Check out the Isle of Skye on a day trip from Inverness. With a Scottish local in a kilt as your driver-guide, you’ll discover the history behind the island plus some famous landmarks along the way. Pass Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, then cross Skye Bridge to spend time on the island itself. Visit the town of Portree, travel through the Cuillin mountains, and discover beguiling natural sights such as the Old Man of Storr. Numbers are limited to just eight people for a small-group experience.

Discover the Isle of Skye in just one day
Pass Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and other highlights
Round-trip transportation from Inverness included as an added convenience
Small-group tour ensures a more personal experience

What's Included

Professional driver
Live commentary on board
Local guide
Transport by air-conditioned bus

Gratuities
Lunch (own expense)
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Entrance to Urquhart Castle
Entrance to Eilean Donan Castle

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

7 Ness Walk
7 Ness Walk, Inverness IV3 5NF, UK
Leaves from in front of the Columba Hotel, look for the guide in the kilt. Meet at 8:20am for tour departure at 8:30am

Start time

08:30 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Happy Tours

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Caledonian Canal (Pass By)

Loch Ness

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Drumnadrochit VisitScotland Information Centre (Pass By)

Urquhart Castle

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Loch Cluanie (Pass By)

Eilean Donan Castle

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Skye Bridge (Pass By)

Portree VisitScotland iCentre

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

The Old Man of Storr

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hectors Bothy

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Operates in all weather conditions, dress comfortably
Children must be accompanied by an adult (ages 6-17)
Due to the duration of this tour, not recommended for children under 6 years of age
Near public transportation

Slightly uneven terrain, which is approximately 1 kilometer in total and will be over several tour stops. The longest walk is 300 meters
Not wheelchair accessible; some locations are not wheelchair accessible
Booster seats are available upon request
Most travelers can participate
This tour is not available to people who are on a cruise ship in the Port of Invergordon. This is because the meeting point for this tour is 25 miles from the ship and we can't guarantee at the end of the tour you would be back on time for your ship to sail.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

It was a long day - 11 hours - but well worth it.

We highly recommend Happy Tours for the small group experience, the guide's attention to details and safety, and the FUN.

Reviews

5.0

1,014 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 1,014 reviews

Day trip to isle of sky

Saibal_B, Sep 2023

William was very good The journey was picturesque and we really enjoyed all the stop overs Loved it. The historical background was useful

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you Siabal for the lovely review for William. We are so "happy" you enjoyed all the scenery and the stops on the tour. We really love your beautiful pictures of your great day out. Haste ye back.

Great tour and great...

Emma_V, Sep 2023

Great tour and great guide ! Stuart gave us a lot of information regarding the places we visited, we even got to do a few extra stops. I would recommend this tour, it’s a good way to visit Skye.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thnk you Emma for the lovely review for Stuart. We are very "happy" you had a great tour and loved Stuart's information and wee extras. Thanks too for the recommendation. Haste ye back.

Nature’s beauty shined even on a cloudy day!

Susan_D, Sep 2023

Had a great day in spite of a storm coming our way. We were able to get much of the day done under clouds but rain held off until late afternoon. The ride is spectacularly beautiful. Mike, our guide was personable and knowledgeable and was overall outstanding. Skye was beautiful, can only imagine it’s splendor in a sunny day.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Susan for the great review for MIke. It's been a little stormy here like the rest of Scotland but there's always something to see on the tour. We love you still enjoyed the outstanding beauty of Skye and all the fun and facts from Mike. Haste ye back.

Worth every penny

sharath_l, Sep 2023

Mike, our guide was enthusiastic, he surely knew a great deal of Scottish history, clans and battles. He has a knack of engaging customers without boring them in such long trip to isle of skye.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Sharath for a lovely review for Mike. we love you enjoyed his stories and felt engaged by the history of the area you visited and were never bored. Haste ye back

Relaxing and beautiful

Erin_F, Sep 2023

This was our 2nd booking with Happy Tours Scotland and we loved it. Our guide, Mike, had great energy and was funny and knowledgeable. The landscape and towns were incredible beautiful. Being on this tour allowed us to cover more ground and experience Inverness to Skye in comfort.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thanks again Erin for another lovely review for one of our guides Mike. We love you enjoyed the comfort on the tour and being able to see the incredible landscapes and wee towns visited. It's nice to have a bit of fun and light humour while travelling. Haste ye back.

Thank you William!

Noelle_H, Sep 2023

This was an amazing tour! Beautiful scenery!! I especially enjoyed William's great stories, incredible knowledge of the area, and fantastic sense of humor. Would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Noelle for the great review for William. We love you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and William's local knowledge of the area. It's always lovely to have a fun day and just be "happy"! Haste ye back.

Great experience!

Amanda_S, Sep 2023

We appreciated Robbie’s knowledge of the area, story telling and most of all his singing! We had a great day in a beautiful place.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Amanda for the nice review for Robbie. It's great you really liked his singing and well as his story telling and knowledge. It's someting different that helps you have your memory for longer. aste ye back.

Beautiful & real

Raeanne_L, Sep 2023

Niall was amazing an amazing story teller and very knowledgeable! The tour was beautiful and the ride was smooth.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Raeanne for the fab review for Niall. We love you enjoyed his storytelling and his historical knowledge. It's nice to be comfortable while you take in the amazing landscapes. Haste ye back.

Day in Skye

Janet_C, Sep 2023

Stuart was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and engaging. Enjoyed all the side trips on the way.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Janet for leaving a kind review for Stuart. We love you found him engaging and very knowledgeable. It's nice to have all the stops to enjoy and add to the beauty and history of Skye itself. Haste ye back.

