Skye Explorer Hiking Day Tour
5.0
8 Ratings
Highland Council
Discover Skye's stunning landscapes with three unique hikes, a picturesque lunch in Portree, and a photo stop at Eilean Donan Castle.
Duration: 13 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Loch Ness - We will depart Inverness and will initially drive along the shores of Loch Ness (keep an eye out for the famous beastie!) As the road winds between high hills, past dark lochans and through windswept glens your guide will fill you in on the tragic history of this area, and how this history led to the desolate landscapes that you see today.

After passing the 5 Sisters of Kintail we will soon see Loch Duich which welcomes us, after 2 hours driving, to Scotland’s wonderful west coast.

  • Eilean Donan Castle - Our first stop is at one of the world’s most photographed castles and we are here (you guessed it!) to snap a photo, from an iconic viewpoint. We will spend around 10 minutes admiring the castle in its coastal location and, from here, we are just a few minutes’ drive to the Skye Bridge. Please note that there is not enough time to go into the castle.

  • Skye Bridge - From Eilean Donan Castle we will wind our way along the coast to the iconic Skye Bridge. After crossing the bridge, and hearing all about its fascinating history, we arrive on Skye. We will head first to the Fairy Pools (approx. 1 hour from the bridge)

  • Sligachan Old Bridge - Our first stop will take in the stunning views of the Cuillin mountains. Your guide will lead you on a short hike into the wilderness to enable you to experience one of Skye’s most beautiful locations away from the crowds. You will enjoy a 360 panorama of what is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s most scenic and beautiful views.

  • Portree - We will have a lunch stop in the cute coastal town of Portree. For those who have used our lunch pre-ordering service at the start of the day, this is your opportunity to collect your lunch, without having to wait around. For those who prefer to do their own thing there are a number of bakeries and eateries in the village (please note that there is not enough time for a sit down lunch). We’d recommend taking a wander down to see the pretty pastel-coloured houses that hug the shoreline, or explore some of the village’s unique independent shops.

  • The Old Man of Storr - As we drive north the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic - these are the awesome landscapes that draw visitors from all over the world to this tiny isle. Soon it’s time for our second hike of the day, to the base of the mighty Old Man of Storr, a jagged basalt rock which is said to be a giant’s thumb! From the base of the Old Man of Storr there are fantastic views of the surrounding rock pinnacles. On a clear day you will also be rewarded with the striking outlines of the Red and Black Cuillins, and views out over the Sound of Raasay to the isles of Raasay and Rona.

  • Quiraing - Our last stop is definitely one of the absolute highlights on Skye, instantly recognisable from films such as Stardust, Prometheus and many others. The Quiraing is a series of landslips that have combined to form awe-inspiring scenery. We will spend around 40 minutes here, and you won’t have to venture far from the mini-coach to find your very own slice of Skye wilderness.

From here, it is time to head back down the coast as we begin our journey back to Inverness. Try to stay awake, as your guide has plenty more stories to keep you entertained as you soak in the scenery for a couple of hours!

What's Included
  • Local tour guide
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • No hotel pick-up/drop-off
Additional Information

Our Skye Explorer Tour is ideal for those who want to get out and really explore the magnificent landscapes of this wonderful island. You will experience three unique hikes: the Fairy Pools; the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. In addition, you will have a lunch stop in the picturesque village of Portree and a photo stop at legendary Eilean Donan Castle. Our experienced local tour guide, who is also a qualified hiking guide, will keep you entertained and be available for advice throughout the day.

