Journey to the Misty Isle: Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye Tour

Highlights

• Kick off your Highlands and Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh with a train journey across the beautiful Scottish countryside to Inverness, then travel over the sea to experience the wonders of the Isle of Skye.
• Hear the most dramatic stories of Skye and Scotland, as you stand on the landscapes upon which they unfolded.
• Learn from local experts and guides as you visit whisky distilleries, slow-motion landslips, and one of Scotland’s most dramatic lochs, hidden in Skye’s Cuillin mountains.
• Stay at two welcoming and charismatic four-star hotels: a Georgian mansion outside Inverness, and a former hunting lodge on Skye.
• Taste the finest food in Scotland with traditional meals made from quality, locally-sourced ingredients.

Day 1 – Edinburgh to Inverness: The Heart of the Highlands

Meet your fellow travellers and Scottish guide at Edinburgh Waverley railway station, travel by train to Inverness, and settle into the glorious Coul House Hotel.

The first journey of your tour is by first-class train from Edinburgh to Inverness. It’s a gentle introduction to the Scottish Highlands, with views of lochs, mountains and moors. After a mid-morning departure, you will arrive in Inverness in the afternoon, transferring to your accommodation via taxi.

You’ll receive a warm Scottish welcome at Coul House Hotel. A well-kept, family-run Georgian mansion, Coul House will be your base for two nights as you get some Scottish Highlands experiences under your belt. For now, get settled in, admire the countryside views and Coul House’s garden, and raise a glass to the start of your vacation in Scotland.

• Check into Coul House Hotel, Strathpeffer, for two nights
• Group dinner

Day 2 – Inverness: Beasts, Battles and a Contested Castle

Hear tales of conflicts that shook the Scottish Highlands, and search for an elusive loch-dwelling creature…

After waking to a Highlands view and a hearty breakfast you’ll explore the local area, which is home to key sites from Scotland’s past.

These include the site of a battle that changed the history of Scotland, and a much older burial ground from the country’s pre-history.

You’ll also cruise across Scotland’s most famous loch to hear about its most reclusive resident, and visit Urquhart Castle, a much-contested stronghold with a picture-perfect view of Loch Ness.

Back at Coul House, we’ll feast on a traditional group dinner, then relax ahead of the Skye leg of your Scotland vacation.

• Return to Coul House in the evening
• Group dinner

Daily Walking Details:  1.2 miles | 100 ft ascent | Approx. <1 hour

Day 3 – Inverness to Skye: Castles and Cuillin Hills

Visit a famous castle on the way to Skye, then cross to the island proper and check into the Cuillin Hills Hotel and its spectacular views.

We’ll break up the drive to Skye with a stop at a quintessentially Scottish landmark – Eilean Donan Castle.

Standing where three lochs meet, the castle’s fascinating history began long before BBC branding and James Bond films made it famous! You’ll have plenty of time to wander the battlements and the castle halls before we hit the road and cross the bridge to Skye.

Your accommodation on Skye is the four-star Cuillin Hills, a multi-award-winning hotel with an equally commended restaurant, inviting bedrooms and some of the most remarkable loch and mountain views on Skye.

• Check into Cuillin Hills Hotel, Portree for the next three nights
• Group dinner

Daily Walking Details:  <1 mile | 130ft ascent | Approx. <1 hour

Day 4 – Straithaird: Sail the Seas of Skye

Sail to a hidden loch and uncover the story of the Highland Clearances.

After breakfast with an unforgettable view of the Cuillin Hills, you’ll embark on a real Skye vacation adventure. We’ll head to a loch that’s notoriously hard to reach – if you travel there by land…

Luckily, you’ll be travelling by water! Board a boat in the village of Elgol to reach the elusive loch. Elgol also has attractions of its own, having hosted Bonnie Prince Charlie while he evaded government capture after the Battle of Culloden.

At the picturesque Loch Coruisk, you’ll find out how the area was formed from our expert geologist, and spend time wandering the shoreline of this hidden gem.

After getting the boat back to Elgol and a light lunch, you’ll be immersed in the story of the Highland Clearances, a key chapter in the history of Scotland that changed the face of Skye forever.

