See the iconic sights of Skye with the people who know it best
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by more than 2400 happy customers
#1 for tours from Inverness and Invergordon
After leaving Inverness the first part of our route hugs the shores of Loch Ness. Whilst you enjoy the scenery (and of course keep your eyes trained on the loch!) your guide will fill you in on the story behind the legendary beast; Nessie.
As we venture further west the scenery becomes more dramatic; as the mist swirls you will feel that you have truly arrived in the Scottish Highlands. As the road winds between high hills, past dark lochans and through windswept glens your guide will fill you in on the tragic history of this area, and how this history led to the desolate landscapes that you see today.
After passing the 5 Sisters of Kintail – one of Scotland’s most recognisable mountain massifs – we will soon see Loch Duich, which heralds our welcome to Scotland’s wonderful west coast.
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Highland cows have long vied with Nessie to be prized as Scotland’s most iconic creature. However, whilst we can only claim to have had the occasional Nessie sighting on this tour, thankfully these much-coveted coos are not quite as coy in front of cameras! On the vast majority of tours we will be able to stop and say hello to these much-loved hairy beasts.
Please note that we can never guarantee to see them, as sometimes farmers move their cattle to different fields, and seasonality plays a part in this too (we are less likely to see them in October). Also, for anyone joining the tour in Drumnadrochit or Invermoriston, you will not get a chance to see them.
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Eilean Donan Castle is said to be one of the most photographed castles in the world, and justifiably so; the 13th Century fortification dominates the small tidal island it sits on, and is surrounded by majestic mountain scenery.
Aside from its presence on innumerable postcards and shortbread tins you may well recognise Eilean Donan from films including Highlander, James Bond – The World Is Not Enough and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, a Bollywood classic.
We will spend around 15 minutes at a classic viewpoint across the water from the castle. Please note that there is not enough time to go into the castle – this is a photo stop only.
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Set within a pretty natural harbour, and surrounded by rocky cliffs and rolling hills, Portree is a beautiful place to explore. With its quirky shops, cute cafes and interesting sights you will certainly find plenty to occupy you during our 30 – 40 minute stop here. Your guide will give you some top tips on the coach, and will also point you in the direction of the harbour viewpoint; from here you can admire the pretty pastel-coloured houses that the town is famous for. Alternatively, you may wish to take a short hike up to the top of the Apothecary Tower, where you can enjoy stunning vistas of the area.
If you pre-ordered lunch from the Isle of Skye Baking Company at the start of the tour then your guide will pick it up here, and will deliver it to you back on the mini-coach. If you have not taken this option then you will want to use your time in Portree to grab some lunch. There are plenty of options in the town centre; from a local deli serving seafood rolls and home-made cakes to a traditional fish and chip shop and two Skye bakeries, you will definitely find something to suit you (but please note that Portree is very busy at lunchtime, so you may have to wait in line for quite a while!).
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As we venture further north we enter a supernatural and dramatic landscape which was created by volcanic activity millions of years ago. A short photo stop at a loch-side viewpoint gives you a chance to admire the unique rock formation of the Old Man of Storr. This 50 metre high pinnacle juts out from the awe-inspiring Trotternish Ridge and will be widely recognised from feature films including Stardust, The Wicker Man, Prometheus and The BFG.
We spend around 10 minutes here, and may stop at a second viewpoint too (weather and time permitting).
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It also boasts a waterfall that tumbles 60 metres (180 feet) into the Sound of Raasay below – a truly enthralling sight, and one made even more special when the wind blows the waterfall back up the cliff!
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At around 2pm we will begin our journey back down Skye’s most northerly peninsula; the Trotternish. As you marvel at the majestic scenery from a completely different angle, your guide will fill you in on its 190 million year old stones, Jurassic fossils, dinosaur footprints and giant lava blocks, which have led to this area being referred to as Skye’s, “Theatre of Geology”.
Whilst the Fairy Pools have become one of Skye’s most popular sights in recent years, we feel strongly that a trip to the island is incomplete without seeing the incredible scenery of the Trotternish Peninsula. As we journey back down south we are sure that you will now agree with us!
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The Fairy Pools are a series of beautiful rock pools and waterfalls which are famed for their crystal clear blue waters, and their stunning Cuillin mountain backdrop. We will spend around 75 – 90 minutes here, to give you plenty of time to enjoy this wonderful sight.
The scenic walk to the first pool takes around 20 minutes (distance is 0.7 miles) and the most impressive waterfall is 5 minutes further on (0.9 miles total). Most guests spend their time around this area, admiring the crystal clear waters of the pools and their gushing waterfalls. Photo opportunities abound!
