5 Day Scotland Tour
Available on Selected Dates from £270 per Person
Pickup from Edinburgh or Glasgow
Our 5 Day Scotland Tour from Edinburgh and Glasgow takes you into the heart of the Highlands, giving a taste of the sights and sounds of Scotland. You’ll get to enjoy stunning landscapes, visit medieval cities, discover important archaeology sites, and see famous TV and film locations on this 5-day sightseeing trip. Our tour is led by an experienced guide, and you’ll travel in a small-group with a maximum of 16 guests.
Discover the dramatic Scottish countryside as we drive through valleys and over mountainous terrain. We’ll visit iconic viewpoints along the way including Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Eilean Donan Castle and more! A highlight of the trip includes a visit to the Isle of Skye which is home to one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the world. You’ll also have the chance to take a seal-spotting boat cruise, visit a Scotch Whisky distillery and try to spot Nessie, the Loch Ness monster! On our 5-day Scotland tour, you’ll stay overnight in well-known towns including Inverness, the capital of the highlands. The tour is available on selected dates.
Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Highlights:
Oban, the seafood capital of Scotland
Day 1:
- Leave in the morning with pick up from Edinburgh and then Glasgow on our 5 Day Scotland tour adventure!
- In Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery which houses one of Europe’s great art collections
- Drive into the Scottish Highlands, a rugged mountainous region with breathtaking scenery and views. We’ll pass several villages along the way including Luss on the shores of Loch Lomond, Arrochar at the foot of the Arrochar Alps, and Inveraray which is the seat of the Clan Campbell and Dukes of Argyll!
- Visit the Dunadd Iron Age Fort which dates back over 2,000 years and was the coronation site of kings and queens of Dalriada, the ancient Gaelic speaking kingdom
- See Kilmartin Glen, one of the richest Neolithic sites anywhere in Europe with some of the largest concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland. Visit the Kilmartin Museum to learn the history of the peoples who have lived and worshipped in this area for the last six thousand years
- Our first day ends with an overnight stay in Oban, a port and fishing town.
Day 2:
Glenfinnan Viaduct
- Departing Oban our first stop of the day is Glencoe. This is one of the most impressive valleys in Scotland and is an iconic filming location, featuring in the Harry Potter movies and James Bond’s Skyfall. It’s also the site of the infamous 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, and your guide will explain its importance for Scottish history
- We’ll continue to Glenfinnan Viaduct, instantly recognizable as the bridge that Hogwarts Express crosses in the Harry Potter movies!
- Enjoy lunch in the town of Fort William, the second largest town in the Highlands. Choose to take a tour of the Ben Nevis Whisky Distillery and learn how Scotch whisky is made. At the end of the tour you’ll get to taste some Ben Nevis single malt whisky. Alternatively, you’ll have the chance to visit the ruins of Inverlochy Castle and explore “Neptune’s Staircase”
- From here, we’ll head to a viewpoint at the Commando Memorial Statue to enjoy sweeping views of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. The memorial site commemorates commandos who trained near here during WWII
- Continue to the village of Fort August which lies at the shore of Loch Ness. You might even get to spot Nessie, the Loch Ness monster!
- Our drive continues through some of the most dramatic and breathtaking scenery in Scotland, passing Glenshiel and the iconic Five Sisters of Kintail. We’ll visit Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most famous locations in Scotland
- Continue the drive over Skye Bridge and onto the Isle of Skye. You’ll stay overnight in Portree, the largest town on the island
Day 3:
The Isle of Skye!
- We’ll spend the morning touring the Isle of Skye, which is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world!
