3 Day Loch Ness & Skye Magic
For the Magic & Mystery Lovers
3 DAY LOCH NESS & SKYE MAGIC TOUR
Spend three glorious days (2 nights) exploring Scotland’s myths, monsters and mountains. Spend one night sleeping on the shores of the infamous Loch Ness and one night on Skye, Scotland’s most famous island. Swim and sleep on the shores of Loch Ness!
Tour leaves every Wednesday from Castle Rock Hostel, Edinburgh.
Prices starting from £245 (includes fees, before accommodation).
Discover Loch Ness & Skye with MacBackpackers!
A visit to Scotland wouldn’t be complete without at least trying to spot our most famous “monster” Nessie! We give you an entire evening to spend looking out over the shores of the stunning Loch Ness. Sleep at the perfectly located Lochside Hostel and take a dip in its icy waters!
Set off from Edinburgh and head north through Scotland’s first National Park, the Cairngorms, with a stop in the beautiful forested Perthshire region before visits to The Highland Folk Museum and Culloden en-route to the banks of Loch Ness. After taking a swim with Nessie, warm up around a campfire with a dram of whiskey in hand (weather dependent).
The next day we venture onto the magical Isle of Skye to search this mystical land for faeries and giants as we visit the Cuillin, Portree and the Trotternish Peninsula; before we spend the night overlooking the Skye Bridge in Kyleakin. The follwing day we head back towards Edinburgh with a spellbinding stop at Glenfinnan Viaduct, the hauntingly beautiful Glencoe and the historical Stirlingshire. A tour that’s sure to leave you mystified as to why you didn’t book it sooner!
Arrive back into Edinburgh on Friday evening, just in time for a wild weekend in the capital city!
Tour Video
Choose This Tour If You…
✅ Are arriving in Scotland prior to a Wednesday.
✅ Only have a few days to explore the Highlands.
✅ Want to sleep on the banks of Loch Ness.
✅ Want to explore the Cairngorms at a slower pace.
✅ Enjoy staying in hostels and meeting new people.
Your Scotland Trip Itinerary
Herein lies your expertly crafted trip itinerary which has been tried, tested and perfected by our local Scottish tour guides over almost 30 years of experience. Time for you to show up and enjoy the ride, no stressing over Google Maps!
Please note this is subject to slight changes on the day depending on weather, how busy sites are, and parking availability. We trust our tour guides will do what’s best for your experience and navigate any bumps in the road as smoothly as possible.
- The Hermitage Walk
- Pitlochry
- Highland Folk Museum
- Cairngorm National Park
- Culloden battlefield
- Clava Cairns
- Invernesshire
- Sleep on the shores of Loch Ness!
This is the only hostel in the world that can offer this unrivalled setting!
Please note that this is just a sample of some of the places we go to and are subject to change at any time at the guide’s discretion. Not all sites are available to visit all year round.
What’s Included/T&CsWe’ll then explore the Isle of Skye where you will learn all about the mischievous faeries, hear tales of Celtic myths and see some of the most amazing scenery our country has to offer. We head up to the Trotternish Peninsula for a lovely hike and amazing views in this unspoilt wilderness. We’ll finish off the day with a trip to the North and the beautiful Duntulm before heading to the wee village of Kyleakin to spend the night on this magical island.
- Glenshiel
- The Five Sisters of Kintail
- Trotternish Peninsula
- The Cuilin Mountains
- Portree
- Old Man of Storr
- Kilt Rock
- Kyleakin
Please note that this is just a sample of some of the places we go to and are subject to change at any time at the guide’s discretion. Not all sites are available to visit all year round.
What’s Included/T&Cs- Glenfinnan
- Armadale Ferry
- Sleat Peninsula
- Mallaig
- Fort William
- Glen Coe
- Rannoch Moor
- Sterlingshire
- Trossachs National Park
Please note that this is just a sample of some of the places we go to and are subject to change at any time at the guide’s discretion. Not all sites are available to visit all year round.
What’s Included/T&CsWe depart Edinburgh in the morning and set off on our adventure, a full day of exploration and excitement ahead. We strike out into the Highlands seeking out spectacular scenery, clan rivalry and the odd monster.
