Isle of Skye - 3 days

3 days to explore some of the most dramatic and beautiful places in the Highlands and the romantic island of Skye. Highlights also include Glencoe, Loch Ness, Eilean Donan Castle and the 5 Sisters of Kintail.

Departure Days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

Day 1 Depart Edinburgh at 09.00 and travel west passing Linlithgow Palace and Stirling with its imposing castle and views of the Wallace Monument. You pass Doune Castle, set of Monty Python's "Holy Grail" before stopping in Callander for refreshments. Crossing into the Highlands you head north towards the glorious scenery surrounding Loch Luibnaig then through Breadalbane (meaning the ‘high country of Scotland’) and up to the wild desolation of Rannoch Moor. You continue through the spectacular mountain pass of Glencoe, scene of the great massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692. Leaving Fort William after lunch you drive past Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and into the Great Glen. Travelling west on the "Road to the Isles" you head through the splendour of the Five Sisters of Kintail, the mountains guarding the pass on the way to the Isle of Skye. You stop to visit the famous Eilean Donan Castle, one of Scotland’s most photographed castles, set at the junction of 3 lochs and completely surrounded by water. Crossing over the bridge to Skye, you follow the dramatic coastline north towards the island’s capital, Portree. You are then dropped off at your accommodation in the early evening where you are free to go out and explore the town.

Day 2 is a very flexible day on Skye. There are many possibilities depending on the weather and your driver/guide's knowledge will come to the fore in developing the best day out for you on that particular day. North of Portree is the Trotternish ridge with its spectacular cliffs and rock formations, such as the famous landmark – the Old Man of Storr, the impressive sea cliff, Kilt Rock and the stunning mountain pass of the Quiraing. Amazing natural scenery, which is best enjoyed away from the bus by taking a walk through this unique landscape. Further west the scenery changes again with the emerald green valley of Glendale, the dramatic sea-cliffs of Neist Point (the most westerly point on the island, where you might get lucky and spot some whales or sharks!), and the 13th-century home of the Clan Macleod, Dunvegan Castle. You return to Portree in the evening.

Day 3 You will be collected from your accommodation and travel south through the Cuillin Hills and back over to the mainland for stunning views over Loch Duich and the 5 Sisters of Kintail. Onto Loch Ness for lunch and the possibility of spotting "Nessie". There is a boat trip (Summer only) available here that will get you that bit closer! Heading south now through the Grampian mountains along Loch Laggan, famous now as "Monarch of the Glen Country" before passing Dalwhinnie, home to Scotland's highest whisky Distillery, and onwards past Blair Castle stopping for refreshments before heading back to Edinburgh past Perth and over the Forth Road Bridge. Arriving at 19.00 approx.

Price excludes

The basic tour price includes guest house standard bed and breakfast accommodation and is based on 2 people sharing a twin bedded room. We also offer upgrades to 3 star hotel standard accommodation.

If you are a single traveller you must select a single room upgrade, as we cannot offer a room-share service for this tour.

On this tour you will be travelling with no more than 16 other people - guaranteed! Our purpose-built minibuses have large windows, good air circulation and clear PA systems so that your professional guide can escort  you comfortably through our wonderful country. Our itineraries are carefullly planned (with many years of experience) so that you discover as much as possible, without spending too much time on the road.

As we travel in smaller vehicles, we normally use the most scenic routes, where large coach are prohibited from travelling. Additionally, as our group sizes are smaller we are able to more time out of the vehicle. We also employ a the very best driver/guides.

Friendly and Professional Guides - Small Groups - More Scenic Routes - More Time Sightseeing - Great Value for Money

09.00 am 207 High St, Edinburgh
Returns to Waverley Bridge opposite Waverley Train Station by 7 pm approx.

Pre-Tour Planning

How to travel to Edinburgh using public transport from other parts of the UK:

Train: Rail is normally the easiest and fastest method travel to Edinburgh. Services take you directly into the city centre (Waverley Train Station). For information on rail services visit National Rail Enquiries. Typical train journey times between London and Edinburgh are 5 hours.

Coach: Coach travel is normally the least expensive method of travel but journey times are much longer (typlically 10-11 hours from London). Services are operated by National Express and also Megabus.

Air: Regional services operate from most of the main UK Airports. Low-Cost carriers normally offer the best deals and include: Easyjet.com, Flybe.com, bmibaby.com. If you are travelling from London Heathrow try flybmi.com. For a full list of the domestic and international carriers serving Edinburgh click here. Edinburgh is easily reached by coach and train from Glasgow Airport - click here. It is worth noting that most journeys to Edinburgh by train from London are as fast as by air, due to travelling to the airport, check-in and security and then obtaining luggage and getting from Edinburgh Airport to the city, which takes approximately 30 minutes.

Link into an International Friends tour departing from England - Edinburgh by train

Why not link into one of our regular rail package tour departures from London, Cambridge, Oxford, or Kent. Our package tours include train tickets, accommodation, sightseeing and are fully escorted. We can extend your rail travel so that you can participate in our extended tours in Scotland. Our specialist staff in our Cambridge office are experts on Edinburgh and Scotland and will be happy to discuss your exact requirements. We can be contacted by telephone on 0044 (0)1223 244 555 or by email to info@internationalfriends.co.uk

Accommodation

To find great deals on hotels in Edinburgh click here. Obtaining accommodation in Edinburgh can be extremely hard due to city's popularity and limited supply of hotels. Booking early is strongly recommended.