Review of A Scottish Highlands 3-Day Group Tour with Kids
When my daughter chose Scotland for her 11th birthday trip, we immediately chose Edinburgh as our home base because of its connections to the Harry Potter books. But the more research I did, the more I realized that it would be a huge mistake to go to Scotland and miss out on the Highlands.
I was intrigued by videos on Instagram and TikTok of the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Isle of Skye, but I also knew that I probably wouldn’t feel comfortable renting a car and driving through the Highlands by myself with one of my kids.
I researched both train routes through the Highlands as well as group tours, and finally decided to book a group tour for ease and maximum efficiency.
I’m so glad we did! Taking a small group tour through the Highlands allowed us to see many of the places on our bucket list, and it also inspired us to want to return with the whole family, rent our own vehicle, and road trip through the Scottish Highlands. (That hasn’t happened yet, but someday!)
We ended up choosing the From Edinburgh: 3-Day Isle of Skye and The Highlands Tour with The Hairy Coo.
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Tour Overview
The tour starts in Edinburgh and runs for 3 days, 2 nights through the Scottish Highlands. You’ll be on an air conditioned coach bus, and you’ll spend 2 nights in Inverness.
Some of the highlights of the tour include Glencoe, Loch Ness, the Isle of Skye, and Glenfinnan Viaduct, but I’ll share more about the exact itinerary including activities and stops below.
You’ll have a tour guide sharing his or her knowledge of the Scottish Highlands along the way, including famous filming locations from Outlander and the Harry Potter movies.
This tour is for children ages 8 and up, and there is a lot of time spent on the bus, so it’s important to know your child and whether they’ll be able to handle traveling in a group setting like this for long periods of time.
There are a few optional experiences for an additional fee, and I’ll include those stops below.
What’s Included
Tour Guide with live commentary and storytelling
Transportation on an air conditioned coach bus
Stops at famous photo spots and destinations around the highlands
Not Included
Food, Beverages, Meals
Hotel Accommodations in Inverness - you will have to book this on your own
Entry fees and tour costs
Tour Itinerary
The From Edinburgh: 3-Day Isle of Skye and The Highlands Tour is packed with incredible views, storytelling, historic sites! Here’s what you can look forward to on your 3-day journey. (Keep in mind that the itinerary may be slightly different depending on when you go. We took the tour in 2024, and the current itinerary on the website flips days 1 and 3).
Day1
Check In + Departure: Check-in for the tour began at 8:00 a.m. at a designated spot in Edinburgh, but you’re advised to arrive 15 minutes early so the tour can depart promptly at 8:15 a.m.
We prepared the night before by picking up some pastries and fruit at a market near our hotel so we could eat breakfast on the go. The only difficulty we had was that many coffee shops in Edinburgh don’t open until 9:00 a.m., so I had to wait until our first stop to get myself a coffee. I try to avoid Starbucks when I’m in another country, but I’m pretty sure they open much earlier so if you need your coffee, factor in a stop to Starbucks before the meeting time.
You can bring one piece of luggage per person to store underneath the bus, and of course you can bring smaller personal items on board.
The Kelpies:
The Kelpies are a pair of giant horse head sculptures just outside of Falkirk, and they were our first stop on the tour. Kelpies are water spirits from Scottish folklore that drown people, and totally reminded me of the horse Elsa rides into the sea in Frozen 2.
The sculptures are impressive in person, and fun to see! But more importantly, there are concessions nearby so I was able to get my morning latte, a hot chocolate for my daughter, and some croissants to share.
Callandar:
You’ll make a quick stop in the historic town of Callandar to use the restroom, stop at a cafe, or just wander around.
Glencoe:
Our first stop in Glencoe was a scenic view, so we all just got off the bus to take some photos and videos. And it truly was breathtaking! There were moody clouds hanging over the rolling green mountains, and this was our first glimpse at the true beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
Next we enjoyed a longer stop at Glencoe National Nature Reserve Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre had a gift shop, the Highland Coo Cafe, a short informational film, and restrooms. We also had time to take a short walk on the boardwalk to the turf house that shows what a traditional Highlander home would look like.
Glenfinnan Viaduct:
The day before our 3-day HIghland Tour began, my daughter and I did a day trip tour from Edinburgh to ride the Jacobite Steam Train, also known as the Hogwarts Express. On that tour we also had a stop at Glenfinnan Viaduct, the bridge the train crosses over in the scene from the Harry Potter movies, but we didn’t get to watch the train cross.
