Isle of Skye, The Highlands & Loch Ness
4 Day Tour from Edinburgh
Overview
Our 4-day Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh gives you the time and space to fully absorb the colours and textures of the Scottish Highlands and the wonder of Scotland’s most famous island.
Declared 4th best island destination by National Geographic, the Isle of Skye has spectacular natural beauty and is renowned for its fairy folklore, rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages and medieval castles.
Take in the azure blue crystal-clear waters of the Fairy Pools and visit Dunvegan Castle, ancestral home of the Chiefs of the clan MacLeod. Marvel at the dramatic scenery of the Trotternish ridge and feel as if you are standing on the edge of the world at Neist Point.
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Small Group Tours
Max 16 Persons
Tour Duration
4 Days – 3 Nights
Day 1
On this 4-day Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh, we’ll call into the Highland village of Luss. Sitting on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond this conservation village belies its brutal past when the Vikings raided this area.
From the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park our Highland trip continues over Rannoch Moor to Glencoe, Scotland’s most famous glen. As the mountains close in it’s not difficult to imagine the sights and sounds of a shameful episode in Scottish history, the massacre of the MacDonalds by the Campbells in 1692.
Fort William lies in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. At this point we’ll travel west to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, now better known as the ‘Harry Potter bridge’. The Glenfinnan Monument at the head of stunning Loch Shiel has breathtaking views. This is also the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie gathered his supporters for the 45 Jacobite rebellion.
Our journey takes us through Glens Garry and Shiel where we’ll get off the beaten track and over the Ratagan mountain pass where you’ll get stunning views over Loch Duich and the Five Sisters of Kintail before we cross the bridge to the Isle of Skye.
Day 2
With two full days on the Isle of Skye your friendly driver-guide will ensure you enjoy the best of this stunning island. You’ll be enchanted by the natural wonders, wildlife, and culture of Scotland’s most famous isle.
One of Skye’s defining vistas is its mountain range the Black Cuillins. At nearby Glenbrittle you can trek to the bright blue waters of the Fairy Pools. These sparkling ponds offer magical photographs, and you can even swim in them if you’re brave enough!
The Trotternish is Skye’s most northerly peninsula and has some of the most dramatic landscapes in Scotland. We’ll stop at the Quiraing, a natural wonder created by a landslip. Kilt Rock is a basalt column 90 metres high that looks like our national dress! Capture stunning photos of Mealt waterfall and the Old Man of Storr, a rocky pinnacle created by a massive ancient landslide.
Day 3
It’s worth the drive to reach Neist Point, the most westerly point on the Isle of Skye. This is one of the best places on Skye to see whales, dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks. Just stand there and you’ll feel like you’re teetering on the edge of the world.
We’ll visit Dunvegan Castle the ancestral home of the Clan MacLeod. It has continuously been occupied by the same family for 800 years. Another magical location is the mystical Fairy Glen, a curious collection of little grassy mounds with small ponds in between.
Time permitting we’ll try and get a tasting at one of Skye’s distilleries for a dram of Scotch whisky. You’ll also have time to explore Skye’s largest town Portree, a busy port and cultural centre.
Day 4
From the Isle of Skye, we cross back on to the mainland over the controversial Skye Bridge. Our next stop is to get some photos of the iconic Eilean Donan Castle. It’s easy to see why it adorns paintings, photographs, and calendars as it sits atop its own little island where three sea lochs meet surrounded by stunning highland scenery.
From here we continue to Fort Augustus at the southern tip of Loch Ness where we’ll have lunch. You can stroll along the Caledonian Canal, or you might fancy hunting for the legendary loch ness monster Nessie on a one-hour cruise on Loch Ness.
We’ll travel through the Cairngorms National Park and if we didn’t manage to visit one of Skye’s distilleries for a dram of Scotch whisky we’ll drop in for a dram on the mainland.
Sitting by the River Tay lies the lovely village of Dunkeld. You’ll get excellent views of Thomas Telford’s Dunkeld Bridge by taking a walk down by the river. Take a closer look at the ancient Cathedral that’s part picturesque ruin and part functioning church.
On our journey to Edinburgh, you’ll see the iconic Forth Bridge, a UNESCO world heritage site. The bridge still holds the record as the longest cantilever bridge on earth.
4 Day Isle of Skye Tours from Edinburgh
Tour Highlights
Day 1
Glasgow, Luss, Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Fort William, Glenfinnan, Loch Duich and the 5 Sisters of Kintail, and the Glenelg Ferry to Skye.
Days 2 & 3
The Fairy Pools, The Faerie Glen, The Cuillin Mountains, Neist Point, The Quiraing, Kilt Rock, The Old Man of Storr, Portree, Dunvegan Castle and a whisky distillery tour or tasting.
