Discover the majesty of Skye, Iona, Orkney & the Outer Hebrides on this tour from Edinburgh.
Oban - This Victorian harbour town offers excellent seafood and a charming intimacy.
The Islay Single Malt Whiskies - On an island known locally as ‘The Queen of the Hebrides’, there is a regal quality to the distinctly peaty style of its single malt whiskies.
Loch Lomond National Park - Enjoy the dramatic splendour of one of Scotland’s most famous lochs and the beautiful national park that surrounds it.
Iona and Staffa - Visit the tiny Island of Iona, inhabited with just around 120 people.
Isle of Skye - One of the world’s most stunning islands.
Eilean Donan Castle - An iconic and gorgeous 13th-century castle that once warded off Viking invasions.
Orkney Isles - These beautiful islands are full of ancient history and wildlife.
Glencoe and Rannoch Moor - Be moved by the sheer beauty and tragic tales of one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
Loch Ness - Take a chance to go on an optional boat cruise or wander around this alluring and eerie loch.
Skara Brae and Ring of Brodgar - Learn how people used to live in ancient times at these prehistoric monuments.
Lewis and Harris - These two areas with distinct landscapes make up the biggest island in Scotland.
North Coast 500 - A rollercoaster road of ruined castles, pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs, and charming villages.
Explore the extremes of north-west Europe’s last great wilderness.
This 17-day tour is the ultimate way to discover Scottish gems.
You hop across seven unforgettable West Coast islands steeped in Gaelic culture before you admire the prehistoric heritage of Orkney. Then you contrast the island way of life with the mysterious lochs, dramatic mountains and ancient castles dotted across the Highlands. And you wash it all down with some bold whisky and fresh seafood as you chat to the locals in a cosy pub.
So, embark on this exciting journey and learn about all the shades of our stunning country.
Students, and seniors over 60
You escape the city of Edinburgh and head straight for the Highlands. Your first stop of the day is in the Trossachs National Park. Here, you can admire Scotland’s scenic beauty and enjoy local delicacies.
Your driver-guide may regale you with tales from Scottish folklore as you travel through the mountainous landscapes of the Western Highlands to Oban.
This port town was once the strategic heartland of great feuding clans. But today, Oban is famous for seafood sourced fresh off the boats. It also boasts its own distillery where you can sample whisky that’s been perfected for 200 years. Here, you will have time to enjoy a dram and indulge in delicious local seafood for lunch.
You then venture through the Kilmartin Glen where you see standing stones and strongholds that are over 1,500 years old.
At Kennacraig, you catch the evening ferry to Islay. The sail is around two hours; and if you peek out to the ocean, you may see the Paps of Jura. These mountains mark the way to Islay, Queen of the Hebrides.
Once you’ve arrived on the island, you settle into your accommodation in Bowmore.
We know whisky tasting can be hard work, so you begin the day with a little sleep in.
After you’ve had an ample amount of breakfast, you enjoy a tour of Bowmore Distillery*, one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. You have time for a tour and a whisky tasting here before you continue exploring the island.
Next, your driver-guide takes you to Kilchoman Distillery for a tour and a lunch of local treats. Kilchoman is known as Islay's only Single Farm Single Match Scotch Whisky, reviving traditional farm distilling of barley to bottle, making their whisky 100% Islay.
After trying local larder, you travel through the beautiful countryside to the third distillery of the day. On Thursday and Saturday, you visit Bruichladdich, the progressive distillery specialising in unpeated whisky. On Tuesday, you taste the unpeated and salty notes of Bunnahabhain in the most remote distillery on Islay.
You head back to Bowmore where you can either stumble back to your room for the night or relax and explore the village.
*Please note that Bowmore Distillery will be undergoing maintenance between 11th and 21st October 2024. Tours that visit during this time will be unable to see the production facility, but will instead be shown a video of the distillery production process, with an extra dram during the tasting. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Today you explore the southern side of the island, home to a few of the most famous whiskies in all of Scotland: Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg.
After you’ve made it out of bed and eaten your breakfast, you visit Ardbeg. You stay here for a tour, tasting, and lunch. The restaurant here is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy fine Scottish produce as you sip upon delightful drams.
You then visit Laphroaig. This 200-year-old whisky distiller is a favourite with the British royal family and bears the seal of the Prince of Wales to prove it.
Throughout the day, your driver-guide takes you to historical spots such as the ruins of Kildalton church and Dunyvaig Castle. And you can also stop at Lagavulin for some intensively flavoured, rich, and smoky whisky.
You return to Bowmore for another night.
