Spend one week driving around each country to explore and get a real taste of these Celtic lands. This independent self-drive journey includes some of Scotland and Ireland’s most famous sights and routes. At your own pace, you’ll immerse yourself in the history of the Scottish Highlands and Irish Ring of Kerry, you’ll roam around the cities of Edinburgh, Dublin, Galway and Glasgow, and be amazed at the stunning natural landscapes.
Just a few of the majestic sights you’ll take in during your trip.
A day-by-day plan to guide your journey.
Make your way into Edinburgh city centre where your hotel will be located. Many travellers opt to take a taxi or use public transport, but for a more direct and comfortable ride, we will be happy to organise a private airport transfer for you. For those arriving early in the day, we recommend spending the afternoon walking through the city, strolling along the Royal Mile and exploring the Old Town and New Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are also plenty of museums and landmarks to visit within the city centre, including the majestic Edinburgh Castle.
Spend the night in Edinburgh.
Start your road trip driving into the Highlands. On the way you’ll have many possible stops, such as the picturesque village of Dunkeld and the 13th-century Blair Castle. Driving through the Cairngorms National Park you could also stop at the Highland Folk Museum. Arriving near Inverness, you can drive to the Battlefield of Culloden Moor, to see where the last battle on British soil occurred in 1746, marking "the beginning of the end for the Highlands." Nearby you can visit Clava Cairns, a series of tombs and standing stones dating back roughly 4,000 years.
Spend the night in the Inverness area.
Average driving distance: 251 km / 156 miles
Today's journey will take you from Inverness to the famous Isle of Skye. Drive along the shores of Loch Ness where, if time allows, you could take a boat tour in search of its notorious and elusive monster. You can also explore the nearby Urquhart Castle ruins. Later, make a stop at the iconic Eilean Donan Castle before arriving on Skye. Your first stop on the island will be at the scenic village of Portree, where you can explore and admire its colourful buildings and dine at a local restaurant.
Spend the night on the Isle of Skye or nearby.
Average driving distance: 185 km / 115 miles
Today take full advantage of your time on Skye, a haven for nature lovers. We recommend driving to the northern part of the island and taking your time around all the attractions on the breathtaking Trotternish Peninsula. There you can enjoy a walk up to “The Old Man of Storr” rock pinnacle and see the beautiful Kilt Rock waterfall. Other highlights include the Quiraing rock face, the An Corran Beach at Staffin, where you may spot ancient dinosaur footprints, and the mystical Fairy Glen.
Spend another night on the Isle of Skye or nearby.
Average driving distance: 70 km / 45 miles
Head south to the Sleat Peninsula, admiring the beautiful beaches, lochs, and glens of the region. You may wish to stop on the way to enjoy a walk to the crystal-clear Fairy Pools at the foot of the Black Cuillin Hills or to sample single malt whisky at the local distillery. This afternoon catch a ferry from Armadale to Mallaig on the mainland. On your journey to Fort William, we recommend a stop at Camusdarach Beach and Glenfinnan. Admire the Glenfinnan Monument, overlooking Loch Shiel, and the viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films.
Spend the night in the Fort William area.
Ferry duration: 30 minutes
Average driving distance: 135 km / 85 miles
Today's journey takes you past Scotland’s most famous valley, Glen Coe, which offers world-famous scenery. You could stop at Rob Roy’s grave at Balquidder and at the beautiful Falls of Dochart in the village of Killin. Alternatively, you could travel the longer scenic route via the seaside town of Oban onto the historical valley of Kilmartin Glen and past the charming village of Inveraray. This region is considered to have one of the most important concentrations of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland, including cairns, standing stones, and castles.
Spend the night in the Trossachs National Park area.
Average driving distance via Glen Coe: 130 km / 80 miles
Average driving distance via Kilmartin Glen/Inveraray: 285 km / 180 miles
Today’s drive will take you to Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. Drive through the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, where you could stop for a nature walk, enjoy an optional steamship tour on Loch Katrine, or visit a local whisky distillery. For a fun photo opportunity, don’t miss Doune Castle, featured in Monty Python & the Holy Grail and the Outlander TV series. If time allows, you could also stop by Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s top attractions. Enjoy the evening at your leisure in Glasgow.
Spend the night in Glasgow.
Average driving distance: 109 km / 68 miles
Today, board a flight to Dublin, Ireland for the second portion of your tour. Upon your arrival in Dublin, start exploring this amazing city, with its eclectic mixture of heritage sites, museums and historic pubs. You can take a stroll along the cobbled streets of the Temple Bar district or visit the historic Trinity College to see the ancient Book of Kells. Alternatively, you could enjoy an afternoon tea sightseeing tour of the city on a vintage bus or grab a pint at the Guinness Storehouse for a taste of the world-famous beer.
