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2026

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2028

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Who is travelling?

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
From
$1,199
US $959 per person

Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness

5 days
Start and end in Edinburgh
4.6
122 traveler reviews
From
$1,199
-20%
US $959 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Booking needs min. 2 travelers

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2026

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Sep
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2028

Jan
Feb
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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

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Plan your adventure:
City & Culture
Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 1 - 30
All Ages Welcome
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Edinburgh to Oban

    Start point
    60 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB, United Kingdom (60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB)
    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Visit the Kelpies
    • See views of the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle
    • Stop in Callander
    • Visit Killin village and its waterfall
    • Journey through Glen Coe
    Landmarks
    The Kelpies
    Wallace Monument
    Stirling Castle
    Killin
    Glen Coe
    Oban
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  2. Day 2

    Oban to Isle of Skye

    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Train journey on the West Highland Line
    • Cross Glenfinnan Viaduct
    • Ferry crossing to the Isle of Skye

    Optional Activities

    • Trip on the World-famous Jacobite Steam Train (Reserve at time of booking; Summer itinerary, mid-April to mid-October)
    Landmarks
    Glenfinnan Viaduct
    Loch Shiel
    Mallaig
    Isle of Skye
    Portree
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  3. Day 3

    Isle of Skye to Inverness

    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Explore Isle of Skye
    • Visit Eilean Donan Castle
    • Visit Dundreggan Rewilding Centre

    Optional Activities

    • Armadale Castle and Gardens & Museum of the Isles (Pay locally; Summer itinerary, mid-April to mid-October)
    Landmarks
    Isle of Skye
    Eilean Donan Castle
    Great Glen
    Loch Ness
    Dundreggan Rewilding Centre
    Inverness
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  4. Day 4

    Inverness

    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Visit Beauly Priory
    • Visit Clava Cairns
    • Visit Culloden Battlefield

    Optional Activities

    • Loch Ness Cruise (Pay locally; Summer itinerary, mid-April to mid-October)
    Landmarks
    Loch Ness
    Beauly
    Beauly Priory
    Clava Cairns
    Culloden Battlefield
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  5. Day 5

    Inverness to Edinburgh

    End point
    60 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB, United Kingdom (60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB)
    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Visit Highland Folk Museum
    • Whisky distillery tour and tasting
    • Walk through Dunkeld village
    • Visit River Tay
    • Visit Dunkeld Cathedral
    Landmarks
    Highland Folk Museum
    Dunkeld
    River Tay
    Dunkeld Cathedral
    Edinburgh
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2

Want to read it later?

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Meals
  • Optional
Platinum Operator
Rating
4.7(475 reviews)
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
92%
Tour of the Year Winner
2025
Cancellation policy

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

4.6
Overall rating based on 122 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    4.7
  • Transport
    4.7
  • Guide
    4.9
  • Accommodation
    4.3
  • Food
    4.1
  • 4.7

