Our Wales Grand Tour ‘Land Rover Special’ follows a carefully planned route from the south coast to the northern peaks, tracing the story of Wales through its castles, mining valleys, mountain roads and coastal towns. It is a journey through history, culture, and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the United Kingdom.

Chapter One: The South – Seaside Charm and Medieval Walls

The tour begins in Tenby, one of Wales’s most picturesque coastal towns. Once a fortified medieval port, Tenby still wears its history proudly. The old town walls built by the Normans remain intact, and narrow cobbled streets lead down to the harbour, lined with colourful Georgian houses.

Tenby has long been a favourite with artists and travellers for its beaches, clear waters, and relaxed atmosphere. Across the bay sits Caldey Island, a small monastic community known for its handmade chocolate and perfume. It is an area that combines natural beauty with centuries of history, a fitting place to begin the journey.

Tenby Harbour, colourful houses on the Welsh coast — Tenby Harbour

Chapter Two: Black Gold – The Industrial Heart of Wales

From the coast, the route heads inland to the South Wales Valleys, once the heart of the British coal industry. The nineteenth century transformed these quiet valleys into one of the most important industrial regions in the world.

A visit to The Big Pit in Blaenavon offers a glimpse into that period. It is a genuine former coal mine, now preserved as a museum, where visitors can descend underground and see what working life was like for the miners. The surrounding towns still bear the marks of that era, terraces built for miners, steep hillsides dotted with old collieries, and communities that grew up around the industry. It is a sobering and important chapter in the story of Wales.

The Big Pit mine museum in Blaenavon, South Wales — The Big Pit

Chapter Three: Rally Country – Forest Roads and Motorsport Heritage

Mid Wales is known for its forests, rolling hillsides, famland, and winding backroads, and it is also the spiritual home of British rallying. For decades, this region has hosted stages of the Wales Rally GB, attracting some of the best drivers in the world. Here, guests have the option to visit a rally school, where they can learn the techniques that made these roads famous, or simply enjoy the local countryside, which offers some of the most scenic drives in Britain.

It is an area that captures the adventurous spirit of Wales, rugged, rural, and always full of surprises.

Rally school experience in Mid Wales showing a car on a gravel road surrounded by trees — Rally School

Chapter Four: Lakes, Dams and Timeless Beauty

Travelling north, the journey reaches the Elan Valley, one of Wales’s most beautiful and least crowded regions. Tucked away in the Cambrian Mountains, the Elan Valley was developed in the late 1800s to supply clean water to the city of Birmingham. The project created a network of stone dams and reservoirs, linked by an ingenious gravity fed pipeline over seventy miles long. The engineering was remarkable for its time, and the landscape today remains peaceful and largely unchanged.

Driving through the valley, it is easy to see why this area is often called the Welsh Lake District, a place where natural beauty and human craftsmanship coexist perfectly.

Elan Valley dams surrounded by rolling green hills

Chapter Five: Peaks, Legends and Little Italy

Further north lies one of the most famous corners of Wales, Snowdonia National Park, but before reaching it, the tour stops at Portmeirion. This Italian style village was created in the early twentieth century by architect Clough Williams Ellis, who wanted to show how a beautiful environment could enhance life. With pastel coloured buildings, Mediterranean gardens and sea views, it feels like nowhere else in Britain.

From there, the journey continues into the mountains. Snowdonia’s rugged peaks and deep valleys have inspired countless myths and legends. The Snowdon Mountain Railway, which first opened in 1896, climbs to the summit of Mount Snowdon, the highest point in Wales, offering panoramic views across the national park and beyond.

Portmeirion village overlooking the estuary in North Wales — Portmerion

Chapter Six: Piers, Castles and the Victorian Coast

The final leg of the Welsh journey takes in the north coast. Llandudno is a classic Victorian seaside resort, known for its elegant promenade, pier, and sweeping bay. A drive up the Great Orme headland provides wide views across the Irish Sea, and the descent by the Great Orme Tramway offers a gentle reminder of a slower, more graceful era of travel.

A short drive away is Conwy, home to one of the most impressive medieval castles in Europe. Built by Edward I in the thirteenth century, Conwy Castle and its town walls remain remarkably intact, standing watch over the river estuary. It is one of those rare places where history still feels present in every stone.

Llandudno Great Orme Tramway overlooking the main promenade — Llandudno Great Orme Tramway

Chapter Seven: A Step Back in Time

Before returning to London, there is one final stop, Blists Hill Victorian Town in Shropshire. It is a living museum that recreates life in the nineteenth century, complete with cobbled streets, working shops, and costumed townsfolk. Visitors can exchange modern money for old shillings and experience the sights and sounds of a Victorian high street. It is a fitting end to a journey that traces the story of Wales from the Middle Ages through to the industrial revolution and beyond.

The Land Rover Connection

Throughout the tour, guests have their very own modern Land Rover Defender 90, a vehicle that feels right at home in Wales. Homage to the generation before, a vehjcile synonemous with Welsh farms and estates, the Defender is part of the landscape, practical, rugged, and unmistakably British. It is a reminder that in Wales, tradition and modern life sit comfortably side by side.

Land Rover Defender driving through the Welsh countryside — The classic Land Rover Defender (photo: Vintage Land Rover Tours)

A Journey to Remember

Every journey leaves its mark, but this one stays with you. The Wales Grand Tour is not just about what you see, it is about what you feel along the way. From the quiet streets of Tenby to the summit of Snowdon, every stop adds a new layer to the story of Wales. It is a country that wears its history openly, from the coal mines that once powered the world to the castles that guarded its shores, and the communities that still carry that same spirit today.

For many guests, what stands out most is not just the scenery or the driving, it is the moments shared. Sitting together at dinner after a day’s exploring, laughing about the day’s adventures, or standing side by side on a mountain looking out across the valleys below. Friendships form naturally on the road. By the end, it often feels less like a group of travellers and more like old friends who have shared something special.

The Wales Grand Tour is about more than great roads and good company, it is about discovering a country that feels both ancient and alive, and taking home memories that will last a lifetime.

Join us in 2027

We are sold out for 2026. If you would like to join us on this epic adventure of a lifetime for 2027, join our VIP booking list as soon as possible for early bird access to booking. Our tours sell out fast, so please do sign up today…

If you enjoyed this journey through Wales, you might also like our Swiss Alps Tour, which explores Europe’s most famous mountain passes