A 7-day tour of Scotland from Edinburgh with a small group, both island ferries included. Spend two nights each on Skye, Lewis and in Inverness.
Follow the road to Skye, then take the ferry further west. This seven-day Isle of Skye and Outer Hebrides tour from Edinburgh brings together the Fairy Pools, the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr with Lewis’s ancient stones, blackhouse villages and Atlantic coastline. Two nights on each island give you time to enjoy their different characters.
The Highlands are part of the adventure throughout, from Loch Lomond and Glencoe to Corrieshalloch Gorge, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms. You’ll also spend two nights in Inverness, with a free day to explore the river, markets and city streets at your own pace. Guided walks, ferry crossings and local stories add variety to the journey, while your expert guide takes care of connecting each stage of the week.
At a glance
- Duration: 7 days (6 nights: Skye ×2, Lewis ×2, Inverness ×2)
- Departs: Edinburgh, 7:30am (back approx. 7–8pm, Day 7)
- Group size: Max 16 (small scheduled group)
- Ages: 12+ (younger? ask about a private tour)
- Walking: Short walks (up to ~1 hour, uneven paths)
- Ferries: Included (Skye → Harris, Stornoway → Ullapool)
Itinerary
Day 1: Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye: Loch Lomond · Luss · Glencoe · Skye Bridge · Portree
Head west to Luss on the shores of Loch Lomond, then north into Glencoe, where your guide brings the mountains and the story of the Glencoe Massacre to life.
Continue through the western Highlands, cross the Skye Bridge and settle into Portree for the first of two nights on Skye.
Day 2: A day on the Isle of Skye: Fairy Pools · Cuillin Mountains · Dunvegan Castle · Portree
Begin with a short walk along the waterfalls and clear pools of the Fairy Pools beneath the Cuillin, then on to Dunvegan Castle, ancestral home of Clan MacLeod, when the castle and gardens are open. Later, time around Portree's colourful harbour before your second night on the island.
Dunvegan Castle normally opens April to mid-October and entry is paid separately. Weather, roads and local access can change the exact stops.
Day 3: Skye to the Outer Hebrides: Old Man of Storr · Lealt Falls · Quiraing · Fairy Glen · Uig ferry · Stornoway
Explore the Trotternish Peninsula, with the Old Man of Storr, Lealt Falls, the Quiraing and the Fairy Glen, then take the ferry from Uig to Tarbert on Harris and travel north to Stornoway, your base for two nights.
The Uig–Tarbert ferry is included; timings and routes are set by the ferry operator and can be affected by weather.
Day 4: A full day on Lewis: Port of Ness · Butt of Lewis · Blackhouses · Dun Carloway · Callanish
Travel north to the Port of Ness and the Atlantic cliffs at the Butt of Lewis, then discover traditional island life at Arnol Blackhouse and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, the Iron Age broch at Dun Carloway and, to finish, the Callanish Standing Stones.
Entry to Arnol Blackhouse and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village isn't included.
Day 5: Stornoway to Inverness: Ferry to Ullapool · Corrieshalloch Gorge · Loch Ness · Urquhart Castle · Distillery
Take the ferry from Stornoway across the Minch to Ullapool, then walk to the viewpoints above Corrieshalloch Gorge and the Falls of Measach. Continue towards Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, then The Singleton Distillery in Muir of Ord, before the first of two nights in Inverness.
The Loch Ness cruise, Urquhart Castle admission and distillery tour aren't included.
Day 6: Your free day in Inverness: River Ness · Ness Islands · Victorian Market · Free time
After five days on the road, the pace changes. Walk beside the River Ness and across the Victorian footbridges to the Ness Islands, visit Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, browse the Victorian Market, stroll by the Caledonian Canal, or simply make the day your own.
Day 7: Inverness to Edinburgh: Culloden · Cairngorms · Aviemore · House of Bruar · The Hermitage
Begin at Culloden Battlefield, site of the 1746 battle that changed the course of Highland history, then through the Cairngorms to Aviemore and the House of Bruar. Your final stop is a woodland walk at The Hermitage towards Black Linn Falls, before the road back to Edinburgh.
Paid admission associated with Culloden isn't included.
The itinerary is a guide and may change because of weather, road conditions, ferry schedules, seasonal closures, attraction availability or circumstances beyond our control.
Accommodation: six nights on Skye, Lewis and in Inverness, not included
Six nights along the route: two on the Isle of Skye, two on Lewis & Harris and two in Inverness. Accommodation isn't included in the tour price, so you choose how to arrange it.
Included
- Ferry from Skye to Lewis & Harris, and from Stornoway to the mainland
- Expert Scotland's Wild guide and storyteller for the week
- Transport in a comfortable, air-conditioned touring vehicle
- Guided short walks and active sightseeing stops
- Two nights each on Skye and Lewis, and a free day in Inverness
- Small group, maximum 16 travellers
Not included
- Accommodation for the six nights
- Meals and snacks
- Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle admission
- Dunvegan Castle & Gardens entry
- Arnol Blackhouse and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village entry
- The Singleton Distillery tour
- Paid admission associated with Culloden
Departure
Outside The Jolly Botanist, 256–260 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8DT
Please arrive by 7:15am so your guide can check everyone in before the 7:30am departure. Scheduled tours can't wait for late guests. The tour returns to the same meeting point on Day 7. The meeting point is outside; the bar itself may not be open that early.
Check-in: 7:15am · Departs: 7:30am · Back: approx. 7–8pm
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