Spend the night in Dublin.
Start your road trip towards the west coast, passing through the beautiful midlands. Your first stop is Trim Castle where you can learn about Irish history at the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland. You could also make a pit stop at Kilbeggan Distillery to see how the local whiskey is made. Later, we recommend roaming around the atmospheric ruins of Clonmacnoise. Finally, arrive in Galway, a lively city by the Atlantic Ocean. The colourful city is the perfect place to taste some Irish delicacies with its famous food scene and numerous pubs.
Spend the night in the Galway area.
Average driving distance: 229 km / 142 miles
Visit the striking region of Connemara with its landscapes characterised by rugged mountains, white sand beaches, picturesque lakes and heathlands. Stop by Killary harbour, Ireland’s only true fjord with a length of 16km (9.9miles). Further along, visit Kylemore Abbey where you can admire spectacular Gothic architecture and take a stroll in the Victorian Walled Garden.
For a more leisurely day, you can opt for a boat trip to the Aran Islands. These three windswept islands are one of the few places where the Gaelic language, culture and music still truly thrive.
Spend another night in the Galway area.
Average driving distance around Connemara: 214 km / 133 miles
Average driving distance to Aran Islands: 76 km / 47 miles
Start the day by visiting Dunguaire Castle. Sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking Galway Bay, it is one of the most photographed castles in Ireland. Further ahead, explore the unique, lunar-like landscape of The Burren before arriving at the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s top tourist attraction. It showcases some of the country’s most iconic coastal scenery. If time allows, you can then visit the 15th-century Bunratty Castle. Here you’ll also find the Bunratty Folk Park, where you can experience what Irish rural life used to be like a century ago.
Spend the night in the Killarney/Tralee area.
Average driving distance: 269 km / 167 miles
Take in the magic of the Ring of Kerry, a classic “must do” scenic drive of the Irish countryside. Stop at Kells Bay House, to see its primeval forest of planted giant ferns. Other highlights include the ancient stone forts of Caherdaniel and Staigue, and Derrynane Bay with its beautiful white sand. Complete the circle with a visit to the picturesque Torc Waterfall. Today, you could also take an optional boat tour from the coast to see the Skellig Islands from up close. These otherworldly islands were recently featured in the Star Wars movies.
Spend another night in the Killarney/Tralee area.
Average driving distance: 198 km / 123 miles
Today’s journey will take you back to Dublin. We recommend stopping at a few worthwhile sights along the way. Don’t miss Blarney Castle, a legendary medieval stronghold that houses the Blarney Stone, surrounded by many myths and tales. Later, explore the spectacular Rock of Cashel, a historic site containing a fantastic collection of medieval buildings that span over 1000 years of history. Back in Dublin, enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure, perhaps with a fine Irish dinner to top off your amazing journey.
Spend the night in Dublin.
Average driving distance: 343 km / 213 miles
To get to Dublin Airport, you can take a taxi, or we can arrange a convenient private transfer directly from your hotel. If your flight is in the afternoon, you can use the morning to enjoy some last-minute shopping, visit one of the many attractions or simply relax and take in the atmosphere of the city one last time.
Customise your adventure with these Optional Extras.
We recommend adding your extra activities to the tour now for the best booking experience and to secure your spot, as activities are likely to sell out.
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Here’s a map of your travel route, to help put things in perspective.
Don’t worry, we’ve got this covered.
We recommend that you read carefully through the following information before booking this self-drive tour in Scotland and Ireland. We’ve answered the most frequently asked questions here so you know what to expect. You’ll also find more practical advice and attraction recommendations in our online Scotland Travel Guide and Ireland Travel Guide.
On a self-drive tour, Nordic Visitor supplies you with a quality rental car and a detailed personal itinerary. You act as your own tour guide and driver, and you get to pick the road trip music!
All your services will be pre-booked by your personal travel consultant at Nordic Visitor. This includes your rental car and accommodation in Scotland and Ireland, along with planned activities, as specified in the itinerary.
As this is a self-guided tour, you’re welcome to stop whenever and wherever you wish along the way. Except for accommodation and booked activities, other highlights we’ve listed in the itinerary are suggestions based on Nordic Visitor favourites.
And rest assured that we’re with you every step of the way. Upon your arrival in Scotland, you’ll receive personalised information, including an itinerary, hand-annotated map and our very own Scotland and Ireland Travel Guides. Plus, you’ll have access to our 24/7 helpline during your trip should you need to contact us.
