Isles of Mull, Iona & Skye
6 Day Island Hopping Tour from Edinburgh
Overview
Discover the rugged west coast of Scotland and the outstanding islands of Mull and the sacred isle of Iona. These wild, yet tranquil islands are ideal for spotting wildlife such as dolphins, whales and it has the UK’s largest eagle population.
The Isle of Skye, stunning scenery with the jagged Cuillin mountains at its heart, the azure blue crystal clear waters of the fairy pools, rich in history, it’s little wonder the Isle of Skye is one of most popular tourist destinations in Scotland.
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Small Group Tours
Max 16 Persons
Tour Duration
6 Days – 5 Nights
Day 1
After leaving Edinburgh we call in at Glasgow and then to the village of Luss where little cottages decked in rambling roses lead down on to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Go back in time to the Viking raids of the 13th century with a stroll around the ancient churchyard where a Viking ‘hogback’ grave still stands.
Our next stop is at iconic viewpoint at the ‘Rest and Be Thankful’. These words, etched in stone, reveal the relief of soldiers who laboured on the original road in 1750.
Travelling along the banks of Loch Fyne, the white outline of Inveraray springs into view. The town was established in 1745 by the 3rd Duke of Argyll, head of the powerful Clan Campbell. You’ll have time to enjoy lunch and its tourist attractions like Inveraray Castle and gardens.
Oban, known as ‘The Gateway to the Isles’, is where we catch our ferry to the Isle of Mull. We spend the next three nights in the town of Tobermory which is renowned for the multi-coloured houses overlooking the harbour.
Day 2
A scenic drive brings us to Fionnphort for the 10-minute ferry crossing to Iona, where St Columba founded the Celtic Christian religion in 563 AD. You can visit Iona Abbey, the small stone building of St Oran’s Chapel and the graveyard Reilig Òdhrain, reputed to be the resting place of 48 ancient Scottish kings including the 11th century king Macbeth.
It’s worth a stroll up Torr an Aba where St Columba’s writing hut is said to have stood. From Iona’s highest point at Dun I, turquoise waters stretch out to Tiree, Coll and the Treshnish Isles.
For wildlife lovers there is an optional boat trip to Fingal’s Cave on uninhabited Staffa. The best time to see puffins is from early May to early August. Dolphins and porpoises are often seen playing in the water. Look out for minke and fin whales or even the elusive basking shark.
Fingal’s Cave is a geological wonder with its hexagonal basalt rock columns formed millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions. Its evocative acoustics inspired Mendelssohn to compose his Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave) after he visited in 1829.
Day 3
Dervaig village was laid out in 1799 but nearby standing stones at Kilmore suggest a prehistoric settlement, and the remains of a Highland village recall the 18th and 19th century clearances.
Enjoy a walk on the white sands of Calgary Bay, one of Scotland’s best beaches. You might even spot a sea eagle overhead. These magnificent birds of prey are the largest in the UK with a wingspan of over 2 metres.
The tiny Isle of Ulva offers the chance to walk on untouched shell beaches and breath in the scents of lush woodland. This is a nature-lover’s paradise and is another area where you might spot sea eagles, golden eagles and otters. The thatched ‘Sheila’s Cottage’ houses a museum and heritage centre and refreshments are served at the Boathouse café. Back at Tobermory distillery you might enjoy a dram of single malt whisky.
Day 4
Today sees us take two short ferry journeys onto the Morvern peninsula and the mainland where we enter unspoilt Glencoe. Scotland’s most famous glen bore witness to the Glencoe Massacre of 1692 and it’s here you meet up with our Skye tour.
Glenfinnan is where Bonnie Prince Charlie claimed the throne of Great Britain and Ireland for the Stuart kings. Climb up to the viewpoint for some stunning views, and you’ll see the 21 arches of the Glenfinnan Viaduct curve through the glen as the route to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.
Continuing north we’ll get off the beaten track for spectacular views over Loch Duich and the Five Sisters of Kintail before crossing over the bridge to Skye.
Day 5
The Isle of Skye never disappoints and at Glenbrittle the sparkling crystal clear waters of the Fairy Pools entice visitors from all over the world and even make for delightful wild swimming.
Portree offers lots of lunch options before we head to the Trotternish Peninsula. The spectacular Quiraing has been created by a massive landslip and the Mealt waterfalls seem to tumble down the very edge of the world into the ocean below. If reachable we’ll visit the Fairy Glen with its supernatural grassy mounds and ponds.
