Orkney & Skye Epic: Scotland's Highlands 8-Day Grand Tour

Isle of Skye and Orkney were quite different from the mainland Highlands and well worth the extra time to visit. Each is beautiful in a different and unique way. Chris was our guide/driver the first half of the trip. He was charismatic and had us laughing constantly. Kenny was our guide/driver for the 2nd half of the trip. Kenny was kind, delightful and effective at sharing his knowledge and love of Scottish history, culture and music. I traveled with my sister, though we both had single rooms (I snore). It was a bit of a challenge for Highland Experience to find places for us to stay together because singles aren't common, but they did it. All our accommodations were excellent. Most were B&Bs, but a few were 2-bedroom apartments. All were comfortable with lovely hosts and in great locations close to restaurants. The coaches were comfortable. We visited a wide variety of places and stopped regularly for walking/coffee/bathroom breaks. Our fellow travelers were from all over the world and all were fun companions. All in all it was a great trip and excellent value for the cost.

We recently returned from a tour through the stunning landscapes of Scotland. Overall, it was a memorable experience filled with dramatic scenery, historic sites, and charming towns — definitely a trip to remember! 👍 Highlights Our first tour guide, Chris, was fantastic — knowledgeable, friendly, and really went out of their way to make the experience engaging and informative. Their storytelling added depth to the locations we visited. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking — from rugged coastlines to peaceful lochs and ancient castles, every stop had something special. We especially enjoyed Isle of Skye, which was a definite highlight. 🤔 What Could Be Improved Our second guide had a different style, which didn’t quite match the tone of the rest of the trip. The music on the bus was often loud, which made it hard to relax or hear each other at times. A few parts of the itinerary felt a bit rushed, and we would’ve loved a bit more time at certain stops to really soak it all in or explore on our own. ✅ Final Thoughts Despite a few bumps along the way, this was a wonderful trip. Scotland is an incredible place, and we're grateful for the experience. With a few small adjustments, this tour could be truly exceptional.

Overall, a wonderful experience. Our guides, Brodie and Kenny, were fantastic! Both were so knowledgeable about the locations and the associated history and legends. Brodie even got most of the group together one evening in a pub to enjoy traditional Scottish music and dance. Kenny managed to veer off the beaten path to show us sites that weren't necessarily on the itinerary, but were remarkable. We always felt safe with both of them. Both were safe drivers on some challenging roads. The B&Bs were a little hit and miss. Our expectation was that they would be better than they were, given what we paid. Two B&Bs were very nice. The third was nice, however it was a 30 minute walk to town for dinner. Another was ok, but the room, the bed and the bathroom were tiny - the sink was the size of my hand. In one town, there was a festival going on, and it was a struggle to find a place for dinner both of the nights we were there. I suggest better planning next time.

It was a wonderful experience and we saw such amazing things. The guides were very knowledgeable about everything and provided background information on everything. It was truly a great tour

I had a great time during my 8 days trip! Scotland is such a beautiful country. Our tour guides Chris and Iain were wonderful, telling us so many stories, facts and jokes. I just loved it! I highly recommend him and Highland Experience Tours and will definitely come back to Scotland

My husband and I just returned from an 8 Day Tour that included Loch Lomond, Oban, Syke, Inverness, Orkney and more. Our tour guides were Graham for the first 5 days then Hugh for the last 3. I cannot say enough good things about our experience in Scotland and during this tour. Both tour guides were knowledgeable and lots of fun getting to know; all of our accommodations were perfectly selected. Scotland was an amazing experience and we really enjoyed our adventure there and traveling with Highland Experience Tours

What a fantastic trip! I did my research and went for Highland Experience having read lots of good reviews. Our guide, Chris ,picked twenty or so of us up from Edinburgh. He was friendly, funny and had a relaxed manner whilst being highly professional and knowledgeable. He was also really skilled at driving and navigating the coach through tight spaces. The tour itself is magical, with plenty of time to see the sights. Whilst you can choose to walk less, I’d say you need a reasonable level of fitness to make the most of it. I then joined a different group of four people led by Iain Meiklejohn for the Orkney part of the trip. I felt like I’d got the jackpot twice as far as guides go, as Iain’s knowledge and love of Scotland shone through. Being in a small group, Iain adapted things as we went ( the wind meant Skara Brae was closed on our scheduled day, but Iain made sure we got there the next day instead). He took us puffin watching and squeezed in a visit to Stromness, which I loved. Thanks to both guides and my fellow travellers for making this a trip of a lifetime.