For those keen to get off-the-beaten-track and take some stunning photos you can venture on up the path to the other pools further upstream – by walking another 15 – 20 minutes (0.6 miles) you will pretty much have the path to yourself.
Please be aware that the walk to the Fairy Pools and back is a total of around 1.5 miles and will take around 40 minutes, so you do require a moderate level of fitness for this part of the tour.
For those who do not feel fit enough to embark on this hike at the Fairy Pools you are still more than welcome to come on the tour. There is outdoor seating provided to take in the beautiful views and when the weather is not so good, there is a small enclosure where you can keep out of the rain and wind.
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After so many world-class sights ticked off your list today, you will have an hour or so to sit back, relax and take in the scenery and stories before our final stop.
We will drive along the shores of Loch Duich before reaching Glen Shiel, site of the legendary Battle of Glenshiel. This battle is notable as, during the 1719 Jacobite uprising, it was the only one to be effectively ended by the Government. Your guide will also explain about a more unusual aspect of the battle; the involvement of both the Spanish and the Dutch. There are various interesting Jacobite military sights which will be pointed out along the way.
As we pass Loch Cluanie keep an eye out for the historic bridge and buildings which have been submerged since the damming of the loch in 1957 – you can catch glimpses of these when the water level is very low.
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Towards the end of our action-packed journey we will travel back along the shores of Loch Ness. This time, we will stop at the castle we admired in the morning (it will seem like a lifetime ago after today’s epic adventure!). Urquhart Castle is best viewed from above for wonderful views of the medieval ruins, which sit upon a stubby peninsula jutting out into the inky waters of the mysterious loch.
We are confident that you will return to Inverness with memories to last a lifetime, and having fallen in love with the place we feel so lucky to call home.
CloseThere are a number of companies in Inverness offering tours to Skye, and we appreciate that it can be difficult to decide which company to use. We wanted to summarise the main benefits of coming on our tour, so that you can make the best choice for your group. So..here goes…
We very much hope that you will choose to come with us to Skye, and are looking forward to meeting you, and showing you the best the island has to offer, very soon!
We sell our tours through a number of online agents. However, we would strongly encourage you to book directly on our own website, for the following reasons;
We very much look forward to showing you the Highlands!
This tour departs from Union Street (in Inverness city centre) at 8.15am. Please ensure that you are ready to board the bus at 8.05am as we will leave promptly at 8.15am (0815), and are unable to wait for any latecomers, and it is not possible to catch up with the tour. The tour will return to Inverness city centre at approximately 8.15pm (2015). It is possible that we may return a bit later than this, although we always try to keep to our schedule as much as possible.
We also offer a few other pick up locations. These will be available to select when booking, with a specific pick-up time and place provided in your email confirmation.
Our main departure point is at 15 Union Street in Inverness city centre. Look out for the kilted WOW guide and WOW-branded coach and you won’t miss us!
When you book you will be given the option to book from a few other pick up locations, as an alternative to the bus station. Further details on these pick ups are provided in the next FAQ, and precise timing information will be provided in your booking confirmation email.
Yes, as a thank you for booking direct, via our own website, we are delighted to be able to offer you the following alternative pick ups:
Please just select your preferred location when booking and we will collect you there in the morning, and drop you off again in the evening.
Timings above are approximate and are subject to change – more precise timings will be provided on your booking confirmation email.
On all standard and group rate tickets for our Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour you can cancel your tour and get a 100% refund up to 48 hours prior to the tour start time (with the exception of any seat upgrade fees, which are non refundable).
For those who wish to have increased flexibility we also offer a flex ticket, which enables you to cancel your tour and get a 100% refund up to 24 hours prior to the start time (with the exception of any seat upgrade fees, which are non refundable).
Firstly, it is worth mentioning that all seats offer great views and plenty of legroom. However, many guests have seating preferences so, in response to this, we give you the opportunity, on our Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour and our Invergordon shore tours, to book the following chargeable upgrades;
The price of the upgrades vary depending on the option and tour selected, with prices between £5 and £20 per person (note that any fees paid for seat upgrades are non-refundable if you cancel your tour). If they are available, upgrades will be given as an option when booking. Please note that it does not make any difference which side of the coach you sit on, so we don’t take requests for specific sides.
The rest of our seating is allocated upon arrival (unless the tour is fully booked, in which case we compile a seating plan in advance, to ensure that couples/groups can be seated together). If you are unhappy with your seat please let your tour guide know and he will do his best to accommodate your requests, although obviously many guests would prefer a window seat so it is not possible for everyone to have these!
