Isle of Skye Tour: Highlands, Loch Ness & Eilean Donan

Three days crossing the Highlands to Skye, with your accommodation and transport arranged

A 3-day small group tour departing Glasgow that travels through the Scottish Highlands to Isle of Skye, with a full day exploring the island's landmarks, then returns via Eilean Donan Castle and Loch Ness. The tour includes 2 nights accommodation in Portree (or you can book your own), air-conditioned coach travel, and a live guide throughout. Lunch is not included on Day 1. Other meals depend on your accommodation choice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel from Glasgow to Portree

• Depart Glasgow to Luss village
• Travel north via Tyndrum and Rannoch Moor
• Walk and admire Glencoe
• Lunch break in Fort William area
• Photo stop at Ben Nevis
• Arrive and check into Portree accommodation

Day 2: Full day spent in Skye

• Visit Kilt Rock waterfall
• See The Old Man of Storr rock formation
• Explore Trotternish Ridge at Quiraing
• Visit Dunvegan, home of clan Macleod
• See waterfalls on Skye

Day 3: Travel from Portree to Edinburgh

• Visit Eilean Donan Castle
• Lunch and Loch Ness views at Fort Augustus
• Photo stop at Ben Nevis

The experience

The tour departs Glasgow at 10am and heads north through Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glencoe: a landscape of lochs and mountains that sets the pace for the next three days. You'll pause at Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, before arriving in Portree on the Isle of Skye by evening. The drive itself is the first part of the experience: an air-conditioned coach with live commentary means you're not navigating or driving, and the stops are timed so you see the dramatic terrain without building the itinerary yourself.

Day 2 is spent entirely on Skye. The route takes in Kilt Rock waterfall, The Old Man of Storr (a standing rock formation on the Trotternish ridge), and Quiraing, the ridge itself. These are the island's most photographed landmarks, and a full day means you're not rushing between them. The group stays small, which changes how you move through these places: no coach queues, no crowds of fifty.

The return journey on Day 3 descends via Eilean Donan Castle, the most photographed castle in Scotland and the backdrop for the film Highlander, then passes through Fort Augustus on Loch Ness before the drive back to Glasgow. You arrive back in Glasgow by late afternoon. The tour operates in all weather, the Highlands don't wait for sun, so pack layers and waterproofs.

What’s included

• 2 nights accommodation in Portree (unless you choose the no-accommodation option or book your own).
• small group travel by air-conditioned coach.
• live guide commentary throughout the 3 days.
• driver-guide who leads the tour.

Options for this experience

3 options

Tour Excluding AccommodationGuide in English · 08:30 and 09:00Accommodation is not part of this 3-day tour, so you need to arrange it yourself. Please make sure your accommodation is in central Portree, Skye.

Double/Twin/Family B&BGuide in English · 08:30 and 09:00Bed and breakfast accommodation is included in a double room (one bed for two people), a twin room (two single beds in one room), or a family room.

Tour with a single bed and breakfastGuide in English · 08:30 and 09:00Our 3-day Skye tour includes a single room at a bed and breakfast. Please note that if you book for more than one person, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be in the same B&B.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (17 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (4 to 16 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 19 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Timberbush Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the Highlands and Skye without driving yourself or piecing together separate transport and lodging: the coach, the accommodation in Portree, and the route are all set, so you arrive and the day unfolds. The small group size means you're not herded through the landmarks with fifty others, and the full day on Skye lets you linger at places like The Old Man of Storr instead of catching them from a coach window.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 16 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What's included in the accommodation options?

The tour offers three choices at booking: single bed and breakfast, double/twin/family bed and breakfast, or no accommodation. If you choose accommodation, it's 2 nights in Portree. If you book your own, it must be within 2km of Portree town centre. Luggage is limited to one medium suitcase per person.

Do I need to pay for meals during the tour?

Lunch on Day 1 is not included and you'll have a break in the Fort William area to buy food. Meals on Days 2 and 3 depend on your accommodation choice. If you've booked bed and breakfast, breakfast is covered. Other meals are your own cost.

What are The Old Man of Storr and Quiraing?

The Old Man of Storr is a large standing rock formation that's part of the Trotternish ridge on Skye's north coast. Quiraing is the ridge itself, a dramatic landscape of cliffs and rock formations. Both are on Day 2's itinerary and are among the most visited spots on the island.

What time does the tour depart and where do I meet it?

The tour departs Edinburgh at 9am and picks up in Glasgow at 10am. From 1 November 2026, departure times shift to 8:30am from Edinburgh and 9:30am from Glasgow. Arrive at least 15 minutes early.

Can I use a wheelchair on this tour?

Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated if the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them boarding and leaving the coach. Service animals are allowed.