Just days after launching our newest destination, Scotland, in 2016 we got a call. It was from Carew Papritz, who had travelled with Nordic Visitor on a custom self-drive tour in Norway in 2015 and wanted to enjoy another amazing travel experience with us, this time on a custom version of our Classic Scotland self-drive tour with his family.

Carew is — among many things — a cattle rancher, world traveller and author, and as he writes about in his works, he loves to live life to its fullest and inspires others to do so. A quote from his book The Legacy Letters says it all: “I travel not only for the passion and madness and desire of movement, but because travel, like bread and water and air, becomes necessary to a life fully dreamed and lived.”

True to his character, we received a heartfelt review from Carew, who also created a YouTube video series about his Scotland adventures. With his kind permission we have reprinted his letter below.

"unique places you'll remember for a lifetime"

I've experienced two Nordic Visitor trips. My first was in Norway last year, and this year in Scotland. This company always gives you your money's worth and much, much more. I've travelled a lot on my own throughout Europe. I'm so glad that I discovered this wonderful company.

If you are visiting any part of Northern Europe, please make sure you talk to Nordic Visitor before any else. Our next trip with them will be to Iceland. I just wish they would cover all of Europe. That's how highly I think of their organization!

If you are independent-minded and like the freedom of travelling on your own schedule, these folks are the way to go, Best yet, you don't have to worry about the lodging, which they take care of. And not just any lodging, but unique places you'll remember for a lifetime.

"made you feel as if you were a local"

Custom is the key. They talk to you and talk to you, finding out what you are looking for in a trip. Then they design the trip for you. They take care of the car rental and the lodging. Then they suggest side trips for you. Or they can book other parts of the trip for you.

When we travelled to Norway, I suggested taking the train from Oslo to Bergen, then picking up our rental car in Bergen. Nordic Visitor not only took care of the train, but they suggested and then booked our ferry through the fjords. And that was just the early part of the trip. Norway and Nordic Visitor are absolutely the only way to go!

Our Nordic Visitor consultant for Scotland, Maria, was fantastic in setting up our adventure throughout Scotland. Much like Norway, the accommodations she found were unique and memorable — we even stayed in a castle!

Her suggestions for side trips and hikes made you feel as if you were a local, experiencing some secret spot nobody else knew about. The entire trip is spelled out for you in a bound booklet that contains all the lodging information and highlights for you to check out along the way.

"it's the people who make this company come alive"

When you think custom made, you think expensive. I never felt that way for one moment. I never was "upsold" some side trip or some other tour activity that I had no interest in. They are all about creating a trip-of-a-lifetime. And they do it very well.

For all that is great about Nordic Visitor, it's the people who make this company come alive. They are truly genuine people who really know and love the country they are talking about. You can always tell a great company when everyone you talk to is genuinely happy to be working there. They love what they do and believe in what they do, and ALL of that is passed along to you, the traveller and customer.

Lastly, on a personal note: I had such a great time in Scotland that I created a series of YouTube travel videos that talk about Nordic Visitor and what they gave to my family and me on this amazing trip. They are short, fun and educational. They cover everything from driving on the "wrong side" of the road to hiking Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in Scotland and the UK. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Thanks, Carew!

Note: Carew was not paid to promote Nordic Visitor in this blog or his YouTube videos. He simply loves his travel experiences and we're fortunate to have wonderful, creative clients. Like Carew said, it's the people (our travellers included) who make this company come alive.

Make your own adventure in the north

If Carew has inspired you to get out there and explore (and why not!), here are some trips we think you might like:

• Classic Scotland (8 days) - Carew based his custom road trip of the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye on this tour, our most popular in Scotland.
• Iceland Full Circle (10 days) - The best way to explore Carew's next target, Iceland, is with a self-drive tour all the way around the famously scenic Ring Road.

To read more testimonials from our travellers, check out reviews at our website, read our photo contest winners' stories on the blog, or take a look at our TripAdvisor listing!