Scottish Highlands Tour (Road Trip)

Your Scottish Highlands Tour starts in Edinburgh, where you’ll spend three nights. Scotland’s enchanting capital city is one of the greatest in Europe, and will leave you spellbound. If you’re looking to shop while visiting Edinburgh, check out the iconic department stores on Princes Street as you go up the Royal Mile. If you’re interested in history, visit Edinburgh Castle, which beckons you with its gothic towers and fortified walls. Your tour package includes a 7-day Historic Scotland Explorer Pass, which gives you free entry to more than 70 heritage attractions. 

Next, you’ll drive 150 miles north along stunning Scottish roads to Inverness, where you’ll spend two nights in a lovely hotel recommended by us. On arrival, take a boat tour across Loch Ness, and start to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Scottish Highlands, while keeping your eyes peeled for the fabled Loch Ness Monster! Take a stroll along the River Ness in the afternoon and stumble across the Inverness Castle, or walk down to the Botanic Gardens and see the purple Scottish thorns on display. 

After roughly two and a half hours of driving west, you’ll arrive on the Isle of Skye, one of the most epic and celebrated landscapes in all of Scotland. If you’re an outdoorsy type, grab your hiking boots and hit one of the many incredible hiking trails. Keep a lookout for the numerous castles that dot the landscape. You’ll spend two nights here, and we guarantee you’ll be lost for words the entire time. For many, this is the highlight of the Scottish Highlands Tour. 

Next, you’ll drive two and a half hours southeast to the Highland city of Fort William, one of several secret gems in the Scottish Highlands. If you’re an outdoorsy type and up for a challenge, try hiking up Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Alternatively, visit the green plains of Glencoe, one of the most stunning landscapes in Scotland that is often compared to New Zealand. Fort William is a great gateway to the Scottish outdoors, so we recommend getting outside and making the most of these extraordinary landscapes. After two nights, you’ll drive south to Glasgow where your tour ends.