Private Isle of Skye Tours from Edinburgh
Embark on one of our spectacular private guided Isle of Skye Tours from Edinburgh, touring through the majestic Scottish Highlands en route to Skye, known to many as the ‘Misty Isle’. Departing from your chosen pick-up point in Edinburgh, your private tour to the Isle of Skye includes visits to Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Oban (The seafood capital of Scotland), iconic Glencoe, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms National Park.
Our five-day tour itinerary to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh can be extended with additional days on the island. Please inform us when you book, and we can incorporate extra days into your itinerary to extend your Isle of Skye tour.
Magical 5-Day Isle of Skye Tour Itinerary from Edinburgh
Day 1 – Edinburgh to Oban
Your five-day adventure to the Isle of Skye begins with your private group departing from Edinburgh. Travelling out of Scotland’s capital city, we travel west, into the “Heart of Scotland”, to our first stop of the day at the stupendous Stirling Castle.
During Scotland’s Wars of Independence with England from 1296 to 1356, Stirling Castle held the reputation of being the most important castle in Scotland. This mighty fortress sits upon a volcanic plug and offers breathtaking views of the National Wallace Monument, Bannockburn and the River Forth.
Historic Scotland offers an excellent guided tour of Stirling Castle, exploring the Great Hall (the largest in Scotland), the Royal Palace of the Stuart Monarchy, the Chapel Royal, the Great Kitchens and the Queen Anne Gardens.
We leave Stirling and continue our tour through the Loch Lomond and National Trossachs Park, stopping for lunch at the quaint and highly recommended, Lion and Unicorn Hotel in the village of Thornhill in Stirlingshire. Our journey continues through the Scottish countryside to Kilmahog, where we will stop to feed the Hairy Highland Cows (also known as Hairy Heilan’ Coos).
Our next destination is the alluring Loch Lubnaig, nestled in the picturesque Scottish Highlands, a stone’s throw away from the charming town of Callander, beautifully encircled by the peaks of the majestic mountains, Ben Ledi and Ben Vorlich.
Time permitting, we will make a stop at the iconic St Conan’s Kirk on our journey to the coastal town of Oban. Walter Campbell built this remarkable church, incorporating assorted styles and features of Roman, Norman, Gothic, and Celtic architecture. He gifted the church to his mother, as she found the walk to the parish church in Dalmally too long and demanding.
Overnight stay in Oban.
Day 2 – Oban to Skye
In the morning, we bid farewell to the delightful seaside town of Oban, fondly known by many as the gateway to the Isles. Our journey leads us northwards through the beautiful countryside of Bonnie Argyll.
Arriving in Appin, we will briefly stop at the Castle Stalker View Cafe. This viewpoint provides a spectacular vantage point, offering breathtaking vistas of Castle Stalker, elegantly positioned on a small tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe.
The next stop en-route to Skye, is to the eerie beauty spot, Glencoe, known for the tragic Glencoe Massacre of 1692, where the Campbells slaughtered 38 members of Clan MacDonald.
The itinerary includes a stop to photograph “The Three Sisters,” a remarkable trio of mountain peaks in the dramatic Glencoe. Following this, we will journey on to Fort William in Lochaber.
Your sightseeing continues as we travel through the scenic “Road to the Isles,” that stretches 40 miles from Fort William to Mallaig. This stunning West Highlands Road offers us a plethora of scenic stops as we journey to Mallaig, where we will board the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry “over the sea to Skye.”
Time permitting, we can briefly stop at ‘Neptunes Staircase.’ This impressive lock system consists of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal, connecting Scotland’s east and west coasts. Besides witnessing this engineering marvel, it presents an excellent opportunity to get some snapshots of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain peak in the British Isles, towering at an impressive, 4,413 feet.
Our next scheduled stop is at the small village of Glenfinnan. It is worthwhile taking the 5-minute walk up the hill beside the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre that leads to the viewpoint. From there, you can view spectacular views of The Glenfinnan Monument (commemorates August 19, 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie arrived here by boat to raise the Jacobite Standard in front of over 1000 Scottish Clansmen) and Loch Shiel, surrounded by magnificent mountains. There are also beautiful views of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which spans the valley of the River Finnan. The viaduct has 21 arches and is 380 metres long, and fans of the Harry Potter movies will know this is where the Hogwarts Express crosses.
Our exciting journey to Skye will proceed along the scenic “Road to the Isles,” leading us to the picturesque town of Mallaig. We will then embark on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry and set sail across the sound of Sleat over the sea to Skye.
