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Edinburgh Tours
5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh
5

5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

By Rabbie's
Recommended by 98% of travelers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation

Ages 5-99, max of 16 per group
Duration: 5 days
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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  • Breakfast
  • Breakfast
  • Breakfast
  • Breakfast
  • Professional driver/guide
  • All ferry crossings, except optional trip to Staffa
  • Transportation by top of the range 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach
  • 4 nights en-suite accommodation in either Bed and Breakfast or 3-star Hotel.
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
  • Meals and refreshments
  • Admission fees
  • Entry/Admission - Inveraray Castle & Gardens
  • Entry/Admission - Isle of Staffa
  • Entry/Admission - Fingal’s Cave
  • Entry/Admission - Castle Stalker
  • Entry/Admission - Eilean Donan Castle

Start:
  • Bus Station, Edinburgh EH1 3AY, UK
    Please meet your Rabbie's guide inside the Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ (Check in closes 15 minutes before departure)
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 225010

    • Most travelers can participate
    • Minimum age for travel on this tour is 5 years
    • Please note Friday departures will stay in Portree for 2 nights, instead of Plockton.
    • Booking three or more people: we can accommodate up to 8 guests in a group, please add each required room to your basket separately
    • When booking three or more people, efforts will be made to book a combination of suitable rooms (double/twin/family). Preferences should be noted upon booking in the Special Requirements section
    • Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 20kg of luggage (44lbs); one medium sized suitcase/bag similar to airline standard carry-on luggage (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
    • Eilean Donan Castle – We reserve tickets for you. If you want to visit this attraction, please purchase your ticket whilst on tour.
    • Staffa Boat Trip – You may choose to join a boat trip to Staffa. This departs at 1.45pm and returns at 5pm. We reserve tickets for you, so please purchase your ticket whilst on tour.
    • Iona Abbey – You have free time on Iona between 12:00pm and 16:30pm. If you'd like to visit the Abbey, we recommend you book in advance to avoid disappointment, using the link on your voucher.
    • B&Bs tend to be located on the outskirts of towns and you should be prepared for a 20-30 minute walk to local facilities like pubs and restaurants. If you have difficulty with stairs, please mention it to us as lifts will not be available in this type of property.
    • Hotels usually have a relatively central location but may be up to a 20-30 minute walk from local facilities. If you have difficulty with stairs, please let us know so that we can either book a ground floor room or a hotel with lift access, if available.
    • *Please note that Staffa Trips are unable to run boat trips to Staffa for the remainder of 2024 due to inclement weather. This means that unfortunately, tours departing in 2024 will be unable to visit Staffa and Fingal's Cave. We apologies for the inconvenience.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

    • If you cancel at least 22 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
    • If you cancel within 21 days of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.

    The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.
    What is the departure point for the 5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour?
    The tour departs from the Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.
    Answered Jun 2021
    Is parking available near the departure point for the 5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour?
    Parking can be difficult to find in the center of town. It is highly recommended that you take advantage of the excellent public transportation that is available.
    Answered Jun 2021
    How early should I arrive for the 5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour?
    Check-in closes 15 minutes before your departure time. The tour departs on time, so please do not arrive late.
    Answered Jun 2021
    Can I bring luggage with me on the 5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour?
    You may bring up to 20kg (44lbs) of luggage per person. This may consist of a small bag for onboard personal items and a larger suitcase or rucksack.
    Answered Jun 2021

