Who Are MacBackpackers Tours of Scotland?
MacBackpackers is one of the original Scottish tour companies and has been running fun-filled guided adventures around Scotland for almost 30 incredible years!
Created for young independent travellers aged between 18 and 39, our tours are the best way to visit Scotland. Our guides, patriotic and passionate, will reveal 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.
Unlike many of our competitors, we are 100% Scottish and independent and we believe this gives you a genuinely authentic experience.
Why Choose MacBackpackers?
Fantastic Guides
awesome stories
Our fantastic guides have a wealth of knowledge about Scotland as well as a sharp Scottish wit that’s sure to make your tour a core memory.
Comfortable Buses
a comfy experience
Our 16 and 29 seater buses are the perfect way to explore the Highlands while giving you the chance to meet lots of like minded young travellers!
Proudly Scottish
100% Scottish
MacBackpackers is one of the only 100% Scottish owned and guided tour companies out there. We love showing Scotland to the world!30 years experience
Local experts
MacBackpackers has been on the road since 1996, taking travellers to every corner of our beautiful country. Nobody knows Scotland like we do!
We reserve your accomodation
hassle free
We book your accommodation for you in budget hostels along the route! Less stress for you and a cheaper tour! View our hostels: Where We Stay
we own & run our own hostels
we have 9 hostels!
We have 9 different hostels for you to stay in all over Scotland. We offer a discount for our tour guests at all 3 of our Edinburgh hostels!and most importantly…
we're the only tour for backpackers!
18-39 Year Olds only!
Our tours are filled with young and friendly backpackers looking for new friends to explore Scotland with. Guests are 18-39 years old only!
Customer Reviews
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!
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!
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!!
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!
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!!!
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!!
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!
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!
