Looking for the perfect day trip to the Scottish Highlands? Read on to hear about my experience and learn more about Rabbie’s Tours!
Before I dive in to this post, I feel compelled to tell you that I paid for this tour entirely out of my own pocket. Rabbie’s Tours did not sponsor this trip or ask me to post anything (although if they want, I’ll come back and tour the Scottish Highlands every day, forever, thanks!) I just genuinely loved my experience and knew I wanted to share more about it!
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I have to let you in on a little secret: this day trip to the Scottish Highlands was literally my favorite part of visiting Scotland. I truly loved Edinburgh, and definitely want to go back so I can explore the city more, but what will stick with me the longest is the incredible experience I had during my 12-hour trip with Rabbie’s Tours.
Side note: Our tour guide Martin played us a bunch of wonderful songs by Scottish artists throughout the day, so I thought I’d put together a little playlist of some of them for you to listen to as you take a virtual tour with me!
Why I Chose Rabbie’s Tours
This was my first time in Scotland, and I (foolishly) allotted only two days to explore! With limited time in Edinburgh, I was unsure about whether or not I should book a Scottish Highlands tour and spend that much time outside the city. I knew I wanted to explore Edinburgh, but I also desperately wanted to get up into the mountains and take in the majestic Highland landscapes.
However, I was wary of getting stuck with a boring tour guide (or even worse – a recorded tour on a massive bus with a ton of other tourists). I didn’t want to simply whizz by beautiful scenery all day without the flexibility of getting out and really taking it all in, and I knew I’d regret it if I ended up wasting my precious time and money on a tour I didn’t enjoy.
I did my research, and so did my friend who was traveling with me. We both scoured the Rabbie’s Tours website, read reviews on TripAdvisor, and came to the conclusion that Rabbie’s seemed like it would be worth it. And, spoiler alert, it was! I’m so glad we decided to take the tour that we did. It was the perfect way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time and take in the breathtaking beauty of Scotland without having to worry about the hassle of renting a car and navigating the drive ourselves when we had such limited time.
However, if you have more time in Scotland, you might want to take a road trip through the Scottish Highlands and plan your own route. Both options have their pros and cons, but we really loved how easy and simple doing a day trip with Rabbie’s Tours was!
1-Day Tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands
Rabbie’s Tours offers a bunch of different options, including tours of Edinburgh itself, Alnwick Castle (the real Hogwarts!), the Isle of Skye & the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness, whisky distilleries, Loch Lomond National Park, Inverness, and even one centered entirely around the TV show Outlander (with the choice of a 4-day or 1-day tour). After this trip, I started binge-watching Outlander and now I’d love to go back and take the 4-day tour!
We chose this specific tour because we particularly wanted to see the Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Loch Ness. I knew it would be a long day (hi, twelve hours on a bus!) but figured we should pack in as much as possible in the limited time we had.
The day started early as we walked from our hotel, the Ibis Royal Mile, down to Rabbie’s Café for an 8 a.m. departure. It’s about a seven minute walk – or ten, if you’re walking slow and feeling sleepy, like I was. Side note: I didn’t realize that it would still be dark out around 7:20 a.m. when we left our hotel. The sun didn’t really rise until 8 a.m. while we were in Edinburgh, which took a little getting used to!
As soon as we got there, I could tell that Rabbie’s Tours knew what they were doing. It was well-organized, from the full selection of breakfast foods and hot drinks at the café to the guides standing outside to walk us up the street to where our tour buses were waiting. I picked up a porridge to-go (why don’t we do this, America?!) and a hot drink to warm me up. It was the best porridge I’ve ever tasted, no joke.
A line of 16-passenger Mercedes mini coaches were waiting for us to board, each containing a cheerful tour guide. However, I’m going to be a little biased here and say that we had the best crew out of all of them. Instead of one tour guide/bus driver combo, we got lucky and had two guides, Martin and Rosario (“Charo”) who were incredibly kind, patient, friendly and knowledgeable! I can’t say enough good things about the two of them. Martin led the tour on a microphone from the front of the bus, and Charo drove.
