Isle of Skye, The Highlands & Loch Ness Tour

Isle of Skye
Duration: 58.5 hours

Overview

Take our three day Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh to enjoy the natural beauty and delights of one of Scotland’s favourite islands.

Included

Included
Digital translations
Included
Knowledgeable Driver-Guide
Included
Luxury Modern air-conditioned coach

Excluded

Excluded
Accommodation
Excluded
Entrance to attractions
Excluded
Food and Drink

Important information

Where is the departure point?

Our tours depart from from NCP Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2EW. Check-in opens 15 minutes prior to the stated departure time and closes 5 minutes prior to the stated departure time. We recommend that all passengers arrive in this window as tours must depart on schedule. Our multi-day tours will return to Edinburgh Waverley Station which is about a 15 minute walk from our original departure point.

Is the accommodation included in the price?

No, accommodation is not included in the tour price, as we prefer to let you choose the type of accommodation you want, depending on your budget. The tour price includes the services of a friendly, knowledgeable and experienced Driver-Guide and transportation on one of our luxury modern air-conditioned coaches.

Accommodation is payable to the provider upon check-in. We recommend that you prepare £75 per person per night in cash to cover the cost of your accommodation. Please note that many Bed and Breakfasts do not have card machines and do require guests to pay in cash. Accommodation rates do vary between providers and seasons. For this reason we are only able to give you an estimated rate until a booking has been made.

Estimated rates are as follows:
Youth Hostel: £30.00 - £40.00 per person per night
B&B (Shared): £65.00 - £85.00 per person per night.
B&B (Single occupancy): £75.00 - £125.00 per night.
Hotel: From £75.00+ per person per night

All hotels require credit card information in order to secure a booking. If you wish us to reserve a hotel room for you, we will contact you for your budget and credit card details. Please note a single room supplement may apply.

Will I be charged extra for a single room?

Single supplements may be charged, especially during high season. Please contact our Reservations Team for more information.

What is the difference between a Hostel, B&B and Hotel?

Hostels are budget accommodation. Many hostels have kitchen facilities where customers can prepare their own food. B&B's are privately owned Guesthouses. Guests are given breakfast (continental or full, depending on the B&B) but cannot prepare their own food. Hotels are the most expensive choice of accommodation. Rooms come with a full breakfast (unless stated) and guests are unable to prepare their own food.

What is the difference between ensuite, standard, twin and double rooms?

Double means one double bed which sleeps two. Twin means two single beds, where you share a room but not a bed. Ensuite rooms have a private bathroom/toilet/shower within the room. Standard rooms have communal facilities that are shared with other guests.

Can I book my own accommodation?

Yes, you are free to make your own arrangements. We offer a discounted rate for customers who book their own accommodation! Simply advise us at the time of booking that you will be reserving your own accommodation, and inform us at your earliest convenience of the name and address of the Guesthouse once it has been booked. We kindly ask that your accommodation provider is located in central Portree, otherwise your Driver-Guide will be unable to drop you off and collect you.

How much luggage can I bring?

Luggage is restricted to one medium sized suitcase per person. For guidance: a medium sized suitcase is considered 60-69cm high and roughly 45cm in width. If you have more luggage than this, you can store your surplus bags with Unbaggaged. Unbaggaged will collect your bags at a time and place convenient to you! They then store them at a secure central location, and return them to you, again, wherever and whenever you like! We've negotiated 10% off all bookings for our passengers with code TIMBER10. Book here

Are the optional extras included?

No, optional extras are not included in the 3 day tour price. This is to allow our guests the freedom to choose which attractions they would like to visit.

Optional extras for your tour (From April 2025) are as follows:

Eilean Donan Castle: Adult: £12.00, Senior: £11.00, Child: £6.50
Dunvegan Castle:
Castle & Gardens: Adult: £17.00, Senior: £14.50, Child: £12.50
Gardens Only: Adult: £15.00, Senior: £12.50, Child: £10.00
Loch Ness Cruise (time permitting): Adult: £21.00, Concession: £19.00, Children: £14.00

We recommend booking tables at restaurants in Portree, Skye, if you would like a sit-down meal in the evening, as many restaurants will be restricting table numbers.