Forth Bridges
Pitlochry/Dunkeld
Whisky Drinking
Culloden Battlefield
Loch Ness
Glen Shiel
Eilean Donan Castle
Kyleakin
Sligachan
The Cuillin
Faerie Pools
Portree
Old Man of Storr
Kilt Rock
The Quiraing
Ben Nevis
Fort William
Glen Coe
Rannoch Moor
Wallace Monument
The above itinerary is not set in stone! Your guide may use their knowledge to modify the itinerary to best suit the Scottish weather & to maximise your experience.
On this tour you’ll be lucky enough to stay at the beautiful Lochbuie Guest House in the small fishing village of Kyleakin, just over the Skye Bridge. This small guest house is reserved exclusively for our tour guests, so you don’t have to worry about trying to find accommodation in the Highlands for your trip (no mean feat).
The hostel consists of bunk beds, a full kitchen, hot showers, a games room and your accommodation costs will include breakfast in the morning. So settle in and enjoy the quirky colours and great views from Lochbuie as you relive your day in the Highlands!
If you’d like more info or to see pictures then go to www.scotlandstophostels.com
Our Tours are for 18-39 Year Olds Only
Our company was founded out of the hostel industry and we have a focus on providing young people with the chance to explore Scotland affordably, make new friends and have an active style of tour. That’s why we have strictly limited our age range to 18-39 in order to provide our guests with the best possible tour and give everyone the chance to experience Scotland in a way not a lot of tours do. We have had so many friendships forged on tour and we think this comes directly from only offering these tours to a certain demographic and allowing everyone to mingle. So if you’re over the age of 39 please consider a different tour as we reserve the right to deny boarding to anyone who has broken our age limit.
Book with Confidence
We know it’s difficult to be confident that your plans will go ahead in these confusing times, but all MacBackpackers Tour come with a Book With Confidence Guarantee.
Book on one of our tours for just 25% upfront and rest assured that no matter what happens you have the chance to change your plans. As part of our pledge all our tours can now be rescheduled with 48 hours notice completely for free! Any tours rescheduled within 48 hours of arrival will be subject to a £50 rebooking fee, but this tour can be redeemed at any time (subject to availability).
So don’t let the stress of life put you off your dream trip to Scotland, book with us and travel with confidence!
Accommodation is not included in the price of our tours
We understand that it’s extremely difficult to find accommodation in the Highlands, which is why every person on one of our tours has a bed provisionally held for them at each of our partner hostels along the route. All nights are priced from £30 per night including breakfast and are available as an add-on to your tour in the options section of the booking window. You are welcome to pay for this upfront during your tour booking or at one of our 3 Edinburgh Hostels on or before your departure date.
Departs at 9am (8am from 30 October – 28 March) every Friday & select Mondays from Castle Rock Hostel!
*25% deposit option is only available for tours booked 28 days or more in advance of departure date.
Where We Stay
Our 3 Day Loch Ness & Skye is one of only two tours that stays at our Lochside Hostel right on the banks of Loch Ness. Enjoy your night here sipping whisky on the hostel’s private beach or dip your toes in the mysterious water’s of Scotland’s most (in)famous Loch. On day two we head over the bridge to Skye and spend the evening at our Lochbuie Guest House in the charming fishing village of Kyleakin. Explore nearby castles, treat yourself to some fresh seafood and maybe even meet some locals as you unpack stories of your day exploring the Highlands.
If you want to know more about our Lochside Hostel and Lochbuie Guest House then check them our on our Where We Stay page!
Terms & Conditions
This tour departs on Wednesday from Edinburgh and returns on Friday to Edinburgh again.
In summer, our tours depart at 9am. However, in winter our tours depart at 8am. Make sure you check your booking confirmation email to get the correct start time.
Tours return to Edinburgh on Friday evening between 4-6pm depending on traffic and other factors which may be out of our control.
Accommodation is not included in tour price, but can be added in booking process. We reserve beds for you at each of our partner hostels along the route. All nights are priced from £34 per night including breakfast and are available as an add-on in the options section of the booking window.
Our Tours are for 18-39 year olds only. It is our company ethos to give backpackers the chance to experience Scotland with like minded travellers at a similar stage of life. Our aim is to help young people meet lifelong travel buddies.
Our Awards

“The Best Quick Getaway in the World!” – TourRadar Tour of the Year Award 2017

“The Best Quick Getaway in the World!” – TourRadar Tour of the Year Award 2018
