Let’s go on a 7-day hiking tour of Scotland’s legendary Isle of Skye, where every trail tells a story! From the towering spires of the Quiraing to the serene beauty of Loch Coruisk, we’ll explore hidden paths, iconic landmarks, and wildlife-rich coastlines. Along the way, we’ll enjoy local cuisine, cozy hotel stays, and the expertise of friendly guides. Highlights include castle visits, waterfall hikes, and panoramic views of the Outer Hebrides. This trip offers a perfect blend of adventure and comfort, showcasing the best Skye has to offer in one incredible week.
Your guides will pick you up from Inverness city centre (outside the train station) at midday. Then, you’ll be transported to Skye (around 4 hours including stops), via Loch Ness and Eilean Donan Castle. You’ll check in to your hotel, which will be the base for the entire trip, and then we’ll have a welcome dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Uig Hotel
Today, Quiraing will be the perfect introduction to Skye, as we tour around one of the world’s most unique landscapes formed by Europe’s largest landslip. We have our own route which largely steers clear of the crowds and also takes in the best views.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 10 mi / 16 km, 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: +700 m / +2,296 ft
Accommodation: Uig Hotel
We’ll explore the very northern peninsula of the island, which offers panoramic views over the sea to the Outer Hebrides and back to the mountains of mainland Scotland. This is an excellent location for wildlife spotting, with a number of colonies of nesting sea birds, as well as the chance to spot dolphins and whales. This will be a relaxed day after the previous day’s hike, but there is no better place to sit and watch nature than here. The day’s hike is around 3-4 hours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Elevation gain: +200 m / +656 ft
Accommodation: Uig Hotel
This is the most demanding of the hikes but the views make all the effort worthwhile. The Old Man of Storr is Skye’s most iconic landmark and the most popular tourist location on the island. However, we’ll hike in from the north, along the Trotternish Ridge, which avoids the crowds and also offers superior views. The first view of the Old Man (an enormous protruding rock) will take your breath away. This hike typically takes 6-7 hours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 10 mi / 16 km, 6-7 hours
Elevation gain: +900 m / +2,952 ft
Accommodation: Uig Hotel
Today is another relaxed day to rest tired legs. We’ll start with a short hike (each way) into the Cuillin Mountains to a series of waterfalls that offer great wild swimming or photo opportunities. After lunch, we’ll head to Scotland’s oldest continually inhabited castle, Dunvegan Castle, to explore the beautiful gardens before heading to a remote lighthouse at the very western most point of Skye, Neist Point. We will take a short hike along the clifftops, another popular location for whale spotting.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Uig Hotel
Our final day of hiking takes us through the heart of the Cuillin Mountains. We’ll start with a scenic boat ride to one of Scotland’s most remote lochs, Loch Coruisk. From here, we’ll summit a small peak that has been described as “Britain’s best view”. You can be the judge of this, as you will have already seen some amazing views over the previous days. Afterwards, we’ll have a long but easy hike through Glen Sligachan to our end point, where transport will be waiting to take us back to our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 10 mi / 16 km
Elevation gain: +500 m / +1,640 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Uig
After breakfast, we will start the journey back to Inverness (3 hours), arriving around midday. Flights should not be booked before 3pm and trains not before 1pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and depart back home.
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Add-ons
Not included:
This Isle of Skye hiking tour is rated moderate. You must be hill-fit, meaning that you must be able to hike over uneven terrain for up to 10 mi / 16 km per day, with 1,000 m / 3,280 ft of elevation gain. You must be comfortable with heights, as we will be walking along elevated exposed ridges and cliff tops.
For more hiking adventures in Scotland, click here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
Hiking in Scotland can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The starting point of your Isle of Skye hiking tour is Inverness. To get there, most people fly into Inverness Airport (INV). From there, you can take a shuttle service or use public transport to reach Inverness.
Once you’re there, you will meet your guide at a predetermined time in Inverness town center. Your guide will provide more information before the adventure begins.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!