Who we are
MacBackpackers has been running fun filled, fully guided adventures around Scotland for over 25 incredible years! Created for young independent travellers aged between 18 and 39, our tours give an entertaining, informative and utterly unique view of Scotland.
Our guides, patriotic and passionate, will open up our amazing country to you, weaving together the rich fabric of Scottish history and culture as we travel along some of the most picturesque routes in Scotland.
We are an energetic bunch and always aim to spend as much time off the bus as possible. Whether it’s exploring a castle, climbing to the top of a mountain or swimming in the legendary Loch Ness, we like to get up close and personal with our country. We take you to all the hidden gems that you won’t find in the guidebooks to give you a feel of the real Scotland!
Unlike many of our competitors, we are 100% Scottish and independent – we believe this gives us a distinctive edge and gives you a genuinely unforgettable experience.
Our Tours
Our number 1 selling tour! Spend 3 days exploring our Bonnie lands with stops at Culloden, Loch Ness and of course the incredible Isle of Skye. Perfect for your first tour in Scotland!
Don’t need any convincing? Book your spot below!
Our 3 Day Skye tour with a twist! Spend a night on the banks of the mysterious Loch Ness before gallivanting around the Isle of Skye.
Don’t need any convincing? Book your spot below!
Fantastic Guides
Bringing Scotland to life
Our fantastic guides have a wealth of knowledge about Scotland as well as a sharp Scottish wit that’s sure to make your tour all the more memorable.
Comfortable buses
A fleet to be proud of
Our 16 and 29 seater buses are the perfect way to explore the Highlands while giving you the chance to meet loads of likeminded, young travellers!
Proudly Scottish
100% Scottish Owned
MacBackpackers is one of the few 100% Scottish owned tour companies out there and we are extremely passionate about showing off Scotland to the world!
Over 25 years of experience
Pioneers in the industry
MacBackpackers has been operating for over 25 wonderful years taking punters to every corner of our beautiful country. Nobody knows Scotland like we do!
Exclusive Discounts For Our Guests
We've got some deals for you
Over the years we’ve seen tourism explode in Scotland and as one of the original bus tour companies in Scotland we’ve haggled to get you some exclusive deals along our tour routes.
We run our own hostels across Scotland
We have 9 hostels across Scotland
From our early beginnings opening High Street Hostel over 30 years ago to now running 9 hostels in Scotland, we have places to stay all across the country for our punters and offer a discount for our Edinburgh hostels for any of our guests.
and most importantly…
We're a true youth tour company
18-39 Year Olds only!
Our tours are generally filled with young, friendly backpacker types who want to meet new people and explore Scotland in a more active way than most traditional bus tours. So we’ve capped the age limit on our tours to 39 in order to help our passengers have the best tour possible and tick off even more of our Bonnie country.
Reviews
This was the BEST trip I could’ve asked for. Tim (our guide) knew every trail, mountain, and bit of history on Skye and the rest of Scotland. The only time we weren’t laughing on this tour was when we were sleeping in Mackbackpackers’ very own hostel in picturesque Kyleakin. We were so so lucky to be in this small group, enjoying the beautiful country with exceptional weather and company. The worst part? Leaving. It is a lot of walking and hiking, so make sure to bring appropriate shoes and clothes when you inevitably book this trip!!
As someone who has done 3 tours through the Highlands and Isle of Skye I can say with confidence MacBackpackers is the very best. You can tell the whole team are passionate about showcasing their beautiful country. Our guide Tim was incredibly knowledgeable and was a gifted story teller! He also had a wicked sense of humour that we all appreciated, in fact I laughed so hard I cried! Our hostel on Skye was clean, and cozy to return to after amazing days off of the bus exploring nature, it ended up being the best sleep I had our entire stay! Tim made us all feel welcome our first night playing his guitar and getting all of us singing together it was a magical evening we wont ever forget.
Don’t settle for sitting on a different company’s tour bus when you can go with MacBackpackers and get out into the stunning Scottish wilderness with guides who love their country and know how to make you feel at home with their warm Scottish hospitality!
This is a wonderful tour!! It is a great sampler platter of the highlands and skye. With macbackpackers guidance, you are able to see and do so much more than if you try to use public transport and it is much lower stress than trying to do a car rental and planning. There were significant opportunities for hill walking and seeing historical sights. Neal is an incredible storyteller and gave hilarious and informative lessons on the history of the landmarks. I would definitely book a trip with macbackpackers again!
With the taste of whiskey still on my lips and the winds of Skye in my hair, I know the memories of this tour will never fade. If you seek adventure, if you want to know everything that the Scottish Highlands have to offer, come wind or snow, sunshine or hail, Macbackpackers will provide you with the best possible itinerary, the most impressive views and the visits you cannot miss. With a whole day to spend in Skye, we discovered some of the best spots and itched for our next visit to the island … with Macbackpackers obviously!!!
Absolutely amazing Branka truly made this tour incredible! She knew her history, her folk tales and mythology and gave us the absolute best Playlist for the bus ride She convinced me to run into Loch Ness, swim in the faerie pools and took us on a hiking adventure to remember forever. If I could recommend any tour it would be this one!
Would HIGHLY recommend this tour! I did the 3 day Isle of Skye! Our tour guide, Branka, was amazing and knew of all the best spots and viewpoints! She had SO much knowledge about Scotland and its history and was a great storyteller as well! I’ve done several tours while traveling and this was by far my favorite! It was a small group size and we were able to do more adventurous things (hiking, swimming in Loch Ness and Fairy Pools etc) than you’d be able to do in a more ‘typical’ tour setting! You won’t leave this tour disappointed!!
Easily the best guided tour I’ve ever done! Tim was absolutely fantastic, his knowledge of the highlands of Scotland was vast and he made the experience super fun and upbeat for everyone involved with his charismatic personality. I would definitely return for a longer tour in the future and it has certainly made me want to hike more around the isle! I was disappointed when it all came to an end!
This was the best tour I have ever been on. We had Neil as our tour guide, he told funny stories and Scottish history and I loved every minute of it! Went to beautiful amazing places that I’ll definitely be coming back for again! Would highly recommend for anyone wanting to get a taste of Scotland!
This tour is as good as you get for a 3 day Skye tour. Neil was our tour guide and he’s the perfect mix of knowledgeable and entertaining with his information. I saw views/sights that I never thought I would see in my lifetime. If you are wondering if you should book the 3 or 5 day, 100% go for the 5 day. People (like myself) don’t fully take into account how long it takes to get to IoS and 5 days would give you more but if you only have 3 days, Neil and MacBackpackers is the way to go! I met lifelong friends on this trip! Thank you Neil!
News & Blog
GET 10% OFF EDINBURGH HOSTELS WITH EVERY MACBACKPACKERS TOUR! Our tours leave from the multi award[...]
GET 10% OFF EDINBURGH HOSTELS WITH EVERY MACBACKPACKERS TOUR! Our tours leave from the multi award[...]
EXCITING NEWS! We are pleased to announce that we are now giving you the option to[...]
GET 10% OFF EDINBURGH HOSTELS WITH EVERY MACBACKPACKERS TOUR! Our tours leave from the multi award[...]