5-Day Highlands & Islands
View Trip Map
Download
Share
Terms and Conditions
Overview
This five-day journey takes you on a marvellous journey right across Scotland. It covers the Highlands and three of our lovely islands - Skye, Lewis and Harris.
You will see magnificent scenery, from all modes of transport, be it the car, ferry or the magical steam train, the Jacobite Express, made famous from by the Harry Potter films.
You will visit castles, Iron Age forts and prehistorical 5,000-year-old standing stones to rival England's famous Stonehenge. During this Scotland tour, you'll learn about the Scottish clan system and find out how it shaped the country's history.
You will see magnificent scenery, from all modes of transport, be it the car, ferry or the magical steam train, the Jacobite Express, made famous from by the Harry Potter films.
You will visit castles, Iron Age forts and prehistorical 5,000-year-old standing stones to rival England's famous Stonehenge. During this Scotland tour, you'll learn about the Scottish clan system and find out how it shaped the country's history.
Itinerary
Day 1
Tour up to Inverness
Hide details 
You will begin your Scotland tour in Edinburgh and drive to Inverness. Along the way, you will have the option to stop for breakfast before visiting the Hermitage, Queen's View and Blair Castle. Lunch will be available at the Blair Atholl Watermill, a restored mill that dates back to the 1500s! The final stop for the day will be at the Culloden Battlefield, an atmospheric site of the final Jacobites battle before you check into the Mercure Inverness Hotel in the early evening.
Accommodation
Mercure Inverness Hotel★4 star/Optional Activity: AU$ 215 per person
Activities
The Hermitage
Queen's View
Blair CastleOptional Activity: AU$ 33 per person
Culloden BattlefieldOptional Activity: AU$ 28 per person
Restaurants
The Scottish DeliOptional Activity
Blair Atholl WatermillOptional Activity
Transportations
Private Driver from Edinburgh to Inverness
Destinations
Dunkeld
Scotland
Inverness
Day 2
Tour to Stornoway
Hide details
After breakfast, you will be picked up and will begin your journey to Stornoway. Your first stop of the day will be at one of the largest castles in Scotland, Urquhart Castle, which played a large part in the Wars of Independence between the Scottish and English. After a lunch stop in Gairloch, you will continue on to the Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve. You will then hop on the ferry for a scenic 2.5-hour trip across to Stornoway, where you will stay overnight.
Accommodation
The Park Guest House ★4 star/Optional Activity: AU$ 152 per person
Activities
Urquhart CastleOptional Activity: AU$ 23 per person
Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve
Restaurants
The Badachro InnOptional Activity
Transportations
Private Driver from Inverness to Stornoway
Ferry from Ullapool Ferry Terminal to Stornoway
Destinations
Inverness
Scotland
Badachro
Stornoway
Day 3
Travel to the Isle of Skye
Hide details
After breakfast, you will once again be collected from your hotel. Your first stop of the day will be at Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, the most northerly point in the Western Isles. You will then move on to the Dun Carloway Broch, a fortress which dates back 2,000 years. The fascinating and mysterious 5,000-year-old Calanais Standing Stones will be your last stop before lunch. In the late afternoon, you will catch a ferry from Tarbert to Uig, on the Isle of Skye.
Accommodation
Edinbane Inn★3 star/Optional Activity: AU$ 177 per person
Activities
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse
Dun Carloway Broch
Calanais Standing Stones
Restaurants
Talla na MaraOptional Activity
Transportations
Private Driver from Stornoway to Isle of Skye
Ferry from Tarbert to Uig
Destinations
Stornoway
Scotland
Day 4
Tour to Oban
Hide details
After a quick stop at Eilean Donan Castle along the way, you will be transferred to Armadale Ferry Terminal, where you will catch the ferry back to the mainland. Upon your arrival, there is a great seafood lunch option that you can make the most of before hopping onto the iconic Jacobite Train which has been made even more famous by the Harry Potter films! You will disembark in Fort William, where your driver will be waiting to collect you and transfer you to Oban, via Glencoe.
