Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour
Enjoy the Private Group Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Day Tour. We leave from Inverness with local knowledge shared by the Inverness Tour Guides. Travel in style and comfort in our air conditioned vehicles. Tours priced for up to 7 passengers. See FAQ tab for info on supplementary fares for train and ferry.
Visit memorable places; Fort William, Glenfinnan, Isle of Skye, Eilean Donan Castle, Loch Ness and a photo opportunity at Urquhart Castle.
Departure
Collection from within 16 miles of Inverness included in the price.
Book now! Get instant confirmation of your calendar appointment.
£680.00 11 hours
Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour – Itinerary
The Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour from Inverness begins with the trip south, to Fort William. From there we follow the train route to Mallaig, passing through Glenfinnan on the way. We take the ferry to the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye and enjoy south Skye before recrossing to the mainland by bridge. You have the chance to visit Eilean Donan Castle and also end by taking photos at Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness.
Commando Memorial
Commando Memorial stands on a hilltop with stunning 360 degree views. The magnificent bronze monument commemorates the commandos that used the harsh ground of these mountains and moors as their training area from 1942 to 1945. With good weather there are also great views of Ben Nevis.
The Hogwarts Express
The Jacobite Train or Hogwarts Express is often described as one of the greatest rail journeys in the world. Running from Fort William to Mallaig it passes the highest mountain in Britain, a ruined castle, many screen locations including the Harry Potter Bridge at Glenfinnan, native woodland and stunning white sand beaches. You can choose to ride the train(April to October), or just travel the route, stopping for photos of the train. Either way, we make our way west to the ferry port at Mallaig.
Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan is located on the romantic route; “The Road to the Isles”. It is where Bonnie Prince Charlie first raised his royal standard in 1745, starting the last Jacobite Rising, and there is a picturesquely situated monument tower and visitor centre to commemorate this. The railway viaduct carries the Jacobite Steam Train. The area was also the film location for several scenes from Harry Potter films (including the location of Hogwarts School).
The Ferry to Skye
The Ferry to Skye runs from Mallaig (on the mainland) to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. The crossing takes around 30 minutes and it is one of the most scenic in the world. Enjoy views of the fjord of Loch Nevis, and the island group known as the Small Isles (particularly Eigg and Rum).
Isle of Skye
Isle of Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides. The breathtaking scenery surrounding you is the perfect setting for its rich body of myth and legend. Skye has featured in many TV shows and films in both Hollywood and Bollywood, and plenty homegrown productions too.
The Sleat Peninsula
The Sleat Peninsula at the southern end of the island is where we make landfall. Here, in the “Garden of Skye” we can visit the Clan Donald Centre with its gardens, museum and restaurant and/or the beautiful port of Eilean Iarman.
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle is called the “most romantic castle in the Highlands” due to the number of weddings it hosts. A Clan Macrae stronghold, it has a great exhibition, shop and café and has been in movies like Highlander, James Bond and Made of Honor. It is a favourite with photographers, and as a result appears on many postcards and calendar pictures.
The Five Sisters of Kintail
The mountains known as the Five Sisters of Kintail are very popular with photographers and hikers due to their five jagged peaks. The Battle of Glen Shiel was fought between Jacobites and redcoats on the lower slopes in 1719. Legends and tales abound in the Kintail area.
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle make a great stop because you can capture two icons in one photo. One of the great castles of Scotland, Urquhart was first held by Pictish tribal chiefs, later becoming a mighty royal castle, and finally a Clan Grant stronghold. It saw 1,000 years of continuous occupation before its fall, in 1692. It overlooks the dark waters of Loch Ness – the largest lake in the country. This is more than enough water to hide its most famous inhabitant – Nessie!
Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour – Price
£680 for the tour. Ferry and train tickets are separate online purchases for you. We will advise you on which service to book. The tour is not available due to ferry timetables late October until early April.
Isle of Skye and Hogwarts Express Tour – Departure
The tour can depart from your Inverness accommodation, or from any transport hub you prefer, such as bus station, train station or airport. You tell us, and we’ll be there.
