Isle of Mull, Iona & The Highlands
4 Day Tour from Glasgow
Overview
Discover Scotland’s wild, west coast on our four day tour from Glasgow to the outstanding islands of Mull, sacred Iona and their tranquil sister isles. This is one of the best locations in Scotland to spot rare white-tailed sea eagles. Or even to glimpse whales, basking sharks, and dolphins by boat.
Visit Iona Abbey, still a place of worship, and take a stroll up the small hill above it, Torr an Aba, where St Columba’s writing hut is thought to have stood. You can encounter St Oran’s Chapel and Reilig Òdhrain. It’s said to be the burial place of 48 ancient kings of Scotland, including Macbeth
Explore the geological wonder of Fingal’s Cave on Staffa, walk on one of Scotland’s finest beaches and explore Tobermory’s picture-postcard harbour front with its brightly painted houses.
Coach Air Filtration
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Small Group Tours
Max 16 Persons
Tour Duration
4 Days – 3 Nights
Day 1
Departing from Glasgow our first port of call is pretty Luss where quaint cottages stretch down to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. We’ll stop at the iconic viewpoint the ‘Rest and Be Thankful’ so named by the words etched on stone by weary soldiers who built the military road in 1750.
We’ll stop for lunch at Inveraray on Loch Fyne. Scotland’s first planned town, it was built in 1745 by the 3rd Duke of Argyll, chief of the powerful Clan Campbell. You can stroll around the town or explore Inveraray Castle and its resplendent gardens, where the Duke of Argyll still lives today.
From Oban,‘The Gateway to the Isles’ we’ll take the ferry to the Isle of Mull and head for Tobermory, probably the most photographed town in Scotland with its multi-coloured houses overlooking the harbour.
Day 2
From Fionnphort a small passenger ferry guides us over azure waters to the tiny sacred island of Iona. St Columba and his companions came from Ireland to establish a monastery here in 563 AD and it’s been a place of Christian worship and international pilgrimage ever since.
You can visit Iona Abbey and stand on Torr an Aba, the little hill above where St Columba is thought to have had his writing hut. Explore St Oran’s Chapel and Reilig Òdhrain, the graveyard where 48 ancient kings of Scotland, including Macbeth, are said to be buried.
There’s an option to take boat trip to Fingal’s Cave on uninhabited Staffa, which includes an hour’s visit. The best time to see puffins is from early May to early August. You might also see Dolphins and porpoises playing in the water, and if you are lucky enough you may see minke and fin whales or even the elusive basking shark whose fin breaks the water as it feeds.
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
There are signs of an ancient fort and a Highland clearance village near to the Kilmore Standing stones. White-tailed eagles are regularly spotted at Calgary Bay whose glistening white sand rivals any Caribbean destination.
Ulva, a truly unspoilt isle with pristine blue waters rolling onto white shell beaches and woods carpeted in billiard green moss is an island haven for walkers and wildlife enthusiasts that’s definitely off the beaten track.
There’s a museum and heritage centre housed in the thatched ‘Sheila’s Cottage’.and be sure to visit the Boathouse for some tasty home-baking. Back in Tobermory you might enjoy its quaint shops, traditional Scottish pubs or a dram of single malt whisky at Tobermory Distillery.
Day 4
Our first ferry today takes us over the Sound of Mull to Lochaline, this spectacular peninsula was shaped thousands of years ago by volcanoes and ice. An hour later we’ll take the Corran Ferry en route to Glencoe, Scotland’s most famous glen.
From Glencoe we’ll pass desolate Rannoch Moor, one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, and head into picturesque Killin. You’ll want to pose for selfies at the village’s dramatic rapids, the Falls of Dochart.
Doune Castle dates back to around the 14th century and has starred in Outlander as Castle Leoch, Game of Thrones as Winterfell and in the cult comedy Monty Python as Swamp Castle, Castle Anthrax and Camelot.
