The Highlands of Scotland: Ultimate Scotland Guide
Ahh, the Highlands of Scotland. An expanse of nearly 10,000 square miles steeped in magnificent landscapes, incredible hikes and a long, bloody history. There's no better place for a real, wild adventure.
In this guide I'll take you to the most picturesque spots in the Highlands, give you the low-down (or should I say high?) on where to go and what to do, and help you choose how to travel around.
The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous north and west of Scotland, north of a line from Loch Lomond to Stonehaven, with Inverness as their capital. My five places to start: Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and Orkney.
Go in spring or autumn for colour and fewer crowds, and give Skye at least two nights.
- SizeNearly 10,000 sq milesAbout a third of Scotland
- CapitalInvernessOn the River Ness
- Closest to GlasgowLoch LomondAbout 45 minutes
- Day trip from EdinburghLoch Ness & GlencoeA long, full day
- Best monthsMay, June, Sep & OctLong days or autumn colour
- See the most3-day Skye tourFrom £248 per person
Where Are The Highlands
Scotland is split up into two areas of land: the Highlands and the Lowlands. It then stands to reason that the Highlands are the great expanse to the north of Scotland (although they also stretch off to the west). The dividing line is the Highland Boundary Fault, which runs from Helensburgh and the islands of Loch Lomond across to Stonehaven on the east coast. Cross it heading north and the land rises almost at once.
From Fort William all the way up to John O'Groats in the north, the Highlands include places like Glencoe, Loch Ness, Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park, plus islands like Skye. Inverness is the capital of the Highlands. Rich in history and culture, the Highlands are the wild lands of Scotland where once there were bloody battles and now live the friendliest people on earth.
Edinburgh and Glasgow are both Lowland cities, but the Highlands aren't far away: Loch Lomond is about 45 minutes from Glasgow, and Edinburgh to Glencoe takes around 2 hours 45 minutes by road.
Why You Should Visit The Highlands
I've spent the last 10 years of my life travelling far and wide on this beautiful planet and yet I'm always drawn back to the Highlands of Scotland. Why? What is it about this untamed wild that draws me back and should draw you in?
Let me first just answer generally with this…
Now, I'd say that picture is worth much more than 1,000 words, wouldn't you? If you're not yet convinced, here are a few more reasons why I can't stay away.
1. The History
Scotland truly has one of the most fascinating pasts, often spattered with violence while shrouded in mystery. It inspired George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, and let's not forget that bloody love story Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.
The Vikings, the Jacobites, Scottish kings and queens of old: it's easy to become swept up in the stories you'll hear while travelling the Highlands, from the battlefield at Culloden to the glen at Glencoe, and of course while visiting the castles!
2. The Castles
There are more than 2,000 castles in Scotland and many of them are in the Highlands. Built as a pillar of power and protection for the local communities against invaders, castles in Scotland are everywhere and absolutely stunning to see. Eilean Donan, Urquhart on the shores of Loch Ness and Dunrobin in the far north are three of the best. Our 25 castles to visit in Scotland has many more.
3. The Wildlife
With such an expanse of untouched natural beauty, it's no wonder that there's quite an array of wildlife in the Highlands. From otters and seals to golden eagles, red squirrels and, of course, the magnificent Highland stag. Have your camera at the ready when touring Scotland: you never know what critter will pop up next. (And yes, you'll see plenty of Highland cows.)
If you're looking for a unique, history-rich countryside that will surprise you at every turn with its jaw-dropping beauty, then don't miss out on exploring the Highlands.
Where Should You Go in The Highlands?