FAQ
Can each person in the party pay separately?
Driver/Guide licencing in Scotland will only allow us to take one payment per tour, so if people in a party wish to split the cost then they arrange that amongst themselves and make one tour payment to us.
Are entries to the various visitor attractions, distilleries or ferry fares included?
We don’t include entry to the attractions and distilleries – and that way we leave the day as flexible as possible for you. Ferry fares vary dependent upon your party size so we cannot include them in a single set price. We do, however, know that the 2020/21 ferry cost for this tour currently varies between £16 total for a party of one person, up to £35 total for a party of seven people. We don’t include the price of the train as some folks choose to ride it and others don’t. (But for your info it is £48)
Do I need to book any items in advance?
You will need to book the ferry in advance, and if you choose to ride the train then those tickets too will need to be purchased online, in advance. We are happy to advise and assist you with this.
Will I need cash with me?
Most places will accept Visa or MasterCard and some will accept American Express. It is always prudent, though, to bring a little cash with you for unexpected eventualities. You will need GBP, not Euros or Dollars.
What will we be doing for lunch?
You are responsible for paying for your own food & drink during your tour. Lunch could be in a café, pub, restaurant or even a picnic at a beauty spot. Your guide can discuss and advise on options when you meet them.
Find all of our other FAQ’s here
Why Choose Us
Why Choose Inverness Tour Guides?
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. They were chosen because they are great storytellers, are fun to be with, and are uniquely qualified to do what they do well. We are convinced that there is no better team of guides to be found. See their individual profiles here
Performance
Here at Inverness Tours we continually monitor performance. As a result we are confident that we offer long experience and expertise in providing quality, value and enjoyment.
Our Vehicles
Our vehicles are spacious and air conditioned, easily accommodating up to seven passengers. The reclining seats and tinted windows ensure touring in comfort and style.
Our Track Record
Inverness Tours has been taking visitors on world-class tours for more than fifteen years and has been striving to make its exclusive tour business the finest of its kind available in Scotland.
Our Customer Care
The Inverness Tours admin team are frequently complimented on responsiveness, flexibility and care.
Our Environment
Inverness Tours have offset the impact of visitor footfall in the Highlands by contributing financially to environmental and community projects.
Our Precautions
Our COVID19 precautions – Inverness Tours has always carried bacteriological and virucidal disinfectant sprays, disposable gloves and the necessary wipes etc. The vehicles are cleaned on a daily basis. We are investigating and instituting further measures to keep you safe at this current time and into the future.
Our Reviews
All the above contribute to our fabulous back-catalogue of reviews. Check out the TripAdvisor reviews here. You will find that over 98% of our reviews are five-star and as a result we have achieved TripAdvisor’s annual Certificate of Excellence and placement in their Hall of Fame!
What’s included?
The 7-passenger vehicle together with qualified driver/guide is included.
Summary terms and conditions:-
- All tours are exclusive and the same price for between one and seven people. Your booking is considered confirmed once we send out your confirmation.
- While Inverness Tours shall do everything reasonably possible to provide your tour itinerary and/or services as planned, we reserve the right to alter itineraries, guide, transport or accommodation if circumstances require us to do so. If we have to cancel a tour you receive a full refund of the amount paid and that is the extent of our obligation.
- Our normal Cancellation Terms as outlined in the point below have been temporarily relaxed. The relaxation is in relation to any booking which requires to cancel due to COVID-19. Our COVID-19 cancellation terms are outlined here.
- If you wish to change any part of your confirmed booking you should inform us in writing as soon as possible. We will do our best to assist you, but cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your request. If you cancel a booking up to 30 days in advance you receive a 75% refund of the total paid. Cancellations between 30 and 10 days before the tour receive a 50% refund. There is no refund if you cancel within 10 days of the tour or are not at the organised departure or pick-up point.
- We are happy for you to enjoy bottled water and hard candies while we travel. Other types of food and drink have proved previously to be quite hazardous (on Highland roads) both to yourselves and seat upholstery.
See our full terms and conditions here