I think we won the tour guide lottery that day, because Martin was the only guide who made a bunch of unplanned, extra stops (either requested by passengers or based on his own vast local knowledge). We passed lots of other tour buses along the way who were following roughly the same itinerary but only hitting the high points. I’m so grateful that we had a tour guide who knew the area well enough to avoid the touristy spots and add in little detours. It really added to our overall experience!
Here’s an overview of where we went on the tour:
Loch Lubnaig
After we got out of Edinburgh and off the highway, we took a beautiful winding road past Doune Castle (where many scenes in Game of Thrones, Outlander and Monty Python were filmed), and some charming little towns. Instead of stopping in Callander like all the other buses, our tour guide Martin gave us the option of stopping at Loch Lubnaig instead, which we eagerly agreed to!
As soon as we pulled into the parking lot and I caught a glimpse of Loch Lubnaig, I was in love. Photos will never do it justice. It was absolutely magical. The loch was serene, glassy and looked like something straight out of a fairy tale – I could have stared at it for hours.
Side note: loch means lake, if you hadn’t guessed that already!
We learned that there are more than 31,460 lochs in Scotland (possibly even 32,056!) and 7,000 of them are in the Western Isles alone. In the region of Westeros (yep, it’s a real place, Game of Thrones fans), there are 3,000 lochs. Wild, right?!
With the somewhat recent push for eco-friendly power sources, Scotland has implemented solar panels, hydro power plants, tidal farms and other methods to increase their renewable energy. In 2017, there were 23 days where 100% of Scotland’s energy came from renewable power sources! The plan is that by 2020, the country will be running on 100% renewable energy. Pretty awesome in a time when so many countries are turning the other way despite looming climate change concerns.
Rannoch Moor
We got back on the bus and drove up into the mountains and over to Rannoch Moor, which is an expanse of around 50 square miles of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch. If that meant nothing to you, don’t fret. Just know that Rannoch Moor is an eerily beautiful landscape and you should definitely drive through and see it!
Its surface is covered with countless lochs, peat bogs, and winding streams, and it is surrounded by mountains that rise over 3,000 feet towards the southeast and west and over 2,000 feet towards the north.
We got out of the tour bus a few times as we drove through Rannoch Moor. We walked up a little road towards an abandoned farmhouse, visited with some red deer, wandered along a beautiful stream, and climbed up a hill for a spectacular overview of the moor.
Random Scottish Fact!
Healthcare in Scotland is 100% free – even for visitors. Beat that, America!
My Personal Highlight: Glencoe
I’m not sure how to put into words how impressive and staggeringly beautiful Glencoe is in real life. Photos simply don’t do it justice. We pulled over a bunch of times as we drove through Glencoe, and I definitely thought about telling our guides to leave me there so I could start a magical new life.
Being in Glencoe truly felt like being on the moon, or in Iceland. It felt otherworldly. The stark landscapes carved into the earth by glaciers centuries before, the complex history of the land and its people, the sense that we had stepped into a scene in Outlander…it was overwhelming and beautiful and like nothing I’d ever seen before.
If you have more time, spend as much of it in Glencoe as you possibly can. I wish we could have stayed for days!
Lunch at the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe
You guys. I had no idea what to expect from the Clachaig Inn, but our tour guide Martin told us that everything on their menu was absolutely delicious and offered us the option to stop here instead of eating lunch in a more touristy area. I’m so glad everyone said yes!
Since the Clachaig Inn is in such a remote area, I assumed the food would be fairly bland, pre-cooked and probably involve a lot of haggis. But I couldn’t have been more wrong! (Okay, I was right about the haggis, but they had tons of other options on the menu for those of us too squeamish to try it.) They describe their menu as “a blend of modern ideas and fresh produce, sourced from local suppliers wherever possible,” which is exactly what I experienced.
I had a hard time deciding what to get – that’s how many delicious-sounding options there were! I eventually chose the Cajun chicken with boiled potatoes and veg mash. Y’all. It was so good. So hearty, fresh and flavorful. I have had actual dreams about this meal, no joke. I completely fell in love with everything about the Clachaig Inn, and now I desperately want to go back and stay there! (In addition to eating all of their food.) I can’t recommend it highly enough. Go to there.
Wondering what that delicious-looking dessert is up there on the right? Sticky. Toffee. Pudding.