On this tour we did time it just right to watch the train cross over the viaduct. Our tour bus parked in the Visitor Center parking lot, and we walked about 10 minutes away - the trail is clearly marked - over to the Viaduct. We waited another 10-15 minutes, watched the train, and then made our way back quickly to the bus.
We chose a spot below, but I think if I had the chance to do it again, I would try to climb higher into the hills to be above the train for a better view.
Either way, this is a bucket list experience for Harry Potter fans, and a fun and easy stop on our Highlands tour. There are also restrooms and a restaurant here if you just want to relax and eat.
Fort Augustus:
Our last stop for the day was Fort Augustus along Loch Ness. There was an optional boat tour on Loch Ness for an extra fee which we did not do. We decided to get some fresh fish and chips from a shop called Monster Fish and Chips, then we just wandered around town. It was warm and sunny, and it was nice to stretch our legs and enjoy the sunshine after a long day on the bus.
Inverness:
Our home base for the tour was Inverness, and we had booked 2 nights at the Columba Hotel Inverness. The total for 2 nights was £413.10 which included breakfast. We chose this hotel for its proximity to our meeting place so we didn’t have to drag our luggage a long distance.
Day 2
On our way from Inverness to Isle of Skye we made a few stops for coffee or to use the restroom. One of our stops, Loch Carron, also had a beautiful view of a castle from across the lake!
Portree:
Our first true stop was Portree, the capital and largest city on the Isle of Skye. It’s known for its colorful buildings along the harbor.
Portree was so cute, and I would have loved to spend more time there. Maybe someday I’ll get the chance to come back and stay overnight!
We grabbed lunch at a cafe called Relish Cafe, but the tiny restaurant was packed with day trippers like ourselves. I felt kind of bad for the people working that day because the patrons were not being very courteous. We took our soup and fries to go and ate on a bench in Portree Square, which was lovely!
After lunch we took a stroll down by the harbor to get some photos of the colorful buildings.
Kilt Rock
Kilt Rock has an incredible waterfall coming off the side of a dramatic sea cliff. The scenery is incredible! It was quite windy when we visited, but a beautiful spot nonetheless.
Quiraing
Quiraing was by far my favorite stop on the Isle of Skye. The rock formations were otherworldly, and I would have gladly stayed here all day to hike and enjoy the views.
We only had about a 30 minute stop here to take pictures and walk around a little bit before getting back on the bus, but we enjoyed it immensely.
Eilean Donan Castle
On this tour we only saw the Eilean Donan Castle from a distance and got out to take a photo of it.
Inverness
At the end of the day we made it back to Inverness to spend one more night at our hotel there.
Day 3
We checked out of our hotel in the morning and met back with the tour bus to start our journey back to Edinburgh.
Clava Cairns
The first stop on our last day was Clava Cairns, a cemetery and sacred place from the Bronze Age with well-preserved rings of standing stones. The structures are very impressive and I loved reading the signs and learning about the Bronze Age in the Scottish Highlands.
Culloden Battlefield
One of the more solemn stops on our tour was Culloden Battlefield. There’s a museum to visit with a program for kids to complete, so we spent a little time in the museum before heading outside to walk through the battlefield.
Culloden is where the Jacobite rising came to an end with a battle between the British and the Highlanders. The battle lasted only an hour. The Highlanders were defeated, and it changed their way of life forever.
I love that my daughter got to see and experience this historical spot first-hand. As Americans, we don’t learn about the Battle of Culloden in our history classes, so it was all completely new information for her.
We got to see the stones with the names of each clan that participated in the battle carved into them, as well as the tower memorial.
Afterward, we got a latte, hot chocolate, and my favorite Scottish treat, Millionaire Shortbread, at the cafe inside before getting back on the bus.
Cairngorms National Park
We enjoyed a scenic drive through Cairngorms National Park. It was rainy and foggy, so the views were not quite as spectacular as they could be, but it was the perfect setting to read some Harry Potter and sip coffee, so I didn’t mind.
Pitlochry
We made one last stop in Pitlochry where several of the adults on the tour enjoyed an optional Whisky Distillery visit. My daughter and I just walked around to stretch our legs, then enjoyed more hot drinks at a cute cafe.