• Return to Cuillin Hills Hotel in the evening
• Group dinner

Daily Walking Details:  3.75 miles | 130ft ascent | Approx. 2 hours

Day 5 – Duirinish and Waternish: Coastal Walks and Geology Talks

Explore Skye’s western peninsulas, visit Clan MacLeod’s castle and taste whisky Skye-style.

Today we focus on the Duirinish and Waternish peninsulas, which make up a sizable part of Skye’s western coast. Your Skye tour travels to the very end of “Scotland’s Giant’s Causeway”, taking in the picture-perfect Neist Point and its lighthouse, framed against the backdrop of Little Minch strait.

Your guide will show you how this area came to be, taking you back through deep time to understand the fascinating geology behind places such as the Point’s impressive basalt pavement and lava field.

The journey back to the Cuillin Hills Hotel is dedicated to Highlands life and longevity, as we visit Scotland’s oldest continuously-inhabited castle and its gardens.

After a group lunch at a restaurant dedicated to sustainability and supporting local suppliers, we’ll see how the islanders produce the “water of life”, with a tour of the oldest working whisky distillery on Skye.

• Return to Cuillin Hills Hotel in the evening
• Group dinner

Daily Walking Details:  1.5 miles | 260ft ascent | Approx. 1 hour

Day 6 – Heading North: Hike the Quiraing

Travel to Skye’s eye-catching Trotternish peninsula and see the mighty Quiraing formation before travelling back to Strathpeffer.

We’ve saved the best of Skye’s landscapes for your last day on the island – today you’ll be heading to the Trotternish peninsula.

Home to some of the world’s most striking landmarks such as the Old Man of Storr, Trotternish’s greatest prize lies further north: the Quiraing. A colossal mass of jutting peaks, green hills and rolling slopes, the Quiraing (pronounced “kwirrang”) is a slow-moving landslip of Skye’s historic lava fields, and well worth the 30-40 minute hike through the hills (approx. 1.5 miles).

After soaking in the views and the history of Skye’s most iconic landscape, you’ll return to Portree for a short break, light lunch and a fond farewell to the island, before returning to a warm “welcome back” at the Coul House Hotel for the last night of your Scotland vacation package.

• Return to Coul House, Strathpeffer
• Group dinner

Daily Walking Details:  2.5 miles | 490ft ascent | Approx. 1.5 hours

Day 7 – Returning Home

The journey’s end. Return via taxi then train to Waverley station, Edinburgh.

Enjoy your last breakfast at Coul House, then transfer via taxi to Inverness station to get the mid-morning train to Edinburgh. Share your favourite stories from the vacation with the group on the way.

Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for 2024.

The activity level is rated as MODERATE, requiring an average level of fitness (see our definitions here). The tour will involve walking in generally easy terrain, but will require good walking boots and a moderate level of fitness (please note, some paths may be uneven and loose underfoot). Hikes are 1–3 miles long, with a slightly longer hike around the Quiraing on Day 5. This tour also involves climbing into and out of a boat to reach Loch Coruisk, from a ramped pier.

Transport will be by small luxury coach, boat and first-class rail.

Rain is always possible, so you should bring warm and waterproof clothing. Insect repellent is also recommended, as Scotland’s infamous midges might be about!

If walking is an issue, alternative arrangements can be made during the scheduled longer walks, so please let GeoCultura know in advance. To enjoy the full experience, a good level of fitness is required – please call us to discuss this if you have any concerns.

• The services of your tour host who will be with the group throughout the tour, staying at the same hotels
• Local experts who will accompany the group and give talks on selected days
• All transportation costs when travelling from Edinburgh on the first day, and when returning
• All accommodation costs for six nights
• All breakfasts, six a la carte dinners, four snack lunches and one restaurant lunch
• All service charges and gratuities in hotels and restaurants

• Extra or optional activities not described in the tour
• Lunches not included on Day 1 or Day 7
• Personal expenditures, any alcoholic drinks with meals, and extras at hotels such as laundry bills
• Transportation to and from Edinburgh Waverly railway station at the start and end of the tour
• Passport and visa fees