Discover the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides on this 4-day group tour of Islay from Edinburgh. Visit four different whiskey distilleries, with plenty of opportunities for tasting and touring the facilities. Wander around the pretty coastal town of Oban, take in the highlights of Islay including Dunyvaig Castle and stop at majestic Loch Lomond on your way back to the Scottish capital.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Oban & Islay ferry
Edinburgh - Trossnachs National Park - Oban - Islay. Departing Edinburgh this morning, we head west, first visiting Trossnachs National Park. Admire some of the country's famous scenery and perhaps taste some regional delicacies. We then make our way through the mountainous Western Highlands to Oban, a port town once the strategic heartland of great feuding clans.
Modern Oban is known for two things, seafood and whisky. We have the opportunity to taste both, including a dram of locally produced whisky and an optional seafood lunch.
We then make our way through the Kilmartin Glen, home to standing stones and historic fortified strongholds dating back more than 1,500 years. At Kennacraig, we catch the ferry to the island of Islay. The crossing takes around 2 hours, and you can see the Paps of Jura as we sail past the island of Jura. Landing at Islay, we make our way to our accommodation in Bowmore.
Please note: Check-in closes at 08:15 on day 1 (tour departs at 08:30) - Edinburgh Bus Station Pick Up, Gate J and Gate K, inside Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.
Accommodation: Bowmore Cottages, The Bruce or similar
Overnight: Islay
Whisky, whisky & whisky
Tuck into breakfast at the accommodation before we depart on a day of whisky adventures! We are visiting three distilleries today, starting with Bowmore, one of the oldest distilleries in the whole of Scotland. There's an included tour and whisky tasting before we continue to Kilchoman Distillery, where we can try two more drams of whisky and enjoy a lunch of Scottish specialities. We then travel through the beautiful countryside of Islay to our third distillery. This will either be Bruichladdich or Bunnahabhain, depending on the departure. Bruichladdich specializes in unpeated whisky, whilst Bunnahabhain is the most remote distillery on the island. Feeling slightly light-headed, we then head back to Bowmore, where the evening is at leisure.
Accommodation: Bowmore Cottages, The Bruce or similar
Overnight: Islay | Breakfast
Exploring Islay
Today we are exploring the southern half of Islay, one of the most beautiful of the Scottish Isles. First we visit the distillery at Ardbeg, owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy! There's an included tour and tasting here.
The final distillery of our tour is Laphroaig, a 200-year-old distiller known to be a favourite of the British Royal Family.
Throughout the day, we will also stop at some of the island's main highlights. See the historic ruins of Kildalton church and Dunyvaig Castle, which was once held by the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg. We then return to Bowmore for our last night.
Accommodation: Bowmore Cottages, The Bruce or similar
Overnight: Islay | Breakfast
Loch Lomond
Islay - Loch Lomond - Edinburgh. Say goodbye to Islay as we take the return ferry back to the mainland. We then make our way back to Edinburgh, stopping on the way in the pretty town of Inveraray, on the banks of Loch Fyne. Admire the historic buildings, boats and an old whisky shop. Our final stop is at Loch Lomond, where you can admire Great Britain's largest body of water by surface area. We then complete our drive to Edinburgh, where our tour comes to an end.
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.
Breakfast
Prices & Dates
Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room. 'Single Room' prices are applicable to all solo travellers, or if your booking party cannot reach the minimum of 2 persons in a room. Single Rooms can also be booked by any other person wanting the comfort and privacy of their own room.
Hotels
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.
Bowmore Cottages , Islay
These traditional Islay cottages, originally home to Bowmore Distillery workers, date back to the 1800s and have been carefully renovated throughout. We offer six distillery cottages for booking, each featuring a fully equipped kitchen and en-suite bathrooms for every bedroom.
Prices & Dates
Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room. 'Single Room' prices are applicable to all solo travellers, or if your booking party cannot reach the minimum of 2 persons in a room. Single Rooms can also be booked by any other person wanting the comfort and privacy of their own room.
At a Glance