It was my first time ever trying it, and boy, am I happy my first time was in Glencoe. It was everything I never knew I needed in my life. Throughout our entire meal, I felt so cozy and happy. We got about an hour for lunch, and while it was plenty of time to eat a leisurely meal (not feeling rushed was something I really appreciated about Rabbie’s Tours!) I didn’t want to leave the Clachaig Inn.
Between the roaring fireplaces, friendly bartenders and staff, picturesque surroundings, and classic Scottish pub vibes, I felt like I was in a dream. I’m so happy we stopped here for lunch instead of a touristy, overpriced restaurant elsewhere. (We were the only tour group that stopped here for lunch, which meant that we got to have a truly local experience, and it was so nice!)
Random Scottish Fact!
Thanks to Scotland’s “Right to Roam” act, both residents and visitors have the right to access and utilize almost all land and water including mountains, moorland, forests, fields, rivers and lochs, coastal and other areas (day or night!) providing you do so responsibly. Pretty cool, right?!
Fort Augustus & Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a major selling point for a lot of tourists visiting Scotland, so while it wasn’t the number one destination on my Scottish bucket list, I was still excited to see it. Most of the other tour groups spent a good portion of their day in Fort Augustus, exploring the village and taking Loch Ness cruises to try and spot the mythical monster. The village has a population of around 700 residents, with many tourists coming in and out to visit each day.
At the beginning of the day, our guide Martin gave us the option to either spend more time making flexible stops and enjoying Glencoe or hustling up to Fort Augustus to camp out on Loch Ness for a few hours. He advised us that many of the other lochs and locations we would be visiting were more spectacular (and less touristy) than the Loch Ness area, and we decided as a group to take his word for it. Yet again, he was right!
Loch Ness was beautiful (and huge!) and the village of Fort Augustus was quaint and charming, but I’m so glad we spent more time in Glencoe and the other stops along the way. I personally think that Loch Ness could be skipped, unless you’re desperate to go Nessie-hunting and really want to do a tour by boat.
You can check out this post for ideas of things to do in the Loch Lomond area if you have more time!
Random Scottish Fact!
There are around 300 castles in Scotland. That’s about one castle per every 100 square miles. Which means that there’s definitely a castle waiting for me, right?
The Flexibility of Rabbie’s Tours
While I think that our group got extraordinarily lucky in terms of tour guides (shout out to Martin and Charo!), I have a strong feeling that all of Rabbie’s tour guides are pretty awesome. I’m basing that assessment off of the many reviews I’ve read from happy tour-goers and the Rabbie’s team that I interacted with on the day of our tour.
Because our guide Martin knew all about the local shortcuts, what to skip and what to add to our tour, I feel like we got an especially flexible, enjoyable experience. I never felt rushed, despite having to hop on and off the tour bus approximately four hundred times throughout the day. And – bonus – he heard me mumbling about wanting to see some Highland cattle, and made sure we drove a certain way so we could stop and see these guys up close! How nice is that?
There was also plenty of time for photo stops and lots of opportunities to get out and walk around, which I (of course) appreciated!
Hot Tip!
If you’re someone who enjoys your personal space, I would highly recommend sitting on the left side of the tour bus, which is where the single seats are. If you’re with your significant other or a friend you don’t mind cozying up to, choose the double seats on the right side!
Another thing to note: if you are a tall person (like me) or have any health issues to contend with, you may be a bit uncomfortable by the end of the day if you take this specific tour (which is Rabbie’s longest 1-day tour – there are lots of other options to choose from)! My knees were falling asleep and feeling pretty swollen after sitting for that long, despite all the breaks. Twelve hours on a tour bus is a lot, there’s no sugarcoating it. But when you’re short on time and want to see all the sights, it’s totally worth it.
More Information About Rabbie’s Tours
- Book This Tour: Loch Ness, Glencoe & Scottish Highlands
- Tour Price: £45 (around $62 US Dollars)
- Tour Length: 12 hours (may vary slightly with traffic), other tours are shorter or longer depending on your choice
- What’s Included: Transport in a super comfortable 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach, an extremely knowledgeable tour guide, and all the beautiful scenery you can handle!