Our return to Glasgow is via Edinburgh and the Kelpies, the world’s largest equine sculptures. Standing over 30 metres high, these two giant steel horse heads are a monument to Scotland’s horse-powered industrial heritage.
Please Note: If there are no passengers booked to return to Edinburgh, our route to Glasgow will be direct from the Kelpies.
4 Day Isle of Mull, Iona & the Highlands Tour from Glasgow
Tour Highlights
Day 1
Luss, Loch Lomond, Rest and be Thankful, Inveraray, Oban, Ferry to Mull & Tobermory.
Day 2
The Isle of Iona, Iona Abbey, Boat trip to Fingal’s Cave & Staffa.
Day 3
Dervaig, Calgary Bay, The Island of Ulva & Tobermory Distillery.
Day 4
Ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline, The Corran Ferry, Glencoe, Falls of Dochart, Doune Castle & the Kelpies.
Please note: We may visit some attractions on a different day due to weather etc.
Departure & Return
Departs Buchanan Bus Station, Killermont St, Glasgow, G2 3NW.
Your tour will be shown on the Buchanan Bus Station display screen as Discover Scotland Tours – Mull & Iona. This screen will also show the bus stance your coach will depart from. We depart from stances 23 – 32.
Check in 09.15
Departs 09.30
Ends 19.00
Returns Buchanan Bus Station, Killermont St, Glasgow, G2 3NW.
Note: You can start this tour in Glasgow and end the tour in Edinburgh 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.
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Please have a look at some customer experiences with Discover Scotland Tours.
29/08/22 – Sophie and Joel
We had a most enjoyable tour on the Isle of Mull and Iona. Our tour guide John Black was friendly, considerate, most knowledgeable and very entertaining. He is a remarkable young man and we were so fortunate to have him as our guide. He truly did his utmost best to accommodate everyone and make everyone feel welcome. We would highly recommend this tour, your company and John to anyone considering a visit to Scotland.
13/06/22 – Aaron
The trip exceeded my expectations. Our guide – Stewart – was exceptional! He did a fantastic job of always keep us informed of the daily schedule and the upcoming events. Another other highlight was the B&B in Tobermory – truly exceptional. I look forward to booking another tour with your company.
09/05/22 – Alice
I can’t say enough good things about Discover Scotland tours! My husband and I took the Isles of Mull, Iona and the Highlands 4 day tour in May ‘22. We couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide! Nick was so knowledgable about not only every stop we made, but every question we had along the way. He was personable, yet professional, and was able to tailor the trip to the groups’ interests. He even surprised us with a stop that we hadn’t expected would be possible (at Rob Roy MacGregor’s grave), and we really appreciated it (as we are MacGregors ourselves)! The small coach itself was also very comfortable, and we made stops at intervals that were optimal for using the restrooms. I love the smaller group size compared with other tours. I love and miss Tobermory already and cherish the memories of this tour. I wish we had booked them for the Skye trip as well! Thanks again for the wonderful experience!
25/08/21 – Sandy
On behalf of my wife, Ann, my son, David, and myself I would like to thank Discover Scotland for an excellent 4 day tour. From the moment we were picked up by Nick at Buchanan Street bus station until the end of the tour Nick was professional and friendly. At the end of the first day when we arrived at The Mishnish Hotel he helped us up with our luggage to our rooms which were on the top floor. Since my wife and I are both in our late 70s this was very kind and helpful. On day two we travelled to Iona and then took a boat trip to Staffa to visit Fingals Cave before returning to Tobermory.We were very fortunate with the weather on the day which helped make it a most enjoyable experience. On day three,which started off fairly wet and remained so for most of the day, we visited Duart Castle and then the group elected to return to Tobermory for some free time around the shops. On day four we were very busy with the beautiful scenery on the planned route down through Glencoe all the way to the Kelpies and then via Edinburgh to the Glasgow area. On all four days we were treated to descriptions about the upcoming points of interest, accompanied by a selection of relevant background music. Nick’s knowledge about the places and points of interest was excellent. We will not hesitate to use Discover Scotland Tours again and look forward to our next meeting.
