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Scottish Highlands From Edinburgh

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5 days

Discover the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye on this 5-day package trip from Edinburgh. Hunt for 'Nessie' at Loch Ness and stay in the pretty fishing village of Ullapool. Enjoy a trip into the northern Highlands, see the unusual palm trees in 'tropical' Plockton and spend a full day exploring the historic sites and hiking routes of Skye. Visit Fort William and learn about the tragic massacre at Glencoe before returning to Edinburgh.

For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes

Tour Overview

Duration

5 days

Starts

Edinburgh

Ends

Edinburgh

Range

Handpicked

Tour Guide

Yes - escorted by a tour guide

Group Size

Min 2 / Max 16

Minimum age

5 years, accompanied by an adult

Departs

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays

Hotel Rating

Simple guesthouses

Countries

Scotland, United Kingdom

Arrival Transfer

No

Departure Transfer

No

Meals included

Breakfast: 4
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Per Person From
$2,815.00
NZD$1,970.50
Deposit From
Final payment
NZD$1,000.00
$2,941.00

Tour Highlights

Loch Ness - Hunt for 'Nessie', the mythical beast believed to dwell in the dark waters of Scotland's most famous loch
Ullapool - Stay in this pretty whitewashed fishing village, on the shore of Loch Broom
Plockton - Spend some free time exploring this 'tropical' village, famous for its loch-side palm trees
Isle of Skye - Take in the highlights of this beautiful island, with plenty of hiking and sightseeing to enjoy
Eilean Donan Castle - Admire this historic 13th Century castle, located on an island where three lochs meet
Glencoe - Soak up the stunning mountain views and learn about the tragic and famous massacre that took place here in 1692

Included

4 breakfasts
4 nights simple guesthouse
Escorted by a local driver-guide
Transportation in 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach with air-conditioning
All necessary ferry journeys between Scottish Islands and the mainland
All road tolls
20kg luggage - see Trip Notes for details
Note: This tour is operated in conjunction with our trusted partner and you will join travellers from different operators, not solely On The Go.

Not Included

International flights & visas
Airport transfers (pick up and drop off information can be found in the Trip Notes)
Meals not specified in itinerary
Tipping - an entirely personal gesture!
Entry fees unless specified

Itinerary

Day 1 - Loch Ness, Cairngorms & Ullapool

Edinburgh - Dunkeld - Cairngorms National Park - Loch Ness - Ullapool. Setting off from Edinburgh this morning, our first stop is in the charming highland village of Dunkeld. We then pass through the ancient pine forests of the Cairngorms National Park to Loch Ness. Scotland's most famous loch is allegedly home to a fearsome monster. Keep your eyes peeled as we have some free time to look for Nessie!

We then complete our drive to Ullapool, a pretty whitewashed fishing village on the edge of Loch Broom.

Please note: Check-in closes at 08:45 on day 1 (tour departs at 09:00) - Edinburgh Bus Station Pick Up, Gate J and Gate K, inside Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.

Accommodation: Foinaven, Ullaviews, The Sheiling Guest House or similar

Overnight: Ullapool

Day 2 - Exploring the Northwest Highlands

On today's day trip from Ullapool, we take in some of the north-west Scottish Highlands. Admire views of the mountains of Assynt and visit the 15th century ruins of Ardvreck Castle, which was once home to a powerful clan, the MacLeods of Assynt. We also see the picturesque white beach at Achmelvich Bay and the traditional fishing settlement of Lochinver, before returning to Ullapool for the evening.

Accommodation: Foinaven, Ullaviews, The Sheiling Guest House or similar

Overnight: Ullapool
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - Plockton & Isle of Skye

Ullapool - Applecross - Plockton - Skye. Leaving Ullapool behind, our first stop today is the Corrieshalloch Gorge, where we can see the River Droma plunge 60 metres over a precipice. We then drive past the mountains of the Beinn Eighe nature reserve and skirt around Loch Torridon. We stop for lunch in Applecross before taking one of Scotland's most scenic drives, Bealach na B, a twisting single track road.

We also make a stop in 'tropical' Plockton, where the palm trees rising on the edge of Loch Carron look slightly out of place. After a short visit, we make our way to the coast and board the ferry to the Isle of Skye. We're staying in the harbour town of Portree.

Accommodation: Caledonian, Duirinish, Dunborrodale or similar

Overnight: Skye
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Exploring the Isle of Skye

Today we will be exploring the remote Isle of Skye, but there is no fixed itinerary for the day. The weather can be unpredictable, so your guide will choose the best highlights to show you in accordance with the conditions and any events that may be happening on the island during your visit. We are likely to be hiking, in order to enjoy the dramatic scenery of the island. Options include The Quiraing hill walk and the Old Man of Storr Walk, probably the most famous trail on the island. We can also see the Neist Point Lighthouse. Spend the day taking photos, sampling the view and enjoying everything this pristine environment has to offer. In the late afternoon, we return to our accommodation.

