The 15 Best 5-Day Experiences in Scotland

1.5-Day Best of Scotland Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 263 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,240Our pick

A small-group Scotland tour from Edinburgh that hits Loch Lomond, Skye, and Loch Ness, plus older sites like Kilmartin Glen and Culloden.

“We would thoroughly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see much of Scotland in five days. Our driver, Alex, was extremely knowledgeable and amusing. He went out of his way to ensure we had a special experience. He played some lovely music throughout and gave us some great recommendations on places to eat. The accommodation was very comfortable throughout; everyone was just so friendly and welcoming!”

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2.5-Day Best of Scotland Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 263 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,240

A small-group Scotland tour from Edinburgh that hits Loch Lomond, Skye, and Loch Ness, plus older sites like Kilmartin Glen and Culloden.

“The Highlands were knock out beautiful and our guide was superb.I would give it 5 stars but I of the accommodations was sub standard.”

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3.5-Day Highland Explorer and Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 169 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,301Top rated

5-day small-group Highlands and Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh, with en-suite stays, classic castles, and Glencoe drama.

“We enjoyed everything about the tour. Our guide brought Scotland to life with his stories about the history, music, and geology of the area. The B and Bs that we stayed in were very comfortable and conveniently located for walking to dinner and shops. The van was comfortable and the small group made it easy to get to know the others on the trip. We will be looking forward to plan another trip with Viator.”

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4.5-Day Highland Explorer and Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 169 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,301

5-day small-group Highlands and Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh, with en-suite stays, classic castles, and Glencoe drama.

“This was one of the best tours we have ever been on. We had an absolutely wonderful experience! Scotland is breathtakingly beautiful! James, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and had a great personality. We thoroughly enjoyed every day of our tour.”

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5.5-Day Orkney & Northern Coast Tour from Edinburgh Incl Admissions

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,454

5-day Orkney and Northern Coast tour from Edinburgh with Highlands views, ferry crossing, and admissions to Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and Culloden.

“We thoroughly enjoyed this trip through the Highlands of Scotland and Orkney. Every minute of the tour was filled, the number of things we saw and experienced plus the informed and entertaining commentary from our guide/driver kept everyone's interest throughout. The two days in Orkney were particularly good, especially if you were interested in the historic remains such as Maeshowe and Skarra Brae. The Italian Chapel was very moving. The accommodation in Inverness could have been better but the hotels in Kirkwall and Ullapool were excellent. Our guide Karen, was brilliant, when time allowed she took us to see places outside the itinerary, her local knowledge and love of Scotland…”

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6.5-Day Orkney & Northern Coast Tour from Edinburgh Incl Admissions

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,454

5-day Orkney and Northern Coast tour from Edinburgh with Highlands views, ferry crossing, and admissions to Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and Culloden.

“Our driver and tour guide Martin w Rabbie's Tours was spectacular. His knowledge of history and animated, kind personality made it a rich experience. It was our first group tour and I would happily sign up for one again. It was an active 5 days and each day was full. The Scottish weather smiled on us this time.”

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,417

Small-group Highlands trip from Edinburgh, with Iona, Mull, and Skye scenery plus Loch Lomond, Glencoe, and Loch Ness.

“The landscapes were wonderful and our tourist guide was excellent Michael. He was very professional and well organised. We highly appreciated his enthusiasm in telling us about the Scottish history.”

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,417

Small-group Highlands trip from Edinburgh, with Iona, Mull, and Skye scenery plus Loch Lomond, Glencoe, and Loch Ness.

“The tour itself was wonderful, but Andrew the tour guide was AMAZING! A wonderful sense of humor coupled with a surfeit of knowledge about local history and customs made for an informative and enjoyable tour. His dining recommendations were always great as well. I can't say enough good things about Andrew and this tour. Thanks!”

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9.5-Day Isle of Skye, Oban, & Highlands Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $518Best value

5 days from Edinburgh to Skye, Oban, and the Highlands. Film locations, lochs, castles, and free stops plus optional seal and whisky tours.