If you like stunning scenery, multi-layered history, castles, ruins, churches, standing stones, stories and so much more then this is the trip to take. It’s going to take me ages to process all I have seen and experienced. For the first 4 days Chris was our driver/guide and I am in awe of how he got the 35 seat bus into all of the places we visited… lots of one lane roads. He also managed to nicely wrangle the full bus load of us while never seeming to rush us. This part of the trip took us to Skye. We arrived in Inverness with Chris and left the next morning with Iain in a small bus and a group of only 7. Iain quickly worked out what was important to each of us and then ensured we all had the best trip. My thing was to see puffins. At the first couple of locations I merely glimpsed them but a third try was organised and at a stunning setting near some Viking ruins Iain found the nesting area and I was able to watch them till I’d had my fill. Thank you. Iain’s jokes usually made me groan but I liked his taste in music and humour. With Iain we went out to the Orkneys and then back to Edinburgh. We packed so much in but I wouldn’t have skipped any of it for the world.

I promised myself the tour of a lifetime as a gift to myself and revisit my beautiful Scotland . I took this 8-day tour which proved to be fantastic! I loved every minute of it. We spent the first 4 days with Chris, our Tour Guide/driver, who was lovely. He had plenty of tales and facts for us throughout the trip. We visited so many beautiful places and he allowed us ample time to enjoy them. We always felt safe with him, taking head counts every time, before driving off to the next place. Thank you Chris. The remaining 4 days we spent with Iain, the other Tour Guide/Driver. Iain was exceptional! He also had plenty of tales and facts for us which were both funny and informative. I loved the fact that He played old and modern Scottish music most of the time but not all the time, giving us time for rest. It put us in the right mood throughout the trip. Knowing that I am an "Outlander" fan, Iain always took the trouble to point out to me specific details and locations linked to the series, which was a very sweet touch and very much appreciated. Iain also, very kindly, played "The Skye Boat Song" on my request, when I mentioned I would love to hear it whilst in Scotland. He is so accommodating. Nothing was too much trouble...a true people's person. He always followed us everywhere we stopped making sure all of us were safe and back on the bus. Keep up the great work Iain!! THANK YOU Iain. I spent the most amazing time of my life with Highland Experience Tours. All accomodation chosen by them was of very good quality. I shall certainly return for more tours with them. If you really want to see what Scotland is all about, THIS is the best Tour for you! Yvonne from Malta

So I want to say I loved our tour guides Brodie and Andy. They were helpful informative and entertaining. What I didn’t like was the hotel accommodations the company booked. We reviewed all of them separately. Many had lots of steps. Three in our group are mid 70s and one mud 60s. All of the hotels required us to drag our bags up to our rooms. The longest was four flights. One in our group uses a cane. We saw folks much younger getting lower floors. Breakfasts were hit and miss. We had two nights at a place with self serve cold cereal. While we listened to others who had beautiful view rooms with fabulous rooms. It was interesting because the same people were not booked onto the same places. We booked this tour in January 2023. Well before many on our tour booked. We would have paid more for expensive rooms had we known. The first five days were with a group of 32 the Orkney was 12. It’s a good way to cover a lot of ground. The scenery was beautiful and worth seeing. Food is on you as are admissions to sights. We have done other tours which included admissions, good hotels and great breakfasts. It’s a long eight days on and off buses lug your bags. I would do it though. Just know what you are getting into and the expense. If you get car sick do get drugs. A must on the winding roads.