Bizarre geological shapes and formations define the landscape, such as the basalt columns of Kilt Rock. The iconic geological creation, the Old Man of Storr, is another photo stop before we return to Kyleakin and an evening to yourselves.
Day 6
Surrounded by majestic highland scenery, Eilean Donan castle sits on an island at a point where three great sea lochs meet. You’ll have time to visit this stunning castle and enjoy its spectacular location.
Loch Ness is home to Nessie, the Loch Ness monster. You’ll have time to enjoy lunch, take an optional monster spotting cruise or wander along the the Caledonian Canal.
Our journey continues through the Cairngorms National Park, passing Blair Castle to Pitlochry for our final refreshment stop of the day. We return to Edinburgh via the Queensferry crossing where you’ll see the gigantic red cantilevers of the Forth Bridge rising out of the Firth of Forth.
Isles of Mull, Iona & Skye 6 Day Island Hopping Tour from Edinburgh
Tour Highlights
Day 1
Luss, Loch Lomond, Rest and be Thankful, Inveraray, Oban, Ferry to Mull & Tobermory.
Day 2
Ferry to Iona, The Isle of Iona, Iona Abbey, Boat trip to Fingals Cave & Staffa.
Day 3
Dervaig, Calgary Bay, The Island of Ulva & Tobermory Distillery.
Day 4
Ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline, The Corran Ferry, Glencoe, Glenfinnan and the Five Sisters of Kintail.
Day 5
The Fairy Pools (if accessible), The Faerie Glen, The Cuillin Mountains, The Quiraing, Kilt Rock, The Old Man of Storr, Portree.
Day 6
Eilean Donan Castle, Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, Cairngorms National Park, Grampian Mountains, Blair Castle & Pitlochry.
Please note: We may visit some attractions on a different day due to weather etc.
Departure & Return
Departs/Returns: Bus Stance opposite Howie’s Restaurant, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3B
Tour Check-in 07:45 | Tour Departs 08:00 | Tour Ends 19:00
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
All Ferries (does not include optional Staffa boat trip)
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.
Please have a look at some customer experiences with Discover Scotland Tours.
Our Isles of Mull, Iona & Skye 6 Day Island Hopping Tour combines our 3 Day Isle of Skye tour and our 4 Day Isles of Mull & Iona tour. Reviews of these tours can be located on the tour pages by clicking the tour titles.
12/09/22 – Amanda
Went to Mull for 3 nights then Skye as well. Discover Scotland tours are excellent! Our driver Stuart (for Mull) was a very respectful and interesting driver and guide. On Skye, the same can be said of John.These tours were both flexible, with drivers gauging the desires of the group. No early mornings here, we were able to enjoy our BB breakfasts before getting picked up directly for the day’s outing. Service was prompt, friendly and entertaining. Itineraries on both islands were well laid out and we especially enjoyed our daytrips from Mull to the isles of Iona, Ulva and Staffa. We come from BC’s west coast and were impressed by the unique landscapes. A highly organized company. Via TripAdvisor
20/06/22 – Holly
We did the 6 day tour of Mull, Iona, Staffa and Skye plus more! It was phenomenal. Guides John and Jerry were knowledgeable and fun. The tour is structured brilliantly. Numbers of participants are small enough that we became a little family. Highly, highly recommend. Amazing is an understatement. I wish they would expand to other locations. I would not hesitate to go on one of their tours again. Via TripAdvisor.
23/05/22 – Tay
We took the 6D5N tour to Isle of Mull, Iona and Skye. Our tour guides, John (for Mull, Iona) and Jerry (for Skye) were great. They were knowledgeable, funny and passionate in sharing the best sights of Scotland together with some history or fun facts. The weather was mostly great and the tour guides also tailored our itinerary to make the best of the weather on each day. The highlight would definitely be seeing the puffins on Staffa Island. Big thanks again to a John and Jerry for making our Highlands trip such a memorable one. Via TripAdvisor.
25/10/21 – H L
I very much enjoyed the 6-day island-hopping tour, covering Mull, Iona, and Skye, as well as parts of the Highlands such as Glencoe and Loch Ness. John, the tour leader for the first few days, and Cliff, the tour leader for the final days, were both excellent. Although they had different personalities, both were professional, knowledgeable, and able to flex the schedules and sights to accommodate weather and passengers’ interests. The itinerary itself was very good and made for full days – even having to skip Staffa due to weather, I had plenty to do and see each day and was ready for dinner and my bed each evening! The B&Bs arranged by Discover Scotland were very nice too, with gracious hosts and locations close to restaurants. Finally, I appreciated the clean and updated condition of the buses, especially the air filtration system to increase protections against COVID. The seats were comfortable and included USB ports for charging my phone. I would definitely recommend a tour with Discover Scotland. Via TripAdvisor.