The possibilities are seemingly endless, so I'm going to try and whittle it down to 5 places in the Highlands that will blow your mind. Feel free to disagree and let me know your own favourite!
| Place | Go for | See it with us |
|---|---|---|
| Glencoe | Mountains, walks and the 1692 massacre | Glencoe day tour from Glasgow or Loch Ness day trip from Edinburgh |
| Isle of Skye | The Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, the Fairy Pools | 3-day Skye tour or Skye day tour from Inverness |
| Loch Lomond | The easiest taste of the Highlands | Glencoe day tour or Stirling and Loch Lomond day tour |
| Loch Ness | A cruise, Urquhart Castle and Nessie | Loch Ness day trip or Loch Ness day tour from Inverness |
| Orkney Islands | Skara Brae and 5,000-year-old stones | 5-day Orkney tour or 3-day tour from Inverness |
Glencoe
Glencoe is a site of awe-inspiring beauty and historical tragedy. The beauty speaks for itself, and the tragedy I'm referring to is the Glencoe Massacre of the MacDonald clan in 1692.
While you can be sure to enjoy Glencoe for the hikes and views, it adds depth to your journey to hear some of the history of the places you visit. Imagining what happened hundreds of years ago while walking the very ground where blood was spilled (or truces forged, kings betrayed, haggis slain) can leave you with a richer experience. Learn more in our Glencoe guide.
See it with us: Glencoe is on more of our tours than anywhere else: the Glencoe day tour from Glasgow (with a walk round Glencoe Lochan), the Oban and Glencoe day tour, the Loch Ness day trip from Edinburgh and every Isle of Skye tour.
Isle of Skye
One of my all-time favourite places to hike, camp and explore is the Isle of Skye. From the Old Man of Storr to the Fairy Pools, you'll never be bored with the landscape that surrounds you on the island.
You can reach the island by bridge or ferry and soon be losing yourself amongst the rugged terrain, castle ruins and fishing villages like Portree. Give it at least two nights: it's a long way from Edinburgh, and the roads on the island are slow. Learn more about the Isle of Skye.
See it with us: Our best-selling 3-day Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh, the same Isle of Skye tour from Glasgow, the 5-day and 7-day Skye tours, and a Skye day tour from Inverness with the Fairy Pools. See all our Isle of Skye tours.
Loch Lomond
The bonnie, bonnie banks and, in fact, the entire Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is an area of exceptional beauty (are you sensing the theme here?). It's also one of the most easily reached parts of the Highlands, about 45 minutes from Glasgow and an hour and a half from Edinburgh. The Highland Boundary Fault runs right across the loch, so you can see the Lowlands turn into the Highlands in front of you.
There's something for everyone at Loch Lomond (unless perhaps you hate nature): cycling, hiking, kayaking and even wild swimming if you're brave enough! With millions of visitors each year, it must be up there with Scotland's most visited places. Learn more about Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.
See it with us: The first stop on our 3-day Skye tour, and on the Glencoe and Oban day tours from Glasgow (Luss) and the Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond day tour from Edinburgh (Balmaha). See all our Loch Lomond tours.
Loch Ness
You can't talk about the Highlands without Loch Ness. It runs 23 miles down the Great Glen from Inverness to Fort Augustus and holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales put together. Nessie or no Nessie, a cruise to the ruins of Urquhart Castle is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in the Highlands. Read the story of the Loch Ness Monster and our Loch Ness guide.
See it with us: Our Loch Ness day trip from Edinburgh (Fort Augustus, optional cruise), the 2-day Loch Ness and Glenfinnan tour, and from Inverness the Loch Ness, Culloden and Outlander day tour. See all our Loch Ness tours.
Orkney Islands
Orkney is truly one of a kind. Strictly speaking it's one of the Northern Isles rather than the Highlands, but you reach it through them, along the north coast and over the Pentland Firth, and the scenery is unrivalled (except perhaps by Skye) amongst the 70-odd islands that make it up.
Skara Brae is certainly one of the biggest reasons for a visit: an ancient settlement that dates back further than even the Egyptian pyramids! And yes, in this case the older, the better. Not the easiest place to get to, but with the right tour guides you'll enjoy every step of the way. Learn more about the Orkney Islands.