09/08/20 – Jodee
Thanks so much for this tour- we really enjoyed ourselves Cliff was fantastic and he was very kind, friendly and knowledgeable Highlights were Staffa Island and the lunch stop at Glen Coe where we had a picnic around the lake. Iona was lovely but the Abbey was closed. Tobermory was absolutely beautiful and it was great the way we had a base for three nights- this was really good for the kids and us not having to pack up each night etc. One day was dreadful weather but Cliff took us to Duart Castle which was a great alternative. All in all highly recommended and please thank Cliff for a wonderful time.
03/08/20 – Karen
We had a lovely few days in Mull – thank you. Our Driver Nick was excellent and really accommodating. Bus was clean and well maintained. Recommended and booked accommodation was lovely. We’ve been on a Discover Scotland break before and rebooked as had a great experience last time. Have recommended you guys to friends.
29/09/19 – Karen
It was wonderful. Jon was great and accommodating. Thank you for a wonderful holiday.
19/08/19 – Sheena
This was my first tour with a company… Tour was lovely and loved all the internary…Tour host was very good at his job and made it feel you were back in time!.maybe just in spirit ( dad comes from South Uist!!)….also kept music up to par with scenery and stories….Thank you!
29/07/19 – Roger
We had a great experience. Andrew our tour leader was friendly, helpful, flexible and knowledgeable. Mull was a nice mix of interesting and busy in some places and quiet and peaceful in others. The mix of scheduled activities and free time suited us really well. We enjoyed the wildlife (seals, puffins on Staffa, birds), food in Tobermory and on Ulva. As Australians, we were especially pleased to be able to visit Lachlan Macquarie’s mausoleum. We were fortunate to have mostly dry weather as many of the activities were outdoors. We also really enjoyed the visit to Doune Castle (helped by being Monty Python fans).
28/07/19 – Julia
We had an amazing four days on the trip with Andy as our driver. The tour content was just right, there was a lot of coach travel but it was the best way to see the area and the coach was very comfortable . We had every confidence in Andy’s driving and he made the whole trip very interesting and amusing, his knowledge of Scottish history is amazing.
24/07/19 – John
We had a wonderful tour with you, and I’m happy to respond. The coach was new and comfortable, and Cliff the driver was excellent. I would have been exhausted, negotiating all those single-lane roads on Mull, had I hired my own car. I’m so glad we went with you instead. Cliff handled the driving with calm competence, all the while pointing out the sites, and filling in their historical significance. We learned a lot! When he wasn’t talking, he had a very nice selection of music to entertain us. What a wonderful trip! Carnaburg Guest House was quiet and comfortable, with a very nice view of the harbor at Tobermory. Linda, the owner, was friendly and helpful as could be. The food was excellent, and we were very happy with our stay.. I’ll be happy to recommend Discover Scotland Tours to friends, if the chance presents itself. Thanks for a great holiday experience!
23/07/19 – Robert
The whole tour was well organised-and our guide John was very friendly,helpful ,informative and entertaining/made us laugh a lot! Thanks for a great trip.
FAQs
We stay in Tobermory for all 3 nights of our tour.
The village has 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: £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
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. The accommodation must be in the Tobermory and 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.
Yes, while you are staying in Tobermory your driver-guide will drop you off each evening and collect you again the next morning.
A pick up time will be arranged while you are on tour. Please ensure you are ready to depart on time each morning.
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.
There are left luggage facilities in both Glasgow and Edinburgh Train Stations and Edinburgh Bus Station if you require to store luggage while you are on tour.
In the Scottish Highlands many businesses do not accept card, particularly in rural areas where mobile signals are not very strong. Optional extras are also paid in cash, therefore, it is best to bring some cash with you.
There are cash machines on route should you require to take out money while on tour.
