Spend a night on Scotland’s most mythical Loch on this 3 day Highland adventure

Calling All Nessie Hunters

Name: 5 Day Skye & Highland Fling
Start: 2024-10-28T09:00:00+00:00
End: 2024-10-28T18:00:00+00:00
Location: Castle Rock Hostel

Explore Scotland and stay on our most (in) famous loch on this 3 day adventure

Discover myths and monsters

With Macbackpackers

A visit to Scotland wouldn’t be complete without at least trying to spot our most famous “monster”. So we’ve given you an entire evening to spend looking out over the indomitable Loch Ness at the perfectly positioned Lochside Hostel on this demonstrably fun 3 day tour!

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. A night at Lochside awaits with the chance to swim in the ~~cold~~ refreshing waters that Nessie calls home before warming up around a campfire with a dram in hand.

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 next day we head back towards Edinburgh through Fort William, Glencoe and Stirling. A tour of mythical proportions that’s sure to leave you mystified as to why you didn’t book it sooner!

Departing every Wednesday outside of the winter months, so you’ll arrive back into Edinburgh on Friday, just in time for a wild weekend in the capital city!

Departing Wednesdays from Easter until end October

*Please note these tours may be run in 16 or 28 seater buses depending on the popularity of the tour*

Day 1

Departing from Edinburgh we set out on our adventure to explore the wild Highlands of Scotland. Travelling across the Highland Divide you will learn of heroic and ferocious clans, stopping for a woodland walk, before travelling on towards Pitlochry. From here we’ll venture through Cairngorm National Park to Culloden battlefield and Clava Cairns before we go in search of Nessie, the legendary monster that lurks beneath the deep waters of Loch Ness. Our hostel for the night is situated right on the shores of the loch with stunning views of the water.

The Hermitage Walk
Pitlochry
Cairngorm National Park
Culloden battlefield
Clava Cairns
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.

Day 2

Departing Loch Ness, we drive through the beautiful Glenshiel on our way to the Misty Isle of Skye, taking in the views of Eilean Donan Castle and the dramatic Scottish mountains.

We’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.

Day 3

We say goodbye to the misty isle and head south taking in views of the Nevis range and Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. We’ll discover the haunting beauty of Glen Coe and hear tales of clan massacres, the likes of which inspired George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” series.

Glenfinnan
Fort William
Glen Coe
Rannoch Moor
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.

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Loch Ness from Lochside Hostel - MacBackpackers

Choose this tour if you…

…are visiting during the week (tours leave on Wednesdays)

…want to explore the Cairngorms at a slower pace

…are visiting outside of the winter months (Nov-March)

…enjoy staying in hostels and meeting new people

…only have a few days to explore the Highlands

…want to sleep on the banks of Loch Ness

Gallery

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Upcoming Tours Schedule

Events in November 2024

Reviews

Tour was really fun, got to see a lot of different parts of the Highlands and other spots. Neil was an absolute gem of a tour guide. The tour wouldn’t have been nearly as good without his wealth of stories and great sense of humour. Would highly advise doing the longer tour though, you’ll get more time to explore and soak in the experience.

Dave Murray, Tour Radar

My friend and I took the 3 Day Loch Ness and Isle of Skye tour last July and had an absolute blast! Our tour guide, Richard, was knowledgeable, fun, and did his utmost to make sure our trip was memorable. The Scottish highlands are gorgeous, and this tour was the perfect way to see them. I also loved the hostel we stayed at on the Isle of Skye. My only regret is that we didn’t sign up for a longer tour; rest assured, I plan to return one day and take another tour with MacBackpackers!

Leah, Tour Radar

This tour exceeded my expectations. I had an excellent time exploring Scottish castles, mountains, and historical sites. Our tour guide Mark was an absolute riot! Very passionate about Scottish history and a great storyteller. I booked this trip as a solo traveler and found many others on the tour were also traveling solo. We had a great time getting to know each other while experiencing the beauty of the Scottish Highlands. I can’t wait for my next MacBackpackers tour!!

Sarah, Tour Radar

Branka’s tour with MacBackpackers was absolutely amazing! Her ability to combine Scottish folklore, history, and personal connections made for an entertaining and enlightening tour. We saw amazing sights, heard great stories, and made memories to last a lifetime — my only regret is not leaving enough time to take the 5-day tour!

Isabelle, Tour Radar

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 night one before heading over the bridge to Skye and spending your 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!

T&Cs

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.

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 £32 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 your departure point (Castle Rock Hostel.

Read the rest of our T&Cs here

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Calling All Nessie Hunters

Explore Scotland and stay on our most (in) famous loch on this 3 day adventure

Discover myths and monsters

With Macbackpackers

Departing Wednesdays from Easter until end October

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 1

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.

Day 2

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.

Day 3

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.

Choose this tour if you…

Gallery

Gallery

Upcoming Tours Schedule

Events in November 2024

Reviews

Where we stay

T&Cs

Exciting News!