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 225010

    From
    $1,297.37
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

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    Itinerary
    Overview
    Full Map
    15 stops
    Day 1
    Edinburgh - Trossachs National...
    Day 2
    Oban - Isle of Mull - Iona...
    Day 3
    Oban - West Highlands - Plockton
    Day 4
    Touring around Isle of Skye
    Day 5
    Plockton - Loch Ness - Pitlochry...
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Rabbie's
      13,136
      Edinburgh, Scotland
      Joined in May 2007
    • ChanelHW
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A must tour!!!
      Rosslyn chapel is a must for any visit to Scotland. The chapel guides are fantastic and always have so much to share! My husband and son could have spent all day listening to their stories
      Written December 2, 2024
    • A3682OKbethr
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very long drive. Not much to see.
      A very long day. May appeal to an older crowd who likes to stay in the vehicle & see sights as you drive past. Our driver slammed on the brakes on a highway in the pouring rain to avoid hitting a rabbit…not the safest idea. It just wasn’t for me. I was bored.
      Written December 2, 2024
    • Brenna B
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Thank you Jamie!
      Had such a great day! Our tour guide Jamie’s enthusiasm was contagious and he really made me feel like we got the most out of our day, making extra stops if we saw a good place for pictures along the way
      Written November 30, 2024
    • diawl2024
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing guide
      Excellent Trip. Roger and Kiane are very skillful and friendly guide. We have had a wonderful trip to explore highland. We definitely will travel with rabbie in the future. Love from. Shanghai
      Written November 29, 2024
    • 592tatumr
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Great Highlands Experience
      We had a few days in Edinburgh and knew we wanted to get out of the city for a day and explore the country a bit more. This was the perfect option. Check in at the Edinburgh Bus Station was easy to find although through my own mishap, I got lost trying to get there. I called the number on the ticket and a rep was so helpful walking me through the directions on how to get there. Our driver, Adam, was extremely kind and knowledgeable throughout the way. He had the right amount of talking, good music to set the vibes, and he matched his playlist with stories he would tell to make the experience more immersive. The van was extremely comfortable and also came with USB chargers since you are out and about for ~10 hours. There were options along the route for food and bathroom breaks, and the stops were stunning. We will definitely be back and will book more tours. Thank you Adam and Rabbie’s for a memorable experience!
      Written November 28, 2024
    • Heavenly_321
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      My mix up, worked in our favour
      I thought I had booked the Outlander tour, but had clicked on a tour taking us out to the West of the country instead. The lovely lady at check in offered to swap us on to the Outlander tour, which left later but she suggested we were on a fantastic tour that also took in Downey Castle. Our guide and driver Queen Kelly was funny, informative and made our day out very enjoyable. She even pointed out place's we could do the next day that were part of the Outlander tour
      Written November 28, 2024
    • mattgT9757YD
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle Bus Tour
      Our driver and guide Mark was excellent, very knowledgeable and funny! The tour of the Scottish countryside and Stirling Castle was wonderful, we would not hesitate to book again for a longer trip to the highlands and Loch Ness!
      Written November 27, 2024
    • J4700QPtonyw
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      1 Day trip to Loch Ness
      Had a fabulous day with Chris our tour guide, driver and connoisseur of Dad jokes, whisky and Scottish musicians…. Chris was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and kept us entertained throughout the day. Felt safe and the dive was brilliant. Enough about Chris…the minibus was comfy, the tour and all its inclusions was well planned and enjoyable. Well worth the money, couldn’t believe what was involved for the price, recommend +++
      Written November 26, 2024
    • bmstretavski
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great stories & sites!
      This was my absolute favorite part of my trip to Scotland! I got to see so much of the Highlands and Isle of Skye in 3 days. Mac was an amazing tour guide; I can’t praise him enough. He was incredibly knowledgeable, and I could listen to his stories all-day long. He took care of our private group & safely drove us around in the snow. This tour is a memory I will not forget.
      Written November 25, 2024
    • sheri k
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good tour, very professional company.
      We had a great time on this Kelpies/Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle. The coach was brand new and comfortable. The sites themselves were great, although the Loch Lomond location is not as scenic as other viewpoints we saw there on other tours. There was ample (maybe too much) time at Stirling Castle. Our guide was ok (seemed disinterested in getting to know tourists but had great knowledge) but was visibly sick and we got sick a few days after the tour, so that was a bummer.
      Written November 25, 2024
    • S4924XUjohnc
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Storyteller
      Lizzie was the best ..she is a great storyteller.. and that is important in this magical land .. the outlander tour.. it was great!!
      Written November 23, 2024
    • 88christim
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very disappointed.
      The Rosslyn Chapel is under repair and this was not disclosed by GetYourGuide. This meant not only were you unable to enter the Chapel but the whole building had scaffolding around it. Their website states you will also visit the Wallace Monument. You actually visit a Wallace statue! (I see they have updated the description on Tripadvisor just not their website). Needless to say, I didn't feel they gave an accurate description of the tour and will not use this company again.
      Written November 21, 2024
    • JYYCheng
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Magnificent Rosslyn Chapel and Melrose Abbey; beautiful countryside
      All the sights are really pretty. Rosslyn Chapel is just “wow”. A bit of a rush in Melrose. Maybe 30min less at Rosslyn and 30min more in Melrose? Pete was the guide of my group. He is awesome. Great storytelling in a lovely voice mixed with a nice selection of scottish tunes, plenty of personal experiences and good recommendations around town. Comfy mini-van.
      Written November 21, 2024
    • suebillcanada
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Special Day with Dave and Rabbie's
      We enjoyed a one-day tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands from Edinburgh with Rabbie’s. Our driver and guide, Dave, of course wearing a kilt, was excellent with just enough history, facts, stories, and silence to make the trip memorable. The vans were extremely comfortable, we found some hairy coos at Glencoe, and Dave’s personal choices for stops along the way were exceptional. The tour, and Dave, are highly recommended.
      Written November 19, 2024
    • Y8287PFmichaell
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good Tour of Loch Ness and the highlands!
      Good tour to see Loch Ness and the countryside of northern Scotland. It's a long day so be sure to bring some water and snacks. Driver/guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and took good care of us. Would recommend to anyone interested in this area.
      Written November 18, 2024
    See all 13,136 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles66 reviews
    Excellent
    60
    Very good
    5
    Average
    0
    Poor
    1
    Terrible
    0