This morning, you take the ferry back to the mainland and replace the intoxicating fumes of whisky with the replenishing fresh air of Scotland’s West Highlands. You travel through coastal scenery to the beautiful village of Inveraray on the banks of Loch Fyne.
Here you join a new bus for the continuation of your tour to Oban. Your guides will help you transfer your luggage and introduce you to your new travelling companions.
Once you arrive in Oban, you'll have a free evening to enjoy this bustling Highland town. You can absorb the atmosphere and visit the local pubs. Or, if you prefer to explore the area, hike uphill and admire the views from the most photographed structure in the west, McCaig’s Tower. Built in 1897 on instruction by a local banker, it resembles the Colosseum in Rome and provides magnificent vistas over the distant Firth of Lorne.
You will stay in this glorious Highland town for two nights.
Today you have an early start, beginning the day crossing on the ferry to Mull for a chance to explore dramatic coastlines and wild beauty.
You take the small ferry to Iona, the birthplace of Celtic Christianity, and ancient burial ground of Scottish Kings. Here you can visit the historic abbey with its intricate carved crosses in the churchyard, or explore rocky headlands and sandy coves.
There’s an opportunity to take a small boat for an optional trip to the island of Staffa and view the dramatic basalt columns immortalised by Mendelssohn in his Hebridean Overture "Fingal's Cave".
You then return on the ferry to Oban for your second night.
You ramble north along the west coast around Appin, passing the impregnable Castle Stalker. Next, you head to the gorgeous Glencoe, one of the most famous natural landmarks in all of Scotland. This beautiful area boasts steep slopes and photogenic peaks. Your driver-guide may reveal to you the tragic tale that’s haunted this valley for over 300 years.
You then venture through Fort William and under the shadow of Ben Nevis, which at 1,344 meters is the highest mountain in the British Isles.
We continue through the Great Glen, a natural fault in the earth’s crust that runs through Scotland. From here, you travel north to the picturesque fishing village of Plockton*. You’re dropped off at your accommodation in the early evening.
*Please note that during busy periods, your tour may stay in Portree instead of Plockton.
Today is a very flexible day on Skye. There are many possibilities depending on the weather, and your driver-guide will use their local knowledge to decide on the best day out for the group.
You may ascend the Quiraing along Trotternish Ridge and be rewarded with spectacular views. Alternatively, you could drink in the scenery at Loch Corruisk or drive through the dramatic Red Cuillin to the little hamlet of Elgol.
We return you to your accommodation in Plockton in the late afternoon for a free evening to explore the village.
You’re collected from your accommodation for the short drive to the famous stronghold of Eilean Donan Castle.
Then, you travel east taking in the stunning views over Loch Duich and the Five Sisters of Kintail. You continue to Loch Ness for lunch and the possibility of spotting "Nessie".
Half an hour south of Loch Ness you stop in the village of Spean Bridge and join a new bus for the continuation of your tour to Orkney. Your guides will help you transfer your luggage and introduce you to your new travelling companions.
With your new crew, you continue north following the Great Glen travelling the entire 23 miles of the famous loch. You arrive at Inverness, where you’re dropped off at your accommodation. The evening is free for you to explore the 'Capital of the Highlands'.
It’s an early start, leaving behind the 'Capital of the Highlands', crossing over the Black Isle, and continuing past Dunrobin Castle.
From here, you drive along the northeast Highland coastline, travelling into some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery.
Onwards through Scotland's most northerly mainland village, John o' Groats, and then to Gills Bay, where you board the ferry, and cross the Pentland Firth into the Orkney Archipelago.
It’s a short drive to the famous Italian Chapel where you stop for a visit before continuing to the Viking stronghold of Kirkwall, Capital of Orkney. Here you can visit Kirkwall's magnificent Viking Cathedral and enjoy its historic winding streets in the evening.
Today is your chance to explore this archipelago’s fertile green pastures, fringed by shores of golden sands and washed by waters of the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
You visit the 5,000-year-old village of Skara Brae, the mystical prehistoric stone circle at Brodgar and the Druidic standing stones of Stenness.
You then travel onto Maeshowe, where in the 12th century the Vikings left one of the largest collections of Norse runic inscriptions.
Then it’s back to Kirkwall for your second night after what is sure to be a memorable day.
After a relaxed start, you leave Orkney and sail the Viking waters back to the mainland. From here, you travel the old road right across the very top of Scotland, driving past the stunning Ben Loyal and Ben Hope mountains, following the rocky cliffs and stunning golden sand beaches.
You then visit the far northwest Highlands and the wilderness of the mountains of Assynt before stopping to view the 15th-century ruins of Ardvreck Castle.