Skye Riders

Daniel_M, Sep 2023

Informative, entertaining and humorous narrative from Michael throughout a breathtaking journey from Inverness to Skye. Great to be in a small group as well - got to know folks.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Daniel for a lovely review for Mike. We love you really enjoyed the small group numbers and made some new friends. It's fab you were entertained throughout , loved the breathtaking scenery and enjoyed the humour. Haste ye back.

Ideal exposure and delightful day

Karl_B, Sep 2023

Mike was an excellent guide. Lots of personality. He was very knowledgeable and had great stories. He kept us entertained and angaged all day long. The weather was perfect. The scenery was stunning. The small van was comfortable and convenient ... minimum waiting for others. We had a delightful experience.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Karl for a lovely review for Mike. We are "happy" you had such a delightful experience and enjoyed Mike's personality and knowledge. Having great weather makes for stunning views and these are a plenty on the Isle of Skye. Haste ye back.

The perfect day on the Isle of Skye

Don_G, Sep 2023

We had a wonderful day on our tour. William was very informative and entertaining. The weather was perfect, and the views were spectacular! Thanks William for a wonderful day!!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Don for leaving William a great review. We are delighted you had the perfect day on Skye with him and found him informative and entertaining. Haste ye back and Slàinte Mhath

Perfect isle of skye tour

Adam_D, Sep 2023

Stuart was an amazing guide! Cracked some jokes, easy to talk too! Made the experience that much better! We had perfect weather and the photo opportunities were amazing.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Adam for the fab review for Stuart. We love you found him east to talk to and enjoyed his humour. We are very "happy" the weather was on your side and hope you captured some awesome photos. Haste ye back.

Fantastic tour guide with beautiful scenery

Heather_T, Sep 2023

By far and away the best part of this tour was our guide Mike and the people we had with us in the tour group. It was like we were all fast friends and had known each for years. So much laughing and so much fun. Mike is the best tour guide and has a ton of energy and charisma. He was knowledgeable and really wanted to share Scotland through his eyes. The scenery was beautiful and we made multiple stops along the way. This is really more of a journey along the route to Isle of Skye with the turn around point being Isle of Skye. We thought it was a perfect introduction to the area and some really beautiful scenery.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Heather for this great review for Mike. We are delighted you had such a fantastic tour and met fellow travellers who all had a sense of humour. In the small group it's much more intimate and you can really appreciate the guide and all his knowledge. There is so much to see and do on the way and on Skye itself that the day soon passes by and as you say the scenery is just beautiful to look at. Haste ye back

Not enough time for Isle of Skye

Nataliia_S, Aug 2023

Our trip was in a rainy day, so we didn't manage to visit some of the points like The Old Man of Storr, Highland coos (that's what I was coming for :D) — the whole trip seemed rushed, so I can only consider that it's better give more time on Isle of Skye exploration so choose another tour, or to rent a car to be more flexible. Guide was nice and friendly!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

We are sorry Nataliia that you felt the tour in Skye was affected by the rain. We can't guarantee the weather but we try our best to make adjustments where we can. If the coos are inside due to the farmer protecting them then we have to go with this. It's a pity you felt rushed, this trip is just a small glimpse of what there is to offer on the island, it takes a much longer 4-5 day visit to see its true character. Happy onwards travelling.

Beautiful Scotland With a Terrific Guide!

Margaret_P, Aug 2023

The Isle of Skye tour was wonderful and that was because our tour guide Graeme was so personable, knowledgeable, and fun!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Thank you Margaret for leaving Graeme a lovely review. We are very "happy" your tour was wonderful and you enjoyed Graeme's fun and knowledge. Haste ye back.

Seeing the cute...

Karen_P, Aug 2023

Seeing the cute highlander cow and the castles was very memorable. We enjoyed our time. Lots of driving but Drew was entertaining and knowledgeable.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Karen for a lovely review for Drew. We are so "happy" you enjoyed the castles and our wee Highland Coos! It's a drive that goes quickly when your guide has lots of storytelling to help the time fly by. Haste ye back.

Our guide Robbie was...

Hugo_K, Aug 2023

Our guide Robbie was phenomenal -- amicable, knowledgable and funny. Our car was clean, comfortable, and of great standard. The route was well-planned, and all in all, we had a great day on this tour. Two points of criticism though: the lunch break in Portree could've been longer, as we barely had time to eat and see the town. Second, we didn't see the Old Man of Storr due to the fog. This is of course not in any way the tour company's fault, but they could've planned something else besides the Old Man of Storr, should there be too much fog.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Hugo for a lovely review for Robbie. We are very "happy" that you enjoyed your day with him, despite the weather being not so great. It's a long day out, so time in Portree is an hour, enough usually to grab a lunch and enjoy a wander about. Most prefer this to a restaurant as the get a wee walk about and a streach. Haste ye back.

Enjoying day

Edgar_D, Aug 2023

Lovely and amazing place..with a very good Driver and tour guide William. I will recommend to some friends.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Edgar for a lovely review for William. We appreciate you recommending the tour to your friends. Skye is indeed a lovely and amazing place to visit. Haste ye back.

Great day in the Highlands!

Kathy_M, Aug 2023

Neil was an outstanding guide! He was such a pleasure to talk to and was a wealth of knowledge about the whole area. It was hard to absorb all the information that he relay to us. I would highly recommend this tour and Eli to anyone wanting to go to the Isle of Skye.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Kathy for giving Niall such a lovely review. We love you found him a pleasure to talk to and enjoyed his knowledge and storytelling. Haste ye back and Slàinte Mhath

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