Our private Isle of Skye tours from Inverness let you enjoy the island’s famous scenery with a local guide behind the wheel. Travelling in our comfortable, air-conditioned seven-passenger vehicles, your small group can relax while we handle the Highlands roads and the bridge or ferry crossings. Choose from carefully planned Isle of Skye day tours or multi-day itineraries that include favourites such as the Fairy Pools, Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, Portree harbour and Eilean Donan Castle. All of our Isle of Skye tours from Inverness are fully customisable, so if your party has a special interest – whisky, photography, clan history or easy walks – we will design the best Skye tour for your group.
We like Isle of Skye tours because there are many ways of getting to the island from Inverness. So we have plenty of spectacular choices when it comes to offering different circular routes to and from Skye. But whether you choose lonely Glen Carron, the Road to the Isles or by Eilean Donan Castle, we know that you will love it.
When planning your trip you need to consider how big the Isle of Skye is. It is a little over 60 miles long. However, because it has many peninsulas it actually has hundreds of miles of roads. So, we offer one day tours to different parts of Skye and a three day tour that does the lot!
Our trips to Skye are designed to deliver exactly what each visitor requires. So we have several available, each one day tour or trip has a different focus. Our three days “Best of the Isle of Skye” tour combines the highlights of the other tours in one memorable short break.
Eilean Donan is one of the iconic castles of Scotland and all our Isle of Skye tours from Inverness pass by. Any of the tours can include a photostop or visit. Even our shortest one day Skye tour includes time to visit the south end of the island and Eilean Donan.
Our one day Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour from Inverness arose as many visitors asked about the Harry Potter train. So, in 2007, we developed a special tour which combines a visit to Skye with a Jacobite Train experience. That experience can just involve photostops along the train’s route, or an actual journey onboard!
Dunvegan Castle is a great one day tour from Inverness and lies in the extreme north west of the Isle of Skye. The castle has been the ancestral home of the Clan MacLeod for 800 years. As a result the castle is filled with sumptuous furnishings, paintings and objects of every sort.
We think our one day Trotternish Peninsula Tour from Inverness is the most scenic and picturesque on the Isle of Skye. As a result, visitors marvel at the fantasy landscapes of the Storr, Kilt Rock and the Quiraing. It is no wonder that so many films have used this peninsula for locations.
Our usual one day Isle of Skye & Talisker Distillery Tour from Inverness is to the oldest Distillery in Skye. They have been making whisky since 1830, so it follows that they have it down to a fine art. We also like to add a visit to the Fairy Pools, as they lie close to Talisker. However, a different but equally fascinating distillery visit is possible at the other end of the island instead, if requested. Torabhaig Distillery is the newest distillery on Skye, and has been making whisky since 2017. We can visit it as part of our south Skye tour.
Our Isle of Skye and Mull Tour from Inverness is for those who thirst to see more than one Hebridean island. We feel that taking two days to look at both Skye and Mull gives people an interesting contrast. You will overnight on the Isle of Mull.
The Best of the Isle of Skye Tour from Inverness is for those inspired by reading about our other Skye tours. To enjoy all of the places we visit on the one day tours you need the three day tour. It is called the Best of the Isle for good reason. You will be able to ride the Jacobite Train; visit the museum of the Isles; stay two nights on Skye; and see Trotternish, Talisker and Dunvegan.
There are so many answers to the question “Why visit the Isle of Skye?” Whether your enthusiasms are arts and crafts, food and drink, history and legend, walks and wildlife or scenery and culture you will find it all here. These attractions, coupled with the warm welcome, is why the Isle of Skye has been described by many as one of the world’s must-see destinations.
Our tours do feature the highlights, but there are many other places to visit on the Isle of Skye too. As well as historical and scenic locations, there are sites associated with myth and legend. Skye also offers opportunities for wildlife trips; activity visits or even just some gentle walking.
The Old Man of Storr is a well known landmark on the Isle of Skye. A great finger of rock, it points from the Trotternish ridge into the island sky. Standing over 160 feet high, this massive pinnacle remained unclimbed until 1955. Our Trotternish Tour runs right by the Old Man.
The Quiraing, on the Isle of Skye, is a fantastic maze of rock spikes and cliffs. Skye writer Otta Swire exclaimed that “it was as if the terror that walks in darkness here walks by day!”
Portree is the capital of the Isle of Skye. It is a very pretty town, not least due to the many brightly coloured houses along the harbourside. The main street has a good range of local shops and as a result our visitors enjoy spending time here
The Skye Boat Song is perhaps currently best known as the theme to the popular TV show Outlander. It does, however, have quite a lengthy history. It began as a traditional air, a Gaelic rowing song, called The Cuckoo in the Grove. The words were added in 1884, and the name consequently changed to the Skye Boat Song. This was because the words tell of the fugitive Bonnie Prince Charlie’s travelling “Over the sea to Skye” in 1746. Eight years later Robert Louis Stevenson rewrote alternative lyrics, and it is these that Bear McCreary used for Outlander.
The question “who owns the Isle of Skye?” is not an easy one to answer. In common with much of Scotland, land ownership in Skye is a bit of a patchwork. There are about a dozen large landowners on Skye, with the Scottish Government owning most of the northern half of the island. Glendale, near Dunvegan is a community-owned estate, while Sleat, in the south, is a local development trust.
Yes. It’s a long but very realistic day. Our routes usually include highlights such as the Fairy Pools, Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing and Portree. You get the big sights without having to drive the full loop yourself.
Around two hours to reach Skye via the bridge, depending on traffic and weather. Most tours also stop at Eilean Donan Castle on the way.
Yes. All of our Isle of Skye tours from Inverness are private for your group only. You won’t share the vehicle with other passengers.
We use comfortable, air-conditioned seven-passenger vehicles designed for Highlands roads and small-group touring.
Absolutely. If your group prefers more time for photography, gentle walks, clan history, whisky, wildlife or specific viewpoints, we will tailor the route to suit you.
The weather can change quickly on the island. Bring waterproofs, warm layers, comfortable footwear and a charged phone or camera.
Meals aren’t included, but your guide will recommend good local cafés and restaurants in Portree or around the island.
If you wish to visit the Isle of Skye for longer then we can accommodate that too. We can build a custom tour to your desired length adding any of your other desired places; activities or cultural experiences.
Inverness Tours has been taking visitors on world-class tours for more than fifteen years. We have been working to make our exclusive tour business the finest of its kind available in Scotland. Our solid (but constantly updated) knowledge is a tool for your use. As a result, you will enjoy the best eating places, the most rewarding visits, and the locals’ choice of “off the beaten track” walks and vistas. We strive to enthral, excite and entertain as we show you the real Scotland.
Our Inverness Tour Guides are a hand-picked team. As well as being accredited members of the Highlands of Scotland Tour Guide Association, they are all well-recognised as being at the top of their fields. We chose them because they are great storytellers, fun to be with, and uniquely qualified to do what they do well. We know you deserve the best team of guides available. See their individual profiles here
We have a fabulous back-catalogue of reviews. Over 98% of our hundreds of TripAdvisor reviews are five-star, so we have received their Certificate of Excellence every year, and a placement in their Hall of Fame!