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  • Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness reviewer 1
    June 6th, 2026
    The accommodation was good and took into account my mobility issues but was so far away from restaurants at night...
    Show more
    Traveled in June 2026
  • C
    June 2nd, 2026
    This tour allowed us to discover a liitle bit of Scotland, and it's scenery. However the organisation of the days are...
    Show more
    Traveled in May 2026
  • Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness reviewer 3
    May 21st, 2026
    Awesome tour Connor our guide was knowledgeable and delightfully humourous. Pacing on the tour was spot on....
    Show more
    Traveled in May 2026
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi David, Thanks so much for the amazing review of your recent tour with Connor! I am so glad to hear that you had an amazing trip and he kept you well entertained. We hope to welcome you back on tour with us again soon. Best wishes, Ayla
    Show more
  • M
    March 21st, 2026
    One of the things I really liked about this tour is that it felt relaxed and not rushed. For the most part we didn’t...
    Show more
    Traveled in March 2026
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi Majeedah, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 4 star review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with Torva and it was relaxing. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness reviewer 5
    March 14th, 2026
    The best especially our guide Laurie.
    Traveled in March 2026
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi Dolores, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with Laurie. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • M
    October 22nd, 2025
    Our driver and guide Tim was outstanding. He taught a lot of history, told fables ,pointed out good pubs and...
    Show more
    Traveled in October 2025
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi Mike, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with Tim. We are glad to hear you enjoyed the history and scenery. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • M
    October 19th, 2025
    It was a great experience, we had a good guide.
    Traveled in October 2025
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi Martina, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 3 star review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with us. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • P
    October 18th, 2025
    I recently took the 5-day Isle of Skye, Highlands, and Inverness tour with Highland Explorer Tours, traveling with my...
    Show more
    Traveled in October 2025
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review of your tour! We're glad you were able to have such a memorable experience to share with your father enjoying the breath taking Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye. It's great to hear you found Paul outstanding in his role as your driver guide and appreciate his level of attentiveness while out on tour. It is fantastic that you have taken away a piece of Scotland with you to cherish forever and we're grateful to have been a part of that journey. Thanks again and best wishes, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • R
    October 13th, 2025
    After leaving Edinburgh the hotels we stayed in did not have heat in the rooms until we returned to Inverness. Day 3...
    Show more
    Traveled in September 2025
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Hi Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 4 star review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with Charlie. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We are sorry to hear about the heating at the accommodations in the B&B's. We will pass your comments onto our operations team. We appreciate your feedback about the time spent at the Folklore village. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more
  • Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness reviewer 10
    October 1st, 2025
    Fabulous 5 days and 1250 miles and no shortage of food , stories , entertainment, and the most beautiful scenery...
    Show more
    Traveled in September 2025
    Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours
    Dear Kimberly, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review of your recent tour experience. We are delighted to read that you had such an enjoyable time on tour with Charlie and the stories and scenery. We will be sure to pass on your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on tour with us again soon. Kind Regards Keith, Reservations, Highland Explorer Tours
    Show more

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Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!
Ends on 24 Jun, 2026
  • -20%
    From Monday
    29 Jun, 2026
    To Friday
    3 Jul, 2026
    English
    Filling Fast
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Thursday
    2 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    6 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Monday
    6 Jul, 2026
    To Friday
    10 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Thursday
    9 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    13 Jul, 2026
    English
    Filling Fast
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Monday
    13 Jul, 2026
    To Friday
    17 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Thursday
    16 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    20 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Monday
    20 Jul, 2026
    To Friday
    24 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Thursday
    23 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    27 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Monday
    27 Jul, 2026
    To Friday
    31 Jul, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • -20%
    From Thursday
    30 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    3 Aug, 2026
    English
    From:
    $1,225
    US $980 per person
    Multiple Room Types

Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

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    • 24/7 customer support
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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
We couldn't find results
Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts
  • C

    Clare

    Asked on May 7th, 2026

    What if my flight to Edinburgh is canceled because of the kerosine shortage, a situation that is not covered by any annulation insurance: how much of the of the amount I've paid in advance will I lose?

    Payments
    Travel Support
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten May 2026

      If you were to cancel your multi-day tour more than 45 days prior to departure, Tour Radar will keep your deposit but can refund the rest.
      If you were to cancel 45-22 days before departure, we will keep 25% of the total cost, therefore you would be refunded 75% of the total amount.
      If you were to cancel with 21 days or less before your tour, there would be no refund.

  • A

    Andrea

    Asked on May 6th, 2026

    I understand that meals are not included in the price, and that is OK with me. But I see that breakfast is also not included, does that mean that we have to pay breakfast every morning in the B&B? And how are the other meals arranged, does the entire group take the same menu?

    Meals
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten May 2026

      If you are booking with B&B accommodation breakfast will be included as a part of your stay.

      There will be a designated lunch stop which will be your best opportunity to grab something to eat but this will not necessarily all be at one place. Dinner you will have free reign to go wherever after the day of tour from their accommodation.

  • N

    Nathan

    Asked on April 18th, 2026

    Is the option for all 3 of us to be in the mixed gender hostel or can 2 get a private room and the 3rd person (my daughter) be in the hostel? Is this inconvenience only for a few nights or all nights?

    Accommodation
    Group size
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten April 2026

      There is a twin room available for this tour so you would be able to book 2x passengers into the private twin room at a B&B and the last passenger into the dorm. Whatever option you went with this would be for all 4 nights.

    • N

      Nathan

      TravelerWritten April 2026

      Will the B&B and the dorm be close by at each location - In case we decide to switch which of us 3 will take the dorm for the night?

