Departing at: 8:15 AM 
Returns: approx. 7 PM on Day 3 
Duration: 3 days 
Group size: Up to 36 passengers
Minimum age: 7 years old 
Distance: 670 miles / 1100 km 
Hairy Coos: Meet Highlands Cows (Apr-Nov)Skye’s the limit!
Discover the best of the Scottish Highlands on this unforgettable 3-day adventure from Edinburgh! Experience breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture as you travel through picturesque villages, majestic mountains, and ancient sites. Discover traditional Highland life, and enjoy the chance to taste local food and whisky while soaking up authentic Scottish atmosphere.
You’ll see why so many movie locations were based and filmed here in Scotland, with views that inspired the likes of Harry Potter (Glenfinnan Viaduct) and James Bond (Glencoe), and be spoilt for choice for getting that perfect picture, especially on the Isle of Skye where many of Scotland’s myths and legends come from. See mountains created by giants, enchanted waters that will give you eternal youth, and hear songs of the faerie folk in the wind.
This is a tour that will fill you with joy and leave you with a feeling that can only come from being truly immersed in the moment – something truly priceless.
Itinerary
♦ Longer stop | ◊ Photo stop
Please note that during the winter season, we will be swapping Day 1 and Day 3’s itineraries to enable us to visit as many places as possible while it is still light outside. Due to weather and/or road conditions during the winter season the route may change at the driver/guide’s discretion. Arrival times are estimated and can be impacted by traffic and other delays outwith our control.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
- Experienced ‘Hairy Coo’ Driver Guide providing live commentary and storytelling throughout.
- Travel on one of our luxury, modern, air-conditioned coaches.
- Regular Comfort Breaks
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
- Food & drink
- Accommodation in Inverness (2 nights required)
- No toilets on board
- Gratuities for your Driver Guide.
- Optional Extras are purchasable on the day, we recommend paying by cash.
Boat Cruise
£20 Adult, £16 Child
Whisky Distillery Visit
Subject to availability, distillery and price may vary.
EXPERIENCE SCOTLAND ON THIS 3-DAY TOUR WITH THE HAIRY COO
Discover the best of the Scottish Highlands on this unforgettable 3-day adventure from Edinburgh! Journey north across the iconic Forth Bridges to the charming Victorian village of Pitlochry, then explore the rugged beauty of Cairngorms National Park and step back in time at the Highland Folk Museum. Visit historic Culloden Battlefield and the ancient Clava Cairns before settling in Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands.
On day two, explore the breathtaking Isle of Skye—home to dramatic mountains, stunning coastlines, and the legendary Eilean Donan Castle. Enjoy scenic drives, local culture, and perhaps a night out with traditional Scottish music and whisky.
On your final day, cruise Loch Ness (optional), marvel at Glenfinnan Viaduct, and experience the haunting beauty of Glencoe before returning through Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and past the mysterious Kelpies, arriving back in Edinburgh by evening. A perfect blend of history, nature, and culture awaits!
During the winter period, the order of places visited on Day 1 and Day 3 of this tour will be swapped to allow us to make as many of the stops as possible while there is still daylight. Please be assured that the visited places and attractions remains the same!
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Day One:
Departing from Edinburgh, we will drive north across the famous Forth Bridges, to the historic Victorian village of Pitlochry. From there we drive through the east side of the dramatic Cairngorms National Park to stop at the Highland Folk Museum. Here you’ll experience highland life in the 17th century. See the buildings, the clothes and weapons, and how people lived 300 years ago. Continue north, to visit Culloden Battlefield, site of the last Jacobite Rising, then ‘Clava Cairns’, incredible 4,000-year-old, Bronze-Age standing stones. A short drive onwards, we arrive at Inverness: the Capital of the Highlands, where you’ll stay for 2 nights (accommodation not included).