- Extra Costs: Meals, Loch Ness boat tours or other add-ons (Rabbie’s Tours gets discounts for their groups!)
- Other Rabbie’s Tours: Outlander 4-day or 1-day tour, Alnwick Castle and The Scottish Borders, 3-Day Whisky Distillery tour, Stirling Castle & Loch Lomond, and many more.
Is It Worth It?
If you hadn’t already guessed from my rave reviews throughout this post, I would answer this question with an enthusiastic “yes!”
The entire Rabbie’s Tours team was extremely professional, welcoming, and knowledgeable. Their smaller tour buses are far more comfortable than any huge tour bus, and their tours feel so much more authentic and enjoyable. I think that the pricing of Rabbie’s Tours is incredibly reasonable and a fantastic value for money that you just won’t find from other Scottish Highlands tours.
Accommodations
Curious about where to stay in Edinburgh? Check out my review of our hotel on the Royal Mile! (Spoiler alert: we loved it.)
If you’re looking to stay in another part of Scotland, use the handy search box below to get some inspiration:
Where To Eat Dinner in Edinburgh After Your Tour
Our trusty tour guide Martin recommended the following places for dinner that are within walking distance of Rabbie’s Café, (where all of their tours begin and end):
- Ghillie Dhu – authentic Scottish experience dining, not touristy or gimmicky
- Rose Street – an area between Princes Street and George Street with lots of pubs and restaurants to suit all budgets
- Howie’s – seasonal Scottish food in a lively bistro setting
Looking for more things to do in Edinburgh?
Thanks for reading!
I hope I’ve convinced you to go on a Rabbie’s tour of your very own! Exploring the Scottish Highlands and spending time in such magical landscapes was a huge highlight of my trip, and something I’ll never forget. I highly recommend Rabbie’s Tours and can’t wait to return and go on more trips with them!
If you’re planning to visit Europe soon, check out this awesome guide for 100 things every American should know before traveling to Europe or read more about Scotland.
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Please be advised that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of them, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend companies or products that I love!
When did you take this tour ? We were thinking about taking this tour in November, but was worried about the weather, it looks like it was beautiful when you went! I love the snow pictures.
I went in February! So similar chilly weather, and it was amazing! I say go 🙂
Wow, that looks truly amazing, such stunning scenery and the food! OMG!
It looks like you had a great time! The Glencoe looks amazing! When I was visiting the Glencoe, it was completely covered in mist, unfortunately :(. This post makes me want to go back to Scotland!
OMG Scotland! What a dreamy destination. And those cattles – I just wanna take one home! They are too adorable! Thank you for your tips – when I make it to that side of the planet, I MUST make Scotland my top stop!
This sounds and looks like a fabulous tour! On my last trip to Scotland, I also took a Rabbies tour to the Scottish Highlands, with a different itinerary, and LOVED IT! I loved the tour guide too and the Scottish tunes!
I enjoyed reading your random Scottish facts. I visited Scotland ages ago and really liked it. Thanks for great and informative post.
Now this looks like the best Scotland road trip! I want to go here so bad especially after seeing all of your gorgeous photos! Love the random Scottish facts!
This is such a thorough post and it gives me valuable info about good ways to see the rugged beauty of Scotland, particularly if on a time crunch. Thanks!
Holy GAWD! These photos are insane! So stunning! These places don’t even look real!
Oh I love those Scottish Highlands! What a fun trip. Your comment about how it doesn’t get light until 8 AM reminds me of when I went and we slept through the alarm to go on our highlands tour because ii was still pitch dark outside! Luckily they let us reschedule for the next day!!
It’s such a beautiful area. We did a mini-road trip there. Thank goodness I have my husband who is used to driving on the wrong side. If it was just me, a tour like this would be the way to go!
This sounds amazing, and your pictures are so gorgeous!! I’m headed to Scotland next month – soo excited!! 🙂 Will look into Rabbie’s tours
I abbbbsolutely love everything about this… £45 is such good value to see all these places! I think I’d ideally have a bit longer than you did to explore these areas and do a bit of hiking (probs in the rain, let’s be honest) to get the “full experience”, but it sounds like you realllly got the most out of your short time in Scotland. I’m also ridiculously obsessed with those cows, and sticky toffee pudding, and all of your photos of Glencoe.
