5 Day Tour
Day 1: Stirling Castle – Glencoe – Fort William (Collect from Edinburgh)(Overnight stay Fort William)
Stirling Castle
We’ll escort you from Edinburgh through picturesque central Scotland to Stirling Castle, one of the country’s most significant locations in the history of Scottish independence.
Sitting on top of a volcanic outcrop, the castle’s height provides panoramic views of the surrounding area, including the Forth Valley and the Trossachs mountains. Tour guides reveal the castle’s position gave historic forces in charge of the fortress a strategic advantage. This castle was the principal royal stronghold of the Stewart Kings and Queens, including Bonnie Prince Charlie and Mary, Queen of Scots. Battles for freedom from English rule were also fought nearby by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.
Glen Coe
As we venture towards the West Coast of Scotland, we’ll make sure to stop in one of the nation’s most beautiful places, the Glencoe Mountain Range. You may want to enjoy an optional hike up one of the three road-facing peaks, known locally as the ‘Three Sisters’.
Fort William
Alternatively, we can head straight to Fort William, the town at the base of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain. Known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK, this is a popular holiday location thanks to its beautiful local beaches, iconic film locations, castles and sweeping hills.
We can also take you, if there’s still time, to the local mountain resort called The Nevis Range. Visitors are able to take a gondola-lift up the north face of Scotland’s eighth highest peak, Aonach Mor, to get even better views of magnificent Ben Nevis.
After such spectacular scenery, we will chauffeur you back to your accommodation in Fort William for the night, before we can show you even more of what Scotland has to offer the next day.
Day 2: Glenfinnan Viaduct – Isle of Skye (Overnight stay Skye)
Glenfinnan Viaduct
On the second day of this tour, we will collect you from Fort William and our first stop is the Glenfinnan Viaduct!. The Viaduct is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland and a renowned feat of Victorian engineering, enabling travel 100ft above the ground & famous for its appearance in the Harry Potter films. From here, we will drive to Mallaig and catch the ferry across to the beautiful Isle of Skye.
Isle of Skye
On Skye, you will be escorted on a tour of the island to visit the impressive beauty spots, including a visit to the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools, the town of Portree, or a tour of Dunvegan Castle.
Your group will then be taken to your island hotel for the night.
Day 3: Eilean Donan Castle – Loch Ness Tour (Overnight stay Inverness)
Eilean Donan Castle
The first thing we’ll do on the third day of this private tour is drive over the bridge that connects Skye to mainland Scotland, the Skye Bridge. Only a few minutes away, the ancient Eilean Donan Castle, is our next destination.
This iconic stronghold is famous not only for appearing in films such as James Bond. A tour of the property will reveal how the building remained a ruin for 200 years, after the British government destroyed it during the Jacobite rebellion of 1719, before being restored as a family home and for visitors to enjoy.
Loch Ness
After a brief stop for lunch, we’ll take you to Loch Ness, where you might spot the infamous elusive monster lurking beneath the surface, Nessie! We will drive you through the local area to see some incredible sights, offering optional hikes. If you want to do something truly spectacular, we can arrange exclusive boat trips on the Loch. In addition to taking in the view from a unique perspective, you’ll be served Scottish whiskies and traditional treats.
As the day draws to close, we’ll take you to your accommodation in lively Inverness – the capital of the Highlands.
Day 4: Blair Castle – Pitlochry – Forth Road Bridges (Overnight stay Edinburgh)
Blair Castle
We’ll begin our fourth tour day with a trip to Blair Castle in Perthshire, the ancestral home of the Clan Murray and the Atholl family for seven centuries. A tour of this lesser-known stronghold will reveal its turbulent and diverse history, having hosted Mary, Queen of Scots; Oliver Cromwell and Queen Victoria.
Pitlochry
After the castle tour, we’ll wind our way through the stunning scenery to the town of Pitlochry. This charming place has very well-maintained Victorian buildings and period features. Alongside its famous salmon ladder, access to the hills for hiking and proximity to the royal residence Balmoral, you may want to visit one of the local whisky distilleries, renowned for their continued use of handcrafted techniques.
Forth Road Bridges
At the end of the afternoon, we’ll take you across the Queensferry Crossing bridge. This is the most modern of three remarkable Forth Road bridges that straddle the Firth of Forth estuary, at the gateway to Edinburgh.
You’ll stay in central Edinburgh to make the most of the capital’s evening entertainment before a tour of the city on the final day.
Day 5: Edinburgh Castle – Holyrood Palace – New & Old Towns (Overnight stay Edinburgh)
The capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh is a cultural and historical hub on the East coast of the country. Built on a series of hills, it is home to a wide range of architectural influences, from an Iron Age settlement to a modern metropolis.
Edinburgh Castle
Watching over the nation’s capital city from the top of an extinct volcano is Edinburgh Castle, one of the most besieged ancient fortresses in Europe. Here, visitors can see the oldest Crown Jewels in Britain, one of the greatest medieval cannons ever made, Royal residence suites and the stronghold’s well-used military prison vault.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
The next attraction on this Edinburgh tour is the magnificent Holyrood Palace – the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Tours of this property showcase a 12th Century Holyrood Abbey, beautiful royal gardens and the 16th-century historic apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots.
New and Old Towns
The organic medieval Old Town and the planned Georgian New Town of Edinburgh are both protected as UNESCO World Heritage sites. We will drive you through both areas, to ensure you experience the contrasting quarters and so you are able to pick up any souvenirs to remember the time you’ve spent in Scotland.
At the end of your trip, we will take you to your hotel in Edinburgh for your final night.