Day Two:
After breakfast, depart Inverness and drive across the Kessock Bridge to the Black Isle and marvel at the spectacular scenery of Achnasheen and Loch Carron. Arriving on the Isle of Skye, venture north to explore the highlights of the island, including; the Cuillin Mountains, Trotternish Peninsula, Portree, the Old Man Storr, Kilt Rock and the famous Quiraing. In late afternoon, stop for photographs of the most beautiful castle in Scotland, “Eilean Donan Castle.” Backdrop to many famous films, such as ‘Highlander’ and ‘Made of Honor’, this castle is another must-see iconic landmark! A scenic drive through stunning Glen Shiel follows, returning to Inverness to stay your final night. In the evening, perhaps visit a local Highland Pub to drink some Scotch whisky or beer and eat some traditional Scottish food, whilst listening to some local musicians perform.
Day Three:
Depart Inverness for an optional morning cruise of the famous Loch Ness. Drive south to admire the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct and the breath-taking views of the Nevis Range at the Commando Memorial. Discover beautiful Glencoe, the most famous valley in Scotland, and hear of its tragic history. Continue south, into the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, while enjoying the scenery on the journey back to Edinburgh. Finally, we’ll drive past the mysterious Kelpies before making our way back to Edinburgh city centre, arriving at approximately 7pm.
MEETING POINTS
EDINBURGH
We meet at 1759 Regent Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8DR, in front of the Burns Monument.
Google Map
INVERNESS
We meet at 1759 Regent Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8DR, in front of the Burns Monument.
Google Map
DEPARTURE AND DROP-OFF
CHECK IN FOR DEPARTURE
Check-in: 8 AM
Departure: 8:15 AM
Seats are unreserved. We are unable to wait for guests who are late and no refunds will be issued in this instance.
INVERNESS
Please note that arrival times are estimated. Your driver-guide may instruct new departure times from Inverness on Day 2 and Day 3.
We encourage swapping seats during the tour.
TOURS RETURNS TO EDINBURGH
Drop-Off: 7 PM
The tour concludes back at Regent Road, Edinburgh on the third day.
Please note that return times are approximate and may be impacted by road conditions and weather. We recommend allowing at least 2 hours for any onward travel or reservations in the evening, in the event of delays.
Accommodation on tour
This tour requires a 2-night stay in the City of Inverness.
Accommodation is not included in the price of your tour and all guests are required to book their own due to the small nature of our team. Recommendations of where to stay will be listed in your confirmation email once you have booked your tour.
We recommend staying withing walking distance from our meeting point in Inverness on Ardross Street, by Inverness Cathedral, IV3 5NN (what3words, Google maps).
We suggest that you book accommodation with a flexible cancellation policy for your own piece of mind. Booking directly with the accommodation provider as opposed to via a 3rd party can help ensure you get the most competitive rate available and is of great help to local businesses. We encourage that you mention you are on a tour excursion when you book as most accommodation providers will be happy to provide your party with an early breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can find the answer on this page or in our general FAQ’s, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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Accommodation is not included in the price of your tour and all guests are required to book their own due to the small nature of our team.
We are happy to recommend places to stay, but you are also free to choose any accommodation that you find suitable. You may also want to ask your accommodation for early breakfast options.
It is our advice to always book directly with a provider, rather than using a large online booking site such as booking.com. These companies charge small businesses such a large amount of commission and we love to support them where we can!
If you would like to research places to stay or if our recommendations are fully booked, we would kindly ask that you use our city centre drop-off point to reference which location in Inverness you should book. The meeting point is located on Ardross Street, by Inverness Cathedral, IV3 5NN.
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You are more than welcome to bring along one smaller bag to use while on the bus, as well as one medium sized piece of luggage, suitcase or backpack, which we will put in the hold of the bus during transit. This can weigh up to 15kgs (33lbs) per passenge. We’re usually happy to allow larger/heavier bags when shared between multiple passengers.
The luggage restriction has been set to ensure that not all guests join the tour with excessive luggage as our vehicles do not have the space to hold too much. Because of this, we would kindly ask that you try other options instead of bringing all of your luggage with you. Please see our FAQ’s for recommendations on where to store your belongings.
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It doesn’t matter when you are travelling, the weather in Scotland can be incredibly unpredictable and sometimes you can even experience several seasons in one day!
As a result of this, we would always encourage our passengers to wear waterproof shoes and clothing, ensuring they have several removable layers. You are more than welcome to leave jackets/jumpers on the coach during stops if you find that the weather is nice when you are due to get off.