Do I need to pre-book the optional extras?

No, you don't need to worry about pre-booking any of the optional extras. All the optional extras can be booked on the day and your Driver-Guide will advise you of how to book. If you have any questions about this please contact our Reservations Team on +44 (0) 131 226 6066.

Is the tour in English?

Yes, all of our tours are in English. Your tour will be taken by an experienced, knowledgeable and friendly English-speaking Driver-Guide. If you require a written translation of your tour, just let us know at the time of booking and we'll arrange one for you.

Written translations are available for this tour in the following languages:

French
German
Spanish
Portuguese
Italian
Russian
Chinese (Mandarin)

What should I bring with me?

As you’ll be spending two days on and off the coach with the opportunity for walks, we recommend bringing warm and/or waterproof clothing, comfortable walking shoes and some sun-block or a hat for sunny days.

And don’t forget your camera to capture all of the lovely scenery and wildlife you’ll encounter on your tour!

Accommodation is payable to the provider upon check-in. We recommend that you prepare £75 per person per night in cash to cover the cost of your accommodation.

Can children travel on this tour?

We welcome children over 4 years old on our tours, and children aged between 4-16yrs are eligible for the concessionary rate. We regret we are not able to carry children under the age of 4.

Highlights

More information

Day 1

From Edinburgh our Isle of Skye tour will head west to collect our Glasgow passengers* and then make our first stop on this Skye tour at the picturesque conservation village of Luss, on the ‘Bonny, Bonny’ banks of Loch Lomond.

Travelling north via Tyndrum we pass over the atmospheric Rannoch Moor before enjoying time to admire the dramatic Glencoe valley, site of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonald Clan.

After lunch in the Fort William area, our Isle of Skye tour will pause for photos at Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, then stop to admire Glen Garry and the stunning Five Sisters of Kintail mountain range.

Our journey ends in the charming village of Portree, on the Isle of Skye, where we check into our accommodation.

Day 2

After breakfast the Isle of Skye tour will depart Portree for a full day’s touring - options include Dunvegan Castle*, or a trip to Uig and a stop to visit Flora MacDonald’s grave and the unique Black Houses, ancient dwellings of the Scottish Highlanders.

We continue our journey where we can view Duntulm Castle, take photos of Kilt Rock and perhaps enjoy a walk at the Lealt Falls.

Our 3 day Isle of Skye tour ends with the opportunity to admire the Old Man of Storr, before we return to Portree.

Day 3

We commence our descent via the much-admired Eilean Donan Castle*, backdrop for the movie, ‘Highlander’; (interior closed in winter) then move on to the pretty loch-side village of Fort Augustus for lunch and views of Loch Ness.

The Isle of Skye tour continues south over Laggan and the Grampian mountains with our last stop, for refreshments, in the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry, before returning to Edinburgh, where our Isle of Skye tour terminates.

Two night stay in Portree:

The price of our 3-day Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh does not include accommodation, but we will reserve it for you. Approximate costs are per person per night: Youth Hostel: £30-£40, B&B (Shared): £65.00 - £85.00 per person per night, B&B (Single occupancy): £75.00 - £125.00 per night, Hotel: From £75.00+ per person per night. Single supplement may apply. Please be advised, most accommodation providers only accept cash payments and will not accept debit/credit cards as methods of payment.

Please note: Luggage is restricted to one piece per person. You are allowed to bring a medium-sized suitcase, which, in general, is considered to be between 63 and 67 centimetres in height (25 to 26 inches).

*If the 3 day Isle of Skye tour has no Glasgow pick-ups, it will travel from Edinburgh via Stirling and will not visit Loch Lomond, but offer an alternative route.

*Eilean Donan Castle is closed 22 December 2024 - 1 February 2025. Photo stop only. Dunvegan Castle will be closed from 15 October 2025.

Tour Overview

  • Duration -  3 days
  • Total Distance -  640 miles
  • Pick up -  At 9:00 am NCP Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2EW, Edinburgh & 10:15 am at 19 Killermont Street, G2 3NX, Glasgow
  • Group size -  16 - 32
  • Availability -  All year round
  • Minimum age -  Travellers need to be at least 4 years-old