Gorgeous photos. Made me definitely want to go. We were just discussing going to Scotland and decided on Budapest instead. Will have to reconsider.
WOWWW your photos are stunning,
I haven’t been to Scotland yet (despite only living in Wales!) but have always known that when I do, I’d have to visit the Highlands AND Edinburgh! The only problem is I don’t drive, and thought it’d be too difficult to get around without a car. Rabbies Tours seems like the perfect solution for me! How could I miss out on those views?! The valley of Glencoe looks insane – definitely Middle Earth-ish.
That looks amazing! I went to the Scottish highlands a few years back now and I’ve been dying to go again but it’s like a 6 hour drive from where I am. This looks like the perfect trip from Edinburgh!
Ahhh the highlands are SO magical! Especially with snow! Next time I need to go in the winter. Love this post!
Looks like a great tour! I always appreciate an honest tour review – it can be hard to tell sometimes from TripAdvisor reviews what exactly to expect on a tour so this post is really informative.
So incredibly gorgeous, love your photos!
Wow this place looks magical!
I was so inspired by this post that I actually ended up doing the same tour with Rabbies! It’s funny how different our photos are having gone during different seasons. I seriously want to go back to Scotland ASAP!!
That makes me so happy! Aren’t they fantastic? I want to do more tours with them in the future and get back to Scotland soon!
Such great information! We are planning a trip that way in the spring so I’m saving this to refer back to!
Yay! So happy to hear that 🙂
The Scottish Highlands look incredible! Is it wrong that I want to go to Boots Bar and cuddle some of those cattle? Thanks for sharing!
Not at ALL. Haha! Those are two of my favorite things from the trip – I’d happily do both every day. Thanks for reading Dani!
Your photos are seriously divine! Especially the cow (is that technically what it is? Haha). Scotland is a place I’ve always wanted to go, and the highlands would be my real reason for visiting. This is a fantastic guide with great ideas. I’ve never wanted to go more. Saving for future use for sure!
Thank you Jessica! That means a lot 🙂 And yes! Those are Highland cattle (my favorite animals ever, perhaps – haha). Scotland is such a treat, definitely go whenever you can!
Aren’t the Scottish Highlands just beautiful! We spent some time around Inverness recently and already can’t wait to go back. Also loved your little random facts about Scotland 🙂
Such an incredible country, isn’t it? I can’t wait to go back either!
Gosh your photos are beautiful! It sounds like you had a truly wonderful experience and we appreciate the recommendation! I am definitely adding this tour company and Scotland to my list of places to visit!
Thanks so much Summer! I really did love it. I have plenty of other posts I “should” have written before this one, but I couldn’t help it – I truly had the best time on this tour!
Wow, these places are SO dreamy!! <3 Your photos give me severe wanderlust, darling!! I've always wanted to explore Scotland and I'll definitely try these guys when I do! Wonderful review <3
Love hearing that – mission accomplished! Fingers crossed you can get to Scotland soon yourself! Thanks for reading Rosie!
This looks like such a great trip! I’ve never been to Scotland myself but my co-blogger has. She loved the highland cattle too!
I already want to go back! The cows were my FAVE. I’m a little bit obsessed. Ha!
Oh wow – would love to see the highland cattle and snowy mountains myself – so much to love! Glad I read this, wouldn’t want to miss out on visiting when I’m in the area.
Definitely recommend going for it next time you’re there! It was unforgettable.
Nothing like having a great guide! So cool that you enjoyed his recommendations. I love taking small tours and Rabbies sounds like a good fit when I finally get to Scottland.
It truly makes ALL the difference in the world, doesn’t it? Our guides were phenomenal. Definitely recommend checking Rabbie’s many offerings out – they’re so well-run!
Sierra your photos are so beautiful! It looks like you had a wonderful and perfect time! A great guide for me to keep in mind when I go one day!
Ahhh! Thanks so much Andrea! That means a lot 🙂 Hope you get to go one day!
Oh how much i miss not being able to visit Scottish Highlands when I see these pics. We had visited London and drove till Edinburgh. We looked at some of the 1-day tours of Highlands but gave away as they were long and we had small kids. Didn’t think would be convenient for them. But wish to be back and explore more .