The opportunity to purchase seat upgrades is a definite advantage of booking with us directly, through our own website. These upgrades are not available if our tour is booked through online agents.
Please note that seat upgrades are not currently available on our Skye Explorer Hiking Tour. The reason for this is because we have less time on the coach and use a smaller 16-seater vehicle for this tour. Consequently, seat position is not as crucial, and we try to seat guests logically, according to group composition (we have four single window seats, four double window seats and four seats together at the back).
For our Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour we generally use one of our two 33-seater mini-coaches, both of which were built to our precise specifications, to ensure the highest levels of passenger comfort. They are very well-appointed with panoramic windows, comfortable reclining seats and USB ports under every seat. You can rest assured that you will be able to relax and enjoy the majestic scenery in complete comfort. You can read more about our coaches here.
On occasion we may use our smaller, 16-seater executive mini-coach. It offers all of the same features as described above, but also boasts a panoramic glass roof, for that extra special view!
There are five main stops where toilets/bathrooms can be accessed (timings are for our 0815 departures and can vary slightly but this gives you a very good indication of time between comfort breaks).
Outside of these times it may be possible to make unscheduled bathroom stops – please just ask your driver guide to see what they can do for you, as the last thing we ever want is for our passengers is to be uncomfortable.
We would recommend that you purchase your lunch and any snacks in Portree at 11.15am (you have approximately 40 minutes here and there are a number of cafes, bakeries and shops). This is the one and only opportunity on the tour to purchase food and drink on the tour, due to the lack of any shops/cafes on our route. Consequently, we would also recommend that you bring some light snacks and drinks with you on the coach, in order to keep your energy up for the adventure!
We are delighted to be working with our friends at The Isle of Skye Baking Company in Portree to offer a delicious packed lunch option. At the start of the tour you will be given access to a menu with QR code. By scanning this QR code or visiting the website you can order and pay for a lunch, which your driver guide will collect in Portree, and deliver to you upon your return to the mini-coach there.
We offer this service to enable you to save time, and focus on seeing the sights of Portree. If you do not wish to take this option you are welcome to bring your own food with you, or pick something up during our 40 minutes in Portree. Please note that there is definitely not time for a sit-down lunch in Portree.
The Isle of Skye Baking Company offers a lunch package especially for WOW guests. This consists of a filled bread (e.g. Scottish cheddar and pan-fried leeks or) or quiche (e.g. bacon & leek or panfried mushroom & roast aubergine), two mini cakes and a shortbread. The price of the lunch package is £9.75pp.
In addition, you can order add-on items including side salads (£4), delicious cakes such as sticky toffee pudding cake or coffee and walnut cake (£4) , various scones (£3.50) and cold drinks (£2). All of these items are made on the premises and their exclusive WOW menu changes on a daily basis. They also offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. They also sell some lovely edible souvenirs, which you can add to your order!
We are delighted to support this wonderful local business who, like ourselves, pride themselves in providing excellent products and service to their customers.
The tour returns to Inverness city centre at around 8.15pm. For dinner we would recommend booking a table in Inverness and we will send you a list of a few of our favourites a few days prior to the tour.
On this tour you spend approximately 1 1/4 hours at the Fairy Pools; the location is windy and exposed, with absolutely no shelter from the elements, so it is imperative that you are appropriately dressed for this. We really cannot stress this enough – if you are soaking wet you will struggle to enjoy the rest of the day. As we say in Scotland, “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”!
We would strongly recommend wearing hiking boots with ankle support (as a minimum you will need sturdy comfortable trainers/sneakers) as the path is often muddy and slippery. We would also strongly recommend bringing a waterproof jacket, and ideally waterproof trousers/pants too (note that umbrellas are not appropriate on Skye – they just blow inside out and are rendered useless very quickly). In addition to these essentials we would suggest wearing layers, including a thick sweater/fleece option, and bringing a hat and gloves and warm jacket in your bag.
Even if the sun is shining brightly when you leave Inverness, they do say that you only really experience Scotland when you see four seasons in one day, so please be prepared!
This is a 12 hour tour which covers all of the most popular sights, both en-route to and on the Isle of Skye. Although there is approximately 7 1/2 hours of driving involved the scenery along the way is stunning, and of course the commentary will keep you informed and entertained, so the time onboard will fly by! The tour also incorporates around 4 1/2 hours of stops so there is plenty of time to get out and explore!