23/08/21 – Stephen
We chose 6 day tour of Mull and Skye and were not disappointed. Interesting itinerary gave an insight into the highlands . The two drivers Cliff and Jeff were helpful and informative and kept us safe and entertained throughout. The fantastic weather obviously helped the experience but the minibuses used were both comfortable and safe .The guesthouses chosen for us on Mull and Skye were very good and the scenery encountered breathtaking and awesome ; would recommend to anyone .The chance to visit small islands Iona and Ulva was both memorble and awesome whilst paddling on calgary beach in mull was as good a beach anywhere in world with white sands and azure seas . Five star experience. Via TripAdvisor.
16/08/21 – Yue
We did a 6-day tour around the Isle of Mull and Skye. The tour was very well designed, our guide John and Andy are both considerate, knowledgable and full of ethusiasm! We saw things that only local would know.The operation team did a fantastic job to book accomodation ahead of the time with recommendations for restaurant booking, it came handy particularly for Mull at peak season. Via TripAdvisor
24/05/21 – Esme
Just home from a 6 day tour of Mull and Skye. Weather was amazing ever day was beautiful weather could not have been better. The Trips to Iona and then the magnificent Fingals Cave was fantastic. Plenty of lovely runs on Mull before travelling over to Skye to visit all the lovely places. Our drivers Cliff and Andrew were very nice and had a great knowledge of the places of interest. Would certainly recommend. Via TripAdvisor
24/05/21 – Keren
My friend and I did the Inner Hebrides (Mull and Skye) 6 day tour. Loved it. The company (can’t remember the lady’s name) sorted out a problem meeting the tour in Glasgow (because of pandemic restrictions). Our first driver was brilliant – Cliff – helpful and friendly and loads of interesting information. Our second driver – Jeff – for Skye was brilliant as well (and really funny). We had a fantastic weather one day and he just showed us so much stuff – even a couple not scheduled – but nothing felt rushed – we had plenty of time everywhere we stopped. At the end, could happily have “gone round again”. Via TripAdvisor.
FAQs
We stay in Tobermory for 3 nights on the Isle of Mull and the village of Kyleakin for 2 nights on the Isle of Skye (please note during peak season some of our passengers may be allocated accommodation in the villages nearby to Kyleakin).
Both locations have some restaurants for evening dining and a shop should you require any necessities.
Yes, we can reserve accommodation on your behalf. There is an option to request your preferred accommodation when booking. You will then receive a confirmation email containing details of your accommodation provider & the exact cost of your stay.
Payment is made directly to the accommodation provider on arrival.
Hostel: We are unable to reserve hostel accommodation but can provide guidance on where passengers may wish to book. There is an option to request information on hostels at the time of booking.
The guide price for accommodation is as follows:
B&B double/twin room: £120.00 – £150.00 per room per night based on 2 people sharing.
B&B single occupancy: £105.00 – £130.00 per room per night
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 therefore be confirmed once you have booked and we can confirm what is available.
You can self-book your own accommodation should you wish to. It must be in the villages of Tobermory and Kyleakin where the other passengers will be staying. Furthermore, we ask that you let the accommodation provider know that you are travelling with us.
If you choose to book your own accommodation, please inform us where you are staying as soon as possible
Our luggage allowance is medium suitcase weighing no more than 15kg per person. In addition passengers can bring a small handbag/laptop bag which can be brought on to the coach. Above all, the overall weight limit of the coach dictates our luggage allowance and therefore can not be altered.
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 both Mull & Skye, your driver-guide will drop you off each evening and collect you at an agreed time each morning.
Above all, please ensure you are ready in plenty of time each morning.
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.
There is the opportunity to visit Tobermory Distillery whilst on Mull.
Seats are chosen on a first come first serve basis, we are unable to take requests for specific seats. Our mini coaches all have panoramic windows so the beautiful Scottish landscape can always be enjoyed, no matter where you sit.
If you suffer from motion sickness, then you may be affected by the roads in Scotland. They can be twisty and narrow. It’s best to come prepared with a travel sickness preventative, whether that be medicinal, wristbands or another option, to ensure it doesn’t impact your overall enjoyment of the tour.
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