To help you plan ahead of the tour, please feel free to check the weather of some of the destinations for this tour here:
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Some roads are less accessible during the winter period, as Scotland can get both quite rainy, cold and even snowy on occasion. While we will keep to the planned route when we can, you driver/guide may make the decision to use other routes to ensure safety as well as you enjoyment!
- Kessock Bridge, Achnasheen and Loch Carron: As this road used for these stops is not always kept clear during the winter, we may at times drive a different route due to safety concerns.
- Old Man of Storr: Visibility can be impacted by clouds and mist, as we stop by the road and do not have enough time to allow walks to get closer.
- Quiraing: The road to the viewpoint is not always accessible due to cold weather and possible snow on the road during the winter.
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We recommend you bring warm and/or waterproof clothing, no matter what the forecast appears to be…Scotland’s weather is very unpredictable! And don’t forget your camera to capture all the lovely scenery and wildlife you’ll encounter on your tour, which you can later share with us online!
While there are no planned hikes or longer walks during the tour, we encourage wearing comfortable and flat footwear.
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Food will be available at some of stops on tour, but you are absolutely more than welcome to bring snacks and a cold packed lunch on board. There are often alternatives suitable to most diets, but options may be limited so if you have dietary restrictions we recommend that you plan ahead.
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We suggest paying for tickets to the optional extras in cash, please see the cost listed above under “What is not included”.
We must also remind you that while picturesque and quaint, many of the suppliers in smaller towns do still prefer cash payments. ATM’s are located at multiple stops along the route, and currency exchange services are available in Inverness.
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We do our best to catch the Jacobite Steam Train (also sometimes called the Harry Potter train) crossing the Viaduct on it’s outbound afternoon service. Please note that the the train runs seasonally. During 2025, the afternoon service is scheduled to depart 7 days a week from the 5th May to the 26th September.
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Our 3-day excursions require notice of cancellation at least one 3 days/72 hours prior to your scheduled departure in order to be eligible for a 100% refund. Should you book your tour within this period, your booking will be immediately non-refundable. If you made your booking through an agent site, please contact their customer services for support.
Our tours are very rarely cancelled but should we have to cancel a tour, passengers will be offered multiple alternatives when possible. These may include options such as an alternative tour, alternative date or a full refund for their booking.
You can find further details in our FAQ’s and Terms & Conditions.
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As we are quite far north, the amount of daylight varies during the year. This means that we enjoy bright evenings during the summer, but have early sunsets during the winter months. This can of course have an impact on your experience on the road, and is one of the reasons why we use seasonal prices for all our tours.
As an example, we’ve looked at the estimated daylight times in Fort Augustus, to help you understand what to expect.
During spring equinox (mid March):
Sun rises around 6:30am, sets at 6:30pm. It will usually be dark from 7:15pm until 5:45am.Summer solstice (mid June):
Sun rises around 4:30am, sets at 10.30pm. It will usually be dark/darker* from 11:30pm until 3:15am.
*For a time, at the height of summer, Scotland does not experience astronomical twilight.Autumn equinox (mid September):
Sun rises around 7:15am, sets at 7.15pm. It will usually be dark from 8:30pm until 5:30am.Winter solstice (mid December):
Sun rises around 9am, sets at 3.30pm. It will usually be dark from 4:30pm until 8am.Please note that visibility and light can also be impacted by weather, and that it is best to look at the daylight time and weather forecast for your specific tour date for further details.
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We always do our very best to stop for a visit of our local, beloved Hairy Coos on our tours! However we cannot guarantee Highland cows, as we are not in control of their movements or placements. Please note that in the winter months (Mid November – April) some farmers decide to move the cows indoors or to other field for the winter so they are unavailable during this period.
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You are free to depart the tour early, we only ask that it is at a planned stop as we do cannot offer individual drop-off points.
Please let us know when you are looking to leave the tour, so that we can inform your driver-guide. The easiest way to contact us is by emailing contact@thehairycoo.com.
Feel free to also speak to the guide during the tour, to ensure that they do not report you as missing from the the tour.