A long tour like this with kids would definitely be tough – probably easier to rent a car and do a more easy-going tour of your own with no set schedule! Kid travel is always unpredictable, isn’t it? 😉
How stunning is Scotland! I visited in June last year so it’s great to see what the area looks like with a sprinkle of snow…definitely need to go back in winter 🙂
I want to go back in EVERY season – I have a feeling it’s gorgeous no matter what 😉
I’ve been to the highlands in the spring, but it looks even more magically with snow!!
Ahh, the Highlands in the spring has to be magical too though!
Ohh love this! Even in the winter the highlands look so nice. It looks like a nice tour! Next time I go back to Scotland I’ll look into that tour since I didn’t get to go to some of the places you mentioned!
Winter was so beautiful up in the Highlands, and honestly not that crazy cold either! Highly recommend Rabbie’s for any future tours you end up doing – they’re so good!
BEAUTIFUL post! I just want to print this whole thing out and pin it on my wall 😀
Thank you so much Kay! Best compliment ever! 🙂
Wow you saw a lot in one day. We did do our own Scottish road trip. My husband is British so used to driving on the other side and the narrow roads. I don’t think I would have been comfortable doing a road trip without him. In that case, Rabbie Tours is a great option.
It was definitely a lot but I shockingly didn’t feel rushed! They were so good at making sure everyone got what they wanted and were patient when people wanted to stay in certain areas longer than planned 🙂 Definitely a great option for anyone not in the mood to drive it!
I love your photos. Scotland looks beautiful I cant wait to visit
Thank you so much! Scotland did all the hard work – it’s so gorgeous!
You captures one of my favorite places in such a stunning visual manner. LOVE this post!
Ah Kristin, that means so much! THANK YOU! 🙂
Beautiful photos! And there’s even more gorgeousness further north in Scotland! Go back…and take your time!
Wow! They pack a lot into a day. Looks like an amazing tour! I always hear good things about Rabbies too.
They definitely try to show you everything on this tour, but I still felt like we weren’t rushed or sad that we didn’t get enough time in any particular place! Rabbie’s is so worth the hype!
wow I always knew Scotland was beautiful but the scenery here looks gorgeous! This is definitely my kind of tour. I would love to do it myself on a road trip!
Looks like an amazing day out! Like you, I only had 2 days in Edinburgh and chose to stay in the city. I’ve always wanted to go back to explore more of Scotland, especially the highlands. What scenery! Plus, I want to see some Highland cattle in person!!
This tour seems absolutely stunning! Also such a bargain, can’t believe it only costs 45 pounds for such a package! Thanks for sharing!
Right?! I could hardly believe it myself! It’s so worth the money (and way more than that)!
Great article, I have always wanted to go to Scotland (being from London I’m ashamed that I haven’t by now!) Nice to have an idea on what to do to discover the natural beauty of Scotland
Thanks so much! You’ll have to get up there soon 😉
Great article, I have always wanted to go to Scotland (being from London I’m ashamed that I haven’t by now!) I have lots of great friends there too. Nice to have an idea on what to do to discover the natural beauty of Scotland
Well now you know you have no excuse 😉 It was a quick 4-ish hour train ride from London and so easy to do!
Oh it looks amazing!! I love Highland castles, too, they are so cute!! I really need to plan a trip to Scotland soon, your pictures are amazing! 🙂
I want to go back and do ALL the tours, including the Highland castles one – they’re straight out of a fairy tale, aren’t they? Fingers crossed you make it over soon!
Your pictures look amazing. I am going on a similar tour in about 4 weeks. Can´t wait to see all these things. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Maike! Can’t wait to see your adventures! Enjoy it 🙂
I’d love to do a similar trip soon!
I highly recommend it! 🙂
This is so pretty. I did a very quick day trip to the Highlands a few years ago and it was just long enough to make me want to come back for more. And it isn’t even as expensive as I thought. I love your pics, good work!
Same! Since this was my first time there, and we only had a short amount of time to spend, I definitely want to go back ASAP! And it’s super affordable – they could charge way more and it would still be worth it!