From Armadale in the Sleat peninsular, we will make a one-hour drive north, passing the craggy Cuillin Mountains on our road to Portree, the capital town of the Isle of Skye, where we will stay for two evenings.
Day 3 – Day Tour of Skye from Portree
We start our morning off early as we venture on to a wonderful day tour of the Isle of Skye, beginning in the scenic town of Portree. We will drive northwards on Skye’s Trotternish Peninsula, passing the picturesque Loch Fada. During the journey, we will stop to photograph the iconic, Old Man of Storr, situated on the Trotternish Ridge.
Our next destination is the stunning Lealt Falls in Skye, renowned for their breathtaking beauty. When we arrive at the visitor’s car park, your Isle of Skye tour guide will accompany you to the viewing platform. From there, you will have the opportunity to capture photographs of the three cascading water columns. Lealt Falls cascade 90 metres down a gorge into the River Lealt and subsequently out to the Sound of Raasay, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle that will remain etched in your memory forever!
Travelling on, we arrive at the spectacular Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls. The vertical columns of basalt rock will bear an uncanny resemblance to your tour guide’s kilt pleats, hence the name Kilt Rock. This is a must-see in the Isle of Skye and is a favourite stopping viewpoint where you can also capture great photographs of Mealt Falls, that tumble 55 metres over the cliff edge, into the sound of Raasay.
Further up the coast, we will visit An Corran Beach, just outside Staffin. The beach offers magnificent views of The Quiraing, Staffin Beach and The Torridon Mountains on the mainland. If the tide is out when we visit, you may also get the opportunity to search for dinosaur footprints imprinted in the rocks from the mid-Jurassic period.
Your journey continues off the beaten track on single-track roads offering spectacular scenery. Passing by Quiraing, Flodigarry Island, and the ruins of Duntulm Castle, we will arrive at the Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir. Stepping back in time, you can explore inside the thatched cottages and discover the rural life the islanders lived over a hundred years ago.
From here, you can stretch your legs and take a short walk up to Flora Mcdonald’s tombstone, the heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape the British Hanoverian soldiers after the failed Jacobite uprising of 1745/46.
You then can travel on to The Quiraing to capture epic photographs of the breathtaking rock formations, including The Table, The Prison, The Castle, and the 36-metre-high Needle.
From the Quiraing, we journey back, heading to Uig, where you can optionally visit the Uig Pottery shop or the Isle of Skye Brewery.
If time permits, we can visit the Fairy Glen before travelling back to Portree, where we spend the second night on the Isle of Skye.
Day 4 – Skye to Inverness or Nairn
In the morning, we depart from Portree and bid farewell to the Isle of Skye. Travelling south, we pass by the craggy Cuillin mountains. We cross the Skye Bridge and return to the mainland, where we make our way to Eilean Donan Castle.
Eilean Donan Castle had a troublesome past, including being blown up by gunpowder in 1719, but it has now been rebuilt, and is a fabulous 5-star visitor attraction maintained by Clan MacRae.
Our tour continues eastwards to Fort Augustus on the south end of Loch Ness, where you will have the opportunity to take a cruise out on the famous Loch in search of Nessie.
Fort Augustus itself is a picturesque village. In the early nineteenth century, the engineer Thomas Telford designed a flight of six locks connecting the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness. These locks can be seen being operated throughout the day.
By mid-afternoon, we will go northwards to Dores Beach at the north end of Loch Ness.
In the evening, you can opt to stay overnight in Inverness or on the Moray Coast at the fishing town of Nairn.
Day 5 – Nairn to Edinburgh
After breakfast, you can visit Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns prehistoric burial grounds, or the impressive, Cawdor Castle.
Our journey then leaves the Scottish Highlands behind as we make our way south, through scenic Perthshire, and finally back to Edinburgh to your chosen drop off point, and say our final farewells, having had a fantastic adventure together.
*Many other optional visits are available south, such as shopping and lunch at The House of Bruar, forest walks at The Hermitage or even The Kelpies. We can discuss your requirements at the time of booking.
Book your 5-Day Isle of Skye Tour from Edinburgh today
Please contact us today, or as soon as possible to inquire about the availability of our Private 5-day Isle of Skye Tour.
Accommodation on Skye is in high demand and tends to fill up quickly therefore, booking your tour to the Isle of Skye out of Edinburgh several months in advance is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.
Our fabulous trip will have you returning home with wonderful memories of your amazing time in our beautiful country.
