Itinerary:
Day 1: Edinburgh – Portree
Meet your driver/guide in Edinburgh in the morning and travel west in your comfortable Mercedes minivan. Pass Linlithgow Palace and the town of Stirling, with its photogenic castle and nearby hilltop Wallace Monument. Continue past Doune Castle, where Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed, and stop in the town of Callander for refreshments (own expense).
Enter the Scottish Highlands and enjoy the glorious vistas of Loch Luibnaig on route to Breadalbane, or the ‘High Ground of Scotland.' Climb to the heather-coated wilds of Rannoch Moor and through the breathtaking mountain scenery of Glencoe, scene of the infamous Massacre of Glencoe in 1692.
After time in Fort William for lunch (own expense), drive past Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and into the Great Glen. Follow the A830 or ‘Road to the Isles’ and wend through the beautiful Five Sisters of Kintail mountains toward the Isle of Skye. Stop to visit (own expense) iconic Eilean Donan Castle, a much-photographed, water-lapped castle standing where three lochs meet.
Afterward, cross the bridge to Skye and trace the rugged coastline to its capital, Portree, for an early-evening drop-off at your accommodation. Tonight, explore this port town as you wish and enjoy dinner at any of its welcoming restaurants or pubs (own expense).
Overnight: 3-star hotel or B&B in Portree
Day 2: Portree (B)
Day two of this fully guided experience, depending on the weather, provides many possibilities beckon as your knowledgeable guide helps you get the most of your time.
North from Portree you can see or walk a section of the stunning Trotternish Ridge, a dramatic line of hills that culminates in the Old Man of Storr, the sea cliffs of Kilt Rock, and the craggy rock formations of Quiraing.
Alternatively, take in the lush green estate of Glendale, visit 13th-century Dunvegan Castle or journey to the sea cliffs at Neist Point to spot seabirds and perhaps dolphins, sharks or whales. This evening, take your pick from Portree’s pubs and restaurants again for dinner (own expense).
Overnight: 3-star hotel or B&B in Portree
Day 3: Portree – Edinburgh (B)
After breakfast at your accommodation and a pickup by your guide and minivan, travel south through the Cuillin Hills and back to the mainland. Enjoy majestic views over Loch Duich and continue to eerie Loch Ness, where you'll stop for lunch (own expense) and try and catch a sighting of the lake's legendary monster.
From here, travel along Loch Laggan through the Grampian Mountains, an area known as ‘Monarch of the Glen Country’ after the popular BBC series. Pass Dalwhinnie, home to one of Scotland's highest whiskey distilleries, and Blair Castle, before a stop for refreshments (own expense).
Then, continue via Perth and the Forth Road Bridge to Edinburgh, where your tour ends in the early evening with a city-center drop-off.