Day 4
Eilean Donan Castle, Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, Caledonian Canal, Cairngorms National Park, Grampian Mountains, Blair Castle, Dunkeld and the Queensferry Crossing.
Please Note: We may visit some attractions on a different days due to weather etc.
Departure & Return
Departs Bus Stand opposite Howie’s, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
Check-in 07:45
Departs 08:00
Ends 19:00 (approx).
Returns to Bus Stand opposite Howie’s, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
Note: You can start this tour in Edinburgh and end the tour in Glasgow or vice versa. Please select your preferred drop off location on the booking form.
Late Arrivals
In the event you are late for any reason in arriving at your departure point and as result miss your tour, you will not be entitled to a refund.
Children
We regret that we do not carry children under the age of 5 on our scheduled tours.
What’s Included
Transport in a 16-seat mini coach
Coach Air Filtration System as standard
Air Conditioning as standard
Services of an English-speaking driver-guide
Accommodation
Entry to Visitor Attractions
Meals & Refreshments
What to Bring
In Scotland we can get 4 seasons in 1 day, so we suggest bringing suitable clothing for all conditions, including a waterproof jacket and layers of clothing.
Shoes that are suitable for short walks on uneven paths and rough terrain. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and your camera to capture fantastic memories you’ll make on tour with us!
Most attractions & eating establishments we visit accept card payments, however we recommend bringing some cash with you.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel this tour 15 days or more prior to departure – you will be refunded 90% of the tour price.
Cancellations made less than 15 days prior to departure – no refund will be due.
Cancellations must be made in writing. For further information please refer to our terms and conditions.
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Please have a look at some customer experiences with Discover Scotland Tours.
18/08/22 – Anna
For me the Tour was excelente in all aspects. The stops are correct: interesting and with Good timings. I had the Best experience and I think it was Thanks to Gary (our guide). He knew perfectly when to explain things and when to let us rest and process all the information. He always made clear what was the plan for the next days, so we knew what to expect. He was super organize with the timings, pick-ups, cruise reservation…. And top of all that he also was funny making us enjoy a great holidays. Thank you for the experience.
04/08/22 – Sharn
What an amazing time we had!! From the minute Scott picked us up in Edinburgh until we unfortunately had to be dropped off again. The bus was spotlessly clean at all times Scott had a fabulous rapport with everyone on the bus, and made sure he was understood by all passengers. We were given an itinerary everyday. He had good knowledge of the history of the area and his enthusiasm shone through. Our B and B in Broadford was delightful, our hosts, Yvonne and Rob were so welcoming. We would highly recommend you.
24/07/22 – Marion
I am pleased to tell you that I had a marvellous experience. No complaints at all. Enjoyed the whole experience. The accommodation was excellent and the hosts friendly and helpful. Our driver, Stewart, was efficient, cheerful, chatty and supportive of our particular needs. I enjoyed the mixture of age in the group. Everyone was friendly. The itinerary was exciting and commentary good. Stewart was also good at changing plans as necessary according to weather etc.
09/06/22 – Jean and Catherine
My daughter and I had a wonderful tour. Our tour guide, John, lead us on an interesting and scenic tour. We were given flexibility and even though I have some mobility issues I felt completely relaxed with our tour. The small group allowed John to give us an opportunity to experience Scottish culture as well as visiting the tourist destinations. We particularly enjoyed the Skye Weavers. The information John gave us on the bus along with the music made the drive more than just a drive. The weather on our trip was not very good but because of John and the fine people on the tour it didn’t dampen our spirits instead it added to our memories. This tour was a highlight of our visit to Scotland. Highly recommend this tour. Thank you tour guide John and Discover Scotland Tours.
May 2022 – Brenda
The tour exceeded my expectations. Although the tour itself , the timing the locations and the stops were all amazing, I must say our guide, Scott, is really what put the tour on the above expectations scale. He was awesome. Your vans are great, the place we stayed which you organized for us was outstanding. A sincere THANK you.
17/05/22 – Jitendra and Mina
We had a fantastic time on your tour.It was an experience that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.Our host and driver, Scott, made the journey extra special for us with his cheerful and friendly nature – his enthusiasm rubbed off on all of us, making the whole group gel like one happy family. Alas it had to end after only 3 days!! We have highly recommended Discover Scotland Tour company to our friends and relatives.
