Small-group day tours & island tours · Start & finish in Inverness

Tours from InvernessDay trips to Skye, Loch Ness and Glenfinnan, and 3-day tours to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides

New for 2027, our day tours from Inverness run every day from 1 April to 31 October: the Isle of Skye day tour to the Fairy Pools and Eilean Donan Castle, the Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander day tour, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct & Cairngorms day tour. For longer trips, choose our 3-day Orkney & North Coast 500 tour or 3-day Outer Hebrides tour to Lewis & Harris, each with two island nights (accommodation is separate, and we can book it for you). Every tour starts and finishes in Inverness, with a storytelling expert guide and never more than 16 travellers.

Still choosing which islands to visit? Explore our Scottish island tours across departure cities and tour lengths.

  • Start & finish in Inverness
  • Day tours daily, April to October 2027
  • Maximum 16 travellers
  • Day tours from £90 · island tours from £316
Compare tours from InvernessHave fixed dates? Search all tours by date →

At a glance

Compare our tours from Inverness

Spend a day on Skye, at Loch Ness and Culloden or at Glenfinnan and be back in Inverness the same evening. Or take three days: travel the North Coast 500 to Orkney’s ancient stone circles and Neolithic villages, or cross the Minch to the white-sand beaches and standing stones of Lewis & Harris, with two island nights and the ferry crossings included.

Tours from Inverness compared
TourLengthOvernight staysFerriesFrom
Isle of Skye Day TourDaily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 20271 day, about 11 hoursNoneNot needed£100
Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander Day TourDaily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 20271 day, about 7½ hoursNoneNot needed£90
Glenfinnan Viaduct & Cairngorms Day TourDaily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 20271 day, about 11 hoursNoneNot needed£100
Orkney & North Coast 500 3-Day TourNext season: April–October 20273 days / 2 nightsKirkwall area ×2Included£316
Outer Hebrides, Lewis & Harris 3-Day TourApril–October 20273 days / 2 nightsLewis ×2Included£316

Prices are the lowest adult price per person for the tour itself; accommodation, meals and attraction tickets are extra. The tour page shows the live price and the dates with seats.

Our tours from Inverness

Each tour page has the full itinerary, the booking calendar and live prices.

Day tours from Inverness, daily April to October 2027

  • Daily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 2027
  • New for 2027

Isle of Skye Day Tour: Fairy Pools & Eilean Donan

A full day on Skye: Eilean Donan Castle, lunch in Portree and the walk to the Fairy Pools below the Cuillin mountains.

Highlights: Loch Ness · Glen Shiel · Eilean Donan Castle · Skye Bridge · Portree · Fairy Pools · Sligachan

  • Length1 day · about 11 hours
  • DepartsInverness, 8:00am (check in 7:45am)
  • Backapprox. 7:00pm
  • Ages12+
  • Extra costEilean Donan Castle entry, lunch

From £100 per person

Itinerary, dates & prices
  • Daily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 2027
  • New for 2027

Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander Day Tour

A shorter day close to Inverness: Culloden Battlefield, the 4,000-year-old Clava Cairns and an optional cruise down Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle.

Highlights: Culloden Battlefield · Clava Cairns · Loch Ness cruise · Urquhart Castle · Beauly

  • Length1 day · about 7½ hours
  • DepartsInverness, 9:00am (check in 8:45am)
  • Backapprox. 4:35pm
  • Ages12+
  • Extra costCulloden visitor centre, Loch Ness cruise, lunch

From £90 per person

Itinerary, dates & prices
  • Daily, 1 Apr–31 Oct 2027
  • New for 2027

Glenfinnan Viaduct & Cairngorms Day Tour

Cruise Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle, see the Harry Potter viaduct at Glenfinnan, then loop home through the Cairngorms via Aviemore.