    Lynn B
    Surrey, Canada13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best tour we have ever had in all our travels. We had Alan for 5 days & Billy for 4 (different destinations). The guides are extremely knowledgeable & passionate about their jobs and made a huge difference between a good trip & an outstanding excursion. I would not hesitate to recommend Rabby’s to anyone (I already have). Alan even chose tunes for each location we visited & had an excellent playlist.
    Written November 1, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Kyle G
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2022
    This tour exceeded our expectations. Our guide, Alan, was a walking encyclopedia of information, and we appreciated his knowledge, stories, and music. Alan came up with a flexible agenda for our day on Skye as most things were closed due to the holiday for the Queen's funeral.
    Written September 23, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jean C
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Solo
    My tour was absolutely wonderful thanks to our driver/guide Ross.
    His wealth of knowledge was amazing!! Nothing was ever too much trouble for him.
    The accommodation booked by Rabbie's was so comfortable.
    Ross was such a god driver that one always felt safe.
    Will definitely do another Rabbie's tour.
    Written July 27, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Ross
    Las Vegas, NV16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We just completed our tour and we're happy with the places we visited and our accommodations. If you stay at the Hill View B&B in Plockton, be sure to ask for the porridge for breakfast. Our guide/driver Paul was great. When on Skye he took us from one end of the isle to the other and was always in good spirits. It was a fun trip and would highly recommend it.
    Written June 10, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Geoff C
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    We recently took two tours of Scotland with Rabbies. The first was a one day tour of Alnwick and the border lands. The second was a five day tour of Iona, Mull and Skye. Both tours were great! I especially enjoyed our guide Michael on the five day tour. His humor and knowledge were only outmatched by his grace when he had to deal with a challenging passenger. I will miss Scotland!
    Written June 12, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Ninam S
    Norway31 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2019 • Solo
    Another summer, another tour with Rabbie’s. Because I love Scotland I just keep coming back. I enjoy getting on a Rabbie’s bus, find a nice seat and just relax, look at the scenery and listen to the guide. Since I have done several tours with Rabbie’s before I had been to many of the places we visited on this tour. However, each guide makes the tour unique so you can get so many different experiences. Arron, my guide on this tour, was simply amazing. He figured out what places I had been to before and tried to find places I hadn’t been. He did a great job so I actually got to visit quite a few new places. To have a guide that knows his way to the hidden gems was brilliant. He was very attentive to the passengers, tried his best to find places and views that would suit all. Not all the passengers were able to walk in the terrain but Arron did his best to make them get a good tour. Since Plockton is such a small place he had even prebooked restaurants for the couple of nights we stayed there, making sure that everyone would be able to get a proper meal. He really did everything he could to make sure that each passenger had the best experience possible. He stopped the bus to rescue a little frog he spotted on the road. Others would not even have noticed this tiny animal. If Arron spotted someone in need, he would help. He loves Scotland and seemed to really enjoy having the opportunity to show the passengers the beauty of his country. The stories he told were interesting and funny. I quite enjoyed the one about the headless horseman on Mull and the one about Hamish the giant. Arron is sweet, gentle, funny, attentive, considerate, patient, flexible, sensitive – a man with a heart as big as all outdoors – and an absolutely awesome guide. I’d jump back on the bus with him any day. I’m sure he can make even the dullest place memorable.
    Written July 7, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    thewomaninwhite
    Chicago, IL73 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Apr 2019
    I'm used to solo travel and planning everything independently, but the idea of driving the one-lane roads of the Scottish Highlands to get to the Isle of Skye just did not resonate with me... so I decided to book this trip so I wouldn't have a panic attack or miss out on some of the highlights of the Inner Hebrides.

