6 Day Rugged Highlands & Isle of Skye Tour
Available: March - October
Departing from: | Edinburgh |
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Based on 2 sharing | £POA pp |
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Comfortable luxury touring vehicleTravel in style. Comfort, sophistication and peace of mind. Leave the coach groups behind and get off the beaten track in one of our luxury people carrier or 4×4 vehicles. | |||
Friendly Chauffeur/GuideGet to know Scotland in a way you haven’t before. Our knowledgable guide will provide a wonderful insight to the stunning scenery and fascinating history the country has to offer. | |||
Insider advice on where to stayWe aim to make you feel right at home when you visit Scotland with clear and concise instructions on where to book your accommodation based on your touring requirements. | |||
Five star accommodation as standardYour gateway to the very best of Scottish Luxury & Boutique Hotels. Allow us to handle the booking arrangments of some of Scotland's finest hotels. We are confident you will experience the very best of Scotland. | |||
Personal Tour PlannerIt's all in the details. A dedicated team member providing you with a variety of concierge services including accommodation bookings & activites helping you to plan the trip of a lifetime. | |||
Ultimate LuxuryA unique bespoke service that allows you to enjoy the very best that Scotland has to offer. From arranging the very best rooms & tickets to catering for that special occasion. Your every request taken care of. | |||
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Take a journey of discovery to the splendid scenery of the Isle of Skye - "The Misty Isle", a place where the history includes a time of Norse rule and a long period of Clan domination. Lying off Scotland's northwest coast, Skye is known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages and medieval castles. The island is captivating; the island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillins, the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country, and the tiny white crofts that dot the island are fascinating.
Day 1
Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park
Day 1 is a fabulous journey west for an exploration of the lochs and glens of Scotland’s first National Park and the charming and picturesque conservation village of Luss on the shores of Loch Lomond; the largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain by surface area. After lunch we travel over the 'Rest and Be Thankful' mountain pass to Loch Fyne and Inveraray with its fairy-tale castle; home to the Duke of Argyll and just one of the ancestral homes of Clan Campbell. Later we travel north to indulge in the sights of enchanting Glencoe with imposing mountains matched with a bloody history. Overnight nr Fort William.
Day 2
Great Glen & Eilean Donan Castle
Day 2 we travel north to the Isle of Skye via Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and through the ‘Great Glen’ to the village of Fort Augustus on Loch Ness. As we head for Eilean Donan Castle we pass the Five Sisters of Kintail; a high ridge range of some 5 miles long rising steeply from Glen Shiel to a maximum height of 3,501 feet. Eilean Donan Castle was built in the early 13th century as a defence against the Vikings who raided, settled and controlled much of the north of Scotland and the Western Isles between 800 and 1266 and by the late 13th century it had become a stronghold of the Mackenzies of Kintail. Further up the road we cross the Skye Bridge "Over the sea to Skye".
Day 3
Isle of Skye
Day 3 is an exploration of the beautiful Isle of Skye and begins with a journey northwards past the spectacular mountain range of the Cuillins to the islands main town, Portree. After a look around the town and traditional fishing harbour we head off to the spectacular scenery of the Trotternish Ridge to the north. This wild area is dominated by the weird and wonderful ancient rock formations such as the Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock and the truly extraordinary pinnacles of the Quiraing. Lunch will be arranged on the island and we spend the afternoon enjoying the atmosphere of Dunvegan Castle & Gardens. Home to Clan Macleod for the last 800 years, Dunvegan Castle’s formal gardens are a stark contrast to the barren moorland and mountains that dominate Skye’s landscape.
Day 4
Applecross Peninsula
Day 4 we head north on one of the most dramatic roads in Scotland. Between the mainland and the Island of Skye, lies the Applecross Peninsula; a beautiful and tranquil peninsula resting on the rugged coast of Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands. The Gaelic name for the area, 'a Chomraich', means 'The Sanctuary'. Accessed by only two roads, this is a haven from the noise and clutter of modern life and was only accessible by boat until the early 20th century. The village is now connected via a winding coastal road called the ‘Bealach na Ba’, the pass of the cattle, and from the road summits you will see breath-taking panoramas that can normally only be seen from the tops of mountains. After lunch, we travel through the ancient and dramatic Torridon Mountains towards Inverness, ‘Capital of the Highlands’.
Day 5
Cairngorms National Park
Day 5 we travel a short distance to nearby Culloden Moor to learn about the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. It was at this site that following an unsuccessful Highland charge against the government lines, between 1,500 and 2,000 Jacobites were killed or wounded in this brief battle. We will take the time to walk Culloden Battlefield and take in the unique atmosphere that this place has to offer. Travelling deep into the heart of Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park, the scenery quickly changes as we meander through the Central Highlands of Scotland. The forests of the Cairngorms contain remnants of the original Caledonian pine forest and we will take time to explore the area before moving on to the charming Victorian town of Pitlochry.
Day 6
Perthshire & Deanston Whisky
Day 6 we relax and enjoy Highland Perthshire, taking some time out to explore the highland village of Dunkeld, ‘Fort of the Caledonians’, where you can view the historic Cathedral sitting in a tranquil setting on the banks of the River Tay. After lunch, we tour south for a visit to Deanston Distillery for some much-needed whisky tasting. From the banks of the River Teith, each bottle is crafted by hand to give you the authentic, creamy, sweet, honey blossom taste that is unmistakably Deanston - the perfect way to end the day! When we are ready we will make our return journey back to Edinburgh.