Accommodation: Caledonian, Duirinish, Dunborrodale or similar

Overnight: Skye
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Eilean Donan Castle & Glencoe

Skye - Eilean Donan Castle - Fort William - Glencoe - Edinburgh. Leaving Skye, we travel by land to Eilean Donan Castle, a 13th century fortress, located on an island. We then journey south through Glen Garry and past Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. There's a stop for lunch in Fort William and we visit Glencoe in the afternoon. This picturesque area hides a turbulent history, as it was the location of the 1692 Glencoe Massacre. Around 30 members of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were slaughtered here for failing to pledge allegiance to King William III and Mary II. After our visit of Glencoe, we return to Edinburgh, where our tour ends.

Please note: This tour ends at 19:00 - Edinburgh Bus Station Drop Off, Gate J and Gate K, Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Reviews

I really enjoyed the tour My tour guide was great He shared his vast knowledge well — loved the anecdotes The places we stayed at were clean and warm and the hosts friendly My one suggestion would be that it would have been good for us all to be in the same accommodation —

The tour of the Scottish Highlands was all that we hoped for. Duncan, our guide was knowledgeable in the history and geography of the region. He also had just the right blend of information, music and humour (we had to be on our toes to sort out the tall tales). He is proud of the company he works for because of their total support of their guides. The coach was in excellent condition, cleaned daily and was the perfect size at 16 seats to afford attention to each of the guests. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend the tour to anyone.

Excellent! Very enjoyable indeed. The guide was knowledgeable and fun, something everyone on the tour would agree. A bold statement but nonetheless true, I believe. Thank goodness my trip was delayed for a week, because the weather was perfect; sunshine and blue skies. The accommodation booked through the tour was very good, in particular the B&B., where the breakfast was especially delicious. Thank you.

We had a fantastic tour. Graeme was so knowledgeable and accommodating. His stories made the tour outstanding. It helped that we were with a great group of people who were so polite and respectful. Personal thoughts: - Would have liked some time to explore Ullapool and Portree. - Next time we'll request ground floor rooms. We were on a European holiday so had suitcases. Carrying these up stairs was very tricky for these two slightly senior citizens. 😋 - Finding somewhere to eat on Sunday night in Portree proved impossible. Found the supermarket, though.

An excellent tour and a remarkable driver/guide. I know the Highlands quite well but we went to many interesting and scenic locations of which I had no knowledge. Our driver, Graeme (I'm sorry I don't know his surname), not only drove exceptionally well, but also delivered entertaining 'mini lectures' on what next we were about to see. Graeme was great. He also offered advice and guidance during the tour, for instance on where to stand to take the best photographs and where best we might eat in the evenings. The standard of B&B accommodation throughout the tour varied slightly: from very good to superb, so no complaints there, either! At our first stop, in Ullapool (one of my favourite towns), our B&B room, the view of Loch Broom and our breakfast were all particularly exceptional. Congratulations to hosts Maureen and Michael at Sheiling. The pick-up and drop off point at Edinburgh bus station was easy to find and convenient to get to. The coach we travelled in was relatively comfortable (I could have done with an on-board loo) and each morning arrived spotlessly clean. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our tour and would recommend it to anyone. PS: the weather during our trip was surprisingly good; the midges not too bothersome.

Accommodation

The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
Bed & Breakfast
Ullapool

On this tour, you will stay in bed and breakfast properties (B&Bs). These are usually smaller residential properties, with just a handful of guest rooms. You’ll have a bedroom, bathroom and often, access to a communal dining room for breakfast. Rooms will always be clean and comfortable, with a private bathroom. Bathrooms are usually en-suite, but on rare occasions, access may be via a communal hallway. This means that the bathroom will still be private and only for your personal use, but it is not en-suite (located in the room). You will need to leave the room to use the bathroom.

Our Rating
Standard
Local Rating
Guesthouse
Foinaven
Ullapool

This bed and breakfast is situated in the secluded area of Morefield in Ullapool, just a short walk from the village. It serves as an excellent base for exploring the Highlands of Scotland or simply relaxing and enjoying the local banter. Ullapool offers a range of facilities and is popular with hill walkers.

Our Rating
Standard
Local Rating
Guesthouse
Caledonian B&B
Skye

Situated in the heart of Portree, this unpretentious, family-run hotel is just a 3-minute walk from the harbour and 28 kilometres from the Talisker Distillery. The modest rooms feature en suite shower facilities and are equipped with flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee making equipment, and Wi-Fi. A full Scottish breakfast is served in a cosy, country-style dining area.

Our Rating
Standard
Local Rating
Guesthouse

Prices & Dates

Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Twin/Double' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to solo travellers and anyone wanting the privacy of their own room.

2025
Twin/Double
Single
1 Apr - 5 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
3 Apr - 7 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
5 Apr - 9 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
8 Apr - 12 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
10 Apr - 14 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
12 Apr - 16 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
15 Apr - 19 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650
17 Apr - 21 Apr
Save 30%
$2,815$1,971
$3,785$2,650

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4.4 out of 5 based on 277 reviews