From here, you travel to Ullapool, situated at the mouth of Loch Broom, a beautiful whitewashed fishing village where you spend two nights.
Once again you leave the group at this point and on day 13 join your new group, with whom you will stay for the rest of the tour.
You have a free day in Ullapool before you join your new driver-guide and companions. This picturesque fishing town is surrounded by stunning mountains and is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts.
If you want to spot seals, dolphins, porpoises, numerous sea birds and eagles, you can go on a cruise around the Summer Isles.
Alternatively, you can head up Claypool hill for an easy two-hour walk offering wonderful views over Loch Broom.
Ullapool is also a great place to relax and enjoy the Highland pace of life. You can browse the small craft boutiques, try whisky in a pub, or savour top-quality seafood. And in the evening, enjoy some live music and mingle with the locals before your next leg of the journey.
Wake up, enjoy your breakfast, and look out over Loch Broom as it glistens under the morning sky. First on the agenda today is a ferry journey across the sea.
This two and a half-hour boat trip takes you through the Summer Isles to Stornoway, the main town of the Western Isles. But don’t spend your time snoozing and reading as you sail across the ocean; because if you look out to sea, you may spot dolphins and whales.
Once you’ve arrived on Lewis and Harris, you head to the North West coast. Your driver-guide will make the most of what weather you’ve been blessed with and take you through traditional crofting towns and seaside ports. You even get to see the Butt of Lewis; from the lighthouse here there’s nothing but fishes and water between you and America.
You spend the evening in Stornoway; a bustling port town and the home of Scotland’s most delicious black puddings.
Today, you immerse yourself in the history and landscapes of this wild island.
You first head to Arnol Blackhouse. Here, you can experience what traditional farming life was like in these remote reaches without getting your hands too dirty.
A little down the road, you visit the stone fort of Dun Carloway. This structure was built before 100AD and has experienced more battles than you’ve had hot dinners. It’s a wonderful location to ponder over the vast swathes of history that have come before you.
You then travel through a landscape littered with crofting villages to one of the most famous sights of the island, the Calanais Stone Circle*. This prehistoric site still mystifies archaeologists today.
The rest of your afternoon is spent in the beautiful beaches and mountains of the western side of Lewis.
You head back to Stornoway in the late afternoon.
*The Calanais stones will be closed from 26 October 2024. This will affect tours departing between 25-29 Oct 2024. We apologise for any inconvenience.
It’s time for something a little more dramatic. It’s time to enter the region of Harris.
Harris boasts the highest mountains in the Outer Hebrides and one of the most beautiful white-sandy beaches in Britain, Luskentyre.
The area is also famous for Harris Tweed and myths that are as strange as they are poignant.
After a morning of exploring the dramatic landscapes, you stop for lunch. Depending on the weather, we may even go for a picnic on the beach – so don’t forget to pack your sunglasses.
Your adventure continues on a ferry over the sea to Portree, the largest town in Skye and your base for the next two evenings.
Back on the Isle of Skye and today your driver-guide makes the most out of your time on this marvel-studded landscape.
You may travel to the Quiraing mountain pass and enjoy a spectacular walk, venture to Kilt Rock and see a gigantic waterfall, or take a boat trip to the lesser-known Loch Coruisk.
After you’ve enjoyed the sights of Skye, you have your final evening in Portree. There are plenty of fabulous seafood restaurants to celebrate a fine day of exploring.
Don’t be too sad that your trip is ending today, because there are a lot of amazing things to check out on the way back to Edinburgh.
Once you’ve crossed the Skye Bridge, you get a chance to see Eilean Donan Castle. This classic combination of a sturdy-stone fortification perched upon a loch is about as Scottish a view as you can get. Just ensure you’ve got some room left on your camera to take photos.
You then travel under Britain’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis. The peak of this mountain is likely to be shrouded high in the clouds.
Your driver-guide may become a little emotional as you move through the valley of Glencoe. This marvellously mountainous area was the site of one of the most tragic massacres in Scottish history. The story is as unforgettable as the landscape.
The hilly views become flatter as you enter the Lowlands and travel to Edinburgh. You arrive in the early evening.
*Itinerary and distillery visits are subject to change.
Tour Attractions
You are able to pre-purchase entrance tickets to the following attractions at the time of booking:
Other attractions may be booked and paid locally during the tour.
You stay three nights in Islay*, two nights in Oban, two nights exclusively at the Balmacara Hotel in Balmacara, one night in Inverness, two nights in Kirkwall, two nights in Ullapool**, two nights in Stornoway, and two nights in Portree.