Highlights: Loch Ness cruise · Urquhart Castle · Fort Augustus · Glenfinnan Viaduct · Commando Memorial · Ruthven Barracks · Aviemore

  • Length1 day · about 11 hours
  • DepartsInverness, 8:45am (check in 8:30am)
  • Backapprox. 7:30pm
  • Ages12+
  • Extra costLoch Ness cruise, Glenfinnan Monument entry, lunch

From £100 per person

Itinerary, dates & prices

3-day island tours from Inverness

  • Next season: April–October 2027
  • Ferries included

Orkney & North Coast 500 3-Day Tour

Through Scotland’s far north to Orkney, with two nights around Kirkwall, ancient stone circles and coastal castles.

Highlights: North Coast 500 · Pentland Firth ferry · Italian Chapel · Ring of Brodgar · Skara Brae · John O’ Groats · Dunrobin Castle

  • Length3 days · 2 nights around Kirkwall
  • DepartsInverness, 8:30am
  • Backapprox. 5–6pm on Day 3
  • Ages12+
  • Extra cost2 nights’ accommodation, meals, attraction tickets

From £316 per person

Itinerary, dates & prices
  • April–October 2027
  • Ferries included

Outer Hebrides, Lewis & Harris 3-Day Tour

Two nights on Lewis, with Harris’s white-sand beaches, ancient standing stones and the north-west Highlands.

Highlights: Corrieshalloch Gorge · Ullapool ferry · Luskentyre Beach · Callanish · Butt of Lewis · Knockan Crag

  • Length3 days · 2 nights on Lewis
  • DepartsInverness, 8:15am
  • Backapprox. 5–6pm on Day 3
  • Ages12+
  • Extra cost2 nights’ accommodation, meals, attraction tickets

From £316 per person

Itinerary, dates & prices

Which tour from Inverness suits you?

Short on time? Take a day tour

The day tours are back in Inverness the same evening, so there’s no luggage to move and no extra room to book. Pick Skye for mountains and the Fairy Pools, Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander for history close to the city, or Glenfinnan for the Harry Potter viaduct and the Cairngorms.

Shorter or longer day?

Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander is the shortest, at about 7½ hours. Skye and Glenfinnan are long days of about 11 hours, with more time on the road and more of the Highlands to see.

Choose Orkney for ancient history

The Orkney tour follows the North Coast 500 to John O’ Groats and the Pentland Firth ferry, then explores the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, Skara Brae and St Magnus Cathedral, with two nights around Kirkwall.

Choose Lewis & Harris for beaches and wild landscapes

The Lewis & Harris tour takes the Ullapool–Stornoway ferry to Luskentyre Beach, the Callanish Stones, blackhouse villages and the Butt of Lewis, with two nights on Lewis.

Can I see Orkney and Lewis & Harris on one trip?

Not on one 3-day tour: they go in different directions. No scheduled tour visits both, but a private tour can combine them.

When they run

The three day tours run every day from 1 April to 31 October 2027. Lewis & Harris runs from April to October 2027. Orkney’s next season runs from April to October 2027.

Good to know before you book

Pick-up

Central Inverness, with further details provided before tour start. Inverness departure information →

Back in Inverness

Day tours: about 4:35pm (Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander), 7:00pm (Skye) or 7:30pm (Glenfinnan). The 3-day tours plan to return at about 5–6pm on Day 3. Ferries, weather and traffic can change this, so avoid tight onward plans.

Accommodation

None needed on the day tours. On the 3-day tours it’s not included: Orkney stays are around Kirkwall; Lewis & Harris stays are on Lewis, normally around Stornoway. We can book rooms through our accommodation partners, or you can book your own.

Deposit and payment

Day tours: 50% deposit, with the balance 8 days before departure. 3-day tours: 25% deposit, with the balance 15 days before departure. Bookings made after the balance date may need full payment. Booking terms →

Luggage

On the 3-day tours, one medium bag up to 15kg (about 56 × 43 × 25cm) per person, plus a small personal item. There’s no luggage storage at the meeting point. Luggage guide →

Ages and walking

All five tours are for ages 12 and over. Most walks are short, up to about an hour, on paths that can be rough or wet; the Fairy Pools walk on the Skye day tour is about 5km there and back (around 90 minutes).

What travellers say about our island tours

Rated 4.9 by travellers on Google and Tripadvisor. Read more reviews →

★★★★★

Tour Guide John Macrae is an asset to this company. His informative commentary and banter made the Orkney tour exceptional and fun. … He is generous with his knowledge, time and resources.

Tori · 5-Day Orkney Tour with John · via Google

★★★★★

Just finished the 5 day tour to Orkney with Jim! Jim was great - very knowledgeable and took us to some amazing sights! Would 100% recommend to other travellers. Thanks again Jim for an unforgettable experience!

Emma R. · 5-Day Orkney Tour with Jim · via Google

★★★★★

Jim was a great guide on the 5 day Orkney tour. History and sights were all incredible. Backed up by Jim's local knowledge and friendly chatter

Harry R. · 5-Day Orkney Tour with Jim · via Google

Tours from Inverness: your questions

Where do we meet in Inverness?
Pick-up is in central Inverness, with further details provided before tour start. Check your tour page and booking confirmation for the departure time. See the Inverness departure information.
When do the tours return?
The day tours are back the same evening: at about 4:35pm (Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander), 7:00pm (Isle of Skye) and 7:30pm (Glenfinnan & Cairngorms). The 3-day tours plan to return to Inverness at about 5–6pm on Day 3. Ferry disruption, traffic and weather can change this, so avoid tightly timed trains, flights or plans immediately afterwards.
Is accommodation included?
The day tours don’t need any: you’re back in Inverness the same evening. The 3-day tours have two island nights, with accommodation charged separately. Ask us to arrange rooms through our accommodation partners, or book your own after confirming the correct area with us. Orkney stays are around Kirkwall; Lewis & Harris stays are on Lewis, normally around Stornoway.
What does the tour price cover?
Every tour includes your guide and transport on the itinerary, and the 3-day tours also include the scheduled return ferry crossings. Rooms, meals and paid attraction tickets are extra, such as Eilean Donan Castle, the Culloden visitor centre and the Loch Ness cruise on the day tours. Check each tour’s inclusions and booking calendar before choosing your dates.
Can I visit Orkney and the Outer Hebrides on one tour?
Not on a 3-day tour. They’re separate journeys in different directions: one visits Orkney, the other Lewis and Harris. If you want to combine destinations, ask us about a longer private trip.
Do you run day tours from Inverness?
Yes. In 2027 we run three small-group day tours from Inverness every day from 1 April to 31 October: the Isle of Skye (Fairy Pools & Eilean Donan Castle), Loch Ness, Culloden & Outlander, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct & Cairngorms. All three start and finish in central Inverness, with no more than 16 travellers, and every date is on sale now.
How much walking is involved?
All five are active sightseeing tours. Most walks are short, up to around an hour, on paths that can be rough, wet or uneven. The longest is the Fairy Pools walk on the Skye day tour: about 5km there and back, taking around 90 minutes. Bring sturdy footwear, waterproofs and layers, and talk to us about any access or mobility needs before booking.
Can I book with a deposit?
Yes. The day tours need a 50% deposit, with the balance taken 8 days before departure. The 3-day tours need a 25% deposit, with the balance due 15 days before departure. Bookings made after the balance-due date may need full payment; separately arranged accommodation can have different conditions. Read the booking terms.
How much luggage can I bring?
On the 3-day tours, bring one medium bag up to 15kg, approximately 56 × 43 × 25cm, plus a small handbag-sized personal item. Arrange storage for extra luggage before the tour; there’s no luggage storage at the meeting point. Read the luggage guide.

All tour FAQs →

More island and Highland tours

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Want to combine islands?

A private tour can combine islands, add days or start and finish where suits you, with your own guide for the whole trip.

Explore private tours