See it with us: Our 5-day Orkney tour from Edinburgh or Glasgow and the 3-day Orkney tour from Inverness, via the North Coast 500, Dunrobin Castle and John O'Groats. Ferries included.
How To Get About the Highlands
We would of course love to have you on our tours, but they're far from the only way to explore the Highlands. Getting about comes down to personal preference and what's available, so here are the options.
Rent A Car
If you enjoy your own space, your own rhythm and finding your own way while travelling, then renting a car might be the perfect option. Just make sure you'll be comfortable driving on the left! Many Highland roads, especially on Skye and in the far north, are single-track with passing places: pull in to let others by, and give way to the sheep.
The luxury of having your own car means you'll never be rushed, and you can change plans at the drop of a hat. Out hunting for Nessie or bagging Munros (the Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet), you'll be moving at your own speed.
Hiking The Highlands
Not for the faint of heart or time-limited travellers, but certainly the most scenic and involved way of exploring the Highlands. Plus, imagine all the exercise!
My recommendation is to go in spring or summer. I'll touch on this later, but the weather in Scotland is the most unpredictable I've come across. Winter can be miserable, and even in spring and summer there is no guarantee of decent weather.
Check out the West Highland Way, a 96-mile trek from Milngavie, just outside Glasgow, along Loch Lomond and over Rannoch Moor to Fort William. And consider joining the popular sport of Munro bagging while out and about on foot.
Public Transport
There are plenty of places in the Highlands you can reach by train or bus. I find lounging on a train watching the hills of Scotland roll on by to be a lovely way to travel, and the West Highland Line to Fort William and Mallaig is one of the great railway journeys.
You will likely have to limit the number of things you can do and places you can see this way, as travel times are longer and you might experience delays. If you're heading somewhere remote, plan every step of the journey, as in some places you'll be hard pressed to find a bus. For trains, check ScotRail; for buses, look up routes with Traveline Scotland.
Private Or Group Tours
Finally, for a more failsafe way to travel the Highlands, you can join a tour. This does limit your flexibility (unless you go private), but it more than makes up for it with knowledgeable, friendly guides and a stress-free trip.
Taking a tour gives you the chance to ask questions and learn more about the history, culture or anything else you want to know. It can also be a way to meet new people as you travel through the Highlands.
There are several tour operators in Scotland and they all offer different places and experiences. Some run big tours on large buses; ours are small groups of no more than 16, with storytelling guides who get you out of the vehicle and walking. Here's how our tours cover the Highlands:
| Starting from | Highlands you'll see | Our tour |
|---|---|---|
| Glasgow, 1 day | Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe | Glencoe day tour, from £88 per person |
| Edinburgh, 1 day | The Cairngorms, Loch Ness, Fort William, Glencoe | Loch Ness day trip, from £96 per person |
| Inverness, 1 day | Eilean Donan, the Isle of Skye, the Fairy Pools | Skye day tour, from £94 per person |
| Edinburgh, 2 days | Loch Ness, Glenfinnan, Glencoe | 2-day Loch Ness and Glenfinnan tour, from £196 per person |
| Edinburgh, 3 days | Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Skye, Eilean Donan, Loch Ness | 3-day Isle of Skye tour, from £248 per person |
| Edinburgh, 5 days | The far north, the North Coast 500, Orkney | 5-day Orkney tour, from £428 per person |
Inverness day tours run daily from January 2027. Multi-day tours don't include accommodation, so you choose where you stay (we can book it for you). Prices vary by date. See all our tours, or plan a route on our interactive Scotland map.
When To Visit The Scottish Highlands
Personally, my favourite time of year to visit Scotland and the Highlands is autumn. That's probably a controversial opinion, as the weather can be quite miserable around then. For me, the change in the colour of the trees and bracken is something truly stunning. It's also when the brambles come into season, and just a cracking time to go berry hunting in general.
I would also recommend spring, although again the weather can be quite iffy (read: rainy). But if you're not prepared for a bit of rain, you should probably reconsider coming to Scotland in the first place! Spring is when the bluebells come out and the Highland wildlife comes alive.