Accommodation
Wellpark House★4 star/Optional Activity: AU$ 122 per person
Activities
Eilean Donan CastleOptional Activity: AU$ 19 per person
Jacobite: The Hogwarts Express
Glencoe
Restaurants
Jaffy's Fish & Chips Takeaway and Deli ShopOptional Activity
Transportations
Private Driver from Edinbane Inn to Armadale Ferry Terminal
Ferry from Armadale to Mallaig Ferry Terminal
Private Driver from Fort William to Oban
Destinations
Scotland
Dornie
Mallaig
Fort William
Glencoe
Oban
Day 5
Tour to Edinburgh
Hide details
This is your final day of your Scotland tour and the day you will head back to Edinburgh. Along the way, you will stop at Inveraray Castle, Loch Lomond and the stunning national park that surrounds it. You'll have lunch at the delightful Inn at Torbrex, which is a fantastic spot. In the afternoon, you will get to see the Kelpies, the mystical horse head sculptures, before arriving back in Edinburgh in the early evening.
Activities
Inveraray CastleOptional Activity: AU$ 30 per person
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
The KelpiesOptional Activity: AU$ 19 per person
Restaurants
The Inn at TorbrexOptional Activity
Transportations
Private Driver from Oban to Edinburgh
Destinations
Oban
Inveraray
Scotland
Stirling
Included in Price
- 9 activities
- Ground transportation
- Licensed English speaking guides
Not Included in Price
- Airport transfer
- Alcohol beverages
- Domestic flights
- Entrance fees
- Entry visas / airport departure tax
- Gratuities
- International flights
- Laundry
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Trekking permits
Want to Read This Later?
Download this trip itinerary as a PDF and start planning your next trip offline!
Low season price starting fromAU$5,343
per traveller sharing Terms and Conditions
Book with Flexibility
Flexible Payment
Book this trip today with a deposit and pay the rest 60 days before departure.
Extra Mile
Our dedicated Travel Concierge Team will work with you to manage any unforeseen changes, where possible.
Why Choose Designer Journeys
Access Exclusive Experiences
Open your eyes to a world of exclusive experiences that will make your next trip extraordinary. Designer Journeys’ local travel designers are connected to unique experiences that are out of reach for most people – so you’ll return with some amazing stories to tell.
Extraordinary Local Expertise
Using highly experienced local travel designers means you have access to your very own local expert. You'll find experiences you never knew existed, avoid some of the common pitfalls and, most of all, feel like you have an insider guiding you every step of the way.
Supported Every Step of the Way
Our in-destination local travel designers are the first line of support when you are travelling. They are in your time zone and have the local expertise and knowledge to solve any issue that may arise – making you feel more confident about your trip.
Travel Designed For You
Designer Journeys style of travel is all about how you want to travel – its private travel designed exactly to your needs. Our local travel designers customise every trip to suit you, whether completely bespoke or based on one or more of our 2,000+ gallery of itineraries.
It is great having local people who are able to tailor a trip to my individual needs. I love that I can chat to my consultant to make changes. The turnaround times from my brief were excellent.
Prompt and knowledgable of many areas and things to do. We felt like our requests were heard and they went above and beyond to provide a mixture of plans for our budget.
Sangita was amazing. She was always available by phone if needed and we felt no hesitation to be in contact. She listened to exactly what we asked for and got it right. All the people we met that worked with her were very trustworthy and honest. I would recommend her and all the people she works with. It was a very personal and well managed trip.
DESIGN YOUR EXTRAORDINARY
Why Travel with Designer Journeys
Your Trip. Your Version of Extraordinary.
At Designer Journeys, we know that we all travel differently. That's why you decide where you travel, how you travel and your travel experiences when you design your trip with us.
Connect and Design With an Expert.
Our trusted Local Designers use their destination insight, local knowledge and travel planning expertise to build your extraordinary trip. Our dedicated Travel Concierge team will be there every step of the way to ensure your perfect trip becomes reality.
Book with Confidence. We are Trusted.
Secure payment platforms, multiple accreditations, rigorous Local Designer selection process, and decades of travel expertise means you are in safe hands with Designer Journeys.
As seen on
Partners
