Scottish Highland Tours

You’ll find the Highlands in northern Scotland, covering the top part of the country. The southern Highland boundary covers the Fort William area in the west, taking in Aviemore and Inverness in the east. Spanning almost 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometres), the Highlands make up a third of Scotland.

Visit Scotland’s Highlands and you’ll get to experience iconic elements of Scottish culture and nature. The region is known for unspoiled mountains, glens, lochs, forests and rivers, as well as rugged islands and coastline. 

Plus, you could tour whisky distilleries, and go to a traditional Highland games. The region is also known for its famous castles, some of which were used as filming locations for the hit TV series The Crown. 

Read more cool facts about scotland on our experts' blog.

Yes, we highly recommend you explore the Scottish Highlands! Visiting this region allows you to delve into some of Scotland’s most breathtaking landscapes. You’d get to enjoy outdoor activities in beautiful settings, look for native wildlife, and discover charming rural villages.

A trip to the Highlands also brings fascinating Scottish history to life. You’ll have the chance to discover centuries-old castles, famous battlefields and insightful museums.

What’s more, as Scotland is a relatively small country, the Highlands are easy to reach. It doesn’t take long to drive here from major cities like Edinburgh or Glasgow. All the more reason to come and explore this mystical corner of Scotland for yourself!

There are so many stunning places awaiting you in the Scottish Highlands. You could explore a mix of hidden gems and famous sites on your trip. Like so many visitors, you’ll probably want to come back to see even more of the region!

These are the top-recommended destinations to visit on your Scottish Highlands vacation:

• Glencoe
• Loch Ness
• Glenfinnan
• Cairngorms National Park
• Speyside
• Inverness
• Fort William
• Ullapool
• Aviemore
• Isle of Skye

For more inspiration, discover the best Scottish castles and the most beautiful places to visit in Scotland on our experts’ blog.

The best time to visit Scotland depends on what you’d like to see and do during your time here. If enjoying outdoor activities and reaching remote areas are your thing, we’d recommend visiting Scotland in summer (June to August). You’d get long daylight hours and mild weather at this time of year.

Summer is the most popular season for visitors to the Highlands. The spring and autumn are both great alternatives if you want to travel during a quieter period. You’d also have a better chance of avoiding midges, which are most active in the summer months.

You could consider a winter trip to the Highlands if you love the idea of escaping to a cosy guesthouse amid the frosty landscapes. Compared to the summer, you’d have fewer hours of daylight for exploring and colder weather. But for peace and quiet, winter is your best bet.

For more expert advice on when to visit the Scottish Highlands, check out these guides by season:

Scotland in summer: what to do and where to go

Scotland in winter: what to do and where to go

Why visit Scotland in the spring or autumn

The best way to get around the Scottish Highlands is by driving. You could take the train or bus, but with a car you’d be able to reach more sights and see all that Scotland has to offer.

With Nordic Visitor you can choose from self-drive, privately guided and small group tours of Scotland, depending on how you want to see the country. You might like to take a self-guided trip, or perhaps you’d prefer to explore with a local guide.

To leave the driving to someone else and have a local guide show you around, opt for a privately guided or small group tour. You’d benefit from the insight of a Scotland expert who would share their insider knowledge with you.

Alternatively, a self-drive tour is ideal if you’d prefer the independence of a Scottish road trip. You can travel at your own pace and stop whenever you feel like it. If you are visiting from the UK, you could still enjoy a Nordic Visitor self-drive tour but with your own car. Contact us to find out more.

For inspiration on driving in Scotland, discover the best road trips in Scotland and this complete guide to driving the North Coast 500.

Deciding how long to spend in Scotland all depends on the type of experience you are looking for. The longer you stay here, the more you’ll get to see!

For an in-depth tour, we recommend you stay for two to three weeks. This would give you enough time to explore all corners of the country and travel to some of the beautiful islands. For example, you could visit the Hebrides, or the Isles of Mull, Iona and Islay.

Or come for around 10 days to experience the highlights of Scotland. You’d be able to reach the Highlands, Isle of Skye and eastern Scotland in this time.

If you’ve only got one week or less, you can enjoy an express Scotland trip. Take a tour from Edinburgh or Glasgow and see the essential sights like Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, one of the national parks in Scotland. You could also venture further north to visit the Highlands.

Yes, your self-drive tour with Nordic Visitor includes car rental with our tried-and-tested hire car suppliers in Scotland.

You receive a collision damage waiver (CDW) and an excess waiver to reduce liability to zero. On top of that, you enjoy unlimited mileage and the authorisation for two drivers. We don’t cover your road trip music: that is all up to you!

When you rent a car for your self-drive tour of Scotland with Nordic Visitor, there are some requirements that you should be aware of.

To rent a car in Scotland, you must hold a valid and full driving licence for a minimum period of 4 years. This reduces to 1 year if you are over 23 years of age.

Drivers aged 23 or 24 can take a self-drive tour with Nordic Visitor, subject to a young driver surcharge of £25 per day. You can hire vehicles in our rental car groups A, B, C or F.

The minimum age to rent a car in Scotland is 21. So if you're aged 21 or 22, we would be delighted to arrange your tour and provide you with information on how you can arrange your own car rental with specific suppliers who can cater to those aged 21 and 22.

If you are aged 80 or above, you can rent a car in Scotland so long as you provide medical proof that you are fit to drive. Please note this should be issued no earlier than 4 weeks before your travel date. You can hire vehicles in our rental car groups A, B or C.

Learn more about vehicle groups and car rental in Scotland on our travel guide.

Alternatively, you could leave the driving to a local expert when you pick one of our privately guided trips or guided small group tours of Scotland.

Yes, it’s easy to customise your itinerary with extra nights, optional activities and upgrades when you book online. Each of these itineraries has been designed by Edinburgh-based experts, but you can still tailor your trip to suit you.

For the most flexibility, opt for a self-drive or privately guided tour of Scotland. This way, you can add extra nights and day tours to your liking.

Or explore with like-minded travellers on a Scotland small group tour. These are a little different as you’re on a fixed itinerary for the guided portion of the tour. That said, you can extend your stay with additional nights at the beginning or end of your trip.

Don’t hesitate to ask your dedicated travel consultant for recommendations on optional excursions and extra nights.

Find out more about Scottish clans and ancestry on our expert’s blog.

Yes, you can select your preferred dates. Our packages are available to purchase online so you can choose the best dates for you.

If you’ve already got a tour but now need to change your dates, contact your travel consultant as soon as possible to rearrange your package.

We recommend that you book your Nordic Visitor tour first to secure your preferred dates before buying your flights. Do search for flights in the meantime so you know what’s available, but wait to purchase them until after your travel consultant has confirmed your tour booking.

By securing your Scotland tour first, you get introduced to your dedicated travel consultant and you will receive all of your package details. This means you can make a more informed choice when reserving flights in and out of Scotland. If you have any questions you can always contact us for advice.

Scotland’s climate can be a little unpredictable, even in summer. You might get lovely sunny days, rain, wind, or snow (in winter). That’s why we suggest you pack clothing and gear for all eventualities.

Here’s our recommended packing list for your Scottish Highlands tour:

• Warm layers
• Waterproof trousers and jackets
• Sensible footwear
• Small rucksack
• Hat, scarf and gloves
• Umbrella

You may also wish to bring smart outfits for dining out or attending a special event.