5-Day Highland Explorer and Isle of Skye Small Group Tour from Edinburgh

Day 1
Head north over the Forth Road Bridge to the charming highland village of Dunkeld on the banks of the river Tay, and then into the Cairngorm National Park and to the ancient pine forests of the Rothiemurchus Estate.

After lunch you’ll spend time on the shores of Loch Insh and then take a short forest walk to the ruins of Loch an Eilean castle. Panoramic views of Loch Ness follow as you travel down to the banks of the famous loch to village of Dores where you can do some Nessie spotting! Overnight in Ullapool.

Day 2
After breakfast, you'll travel into Assynt. Visit the 15th-century ruins of Ardvreck Castle, which boasts incredible views of the Highlands and rural Scotland, and the beach at Achmelvich Bay. Then, stop in the village of Lochinver for free time. Later, return to your hotel.

Day 3
Following breakfast, you'll travel west, past the misty peaks of the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve and along the coast of Loch Torridon.
Stop in Applecross to eat lunch (own expense) before continuing along Bealach nam Bo (Cattle Pass), Britain’s highest road. Drink in the views, and then arrive in the Plockton. Stretch your legs and snap photos of Loch Carron. Continue over the sea to the Isle of Skye. Arrive in the harbor town of Portree, your base for the next two nights, and check in to your accommodation. The rest of the evening is yours to spend at your leisure.

Day 4: 
Enjoy a flexible day on Skye. Depending on the prevailing conditions you might travel north to the stunning Quiraing mountain pass and enjoy a spectacular walk through some of Skye’s extraordinary geological scenery. You might visit the Kilt Rock, composed of basalt columns, with water cascading over the cliffs and down into the sea below.

After lunch you might travel to Neist Point for a walk out to the lighthouse at the most westerly point on Skye. Alternatively your driver/guide might choose a visit to Dunvegan Castle, the ancient ancestral seat of the Clan McLeod. Return to Portree for a free evening and to your overnight accommodation.

Day 5: 
After breakfast, you'll travel south from Skye to the 13th-century Eilean Donan Castle, situated at the head of 3 lochs as protection against Viking raiders. The stronghold was used in the filming of the movie Highlander. Continue eastward through the rugged mountains of Kintail, past Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. You’ll stop in Fort William for lunch. In the afternoon you’ll explore spectacular Glencoe, scene of the massacre of the Clan Macdonald in 1692, before stopping in Killin for refreshments beside the Falls of Dochart.