Day 1: Glasgow Airport – Loch Lomond – Inveraray Castle –Kilchurn Castle – Glencoe – Fort William
This incredible five-day tour of Scotland begins as your driver-guide collects your group from Glasgow airport before we promptly set off for the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond – the largest freshwater lake in the UK.
We’ll take a short pause at the charming and picturesque village of Luss, which lies on the banks of the loch, before enjoying a scenic drive north and into the highlands of Scotland to visit the beautiful Inveraray Castle – home to the Duke of Argyll, the Chief of Clan Campbell.
Your group will go on a tour of the castle and grounds with your private guide before we continue our journey north to visit the stunning castle ruins of Kilchurn – beautifully placed on the north bank of the fittingly named Loch Awe.
Finally, we will bring the first day of your tour of Scotland to a close with a drive through the famous Glencoe Mountains, where you may wish to pause to capture a few snaps of the wonderful ‘Three Sisters’ before we retire for the evening at the charming nearby town of Fort William.
The town itself is filled with excellent traditional bars and restaurants for your group to explore throughout the evening, your guide will be at hand if you’d like any recommendations on the best options for your particular group’s tastes and preferences.
Day 2: Glenfinnan Viaduct – Mallaig – Isle of Skye – Fairy Pools – Portree
On the morning of Day Two, we’ll drive west on the road to the stunning Scottish Isles. En route, we’ll pass the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct to watch the Jacobite Express Steam Train cross – which features frequently in the Harry Potter movies as the ‘Hogwarts Express’.
We also offer clients the chance to ride first-class on the train itself and be collected at the end of the track, but this scenic route that runs parallel to the track provides by far the most beautiful viewpoint of the viaduct – just let us know which option your group prefers when requesting your own custom tour and we’d be happy to help organize the day to suit your preference.
Indeed, both of these routes conclude at the quaint coastal fishing town of Mallaig. From here, you and your driver-guide will board the ferry to the storied Isle of Skye.
When we arrive on Skye, your driver-guide will take your group for a short scenic drive where you’ll have beautiful views over the Cuillin Mountains before we arrive at the Fairy Pools – a stunning collection of waterfalls that produce vibrant blue and green colors. We’ll go for a short hike to see the waterfalls and appreciate the surrounding landscapes before we finish our second day on tour in the island’s most populated town (just slightly over 4,500 people): Portree.
The town of Portree has a fantastic selection of harbourside pubs and restaurants that serve a variety of local fresh fish and seafood (as well as more than a few blends of Scotch whisky) for your group to explore throughout the evening.
Day 3: Old Man of Storr – Dunvegan Castle – Eilean Donan Castle – Urquhart Castle – Loch Ness – Inverness
We begin day three of your tour of Scotland with a morning hike up a truly breathtaking rock formation that attracts visitors and photographers from all over the world: The Old Man of Storr.
We’ll try to time our walk to catch the sunrise over the Storr, for what is undeniably one of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes, before descending down the slope and back to your luxury vehicle to continue our tour onto our next location on Skye: Dunvegan Castle.
Initially designed as a fortress to keep invaders out of the Scottish Isles, Dunvegan has been the ancestral home to the Chiefs of the Clan MacLeod for the last 800 years before finally opening its doors to visitors from around the world in 1933 and giving us a chance to step back in time and wonder at the beauty and extraordinary history of this incredible Highland estate.
Once you’ve finished exploring Dunvegan, we’ll leave the Isle of Skye via the Skye Bridge before stopping to take a guided tour of perhaps one of Scotland’s most famous castles: Eilean Donan.
Said to be the most photographed castle in the country, Eilean Donan sits on a tiny tidal island at the meeting point of three beautiful lochs that dutifully reflect the image of the beautiful castle on their crystal clear waters – making for a truly unforgettable scene.
Indeed, the castle has also caught the eye of Hollywood over the years, featuring prominently in ‘Highlander’ as well as some James Bond movies.
Once you’ve toured the castle and heard her stories, we’ll continue our tour to the Capital of the Highlands: Inverness. En route, we’ll drive around the famous Loch Ness before we reach the ruins of Urquhart Castle. We’ll stop for a short tour of the castle and to explore the banks of Loch Ness a little closer.
If you’d like to get closer still, Luxe could also arrange for you to be collected by shore beside Urquhart Castle and taken on a private boat trip onto the great loch itself – where if you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of Nessie herself! While on the boat your group will be treated to an excellent variety of local whiskies and tasting platters, served by your own private crew before being delivered safely back to your private guide and luxury vehicle to continue your journey.
Finally, once you’ve finished exploring for the day, we’ll retire in Inverness for the evening.
Day 4: Inverness – House of Bruar – Queen’s View – Edradour Whisky Distillery – Dunkeld Cathedral – Edinburgh
Today we travel most of the length of this wee country from Inverness to its treasured capital, Edinburgh. Our first stop on this journey will be for lunch and a spot of shopping at The House of Bruar – Scotland’s answer to Harrods – before continuing on to visit the Queen’s View: a dramatic viewpoint where past Queens (especially Queen Victoria) would pause to admire the undeniable beauty of the country’s landscape.
Lying peacefully in the rolling hills, you might just manage to spot our next destination of the day, the smallest of Scotland’s whisky distilleries and the last surviving traditional farmhouse distillery of its kind: Edradour Whisky Distillery.
We’ll go on a tour of the distillery and taste a couple of wee drams of its renowned blends before continuing our journey south to Edinburgh, stopping once more en route to visit Dunkeld Cathedral.
Once you’ve toured the impressive cathedral and its surrounding grounds, we’ll head to the newly built Queensferry Crossing that will bring us over the River Forth and finally into Edinburgh, where we will retire for the evening.
Depending on your preference, we’d recommend staying in a central location to take advantage of the excellent selection of bars and restaurants in the city – just let your guide know what your tastes are and they will be happy to make some suggestions.
Day 5: Arthur’s Seat – Edinburgh Castle – Holyrood Palace – Royal Mile – Royal Yacht Britannia – Airport Transfer
The final day of your tour will focus on the country’s beautiful historic capital city, Edinburgh.
We’ll begin early with a morning hike up to Arthur’s Seat to enjoy the sunrise over the city on your last day in Scotland before heading off to our first major attraction of the day: Edinburgh Castle. Taking pride of place and towering over her city, Edinburgh Castle is arguably the most important in Scotland partly due to its prestige, beauty, and symbolism for the people; and partly due to its significant roles in historical battles such as the Jacobite Uprising in 1745 and the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Once you’ve toured the castle with your private guide, we’ll drive down the famous Royal Mile to arrive at the second royal residence of the day: Holyrood Palace – the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II.
As long as the royals aren’t in town for the day, we’ll get the opportunity to tour the palace and its many glorious apartments – including the 16th-century residence formerly owned by Mary, Queen of Scots – before we continue our monarchal theme with a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
This grand floating palace has been permanently berthed in Edinburgh following a 43-year career traveling around the world in the service of the Queen. Now, thankfully, the public is allowed to come to explore this incredible piece of not just engineering, but history.
And alas, all good things must at some stage come to an end as your driver-guide safely delivers you to the airport in time for your flight. Hopefully, having made memories that will last a lifetime, and with intentions to return to discover more of this wonderful wee country in the future!