Back to Edinburgh
We ended up back in Edinburgh around 7 p.m. then walked to the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Royal Mile where we stayed for our last night before our flight home the next day. We booked this hotel using IHG points, and they had a small restaurant menu on-property so we just picked up a pizza to eat in our room for dinner.
Pros and Cons
This tour was excellent, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the Highlands but is too nervous to rent a car. Here are some pros and cons I would consider before booking the trip.
Pros:
Our whole itinerary for the Highlands was planned out for us. We didn’t have to worry about a thing other than booking our hotel in Inverness!
Our guide was knowledgeable and so helpful. I really enjoyed chatting with him during our stops as well as listening to his commentary along the way.
We could read, nap, and relax during the drive knowing we didn’t have to help navigate or figure out where we were going next. There is a lot of driving through the Highlands, and I loved just taking in the views without worrying.
We got to see many sights that I’m not sure I would have known to visit on my own.
Cons:
This tour is geared toward adults, so if your child is not mature, they may not enjoy this. My daughter is a firstborn, very mature, a great traveler, and curious about history and culture. However, she was the only kid in the group. The next youngest person was probably around 19 or 20. She didn’t mind, and we enjoyed spending time together, but I can see if you have multiple kids that don’t travel well in a group setting how it might be difficult.
Because everything is planned out for you, you don’t have the freedom to stay longer at a destination if you’re interested, or leave if you’re not interested. We loved certain spots and wished we could have hiked or just lingered a little longer, but had to stick to the group schedule.
You’re in close proximity to strangers for 3 days. It was not an issue for the most part, and this is the case on any group tour, not this specific one. But it’s something to keep in mind. People may have quirks or mannerisms that rub you the wrong way. This is especially important to consider if you’re an introvert.
Tips for Taking the Tour with Kids
Bring several options for things to do on the bus. My daughter just had her tablet, and while we brought extra chargers, those were long days of driving, and sometimes the battery would drain or she just got sick of being on her tablet. Thankfully she also had a book. Make sure you have plenty to do! I personally re-read the 5th Harry Potter book (Order of the Phoenix), and that, along with scrolling on my phone, kept me plenty busy.
Bring motion sickness medication. If you’re going to be reading or looking at a screen on a bus for long periods of time, you may start to feel nauseated even if you don’t normally get car sick. Just take it proactively at the beginning of the day.
A Yoto Mini audio player or some other device to listen to audio books might be nice in case you need a break from screens.
Stock up on snacks before the tour. You have designated times where you’ll stop and eat, but if you get hungry or just want to enjoy a snack on the bus, it’s up to you to bring what you like. There was a grocery store near our hotel in Edinburgh so we stocked up on apples, bread, pastries, crackers, and cookies before our tour. I’m so glad we had a bag of food on the bus, and in our hotel room!
Bring portable chargers for tablets and devices. There were outlets on the bus, but the ones by our seats didn’t work. Also, don’t forget your headphones!
Pack plenty of layers. We visited in late June, and the weather fluctuated from sunny and in the 60s to chilly, rainy, windy, and in the 50s. You’ll need a good rain jacket (I had this one), leggings or pants, then later a short sleeve shirt with a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt. I wore tennis shoes, and that was fine. If you really want to be prepared, though, you may want waterproof boots. It doesn’t hurt to even have a scarf, a hat, or lightweight gloves, plus some extra pairs of socks.
Make sure the clothes you pack are comfortable. The majority of your time spent on this tour is sitting on a bus. On our first day I wore flowy khaki pants and a cute sweater, and it was comfortable, but I quickly realized that leggings, hiking pants, or flare yoga pants might be better suited for this adventure. Same for your child: make sure they have plenty of comfortable options, a rain jacket, leggings or athletic pants, a sweatshirt, and waterproof shoes. We just tried the Vessi waterproof sneakers and all of my kids LOVE them.
Be prepared to say YES. My daughter was 11 on this tour, and as mature as she is for her age, it was still a challenge to spend 3 days on a bus with adults visiting historic sites. I made sure to say yes to her requests for hot chocolate or croissants whenever we stopped somewhere with a restaurant or cafe to keep her spirits up.
Check out the prices for the tour: From Edinburgh: 3-Day Isle of Skye and The Highlands Tour
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Emily Krause is a Florida-based travel blogger who writes about exploring the world with kids. On A Mom Explores you’ll find best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
