns have a better location and fewer have so much rainfall so we spend just one night.

Day 3 The ethereal light of Skye
If you bought a kilt in Fort William you can try it out today. We do the final leg of our scenic train journey to Mallaig, a pleasant fishing town, where we hop on the ferry to the Isle of Skye and take a local bus to colourful Portree.

Day 4 Portree
Pushing off from picturesque Portree harbour we paddle our kayaks out and explore the coastline at our leisure. After a day of sea air and invigorating exercise you'll be ready for a good feed in one of the local pubs.

Day 5 The Marine life
Today is dedicated to wildlife spotting. We embark on a cruise to the Isle of Raasay and keep our eyes open for porpoises, seals and eagles. Our explorations also take us into some sea caves.

Day 6 A ramble around Raasay
We continue to explore the relative wilderness of Raasay. Those who fancy the idea of abseiling down a waterfall or the former castle may get to indulge.
You may also find the water sufficiently inviting to take a refreshing dip.

Day 7 Druids and the Quiraing
Just near Uig there stands a raised natural amphitheatre surrounded by pinnacles of rock through which mist may swirl giving glimpses of  the Outer Hebrides. By mountain bike we cycle along the coast  for this mystical place.

Day 8 Uig
Completing our loop around the Trotternish peninsula we cycle back from Uig to Portree stopping off along the way to meander along some of shorter tracks.

Day 9 Highlander – there can only be one
We make for Kyleakin where we have the chance to view a shipwreck, seals and an otter sanctuary. As dusk descends we shall board a cruise boat in order to view Eilean Donan Castle, where scenes from Highlander were filmed.

Day 10 Lochalsch to Inverness
Back on the mainland we board the train for the Highland's "capital", Inverness, on what is rated one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys.

Day 11 Edinburgh revealed
After familiarising ourselves with gracious Inverness we head directly south to the home of one of Europe’s newest parliaments. On our first night we hope to see a great sunset from the top of Calton Hill. Then evening drinks await in the Grassmarket.

Day 12 Edinburgh highlights
Edinburgh is seen as one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Today you can judge for yourself. Taking the lofty castle as our starting point we will stroll the Royal Mile and investigate the Palace of Holyrood and picnic on Arthur’s Seat.

Day 13 The dark side
We head underground today into a dark and spooky aspect of the past.  We tour supposedly haunted subterranean vaults and visit Mary King’s Close, whose plague-stricken residents were, in 1645, sealed in their houses to die. Look out for the ghost of Sarah.

Day 14 The lone piper?
Our journey around the the homeland of David Hume, Adam Smith and Robert Burns draws to a close. Perhaps the music of the lone piper will accompany us as we bid goodbye to this land of exceptional beauty.

Your teacher and guide

Not wishing to merely show folks around his native land of New Zealand, your teacher-guide, Cameron, is setting up tours of Scotland.
Some of his ancestors, Camerons funnily enough, migrated from Scotland to New Zealand a few generations ago.
Answering the call of the Highlands he went back and lived there for a year before moving on to travel and teach English full-time in Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, New Zealand, Germany and now Italy after qualifying as an English teacher in London. Back in New Zealand he did a masters in politics and a post-graduate journalism diploma.