    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten April 2026

      The accommodations you will most likely be staying in Oban and Portree will be around a 10 minute walk from each other but in Inverness they are not particularly close.

    • N

      Nathan

      TravelerWritten April 2026

      If we take the Jun 4th tour and take the family 3 room, on the last day what time do we typically return? Will we have time to catch a train from Edinburgh to London the same night? I am not familiar with the train frequency/availability

    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten April 2026

      You should return to Edinburgh at 5.30PM on the last day. There are trains around every 30-60 minutes or so to London. We typically advise not having any onward travel for up to 3 hours after the scheduled return time in the event of any unexpected delays. However, depending when you book there will be plenty of train options.

    • N
      4 more answers
  • W

    Wendy

    Asked on April 1st, 2026

    I am wanting to get to Aberdeen for a couple of days as well. do you have a jump off point where I can join another tour to Aberdeen without having to head to Edinburgh again.

    Tour Details
    • W

      Wendy

      TravelerWritten April 2026

      Could you please confirm if it's possible to book with a single supplement for one traveler?

    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten April 2026

      Having reviewed currently availability/ rooming, we are almost at full capacity on this departure in May and do not have any available single rooms.

    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten April 2026

      Unfortunately, we have no tours that go to Aberdeen.

    • 2 more answers
  • J

    Jess

    Asked on March 19th, 2026

    We would like to book September 10-14, but we need two single, private rooms.

    Accommodation
    Single supplement
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten March 2026

      Unfortunately, we do not have 2 single rooms to offer for this tour.

  • H

    Hannah

    Asked on March 3rd, 2026

    Where is the pick up/drop off in Edinburgh and what time does the tour start?

    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten March 2026

      The pick up as well as the drop of point is from our office at 60 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB. The tour check-in is at 8:15 and the departure at 8:30. The tour is scheduled to return at 17:00 however, we always advise our passengers not to have any onward travel plans within 3 hours of the scheduled return.

  • S

    Suzanne

    Asked on January 10th, 2026

    The price is based on double occupancy. Will there be 2 beds at each accommodation?

    Accommodation
    Price / Availability
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten January 2026

      It depends on what rooming type you book. You can either book a twin room (2x single beds for 2 people) or a double bed (1x bed for 2 people).

  • S

    Stephen

    Asked on November 28th, 2025

    I am looking at the Oct 19th 2026 tour date but curious about the dates not aligning with the train. It has a gap between the Summer and Winter tour dates. Will the itinerary still be the same? (Will we still take the Jacobite Steam Train Fort William to Mallaig?)

    Tour Details
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten November 2025

      For the 5-day tour departing Monday 19th October, the Jacobite Steam Train will still be running on this tour. This will be the last 5-day tour with the train, so if you did decide to book a later date, the itinerary would change to not include this.

  • S

    Sherry

    Asked on November 6th, 2025

    do you have a price please for June 26?

    Price / Availability
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten November 2025

      This tour is available on 15th June 2026 for 2 adults and from £839 GBP per person for a twin/double room. There is an optional extra for steam train at £69 per person and £22.20 GBP Per person for a Loch Ness cruise.

  • A

    Alexandra

    Asked on November 1st, 2025

    We're looking at booking the "Isle of Skye, Loch Ness & Inverness" tour and was hoping to have some more information. 1. As we're starting in April, could you confirm if we're travelling via the Jacobite Steam Train on Day 2? 2. If yes for the steam train, what is the cost per person for this additional service? 3. Where can we pre-purchase the train tickets? 4. Can you provide us an estimated end time for the tour on Day 5 (10 April 2026)?

    Price / Availability
    Tour Details
    Transport
    • Highland Explorer ToursOperatorWritten November 2025

      The Jacobite Steam Train will be available on this tour for an additional £69.00 pp. You can purchase this at the time of booking your tour through TourRadar. You should arrive back to Edinburgh at around 5PM on the last day of the tour.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Highland Explorer Tours with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.
From
$1,199
-20%
US $959 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Booking needs min. 2 travelers

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 127033

  • Currency
    £
    Pound Sterling
    Scotland
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type G.

    Type G
    Scotland
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 6th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 6th, 2026, a minimum payment of $100 is required to confirm your booking with Highland Explorer Tours. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 50 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Highland Explorer Tours will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Highland Explorer Tours" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec