3-Day Isle of Skye Itinerary: Private Tour of Skye & the Highlands
3-Day Isle of Skye Itinerary: Private Tour of Skye & the Highlands
Glencoe, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the ferry to Skye, the Old Man of Storr and Eilean Donan Castle, with your own guide and private vehicle.
- 3 days · 2 nights
- Private guide & vehicle
- Two nights on Skye
- Start anywhere in Scotland
The Isle of Skye in three days, the private way. Travel through Glencoe and past Ben Nevis to Glenfinnan, sail over the sea to Skye, spend a full day exploring its castles, cliffs and fairy landscapes, and come home by Eilean Donan Castle and Loch Ness.
It’s a sample, not a fixed package. Your own guide and tour coordinator will reshape the route, pace and places to stay around your group.
Your 3-day Isle of Skye itinerary at a glance
Places to stay are rough areas only; we’ll choose your accommodation with you. Tap the map to explore each day’s stops, or open it full screen. The route is flexible, and your guide can adjust the order and stops on the day.
| Day | Route | Where you could stay |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Loch Lomond → Rannoch Moor → Glencoe → Fort William → Glenfinnan → ferry to Skye | Isle of Skye: Portree area |
| Day 2 | Dunvegan Castle → Old Man of Storr → Kilt Rock → Duntulm Castle → Fairy Glen | Isle of Skye: Portree area |
| Day 3 | Skye Bridge → Eilean Donan Castle → Loch Ness → Creag Meagaidh → Pitlochry → home | Home |
The 3-day Isle of Skye itinerary, day by day
Day 1Through Glencoe and over the sea to Skye
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs · Rannoch Moor · Glencoe · Fort William & Ben Nevis · Glenfinnan Viaduct · Mallaig ferry
We pick you up and drive north along Loch Lomond into Scotland’s first national park, then out across Rannoch Moor to the Three Sisters of Glencoe. You’ll hear the story of the Glencoe massacre and see the replica turf house at the visitor centre.
We pass through Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain, and stop at the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the “Harry Potter bridge”, to hear about Bonnie Prince Charlie. Then it’s the ferry from Mallaig, about 30 minutes across to the Isle of Skye, and on to Portree.
Day 2Isle of Skye: Dunvegan, the Storr and the Fairy Glen
Dunvegan Castle · Old Man of Storr · Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls · Duntulm Castle · Fairy Glen · Portree
A full day exploring Skye. We start at Dunvegan Castle and its stories of the fairy folk, including the clan chief who married a fairy queen. Then we head north past the Old Man of Storr to Kilt Rock, where basalt columns look like tartan and Mealt Falls pours into the sea.
The clifftop ruin of Duntulm Castle tells of the feuds between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds. Our last stop is the Fairy Glen, a secluded, magical landscape, before an evening in Portree.
Day 3Eilean Donan Castle, Loch Ness and home
Skye Bridge · Eilean Donan Castle · Fort Augustus & Loch Ness cruise · Creag Meagaidh · Pitlochry
We leave Skye over the Skye Bridge for Eilean Donan Castle, world-famous for its setting, with time to explore and take photos. Then it’s Fort Augustus on Loch Ness for a cruise and the legend of Nessie.
Our walk of the day is at Creag Meagaidh (say “Craig Meggy”), a rewilding landscape of ancient woodland. We stop in Pitlochry, the town Queen Victoria loved, before dropping you off at the end of your tour.
Ways to tailor this itinerary
More time on Skye
Add a night or two, or see Skye as part of our 7-day Islay & Skye or 10-day Skye & Orkney itineraries.
Where you stay
From luxury castles and manor houses to cosy Highland B&Bs. If you’ve already booked your accommodation, we’ll plan around it.
Harry Potter fans
Time your visit to Glenfinnan to see the steam train cross the viaduct.
Pick-up anywhere
Start and finish in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, an airport or anywhere else in Scotland.
What a 3-day private tour costs
Usually included
- Your own expert guide for the whole trip
- A private vehicle, fuel, taxes and associated costs
- Accommodation (unless you’d rather book your own)
- Entry to the places you visit
- Planning, booking and organising by your own tour coordinator
- 24/7 support throughout your trip
Not included
- Food and drink
Typical total for the whole group for trips of 2 to 3 days, based on bespoke private tours booked with us over the last two years. Group size, your choice of accommodation, the season and the experiences you add can change the price a lot, so treat this as a guide and tell us your budget.
What our private guests say
We recently did a private 5-day highland tour using Scotland's Wild. From first contact they were helpful, cheerful, professional and excited we were booking with them. … First, to have a van to ourselves for 5 days was AWESOME! Our itinerary was built just for us and our interests, which was also great. But Matt DELIVERED.
It was an unforgettable trip that me and my friends will cherish forever. Special thanks to our tour guide Jim who filled the tour with smiles, enthusiasm, and great knowledge with sites and landmarks the we visited and saw along the way. I would definitely highly recommend it to anyone who wants a private and flexible tour to have their friends/ family.
We did a private tour, and it was so amazing!! Aila was a wonderful tour guide, and made the experience 5 stars for us. She was so knowledgeable, and made sure we saw everything we wanted to see. I highly recommend taking any of their tours and having an adventure of a lifetime.
3-day private tour FAQs
Can we change this 3-day itinerary?
Yes. This is a sample to give you ideas, not a fixed package. We’ll change the route, the pace, the number of days and where you stay to suit your group.
Where does the tour start and finish?
Wherever suits you. As it’s a private tour, we pick you up and drop you off anywhere in Scotland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness or the airport.
How much does a 3-day private tour of Scotland cost?
Bespoke private tours of this length (trips of 2 to 3 days) typically cost £3,500–£5,000 in total for the whole group, based on tours booked with us over the last two years. Group size, accommodation, the season and the experiences you choose can change this a lot, so tell us your budget and we’ll plan around it.
What’s included?
Your own guide and private vehicle (with fuel and taxes), planning and booking by your tour coordinator, and 24/7 support. Most bespoke tours also include your accommodation and entry to the places you visit. Food and drink are not included.
How do we get to the Isle of Skye?
On this itinerary we take the ferry from Mallaig, which takes about 30 minutes, and leave Skye over the Skye Bridge. Your guide and vehicle travel with you.
Is this itinerary suitable for a family or a large group?
Yes. Most of our private groups are 2 to 8 people, and we also plan tours for solo travellers and groups of 16 or more. Tell us who’s travelling and we’ll plan the vehicle and accommodation around you.
Plan your 3-day private Isle of Skye tour
Tell us your dates, who’s travelling and what you’d love to see. Your tour coordinator will use it to start shaping a plan around your group.
