Private Guided Tour from Edinburgh
Four-day private journey from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, Glencoe and Loch Ness, with dramatic island landscapes, Highland history, coastal villages and a relaxed return through the Cairngorms.
Day 1: Edinburgh to Skye
Leaving Edinburgh, the route heads west past the Forth Bridges and the Kelpies before stopping at Doune Castle, a 14th-century fortress widely recognised as Castle Leoch from Outlander. The road leads north through Callander to Kilmahog, where you meet Scotland’s most photographed Highland cows – Hamish, Honey, and Baxter – before continuing alongside Loch Lubnaig. Lunch is at Mhor84, known for its locally sourced Highland produce, before visiting the Falls of Dochart at Killin. The journey climbs toward Loch Tulla before entering Glencoe, where the Three Sisters rise steeply from the valley floor. Continuing north, you reach the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the 21-arch railway bridge made famous by the Harry Potter films, before boarding the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale and crossing to the Isle of Skye. Overnight is in Portree or on the Sleat peninsula.
Day 2: Isle of Skye
The day begins beneath the Old Man of Storr, a 55-metre rock pinnacle dominating the Trotternish Ridge, before continuing to Kilt Rock, where vertical basalt columns resemble a Highland kilt and Mealt Falls plunge 90 metres into the Sound of Raasay. A short drive brings you to Staffin Beach, where Jurassic-era dinosaur footprints are preserved in the rock. The route climbs onto the Quiraing, a vast landslip forming one of Scotland’s most spectacular mountain passes, before visiting the Fairy Glen, a surreal landscape of grassy conical hills. In the afternoon, you visit the Fairy Pools beneath the Black Cuillin mountains, where crystal-clear turquoise pools cascade through waterfalls.
Day 3: Skye to Inverness
Departing Skye, you visit Plockton, a sheltered harbour known for its palm trees and mild microclimate, before arriving at Eilean Donan Castle, dramatically positioned where three sea lochs meet. The route joins the Great Glen and traces the banks of Loch Ness, stopping at Drambuie Farm near Drumnadrochit to meet Highland cows over coffee and cake. Further south, you visit Dores Beach at the southern end of Loch Ness before arriving in Inverness in the early evening.
Day 4: Inverness to Edinburgh
The day begins with an optional visit to Culloden Battlefield, site of the final Jacobite uprising in 1746. The journey heads south into Cairngorms National Park, passing through high moorland and ancient forests near Dalwhinnie Distillery. The route passes Blair Castle before a detour to Queen’s View, one of Scotland’s most celebrated viewpoints over Loch Tummel. The Victorian town of Pitlochry provides a final stop before returning to Edinburgh in the early evening.
Discover everything included in this Highland Private Tours adventure. Enter your details below to unlock the full itinerary, including the scenic routes, stops, and experiences that make this Highland tour unforgettable.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
We offer a door-to-door pickup and drop-off service. Your guide will wait outside your hotel (or other specified address) and will always aim to be there at least 15 minutes before your tour start time. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will always use the lead passenger’s contact details to coordinate meeting up should there be any parking restrictions and/or delays on the day.