11/05/22 – Joy and George
Thank you for your email. We had already decided that we were going to email you some feedback as we thoroughly enjoyed our trip. We have never taken any sort of group tour before. When we decided to visit Scotland I looked at what tours were departing from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Yours came up as an option along with a range of others. We chose your company as the tour itinerary was what we wanted, with the stay on Skye.( Some tours travel back to mainland Scotland each day, some do not include accommodation options ). Jerry was a superb tour guide. He made sure everyone was comfortable , he knew exactly where to go for toilet stops, coffee, photo opportunities etc. He gave us so much information about Scotland, the places we were visiting, etc. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He made the trip go very smoothly. We were able to sit back, relax , and enjoy the scenery. We have also been very impressed with your company and the quick efficient and friendly voices on the end of the phone when we have rung with queries. We have already had a number of friends enquiring as to who we toured with, as they have seen our photos on Facebook. We have no qualms about recommending you and hope that we can tour with you again next year, hopefully to Mull and Iona.
03/04/22 – Patrick & Nelly
The tour were absolutely fantastic. Kudos to Michael the driver/guide, who made the trip memorable with his knowledge of historical events and his sense of humor. He’s very accommodative and go easy with the group too. The trip was relaxing, no rush for time, made many stops to take pictures as well as covering all the itineraries that was given. Our 3 nights stay at Broadford Town was comfortable and cosy. Above all every morning we were served with good breakfast that was beyond our expectation. Appreciate DiscoverScotlandtours for the accommodation arrangement and tour itineraries that make it a memorable moments for us.
29/08/21 – Tayla & Nick
We had an absolute cracking time, we were very lucky and had some wonderfully warm weather, which allowed us to enjoy beautiful sites such as the fairy pools all the better. Our driver/guide John was helpful, funny, and extremely knowledgable of all the fascinating Scottish (and sometimes Australian!) history that was relevant to the places we were visiting, plus some great recommendations on where to eat. The accomodation that was booked for us was wonderful and moderately priced, and our host very accomodating and kind. Overall an amazing tour that we would recommend to everyone!
14/08/19 – Debbie & Eric
The tour was wonderful. Andy was a perfect tour guide: informative, personable, funny, polite, helpful, and a safe driver. We only have great things to say about him. When weather conditions forced a change of plans, he fully explained the situation, gave us options, and did a terrific job of showing us as much of Skye as possible. We loved visiting the croft when weather prevented us from taking the boat trip. I was thankful we chose the 4- day tour as it provided some flexibility with weather as we were on Skye for 2 days. We loved the itinerary and felt we saw the major sites and learned a lot about Scotland and its history and culture. We participated in all of the optional activities except for the Lochness boat trip. We will have many fond memories of our tour.
FAQs
We stay in the village of Broadford for all 3 nights of our tour (please note during peak season some of our passengers may be allocated accommodation in the villages nearby to Broadford).
The village has some restaurants for evening dining and a shop should you require any necessities.
Your tour excludes accommodation. During the tour booking process you will be asked if you are booking your own accommodation or whether you wish us to reserve this on your behalf?
Booking my own accommodation
If booking your own accommodation this should be in the village of Broadford where most of our customers will be staying. The nearby villages of Breakish or Kyleakin is fine, however some accommodation providers are situated on roads that even our small coaches cannot get down, so please check with us first at bookings@discoverscotlandtours.com
Please contact us to let us know the name of the accommodation you have reserved.
I want Discover Scotland Tours to book my accommodation
We’ll reserve your accommodation and let you know the name of where you are staying. You pay the accommodation provider directly.
Some accommodation providers don’t accept credit cards and only take cash. We will inform you of this when we confirm your named accommodation.
Accommodation Guide Price
We provide a guide price as each establishment has their own pricing structure. We allocate accommodation on a first come first served basis. An exact cost will be confirmed once you have booked and we can confirm what is available.
All B&B’s we book on your behalf have en-suite facilities.
B&B
Double/twin room: £110.00 – £140.00 per room per night based on 2 people sharing.
B&B
Single occupancy: £95.00 – £120.00 per room per night
Hostel
We do not reserve hostel accommodation but we can provide guidance on where passengers may wish to book. There is an option to request information on hostels at the time of booking.
This is limited to one piece of luggage (like an airline cabin bag) with a maximum weight of 15kg per person. For guidance, measurements should be no more than 65cm x 45cm x 30cm / 25in x 18in x 12in. You are allowed one small carry-on bag for onboard personal items.
If you require to store luggage while on tour you may choose to use luggage facilities. You’ll find these in both Glasgow and Edinburgh Train Stations and Edinburgh Bus Station.
Yes, while on Skye, your Tour Leader will drop you off each evening and collect you at a agreed time each morning.
Above all, please ensure you are ready in plenty of time each morning.
Yes, on our 4 day tour your driver-guide will either arrange a whisky tasting or distillery tour.
In the Scottish Highlands many businesses do not accept card; particularly in rural areas where mobile signals are not very strong. Your driver will also take cash payment for any optional extras. Therefore, it is best to bring cash with you.
There are cash machines on route should you require to take out money while on tour.
