NC500 – Applecross and Eilean Donan Castle Tour (February to October)
Enjoy a Private Group NC500; Applecross and Eilean Donan Castle 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 some of the most stunning locations on the NC500 and beyond; Loch Ness, Eilean Donan Castle, Bealach na Ba, Applecross and Shieldaig,
Departure
Collection from within 16 miles of Inverness included in the price.
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£680.00 11 hours
NC500 – Applecross and Eilean Donan Castle Tour – Itinerary
Applecross is the most southerly portion of any North Coast 500 (NC500) tour and as a result, it makes sense to couple it with Eilean Donan Castle. We travel along Loch Ness, and then west past the mountain range called the Five Sisters of Kintail. Our Eilean Donan Castle stop is for your choice of visit or photos. Some time later we take the famous, exhilarating and spectacular Bealach na Ba to Applecross. This road has its own name because it is, by far and away, the most extraordinary road in the UK. Our return takes us through the fantastic mountain scenery of Torridon and the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve.
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!
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. Jacobites and Redcoats fought the Battle of Glen Shiel on the lower slopes in 1719. Legends and tales abound in the Kintail area.
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.
Bealach na Ba and Applecross
The most spectacular road in the country, the Bealach, climbs from sea level to over 2,000 feet in under 6 miles. It hairpins and switchbacks its way up through a mountain pass at gradiants of 20%. This has led to its being used as a setting in films and TV series. On the other side of the pass we find the seaside village of Applecross (ancient religious sanctuary) and the picturesque Applecross Inn.
Torridon and Beinn Eighe
The mountain landscapes here are incredible, built from sandstones that are 750 million years old. Great Peaks like Liathach (the Grey One) and Beinn Alligan (Jewel Mountain) rear skyward, and Beinn Eighe (File Mountain) lies just up the valley. The National Nature Reserve here is cloaked in Caledonian Pine and supports a wide variety of flora and fauna, including important plant colonies, rare mosses and lichens, and the elusive pine marten and golden eagle.
NC500 – Applecross and Eilean Donan Castle Tour – Price
£680 for the tour.
NC500 – Applecross and Eilean Donan Castle Tour – Departure
The tour departs from your Inverness accommodation, or any transport hub, 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 included?
We don’t include entry to the attractions – and that way we leave the day as flexible as possible for you.
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