    When I booked this trip, I found it so hard to find any reviews that actually described what a typical day looked like on this tour. I heard wonderful things about this company, but really had no idea what to expect.

    The answer is - it varies.

    The itinerary includes so much - but there is also a significant amount of time spent on the bus. Yes - you get breaks to stop, take pictures and stretch. But it's undeniably a lot of time traveling.

    My favorite day may have been going to Staffa, Iona and Mull (all three in one day) because of the variety of beautiful places we went. However, when you squeeze in three places like this in one day, there's only so much time you can expect to have at the different locations... to give you more insight - there were about 4 boat rides and a fair amount of driving included in that one day, so time on each island was pretty limited - Staff is an optional side trip, so if you want to visit, it's roughly an hour downtime on each island, Iona and Staffa (about two and a half hours if you just visit Iona)... there is no real downtime on Mull, sadly.

    Skye was also a day jam-packed with driving to see as much as possible, which unfortunately means there's not a lot of time in most of the locations Don't expect to hike the Quiraing on this visit... But honestly, I could not imagine driving around on this island on my own, so it was a compromise I was willing to make.

    You do get time to wander off and do what you want to in various locations, but you may not always get the time you'd like in the locations you'd like.

    On the flip side - our guide was friendly, knowledgable and entertaining. The van was comfortable and the group size was good (Rabbie's specializes in small groups). And most of the places we went were places I wanted to see.

    Overall, I did really enjoy the trip and would recommend it. This was the first group trip I've ever taken and it was nice. Though of course any mode of travel comes with some type of compromise.
    Written August 23, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Brad D
    Gilbert, AZ9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2019
    My wife and I were going to tour Scotland by ourselves by car but decided not to at the last minute and booked this Rabbie's tour instead - I'm so glad we did. This tour was amazing and wonderful in every way. The bus was comfortable, rode easily, and the windows provided easy viewing. The accommodations (which we asked Rabbie's to book) were charming, quaint, and totally added to the experience. The scenery and sights were awe-inspiring and almost literally breath-taking. We had never done a bus tour before and didn't know what to expect but the single best reason that this tour was so good was Arron, our tour guide. He was, by turns, knowledgeable, funny, and caring. One minute we would hear a bit of history, then a joke, then something about current events that tied into where we were at and what we were doing. At various times he engaged with every single person on the bus and that helped our disparate group (both age and country of origin) get to know each other and become friends. If someone needed help hauling a bag or getting up and down some steps, he was right there. Several times on the tour, he took us to out-of-the-way spots that aren't in any tour book I ever read and they were fantastic. I whole-heartedly recommend this tour.
    Written August 9, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    ctmom123
    Freeland, WA77 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sep 2019 • Friends
    After careful consideration, we decided to do a tour versus building our itinerary and attempting to navigate Scotland in a rental car. We were so pleased we did! The locations visited were absolutely lovely (and enjoyable)...but it was definitely our tour guide, Gill, who created an amazing and fun experience for the whole busload. Thank you so much Gill! This trip created fond memories that will last a lifetime. We will see you again, when we come back to Scotland. Beannachd leat!
    Written September 29, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Mirjam
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We really enjoyed the tour with our driver/guide Arron to Mull and Skye. Through Arron, we not only learned a lot about the history of Scotland but also about today’s situation in the Highlands. He was a very funny and entertaining guide who interacted with everyone and cared about our wellbeing on the trip. We were a group with a big age range and he found a balance in the activities that suited everyone. When one of our stops fell through because of a traffic accident, he immediately had a backup plan. Additionally, he was very good at showing us not only the major locations, but also the hidden gems that are not that well known.
    The locations we visited were stunning and we were especially lucky with the weather. We would recommend this tour to everyone who doesn‘t just want to see famous locations like the Isle of Skye or Loch Ness, but also less touristy (but still very beautiful) places like the Isle of Mull or Iona.
    Written July 18, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    5-Day Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh provided by Rabbie's

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