- Highlights include exploring the Trotternish Peninsula where you’ll see the Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock and the Quiraing. You’ll also get to see amazing views across the sea – east to the Torridon Mountains and west to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Your guide will also bring the island to life with tales of the local folklore. The Skye Museum of Island Life explains how people lived on this island a hundred years ago
- Enjoy lunch in Portree which is known for its fish and seafood, with time to explore the pretty town with many craft and local gift shops
- Following lunch we’ll drive over the Cuillin Mountains, leaving the Isle of Skye and heading to the village of Plockton on the shores of Loch Carron
- Choose to take a 1-hour seal tour where you’ll get to see seals along with many species of sea birds. And sometimes you can even see dolphins and porpoise. Alternatively, spend some free time exploring the village of Plockton
- We end the day in Inverness which is the capital of the Highlands. Spend your free evening with a stroll along the riverbank or visit Inverness Castle which dominates the city centre and offers a fabulous view of the surrounding area
- Overnight in Inverness
Day 4:
View of Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness
- We spend day 4 exploring the wild and mountainous North West Highlands. Our drive takes us past spectacular scenery that is amongst the most rugged landscapes in Europe
- Visit Corrieshalloch, one of the most breathtaking gorges of its type in Britain set in a national nature reserve. See the series of crashing waterfalls from the Victorian suspension bridge
- We’ll drive along part of the North Coast 500 Route, one of the top coastal road trips in the world. Stop to visit the ancient ruins of Ardvreck Castle
- From here visit Knockan Crag, a globally important geological site. For serious hikers, there is an optional hike along steep paths that takes you through hundreds of millions of years of history. Alternatively, sit back and soak up the beautiful landscapes
- Enjoy lunch in the pretty ferry port of Ullapool. This fishing town is well known for its fish ‘n’ chips! We’ll visit nearby Rogie Falls, a beautiful sport which offers several good forest walks
- Visit the town of Beauly. Mary, Queen of Scots is believed to have given this town its name in 1564 when she visited, exclaiming: ‘Quel beau lieu!’ (What a beautiful place!)
- As we make our way back to Inverness, we’ll stop for a fantastic photo opportunity from a vantage point high above Urquhart Castle – the only castle on the banks of Loch Ness
- Spend our last night in Inverness
Day 5:
The ruins of St Andrews Cathedral
- We depart Inverness on our final day, gradually making our way south towards Edinburgh passing some beautiful places along the way
- Begin the day with a visit to Clava Cairns. The stones and Burial Chambers date from at least 4000 years ago and were the inspiration for the author of the Outlander novels when writing about Craigh na Dun. We’ll also visit the nearby Culloden Battlefield, which is also connected to the Outlander TV series and is where the final battle of the Jacobite rising of 1745 took place
- Our final stop is to the town of St Andrews, known as the birthplace of golf and the place where Prince William met Kate Middleton. You’ll have free time to explore the highlights of this town.
- Golf fans can visit The Old Course which is the oldest course in the world. The British Golf Museum is located just behind the clubhouse. The medieval walled town is home to St Andrews University. Visitors can walk around the ancient buildings, and see the remains of the Cathedral. St Andrews Castle sits on the coast and highlights include the Bottleneck Dungeon, subterranean mine and medieval tunnels
- As we return to Edinburgh, the drive takes us through the fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife, across the Forth Road Bridge and the 2017 Queensferry Crossing
- Arrive back in Edinburgh in the early evening. The tour does not return to Glasgow.
Accommodation:
During this tour, you will stay 1-night in Oban, 1-night in Portree & 2-nights in Inverness. Our tour does not include accommodation, and you can either book your own accommodation or request for us to book accommodation for you.
Drop-off & Pick-up locations:
You will be dropped off and picked up at these city-centre locations at the end of each touring day:
- Oban: 1 Station Rd, Oban PA34 4NU
- Portree: Somerled Square, Portree IV51 9BS
- Inverness: 26 Queensgate, Inverness, IV1 1DJ
Leave it to us:
If you would like us to reserve your accommodation, please contact us after booking your tour. We can arrange the following types of accommodation:
- Hostel accommodation: a dorm bed in a mixed room with 4-8 beds per room. Facilities are shared, and breakfast is not included, but there is a communal kitchen where you can prepare food
- B&B/Guesthouse: we can arrange a single room, double/twin room, or family room (3-4 people). All rooms are en-suite or have private shower facilities. Breakfast is included
You’ll pay for your accommodation directly to the provider on arrival. By doing so, we can offer you the best prices!
More infO:
- The tour departs at 8:30am from Deacon’s House Cafe, 304 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2PS. It returns to the same location on day 5 at approximately 6:30 pm
- Pickup at Glasgow is at 10am from Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8AG.
- The tour includes a driver, transportation. It does not include entrance fees/optional extras
- This is a small-group tour that typically operates on a 16-seater Mercedes sprinter
- Optional extras for this tour are: Ben Nevis Distillery Tour; Museum of Island Life Skye; Seal Tour; Eilean Donan Castle; St Andrews Cathedral. You can see prices for these extras on our book now page
- It is important to bring warm and waterproof clothing, as well as comfortable walking shoes. We also recommended bringing cash (around £30 per day) since not all villages have ATM machines
- Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
