★★★★★
The 3-day tour from Edinburgh with two Portree nights
A clean, comfortable guesthouse in Portree, with breakfast. Pack for every kind of weather.
Tina M. · 2026
3-Day Isle of Skye and Scottish Highlands Tour from Edinburgh
3 days from EdinburghRooms in the fareEilean Donan photo stop
Three days, two nights in a Portree guesthouse and breakfast on both mornings. You leave the Royal Mile at 7:45am and reach Skye by ferry from Mallaig. You spend day two on the island, and come home past Eilean Donan, Loch Ness and Dunkeld.
Your three days at a glance
Two nights in Portree
A 3-star guesthouse in the island's main town, with breakfast both mornings.
Onto Skye by ferry
Day one ends with the crossing from Mallaig, not the bridge.
Dundreggan in the fare
An hour at the Trees for Life rewilding centre on the way home.
4.9 from 1,367 reviews
From $510 a person, booked for two sharing a double or a twin.
Free cancellation to 24 hours
Most other 3-day tours from Edinburgh want days or weeks of notice.
Day 1: Glencoe, Fort William and the ferry from Mallaig
The first day is a crossing of the Highlands from south to west. You stop in Callander for half an hour, long enough for a coffee, then at Glencoe for a photo stop while your guide tells the story of the glen. Fort William is a comfort break of 50 minutes. From there you head west to Mallaig, the fishing port where the ferry leaves.
The Jacobite steam train runs on that same line, and the itinerary gives it two hours. It is optional, and the fare does not pay for it. If a seat on the steam train matters to you, book the 3-day tour with the steam train in the fare instead. It costs $735 and leaves from the same Royal Mile address. On this tour you have an hour 15 minutes in Mallaig, then you cross to Skye by boat and reach Portree in the early evening.
Day 2: a day on Trotternish, from the Storr to Sligachan
Day two is the one you came for. It starts with half an hour at the Old Man of Storr, at a viewpoint below the pinnacle, not on the path up. Then comes Kilt Rock, with its waterfall off the cliff, for 15 minutes, and Lealt Falls for half an hour. The last named stop is Sligachan and its old bridge, where your guide tells the island's myths.
The listing names four stops for the day. That leaves room for the drive between them, for the weather, and for an evening in Portree. If you want a longer list of Skye stops in one day, compare this with the other Isle of Skye 3-day tours; some add the Quiraing or the Fairy Pools. What each of those places is, and how long the walks take, is on the what-to-see page.
Day 3: Eilean Donan, Dundreggan and Loch Ness
The last morning starts at Eilean Donan, on the mainland just past the Skye Bridge. This is a photo stop of 15 minutes, not a visit, and the fare does not include the ticket. Then comes the hour that is in the fare: Dundreggan, where the charity Trees for Life is bringing back the old Caledonian pine forest.
You spend an hour at Fort Augustus on the shore of Loch Ness, stop at the Commando Memorial for the view of Ben Nevis when the cloud allows, and end with 45 minutes in Dunkeld by its cathedral. The listing gives a return time only for April and October, when the bus is back in Edinburgh at 8pm.
Two nights in a Portree guesthouse
Both nights are in a 3-star guesthouse in Portree, and breakfast is in the fare on days two and three. Dinner is not, so you eat out in Portree each evening. The fare is sold for two people sharing a double or a twin room.
That last rule matters if you travel alone. This listing sells no single room, so a solo traveller cannot book it as one person. Where each 3-day tour puts you for the night, and which ones sell a single room, is set out on our post on hostels, B&Bs and your own room.
How the three days run
- Day 1, 7:45am, 60 High Street. Callander, Glencoe, Fort William and Mallaig, then the ferry to Skye.
- Day 1, evening. Portree and your first night in the guesthouse.
- Day 2, morning. The Old Man of Storr viewpoint, then Kilt Rock.
- Day 2, afternoon. Lealt Falls and Sligachan, then a second night in Portree.
- Day 3, morning. Eilean Donan from outside, then an hour at Dundreggan.
- Day 3, afternoon. Fort Augustus on Loch Ness, the Commando Memorial and Dunkeld.
- Day 3, the return. Back at the Royal Mile; at 8pm in April and October.
Who this suits: a weekend from Edinburgh, and a room for two
Book this if
You have three days in Edinburgh to give to the Highlands and Skye, and you are travelling as a pair. You want the rooms, the breakfasts and the driving settled in one fare. You also want to be able to cancel up to a day before, which few 3-day tours allow.
Book something else if
You are travelling alone: the small-group 3-day tour from the bus station sells a single room and caps the group at 16, though it needs 21 days' notice to refund. If you want the steam train in the fare, book the Hogwarts Express 3-day tour. If price comes first, the Timberbush 3-day tour costs $282 and sells the room as an option. If you only have one day, you need to be in Inverness: see the day tour from Inverness.
What the fare covers
In the fare
- 2 nights accommodation
- Local English Speaking Guide
- Transport by climate controlled coach
- Dundreggan Rewilding Centre
- Breakfast (2)
Not in the fare
- Meals
- Jacobite Steam Train
- Dunvegan Castle entry
- Tips
Meeting on the Royal Mile at 7:45am
You meet at 60 High Street on the Royal Mile, and the bus leaves at 7:45am. Be there fifteen minutes early and look for the check-in staff in blue high-visibility vests. The tour ends back at the same address.
Book your way to the start before you travel, because the bus cannot wait for late arrivals, and a missed start is not refunded. Confirmation comes within 48 hours of booking, once the rooms are held. The tour may run with the operator's sister company, HAGGiS Adventures. Every Edinburgh start point is compared on Isle of Skye tours from Edinburgh.
Know before you go
- One suitcase, 15 kg, and one carry-on. Pack soft layers and a waterproof rather than a second bag.
- Check who can book. The booking form sells an adult ticket for ages 17 to 59; ask the operator first if your party is older or younger.
- No children under five. Infants on a lap cannot travel either.
- Budget for lunches and dinners. Only the two breakfasts are in the fare.
- A folding wheelchair can come. It must have removable wheels, and someone must help you on and off the bus.
- Leave room after the return. The operator asks for three hours before any onward train or flight.
What travellers say about the three days
★★★★★
The 3-day tour from Edinburgh with two Portree nights
Wear hiking boots: it rains often and turns cold. It was worth it for the scenery and for the legends along the way.
Jessica S. · 2026
★★★★☆
The 3-day tour from Edinburgh with two Portree nights
We loved it, though we would have liked a few more stops.
Katerina H. · 2025
Frequently asked questions
Is the Jacobite steam train included?
No. The itinerary lists it as an optional ride and the fare excludes it. The Hogwarts Express 3-day tour includes the train between Mallaig and Fort William.
Where do we stay?
In a 3-star guesthouse in Portree, both nights. Breakfast is included on days two and three, and you share a double or a twin room.
Can I book on my own?
Not on this listing: the fare is sold for two people sharing a room. The small-group 3-day tour from the bus station sells a single room.
Do we go inside Eilean Donan?
No. It is a 15-minute photo stop on the last morning, and the ticket is not in the fare. For an hour inside, take the day tour from Inverness.
How much of the trip is on Skye?
You arrive in Portree on the first evening, spend all of day two on the island, and leave on the third morning. The Highlands fill the rest.
When do we get back to Edinburgh?
On day three. The listing gives 8pm for April and October and no time for the other months, so leave three hours before any onward connection.
Other ways onto the island
Ready for three days on Skye?
Check the dates still open for the 3-day tour from the Royal Mile, two Portree nights included, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Check availability