The summer can be great for the Scottish sun (something we Scots appreciate with a 'Taps Aff' attitude), with long days that stay light until 10pm or later in June. But summer also brings the crowds, and it's prime midge season: those tiny biting flies love still, damp evenings in the west, so pack repellent.
Winter is the quietest time of all, with snow on the mountains and the best chance of the northern lights, but the days are short (light from around 9am to 3:30pm in December) and some castles close until spring. Read more in the best time to visit Scotland.
Small-group tours of the Scottish Highlands
Every place in this guide is on at least one of our scheduled tours, from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, with no more than 16 travellers.
Isle of Skye 3-Day Tour from EdinburghTwo nights on Skye via Glencoe and Loch Ness: the Old Man of Storr, Fairy Glen and Eilean Donan.From £248 per person25% depositView tour →
Loch Ness Day Trip from EdinburghThe Highlands, Fort Augustus on Loch Ness, Glencoe and Loch Lomond in one guided day.From £96 per person50% depositView tour →
Glencoe Day Trip from GlasgowLoch Lomond, the Three Sisters, a Glencoe Lochan walk and Rannoch Moor.From £88 per person50% depositView tour →
2-Day Highland Tour from EdinburghLoch Ness, a night in Fort William, the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Glencoe.From £196 per person25% depositView tour →
Glenfinnan Viaduct Day Tour from InvernessAn optional Loch Ness cruise to Urquhart Castle, the Harry Potter viaduct and the Cairngorms.From £94 per person50% depositView tour →
5-Day Orkney Islands Tour from EdinburghSkara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe, the North Coast 500 and Loch Ness. Ferries included.From £428 per person25% depositView tour →Want to tour the Highlands at your own pace? We can build a private tour of Scotland around you.
Scottish Highlands: FAQs
Where are the Scottish Highlands?
The Highlands cover the north and west of Scotland, beyond the Highland Boundary Fault, which runs from Helensburgh and Loch Lomond to Stonehaven. They include Glencoe, Fort William, Loch Ness, the Cairngorms and islands like Skye. Inverness is the capital of the Highlands.
How big are the Scottish Highlands?
The Highland council area alone covers nearly 10,000 square miles, about a third of Scotland, and the wider Highlands take in Argyll, Perthshire and the islands too. Driving from Glencoe to John O'Groats takes around 5 hours.
Can you see the Highlands on a day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Yes. From Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glencoe fit into one day. From Edinburgh, our Loch Ness day trip crosses the Cairngorms to Loch Ness and comes back through Glencoe, a long but full day. For Skye, plan at least two nights.
What is the best way to see the Highlands without a car?
A small-group tour is the easiest: no single-track driving, and a guide to tell you the stories. Trains reach Fort William, Mallaig, Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh, and buses link the main towns, but many of the best places are hard to reach without a car or a tour.
When is the best time to visit the Scottish Highlands?
May, June and September give long days and fewer midges than July and August. Autumn brings the colours (Jordan's favourite) and winter brings snow on the mountains and quieter roads, but short days and some closed castles.
Are there midges in the Highlands?
Yes, from about late May to September, worst on still, damp evenings in the west. A breeze or sunshine keeps them away. Pack a repellent; locals swear by Smidge.
Your Journey to the Highlands
Finding your way around the Highlands can be a challenge, so we're here to help. You can explore more of our articles about the sights in Scotland, the history and the things to do along the way, starting with our Scotland bucket list and our 25 best places to visit in Scotland.
I hope this guide has inspired you to visit the Highlands of Scotland and experience all they have to offer. Feel free to get in touch with any questions. Now get out there and explore.
I'll leave you with an old Scottish saying: Lang may yer lum reek! (Long may your chimney smoke: may you live long and well.)
More Highlands guides
Last updated October 2026 by Jordan Ferguson.