While there is no minimum age to rent a car in Scotland and Ireland, drivers under the age of 25 are subject to additional conditions:
There is no maximum age, but our car rental partner has some requests for those 75 and older.
If you are between 75 and 79, you should be driving regularly. You will also need to provide 2 letters:
If you are 80 or older, please contact us directly. We’ll look at alternatives for you.
This applies to all those who want to drive on your self-drive trip.
You will travel between Scotland and Ireland by plane. Your flight is included in the price of the tour package.
The direct flight takes approximately 1 hour. We’ll pre-book you a standard seat. Please note that baggage allowance per person is one 25kg checked bag and one 7kg carry-on bag.
We will aim to book your flight for around midday, but in some cases you may be booked onto a morning or evening flight. Your personal travel consultant will choose the best time possible in line with your travel plans.
Please note that airport transfers from your accommodation to the airport and from Dublin Airport to your accommodation are not included, but you can add them in the optional services.
Scotland and Ireland are beautiful all year long. That said, it’s good to be aware that the summer is the high travelling season, with July and August being peak months.
This means many of the highlights, such as Edinburgh, Dublin, the Isle of Skye and the Ring of Kerry will be extremely popular and might have limited availability. This could impact your booking of attractions, accommodation, restaurants, excursions and more.
For a more relaxing experience, we recommend booking your tour, plus any extra excursions, activities or entrance tickets, well in advance. You also might prefer to arrive during the shoulder season, which is during April–June and September–October.
If you do wish to travel in July or August, we will be happy to help you plan your trip to make it as smooth as possible.
During your Scotland and Ireland tour, you’ll stay in accommodation hand-picked by our local travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.
For this package, you can choose from single or double rooms. Twin, triple and family rooms are not commonly available in Scotland and Ireland. Please also note that local room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.
For example, a double room often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.
Due to the historic nature of the properties we usually select, most of the rooms are only accessible by stairs. Lifts are not common in Scottish and Irish hotels. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are not able to walk up stairs.
Travelling with your kids? No problem! Just let your travel consultant know during the booking process. We’ll arrange any cots needed at your accommodation.
If you need multiple rooms, please note that we can't guarantee family rooms or interconnecting rooms at all accommodation. You may even have rooms on different floors.
If you'd like us to arrange for a car seat to be provided for your trip, please let us know ahead of time. This will incur a small extra cost.
The roads in both Scotland and Ireland are usually in good condition all year long and are renowned for their road trip worthiness.
Please be aware that in these 2 countries motorists drive on the left side of the road (and on the right side of the car). If you are not used to driving on the left, we highly recommend choosing a vehicle with automatic transmission for your self-drive tour.
If you want a manual transmission vehicle, keep in mind that you will need to shift gears with your left hand (floor pedals are the same).
Drivers will need to get used to the narrower roads of the UK and Ireland as well as the rural single-track roads. If you meet another driver on one of these single-track roads, one of you needs to tuck into a passing place, which might be behind you. In these areas, you should also be careful of animals on the road.
It’s also a good idea to plan how you will navigate around ahead of time. Your travel consultant will prepare a detailed hand-annotated map of your route to help you stay on track.
We also recommend using navigation apps on your phone, such as Google Maps. Make sure to download the routes ahead of time, in case you don’t have signal in the more rural areas.
For inexperienced drivers who still want to explore and discover the Celtic nations, we recommend one of our small guided group tours or private tours. On these tours you’ll have a local, experienced driver at the wheel.
This itinerary includes a ferry crossing. To board, you’ll need to arrive at the port marked in your voucher and on your map. You will need to arrive a certain amount of time ahead of your departure, and this time will be noted on your voucher. Simply drive your car in the queue to board the ferry at the right time.
Summer in Scotland and Ireland might be warmer than you expect! While temperatures are unlikely to reach higher than 20°C (68 °F), heatwaves can be humid. This means it can feel hotter than it is, especially in cities like Dublin and Edinburgh.
That said, the weather is also very changeable, so you’ll want to come prepared for anything. Rain is always a possibility, and when the sun sets a warm jumper or jacket is a must. We’ve prepared a useful packing guide for Scotland and Ireland to help you decide what to bring with you.
Please note that sightseeing is dependent on weather and road conditions. This means that your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit. If something unexpected occurs, you can call our 24/7 helpline to speak directly with a Nordic Visitor staff member.
Whatever time of year you’re in Ireland and Scotland, you’re likely to see lots of different types of weather. As you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors it’s a good idea to come prepared for a combination of weather conditions.