“The trip, April 24-28, 2024, was beyond anything I could have hoped for. First off, John, our tour leader was incredible! When you spend 5 days with someone leading a tour, they really have to bring it and he did. His knowledge of the highlands and the storytelling, my God, the storytelling, was vast! We saw all the sights on the itinerary and even more because our group was punctual and considerate and we never had to wait for anyone beyond a minute or two maybe once. There were plenty of "pee" breaks as each destination was not more than an hour or so apart. So do not be concerned…”

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10.5-Day Isle of Skye, Inverness & Loch Ness Tour w/Hostel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 5 days (approx.)

5-day Highlands and Isle of Skye tour from Edinburgh to Loch Ness and Inverness, with hostel nights, air-conditioned coach, rewilding.

“My experience with the 5-day tour was worth the booking for Scotland. The Isle of Skye and the highlands were my favorite part of the tour as you saw the autumn colors bloom on mountains and everywhere you drove by, was amazing of the nature scenery. The Haggis Adventure were great on organizing the tour and our driver/tour guide Alister made the trip exciting and well-knowledgeable to keep you entertained with Scottish stories and facts about Scotland.”

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11.5-Day Best of Scotland Experience from Glasgow

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,229

5 days from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and more, with breakfast and a guide. Optional cruise ticket.

“I really enjoyed this tour, it is a great way to see the Highlands, the content of this was great, saw a lot every day. The Jacobite Steam Train was a highlight as was the Isle of Skye and Oban. I chose the hotel accommodation and they were all excellent, breakfast was included every morning. The lunch stop was usually in a little village, the only problem with that was every other tour bus stopped at the same little village making it hard to get a table in a cafe or served in time to get back to the bus. In some places the cafes were closed as it was…”

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12.5 Day Islay Whisky Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,901

Five days from Edinburgh to Islay with nine whisky distilleries, Bowmore-area stays, tastings, and scenic ferry and Loch Lomond stops.

“An excellent trip altogether. Moray, the driver is fun and very Scottish! I have never had better breakfasts than those at Bowmore House Hotel, especially with a dram being provided.”

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13.5 Day Orkney Islands and North Coast 500 Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $928

5-day Orkney and North Coast 500 tour from Edinburgh with Viking ruins, whisky stops, small groups up to 16, guided walks.

“An absolutely wonderful experience from start to finish. The tour operator - Scotland's Wild - did a great job in every detail. We greatly appreciated both the planned itinerary and the opportunities to make changes as needed. The guides - Calum and Karen - were great company and really enhanced the trip with their knowledge of Scottish geography, history and lore. I particularly valued the many stops at ancient archaeological sites, especially on Orkney, and every stop on every day added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the trip.”

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14.5-Day York, Lake District & Hadrian’s Wall Tour from Edinburgh

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $1,310

Small-group 5-day coach tour from Edinburgh to York, the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and Hadrian’s Wall, with cruise and Roman sites.

“We had our trip canceled 18 hours prior to start leaving us without accommodations for four days as an option or join this above tour to give us a place to sleep. I don’t believe our Iona Mull trip was canceled for lack of accommodations on one of the nights. I think it was a low show as this 5Day Dales but us forced in made it financially acceptable to Rabbies. DECUSSATING, Our original trip was planned with purpose. To.capture that trip will cost us thousands of dollars. What a tragedy. Rabbies is off our list of usable contractors.”

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15.5 Day Private Bespoke Tour of Scotland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $5,073 per group

Private 5-day Scotland tour covering Edinburgh, Skye, Harris, Lewis, and the Highlands with ferries, pickup, and a friendly multilingual guide.

“It was a fast-paced adventure, diving deep into the culture with our Scottish guide, who made sure we experienced the very best—from fresh meals by the sea to cozy accommodations in the mountains. The roads were long and winding, but the scenery and the legendary stops along the way were truly magical. We had so much fun getting to know our guide through history lessons, snacks, and a great sense of humor. Slàinte!”

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