A 5-day Scotland trip through the Highlands and the Isle of Skye. One way ride on The Jacobite Steam train mid May through August.
5 Day Best of Scotland Tour from Edinburgh / Glasgow
Highlights
• Discover Scotland on a 5-day tour through the Scottish Highlands and the magical Isle of Skye
• From mid-May to late August, we include a one-way ride on The Jacobite steam train, also known as Hogwarts Express
• Visit Eilean Donan, Scotland’s most beautiful castle
• Explore the Isle of Skye
• Visit the historical Culloden Battlefield
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Itinerary
This Best of Scotland tour begins with a west drive through Loch Lomond’s beautiful scenery and Kilmartin Glen’s Trossachs National Park. Here you will explore the ancient past of Scotland. Walk in the footsteps of Dunadd Hill Fort’s first Scots and the Temple Wood Stone Circle. Then it’s on to Oban’s picturesque seaside city. At Oban overnight.
On Day 2, we will take you to Glen Coe’s haunting landscape, the scene of the MacDonald Clan’s terrible massacre. We’re going to continue on past Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain.
We will jump aboard the Jacobite Steam Train for tours from May 16 to August 29 to enjoy one of the greatest train journeys. Taste Mallaig’s best seafood, then ferry across the sea to Skye Island for your second night. In Portree overnight.
You’re going to have the entire day 3 to explore the mysteries and landscape of Skye. Here the beckoning of mountains and beaches. Lose yourself in the spectacular Cuillin Mountains scenery, the slanting Quiraing hills and the amazing Trotternish Peninsula, while your driver-guide will show you the best Skye has to offer. Overnight at Skye Island.
We’re going to leave Skye and head straight to one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, Eilean Donan (optional extra at your own expense) you’ll have plenty of time to explore. You will stop for lunch at Drumnadrochit’s pretty Lochside village before you have the option to cruise on Loch Ness (optional extra at your own expense), look out for Nessie and visit the ruin of Urquhart Castle (optional extra at your own expense). We will then head for our overnight stop in Fort Augustus to the southern end of the Loch. Night: Augustus Fort.
We will drive on Day 5 to Culloden’s battlefield (admission not included), the site of the Jacobite forces ‘ defeat. You will also have time to explore the nearby Clava Cairns, a Prehistoric Cairns group. Outlander fans will love this place because of its similarity to Craigh na Dun, the fictitious stone circle. Then we will drive past the amazing mountains of Cairngorm. We will stop for a rest in the town of Pitlochry on our way south, before returning to Edinburgh.
For those selecting the Glasgow pick-up point, please note that on Day 5 you will have two choices:
1) Leave the tour at the Edinburgh drop-off point.
2) Return to Glasgow by train (app. 45 minute).
If you opt to return to Glasgow by train, your guide will drop you off at Edinburgh Waverley Station, and give you a single ride voucher for the train bound for Glasgow.