Here is a recommended packing list for a summer trip:
In some areas of Scotland, such as the Highlands and islands, you might notice small, pesky insects called midges. They’re most active on summer evenings and tend to swarm near still water. You can avoid bites by wearing long-sleeves and trousers and by packing an insect repellent.
For more information, check this packing list suggestion.
There are limited laundry facilities in Ireland and Scotland’s countryside. You will find some laundrettes in the cities like Dublin and Edinburgh. Some hotels do offer dry cleaning for an additional cost.
On your Ireland and Scotland road trip, you should budget for petrol costs of around £1.60–£2 per litre (similar in Euros too).
Your breakfast is included at all your accommodation in Scotland and Ireland. For the rest of your food, your spending money will depend on the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.
In Scotland, we recommend budgeting between £15–£20 per person for each day’s lunch. Dinners at casual restaurants might cost between £20–£25 in Scotland. You can expect to pay a similar range in Euros for Ireland.
Meanwhile at upscale restaurants, you can expect to pay £40–£50 (€40–€50) or more. This does not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.
By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.
For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline.
During your tour, there will always be an Edinburgh-based travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.
If you’re arriving from Canada, the United States, Australia or the European Union, you won’t need a visa to visit Scotland. The same is true for Ireland, which you can also enter visa-free if you are a citizen of the UK.
Visiting from another country? You can find the complete list of countries whose nationals require a visa to enter each country on the website of the UK government and the website of Ireland’s Citizens Information Board.
Your passport must also be valid for at least 6 months after the date of your departure (the end of your tour). It’s a good idea to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.
Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can easily add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades.
It’s best to book as soon as you can to secure your preferred travel dates. Once you have picked your tour, check the availability calendar to see which months are open for booking. Then, select the date you want and complete your booking.
Nordic Visitor offers 10–20% deposits so you can reserve your trip as early as it’s convenient for you. The remaining balance is due 30 days before you travel.
Many tours are also open for the following year if you like to plan well ahead. And if you have any questions or need advice, you can always contact us.
After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip.
At that time, they’ll confirm the availability of your tour. Then the booking process starts, which may take a few weeks. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. You will also receive more information about what to expect during your trip.
You can get in touch with our Scotland and Ireland travel experts ahead of your trip if you have any questions. The live chat option is useful for getting a quick reply as someone answers live every day during office opening hours.
Once you’ve booked, we’ll provide you with travel guides packed full of local tips and top attractions for your visit. You can also check out our online Scotland Travel Guide and Ireland Travel Guide where we’ve compiled useful information about topics, including:
After you have booked your tour, it will only take a few days to confirm its availability. But it may take a few weeks to create your itinerary and book everything. Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents.
Upon your arrival in Scotland, you’ll receive a welcome bag with hard copies of your itinerary, attraction and tour vouchers, the Nordic Visitor Scotland and Ireland Travel Guides and more.
So when do you check in? And what can you expect upon landing in Scotland?
After picking up your luggage, make your way to your accommodation in the Edinburgh city centre. If you’ve come from another airport, such as Glasgow, you can take the train or book a private transfer.
Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.
You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel if you have to wait. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your arrival if you’d like an early check-in.
When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.
You will need to check out from your room, but will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before catching public transport or a taxi to the airport.
All packages starting in Scotland are billed in British Pounds (GBP), the local currency.
Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from GBP to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.
These should tide you over until you’re in Scotland to take your own pictures.
We don’t like to brag, so we’ll let our happy customers do it for us.
Everyone at Nordic Visitor was responsive, polite, knowledgeable and helpful. We had a mis- communication upon arrival in Edinburgh regarding our tour package; and even though our travel consultant was on holiday; others at Nordic Visitor did a superb and responsive job in filling in and addressing the issue immediately.
Extremely detailed. Wish we had time to see and do everything. The B&B's and the hosts were outstanding. Hotels were also good.
Customer service of highest quality. Reaction time to issues and resolving issues immediate and always felt they were working on my behalf. Suggestions more than we can do....appreciate the time and effort put into the quality of sightseeing stops.
Great service. Prompt follow up. Excellent recommendations for things to do and see in all of the areas we were going to.
This is our second Nordic Visitor Trip and both were very good.
It's a bit whirlwind and time is of the essence. We found ourselves rushing quite a bit. Planned boat/bus tours where you are captive for hours cut into touring time. We liked staying for multiple nights, as opposed, to in and out in one night. Overall, a great trip and very well planned. We were met at every location with our voucher information already in place with the vendors.
Sleep soundly, in the accommodation type of your choice, and wake up ready to enjoy another day of exploration.
Enjoy your road trip with 2 authorised drivers and Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) to reduce liability.
Our best price per person when booking for two.
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