The stop where we spend most time on this tour is at the Fairy Pools. The walk from the coach park to the pools is uphill on a rough path. To get to the first pool will take a fit person around 15 – 20 minutes and the distance is 0.7 miles. To then walk on to the last of the pools is a further 0.3 miles and will take around 10 minutes (this is entirely optional as you can enjoy the beauty of the pools from the first vantage point). In total a fit person will walk the 1.5 miles there and back in around 40 minutes, and will have around 35-50 minutes to enjoy at the pools themselves.
You can choose to go for a walk in Portree but there is no requirement to do any walk other than at the Fairy Pools (even at the pools your guide can take you to an alternative natural sight nearby, but please note that there are no other activities, shops or things to see at the Fairy Pools).
In the summer of 2023 bridges were built at the Fairy Pools, in order to enable access to the pools, whatever the weather. (Previously, stepping stones had to be used to cross the streams and, if the stones were submerged, it was not possible to cross). The being said, if it is very rainy and windy the Fairy Pools is really not a pleasant experience, as you cannot see the views, the water will not be the brilliant blue the pools are famous for and, most importantly, there is no shelter, so you are likely to get completely soaked. This makes for a really unpleasant experience, if you have to spend the next six hours feeling damp! Consequently, if the weather is bad we may decide that it would be advantageous to visit another sight instead. We really only do this if we have to, as we know many people book this tour primarily to visit this top sight.
On this tour in general we will do our best to tailor our itinerary to the weather conditions. Whilst it is not always possible to avoid the rain, we can adjust our timings to try and ensure that we visit the most exposed sights at the least rainy times.
First and foremost; we would not encourage you to swim in the pools. However, if you are considering it please bear the following in mind;
We cannot stress enough how cold the water is – it might look enticing but, even in the height of summer, it is estimated to be around 4-6oC (42oF) which is colder than the (notoriously chilly) North Sea!!
Open water swimming is inherently dangerous and should only be attempted by very confident swimmers
There is nowhere to change, which is fine if you put your swimming stuff on under your clothes, but perhaps not as fine when you come out desperate to get some warm clothes on, but everyone is looking and pointing at the crazy person who has just been swimming!
If you do decide that you still wish to swim in the pools, you should bring a towel and swimming costume.
Swimming in the pools is done entirely at your own risk.
In a word, no. We do not visit Talisker Distillery on any of our scheduled or private tours, as it often gets exceptionally busy there and, as such, we are unable to guarantee the quality of the experience offered.
Yes – we’d be delighted to offer you a private tour! These are suited to groups of 8+, as the smallest vehicle we have is a luxury 16-seater mini-coach. Please contact us for details of availability and pricing.
Unfortunately not all of the stops offer wheelchair access, as a lot of the terrain on Skye is very rugged. Also, the coach is not equipped for passengers to remain in their wheelchairs. That being said, if you are able to get out of your wheelchair at the coach steps and walk onto the coach, there is no reason why you could not enjoy the tour from the comfort of the coach and we will make every effort to accommodate those with mobility problems.
We welcome children over the age of six on our tour.
It should be noted that approximately 60-70% of the day is spent on the coach, so it may be an idea to bring some toys, games and snacks with you. Unfortunately, due to the duration of the tour and time on the coach, we do not feel that this tour is appropriate for children under the age of six, so the tour is not open to this age group. This is for the comfort of other passengers and also to ensure that the driver guide can focus on doing their jobs without any distractions.
UK law states that each passenger must have their own seat and use their seatbelt at all times. Consequently, it is not possible to take a child on your lap. From experience we know that, very occasionally, parents try to bring children on without purchasing a seat. However, we would like to make it clear that this is not allowed and there will be no refund if you are refused entry to the tour for taking children under 6 or those whom you haven’t booked.
Yes! If you would like to spend a few days in Skye we are happy to drop you off there, so that you can continue your trip independently. In order to see as much as possible of Skye on the tour we’d recommend dropping you off in Sligachan, Broadford or Kyleakin at the end of the day. However, if you would like to be dropped off somewhere else please contact us and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request (although please note that we cannot drop you off in Portree, as we do not return there at the end of the day).
If you are dropped off in Skye you will most likely miss the photo stops at Eilean Donan Castle and Urquhart Castle/Loch Ness.
Tour Guide
210 Reviews
With over 10 years of experience as a tour director and guide, Andrew prefers to consider himself as a storyteller, amateur historian and, above all, an ambassador for Scotland
Tour Guide
5 Reviews
We’re delighted to welcome Murdoch to our WOW 2024 team. He is passionate about Scotland, his story repertoire is impressive and he loves spending his days entertaining our guests. Murdoch works full time as a tour guide in the summer, then is studying to be a physicist in the winter.