*On this part of the tour (on Islay) we reserve you rooms in the beautiful Bowmore Distillery Cottages.
The cottages have between three and six twin bedrooms. Due to the shared nature of the accommodation, individual bedrooms don't have lockable doors.
The kitchen and lounge facilities are shared with other passengers, and basic self-service breakfast ingredients are provided. Full Scottish breakfasts are available at the nearby hotels if you prefer, payable locally.
Prices are as follows: £100 per person per night for Double Occupancy, and £145.00 per night for Single Occupancy.
Family Rooms are limited at Bowmore Cottages. Groups of 3 or more may need to stay in 2 or more rooms. Please budget accordingly. For this option, please select 'B&B en-suite' as your first choice when booking the tour online. When these rooms are full, we book you into a nearby B&B. Rooms at the cottages are limited and are reserved on a first come first served basis. Local B&B charges are £40 - 60 per person per night based on shared accommodation for a standard room (shared bathroom).
There's also a limited number of 3* hotel rooms available on this tour. Prices are £90 - £120 per person per night in a twin or double room or £160 - £240 per night for a single. For this option, please select three star hotel as your first choice when booking.
We contact you afterwards to arrange payment for the accommodation.
**Please be aware that Ullapool is busy all year round and Kirkwall is busy between June and August . You may need to be flexible with rooms we're able to reserve for you here. If you'd prefer to find your own accommodation for this location, please choose the 'book your own accommodation' option when you book your tour.
Accommodation is not included in the price of your tour. To book accommodation, there are two options: either Rabbie’s Tours can book it for you, or you can book your own. For information on how to do this, please see the ‘Accommodation’ tab on FAQ page HERE.
Alternatively, please email us your questions at tours@rabbies.com or call us on +44(0)131 226 3133.
Information you can find on the FAQ page, under the ‘Accommodation’ tab: types of accommodation, room types, the booking process, getting to and from your accommodation, and cancellation terms.
We book accommodation with third-party providers on your behalf and each property sets their own rates. Rates vary considerably depending on the accommodation standard, facilities, location, and local demand. We therefore can’t tell you exactly how much your accommodation will cost until your request has been allocated to a specific property.
As a guide, you can expect to pay the following prices, per person per night:
|
Approximate prices, per person per night |
Overnight Location |
|
|
Sole Occupancy |
Multiple Occupancy |
|
|
(1 person per room) |
(2+ people per room) |
|
B&B Standard |
£80 - £120 |
£60 - £80 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€80 - €120 |
€60 - €80 |
Ireland |
|
B&B En-suite |
£100 - £145 |
£55 - £95 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€100 - €145 |
€55 - €100 |
Ireland |
|
Hotel |
£110 - £190 |
£75 - £150 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€130 - €235 |
€75 - €150 |
Ireland |
NOTE: Prices quoted are for guidance only and may be higher on some occasions, especially for last-minute bookings and when demand is high (E.g. peak season, weekends, holidays, special events etc)
Breakfast will be included unless otherwise noted. The type of breakfast provided will vary from place to place so you may receive either a full cooked breakfast, a continental style breakfast (E.g., toast, fruit, cereal), or a packed breakfast bag or tray (E.g., porridge pot, fruit, granola bar).
The UK and Ireland's historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What's more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
We don't recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can't wait for you if you're late.
If you're late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies. 100% charges are applicable, and you will not be entitled to a refund or alternative.
Your cancellation terms depend on which tour you've booked.
For one-day tours: You'll receive a full refund if you cancel 24 hours or more before the tour departure
For tours of between two and nine days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 15 or more days before the tour departure
For tours of 10 or more days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 21 or more days before the tour departure
For all European packaged tours: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 42 days before the tour departure.
If you cancel inside these notice periods, full charges will apply and no refunds will be issued.
To cancel your booking, email tours@rabbies.com as soon as possible. The effective date of cancellation will be the date we receive written confirmation from you.
Click here to view terms and conditions
Your tour will always follow the itinerary as closely as possible. Your driver-guide will keep you up to date on the road, and we'll try to get in touch about any large changes prior to your departure.
Due to logistical reasons, we're unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you'll always get a good view.
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you'll have regular comfort breaks.
We aim to accommodate everyone. To read more information on how we do this, click here to go to our accessibility guide.
We regret we don't carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
You don't need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Let's be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it's up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
We advise you take out travel insurance.
You're protected by ABTOT when you chose to let us reserve your accommodation on a multi-day tour. This means you can claim back anything you've paid us if we become bankrupt. Read our terms and conditions for more information.
If you have any more questions, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, email tours@rabbies.com , or check out our full FAQs .