Isle of Skye, Orkney & North Coast 500

Traveler Reviews

• S

  Stefanie

  August 22nd, 2025
  4.0
  ich habe direkt an den Touranbieter ein etwas längeres Feedback auf englisch geschrieben und teile das hier auch...
  ich habe direkt an den Touranbieter ein etwas längeres Feedback auf englisch geschrieben und teile das hier auch gerne After completing our tour last Sunday, I would like to share my feedback, which is a mixture of very positive impressions and some critical points. I would like to begin with the most positive aspect of the trip: our tour guide, Tom. He did an outstanding job in ensuring that the diverse needs and preferences of the group were met—whether in terms of the frequency and length of breaks, the choice of activities, or recommendations for dinner locations. From both my daughter’s and my perspective, he struck an ideal balance between providing us with information, telling folk and mystical stories, and sharing Scottish music, while also allowing space to quietly enjoy the beautiful scenery. In short, he was exactly the kind of tour guide one hopes for on such a journey. There were, however, two aspects of the tour that stood out negatively. First, with the exception of one night, our group did not share the same accommodation. This made it more difficult to build a group atmosphere and also created a significant imbalance, as the accommodations varied greatly in terms of location and quality. Some were centrally located and relatively comfortable, while others were more remote or less well maintained. To give one example: my daughter and I stayed at the Muthu Hotel in Oban. While centrally located, the hotel was in very poor condition, offered only very basic breakfast options, and was by far the least satisfactory accommodation during the entire eight days. Second, I would like to highlight the day that centered around the optional Jacobite steam train ride. Unfortunately, tickets could not be secured for us, but the itinerary of the entire day still revolved exclusively around this activity. For those not participating in the train ride, no meaningful alternative program was offered—such as a scenic hike, a museum visit, or another activity. Instead, we spent time in the overcrowded and rather unremarkable village of Mallaig, followed by a lengthy drive in heavy traffic, more or less alongside the train route. This approach would be understandable if the train ride were an integral part of the official tour program. However, since it is only an optional activity, I believe there should be a well-designed alternative for those not taking part. Otherwise, participants risk losing an entire day of their trip, which does not seem appropriate. That being said, I would like to emphasize once more how excellent Tom was as a guide and how much we appreciated the overall design of the tour. The route, the variety of locations, and the overall structure were thoughtfully combined to provide a rich and well-rounded introduction to Scotland. Still, the two points mentioned above remained noticeable shortcomings in an otherwise very enjoyable experience.Show more
  Traveled in August 2025
  

  Reply from: Highland Explorer Tours

  Dear Stefanie, Many thanks for taking the time to share your feedback following your recent 8-day tour. All comments are very much welcomed as we pass this on to the relevant teams to ensure continual product improvement. We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the company of our wonderful Tom during your trip. He is passionate and conscientious and a great amabassador for our company and Scotland generally! Delighted that you appreciated his support with local recommendations alongside the entertaining and informative commentary and Scottish playlist. We have passed your comments onto Tom directly and know this will mean a lot! Regarding the aspects of the tour that fell below your expectations in terms of accommodation for the tour, during peak season it is regretfully not always possible for us to secure rooming for all passengers with the same providers. The very nature of Highland Hotels/ B&B's and Guesthouses are that these will have a much smaller capacity of rooming with limited availability especially during the height of the summer season which is when you were travelling. For this reason, we never specify the details of the exact accommodation for each location but will always use trusted local providers who ensure a 3* minimum standard of comfort, amenities and complimentary breakfast. We are therefore concerned to hear that your experience at The Muthu does not appear to have met the expected standard. We have asked our operations team to review your stay with this hotel to address these points. We have also forwarded your suggestions regarding alternative activities for the Jacobite Steam Train excursion for passengers who may not have opted to participate in this activity or for dates on which availability had been limited on this service. We will look to explore options for our passengers during this day to as product development for future tours and thank you for your constructive input to support us with this. We are delighted that overall, you enjoyed the tour experience and hope that you will treasure memories from this wee adventure together! We hope to welcome you back on tour in the future. Kind regards., Amy

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• H

  herbert

  September 12th, 2023
  5.0
  Great trip! Steve is an outstanding Guide/Driver!
  Traveled in September 2023
• G

  Gerald

  July 23rd, 2023
  4.0
  The tour itself was spectacular. Our guide, Steve, was A++. His love of his country and his job was obvious. All...
  The tour itself was spectacular. Our guide, Steve, was A++. His love of his country and his job was obvious. All the accommodations were very nice. The description of the tour as suitable for ages 5-99 is misleading, though. To thoroughly take advantage of all that is offered, be prepared to walk a LOT, to climb stairs a LOT, and to walk up steep slopes a LOT. For the price of the tour, I think more admission fees should be included as well as a dinner or two.Show more
  Traveled in July 2023