  • This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 10
  • Tour duration includes the travel time
  • The tour departs at 7.45am and we are unable to wait for latecomers. Please arrive no later than 7.40am.
  • This tour is not suitable for guests with mobility aids
Location
15 Union St
Union Street
We meet at the bus stance at 15 Union Street, opposite the Harry Gow's bakery. Please arrive no later than 5 mins before the state departure time.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(8 Ratings)
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Charlottes167
Jun 27, 2024
Extraordinaire - Tout simplement magnifique, Notre guide Gordon était adorable, sympathique, très interessant et drôle. Il nous a fait découvrir l’île de Skye c’était vraiment extraordinaire nous nous sommes régalées. Nous recommandons vraiment cette excursion avec les 3 randonnées aussi magnifiques les unes que les autres. Le confort du bus était parfait, nous sommes parties de 8h à 21h pour une journée de rêve!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
709isabelleh
Jun 16, 2024
Exciting day trip to the Ile of Skye with 3 hikes in any weather - Maloch is a brilliant tour guide who took us safely to all the important places in the minibus and told us non-stop story after story about Scotland and life. Despite a lot of rain, we were able to explore the most beautiful places on foot. I would also like to highlight the great cook who prepared the packed lunch we ordered. A big compliment to the entire organization! We would choose Wow Scotland again at any time!
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Mca2449xu
Jun 5, 2024
100% highest recommendation for WOW scotland! - The WOW Scotland hiking tour from Inverness to Skye was an incredible tour. My husband and I are generally not a fan of tours and the feeling of being led in large groups to spend only 15m a time at the most photographed spots, surrounded by other tour groups. This hiking tour was exactly the opposite. Our guide Gordon led our small group (15 in total) on 3 gorgeous hikes (each very different in character) in the course of a truly memorable 1 day visit to Skye. It was a full day but beautifully paced; and he made sure that we saw sights and trails that had very few other folks nearby, even during the busy tourist season. While there is some level of fitness required for a hiking tour, there were numerous options to stop and rest, take photos, and just enjoy the view. Every detail was thoughtfully attended to: from stretch/bathroom breaks, to pre-ordering a delicious lunch in Portree from an amazing local baker, to offering extra hiking poles and rain ponchos to those who might need them. Gordon was kind, thoughtful, super knowledgeable and friendly. He learned each of our names, and was full of interesting tales and stories. (Also: being on the comfortable bus and in Gordon’s capable hands, we also felt affirmed in our choice not to drive ourselves to Skye, as we saw 2 folks driving on the wrong side of the road, and another 2 stranded with flat tires on the side of the road!). We had only one day to see Skye but felt we absolutely got the most out of it; and so much more than if we can gone it alone or with another kind of group or guide. Gordon and WOW Scotland have our highest recommendation! Book the tour, support this wonderful small business, and enjoy!
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Larisa530
May 26, 2024
Great tour operator, outstanding experience - We took a tour to Isle of Skye: Skye Explore Hiking Tour, and it was amazing. Murdoch, our tour guide turned out to be a great storyteller, so we were entertained with wonderful tales about Scottish history. This tour included hiking in three areas on Skye, and we were lucky to enjoy beautiful scenery by foot. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys hiking as much as history and incredible spirit of Scotland.
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Mattpt5919qj
May 20, 2024
Amazing hiking tour! - Absolutely incredible hiking tour across Isle of Skye. Our tour guide Murdoch was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate. He is a natural story teller and phenomenal person. He took us to the more secluded areas of the popular hiking destinations so we could enjoy the views to ourselves. We got lunch from the Isle of Skye Baking Company. Liza had our food ready when we arrived; it was absolutely delicious. 10/10. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys hiking. - Matt & Rachel
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Raijaz2022
May 19, 2024
Great day hiking on Skye - We had a wonderful day on Skye with Gord. We hiked some well known hikes but he took us off the regular path to some great areas that we would have missed and were very quiet. His commentary, knowledge of the area and music made the drive very enjoyable. A really good way to see and hike Skye without a car.
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Kolbes2024
May 19, 2024
Best way to see Skye - If you don't want to be trapped on a tour bus all day, but you still want to see a good portion of the Isle of Skye without having to drive on winding, single-track roads, this is the tour you want. Believe me, I read all of the reviews for basically every Skye tour on offer - and this one stood out for a few reasons. #1 you can book the flexible option, which lets you cancel up to 24 hrs before. Thankfully, we didn't need to cancel, but I appreciated that option of needed. #2 small tour bus. I saw some of the enormous buses on Skye, and was so glad we weren't on those! Our van was quite comfortable, and we had just the right number of people to not have it take forever to round everyone up to move on to the next site. #3 you actually get to see the scenery up close and on an invigorating hike, you're not just taking photos with all the other tourists in the car park. Our guide, Murdoch, was AMAZING. Extremely capable driver and hiker (seriously, he has hiked the island from top to bottom!) and a fantastic storyteller, as well! He was knowledgeable, friendly, kind, managed to keep us on schedule, and even included a few bonus stops. The hikes were beautiful and just the right amount of challenge for an afternoon. Best yet, they weren't too crowded, thanks to Murdoch's knowledge of the island and the quieter spots. WOW Scotland! even accommodated out request to be dropped off in Portree (we were staying an additional 4 nights), which was hugely appreciated, as it kept us from having to double back via public transport or rent a car (too many of those on Skye anyway). A wonderful start to our time on Skye!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Smerican
May 18, 2024
We loved the tour! AMAZING EXPERIENCE! - Murdooch was our guide, he’s a great story teller and made our day with amazing local stories from Scotland and Isle of Skye. I traveled with my mom and my brother and we all enjoyed the beauty and amazing landscapes of Scotland, the walks were a little hard for me and her cause we are not used to it, but it’s worth the effort. We loved the tour, the only thing I would ask is a little more patience for those who are not able to go on the same rhythm, you could tell our guide was a little upset. I didn’t affect our experience cause he was really nice, it’s just something we noticed, as we weren’t the only ones struggling with the walks lol. We would definitely do it again!
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