Scottish Highlands North Coast 500 Route

With our self-drive package, today you will make your own way to our overnight hotel.

If you choose our by air package, today you will travel to your local airport and board your flight to Glasgow. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Glasgow area for an overnight stay.

Relax and enjoy dinner this evening with your fellow travellers.

After breakfast today, we travel through Perthshire. We make a stop in ancient Perth where you will have time to visit the free museum, home to the 'Stone of Destiny' which has seated all the ancient Kings of Scotland. There is a lovely coffee shop to enjoy before we depart and travel north through the Cairngorms National Park. Enjoy spectacular scenery as we travel deeper into the Scottish Highlands to our hotel for overnight stay.

Included Highlights

Perth

Today, we head for the north coast of Scotland and along the western shores of Loch Maree to start our North Coast 500 journey. We will pass Gairloch and call at Poolewe, a pretty fishing village situated at the sheltered south side of Loch Ewe. We continue with views of Gruinard Bay along the coast to Ullapool.

Situated in one of the most unspoilt natural environments in the UK, the town boasts a wealth of things to see and do. There is a great choice of varied walks in the area and the harbour is filled with fishing boats of all sizes. Here, you can spend some time watching the fishermen at work, sorting out their catch for the day, or perhaps enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Ullapool is also an artist’s dream with many local painters, potters, musicians and free spirits residing or performing here. We stay in Ullapool overnight.

Included Highlights

Ullapool Poolewe

Sit back and relax as we journey up the eastern coast and marvel at the beautiful scenery. The coastline is stunning with the clear blue waters and white sandy beaches – you could easily think you're in the Caribbean rather than Scotland! We then enjoy included lunch at Smoo Cave Hotel, set in spectacular scenery close to the famous Smoo Cave and Cape Wrath, famous for puffins, fishing and golfing and in the heart of Scotland’s first Geopark. After lunch we continue to Thurso, where we stay for two nights.

Included Highlights

North Coast 500

Today we enjoy free time at leisure. Relax and recharge in the hotel or, for those wishing to explore, there are plenty of lovely walks.

Thurso is the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain and has scenic views of Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. It has a fine harbour and beach, popular with surfers, that looks out to the island of Orkney, and you can view the Old Man of Hoy. One of the main attractions in Thurso is the Wolfburn Distillery, which has been distilling Single Malt Scotch Whisky since 1821 and offers tours and tastings for visitors. A visit to Old St Peter's Church is also popular. Dedicated to Saint Peter, it dates to at least 1125, and at one time was the principal church for the county.

After breakfast, we travel to the very tip of Britain and make a photo stop at famous John O'Groats. Get your cameras ready for a photo of the famous sign!

We then continue along the eastern part of the North Coast 500. En route, we call at the fairy tale Dunrobin Castle and admire the scenery of the Black Isle. Dunrobin Castle is the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands. The castle is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland. Entrance is included and visitors can take a self-guided tour through the state rooms on the first floor before making their way through the smaller rooms in the older parts of the castle plus formal garden and Victorian museum.

We then journey to our overnight hotel in the highlands area.

Included Highlights

John O'Groats Dunrobin Castle

Today we enjoy a visit Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, before continuing along the breathtaking Loch Ness – have your cameras ready in case you spot the infamous 'Nessie'! We also stop in Fort Augustus on the western shore.

We continue our journey south through stunning scenery, Glencoe, along the shores of Loch Lomond and finally to our hotel near Glasgow for our last evening.

Included Highlights

Inverness Loch Ness Fort Augustus

Today, we wave farewell to Scotland.

With our self-drive package, you will make your own way home.

If you've chosen our by air package, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight home.