Highlands & Islands Self Drive

Arrive at Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport and begin your Scottish adventure with a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city. Optionally, embark on an evening pub tour. Overnight: Glasgow area

Collect your hire car and drive from Glasgow to Fort William. Consider a cruise on Loch Lomond or a stop in the picturesque village of Luss. Proceed north across Rannoch Moor, stopping at Glencoe for a ranger-led experience in this beautiful glen, before reaching your next stop. Overnight: Fort William area

Travel the scenic Road to the Isles, pausing at Glenfinnan Monument for views of the Harry Potter-famous railway bridge. Cross to the Isle of Skye via ferry, exploring spots like Portree or the Clan Donald Centre. Return to the mainland via bridge, capturing a photo of iconic Eilean Donan Castle en route to Kyle of Lochalsh. Overnight: Kyle of Lochalsh or Skye area

Continue north along the stunning west coast to Ullapool, with scenic village stops like Plockton and optional visits to Inverewe Garden. Arrive in Ullapool, a vibrant harbor town, by afternoon. Overnight: Ullapool area

Drive through dramatic coastal scenery to Thurso, stopping at Durness for the John Lennon Memorial Garden and exploring Bettyhill for insights into the area's history. You can enjoy a private glass-making experience. Enjoy a beach walk before settling in Thurso. Overnight: Thurso area

Take a ferry from Scrabster or Gills Bay to Orkney for a day of exploration, including Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar stone circle, and Kirkwall's local shops. Drive across Churchill Barriers and visit the Italian Chapel before returning to Thurso. Overnight: Orkney

Take the ferry back to the mainland and head south to Inverness, stopping at Dunrobin Castle for a fairy-tale castle visit or enjoying falconry in its gardens. Check into your Inverness accommodation and explore the city’s music pubs on foot or stop by the newly renovated Castle. Overnight: Inverness area

Explore Loch Ness and Inverness, visiting Urquhart Castle or taking a Nessie-spotting cruise. For Outlander fans, visit Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield. Explore nearby castles like Brodie and Cawdor. Overnight: Inverness area

Leave Inverness and head into the Speyside region of Scotland, an area famous for its distilleries. Stop to learn about the craft of making whisky at one of the distilleries along the way. You can also choose to stop at the Speyside Cooperage to learn about the craft of making whisky barrels. Continue to Aberdeen on the east coast for your next overnight stay. Overnight: Aberdeen area

On your way south, you may choose to stop to visit the RRS Discovery or the V&A Museum in Dundee before crossing the Tay Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife. For golf enthusiasts, don’t miss St Andrews, a picturesque town famed for its golf courses, ancient cathedral, and royal connections. Cross the Queensferry Crossing on your way to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. Overnight: Edinburgh area

Discover Edinburgh on a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour before visiting Edinburgh Castle. If you have developed a taste for whisky, join a tour at the Johnnie Walker Experience, or go to nearby Leith to visit the Port of Leith Distillery. In the evening, you may want to explore the spooky side of Edinburgh on an underground ghost walk or experience Scottish food and music at a Scottish Evening. Overnight: Edinburgh area

Your epic journey around the coast of Scotland has come to an end. Return your hire car (if you have not done so on arrival into Edinburgh on day 10) and fly out of Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport. As we say in Scotland – Haste Ye Back!