This looks like a fantastic tour. Some great locations visited. It looks like you had good time. I love seeing Scotland through the eyes of real visitors (I feel like I sort of live there as I spend so much time there) who see the things I take for granted!
It really was fantastic – didn’t feel rushed despite everything we got to see!
I’ve always wanted to visit the Highlands (as a Brit of the south coast!) but I never thought it would be possible as I don’t drive. This has genuinely got me considering a weekend away! Thank you for sharing!
Ooh, Rabbie’s would be perfect for you! They have all kinds of tours, leaving from different cities, and it’s such a simple way to see a lot!
I need to go to Scotland soon! The highlands are so amazing!
They’re even better than I am imagined! Definitely go if you can!
I am Scottish and live an hour from Inverness, on the coast but have been backpacking for over 5 months and your post has made me miss home so so much. You have captured the majestic Scot’s spirit so well in these photos!! Embarrassingly, I’ve never ventured that much in the Highlands always opting for warmer climates haha but when I return home in July a roadtrip is definitely on the agenda so thank you so much for such an insightful post!
Coming from a Scot, that means even more! Thank you for those kind words 🙂 Go do a roadtrip for me! I want to go back and see so much more!
This is so beautiful, I love the house at the foot of the mountain. It looks like in a fairy tale. I hope I can go to Scotland soon!
Doesn’t it though? That’s exactly what I thought Liz! It was breathtaking. Fingers crossed you can make a trip to Scotland very soon – it’s incredible.
Woah. That tour is a bargain! I mean £45 for 12 hours and vising sooooo many places!? That is awesome.
I love your photos, especially of the Glencoe area and those highland cows!
p.s. yay that you got to munch some tatties and neeps.
Right?! That’s what I thought too! Such good value for your money – they could definitely charge more and it would be completely warranted! Glencoe and the cows were my favorite bits too 😉 And I want more tatties and neeps! The USA is sorely lacking…ha!
We saw many Rabbie’s tour vans on our road trip around Scotland. From your feedback, it’s easy to understand why they are so popular. I love the playlist you put together for us, thank you for sharing.
They were truly fantastic. I loved everything about our Rabbie’s experience, and would love to go back and do it all over again! Glad you enjoyed the playlist too 🙂 Thanks so much for reading Nathalie!
This looks amazing! I love sticky toffee pudding, and a tour of the highlands looks so beautiful.
I can’t believe this was my first time trying it! I’m a convert. Give me all the sticky toffee pudding! (Though I doubt any will taste as good as the one in Glencoe…)
This looks absolutely amazing! I was only in Scotland for three days and spent my time in Edinburgh but would love to visit tbe highlands!! Cannot wait to go back and love your pics and the tour rec. sounds truly amazing.
And I only really spent one day in Edinburgh – which was clearly not enough! I definitely need to go back for more exploring. You’d love the Highlands, they’re seriously gorgeous!
I was obsessively watching your Insta stories during your time in Scotland & it’s been incredible reading this little round-up of your trip! Also loved the little facts about Scotland throughout! Canada has free healthcare, but we definitely don’t extend that to visitors! I also love that you can roam wherever, as long as you clean up after yourself!! Scotland may have just climbed its way to the top of my list! Can’t wait to read more about your trip there girl!
Thanks Deni! More posts coming soon, I promise. Couldn’t help but start off with my favorite hotel and my Scottish Highlands experience – both were so great 🙂 Both of those facts about Scotland made me love it even more too! Our tour guide made sure to give us plenty of history and factoids, and they clearly stuck with me!
It looks incredible there – it’s sooooo green and I love how it pops against that gloomy sky! Gorgeous photos, these definitely make me want to go! And now you have to tell us more about scottish cows 😉
Oh, the cows are definitely getting their own time in the spotlight, just you wait…ha! Scotland is insanely pretty, you’d love the Highlands!
Wow! I already wanted to visit Scotland by watching your Instagram stories. Reading this post and listening to your Scottish Highlands music mix makes me only yearn to go there more.
Your research and discernment deliver time after time. So many great recommendations in this post. And as my friend Judy says, “Remember to leave something for God to do”; sounds like that’s who picked your guides Martin and Charo! So happy for you to have had such a fabulous first visit to Scotland, and tapadh leat for sharing!