Scotland's 'Route 66' is a rollercoaster road of ruined castles, pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs, and charming villages.
Dunrobin Castle - This beautiful castle of 189 rooms flaunts 'Scottish Gothic' style architecture.
Torridon Hills - These are arguably the most dramatic and spectacular mountains in Scotland.
Shieldaig - One of Scotland's most outrageously picturesque villages.
Applecross* - A remote village that was only accessible by boat until the early 20th century. Stop here and visit a pub that serves delicious seafood.
John o'Groats - Look out to the North Sea at the island of Britain's most northerly point.
Corrieshalloch Gorge - Take a walk through a beautiful forest and discover a gushing waterfall
You clamber through scattered boulders and spot a beach so white it makes you reach for your sunglasses. You ramble along cliffs and find a village so small you try to pack it in your suitcase. And you travel along tumbling roads and see castles so ancient you rub your eyes in disbelief.
This is the North Coast 500. And over every horizon, you find something surprising.
On this tour, your driver-guide takes you to the best spots to sample the sumptuous seafood, admire amazing landscapes, and learn the legendary tales.
So, take this famous route of twists and turns and explore one of the most beautifully wild parts of Scotland.
Students, seniors over 60, and children between 5 and 15 (unfortunately, we don't carry children under 5 years old)
Set off from Inverness and begin your journey on Scotland’s ‘Route 66’. It’s an epic drive with loads to squeeze in. Just make sure you have plenty of space on your camera.
Heading for Ullapool, we spend the first day weaving through the North Coast 500’s winding roads. Your driver-guide will take you to towering mountains, banks of shimmering lochs, and the shores of beautiful beaches. We reach the scenic port town of Ullapool in the late afternoon.
*From November to March, Applecross may be inaccessible due to bad weather and daylight timings.
Today, the scenery gets progressively more beautiful, rocky, and mountainous. As you travel north, your driver-guide will take you to some of the most beautiful sights in Scotland.
Your itinerary depends on the weather and your guide’s expert tips, but you may have a chance to venture into the deep Smoo Cave, wander the ruins of Ardvreck Castle, and gaze at gorgeous white beaches. You stop for lunch in a Highland village and spend the evening in Thurso, the most northerly town on the British mainland.
Today you get plenty of time off the coach to explore cosy fishing villages, epic cliffs, and ancient Neolithic sights.
Your driver takes you to the northernmost point of mainland Great Britain where you might spot the Orkney Isles on the horizon.
Perched on the windswept cliff, Girnigeo Castle is your next stop. The location of this ruin is as dramatic as its history. Walk along this wild coast and listen to the chilling tales before you continue on the epic North Coast 500 route.
Travelling southwards, you enjoy the green valleys and sea views on the way to Dunrobin Castle. You have time to take a photo of the stately home before you drive along the coast and through land once inhabited by the Picts and Vikings.
Finally, we arrive in Inverness in the early evening.
You stay one night in Ullapool* and one night in Thurso.
*Please be aware that Ullapool is busy. You may need to be flexible with rooms we're able to reserve for you here. If you'd prefer to find your own accommodation for this location, please choose the 'book your own accommodation' option when you book your tour.
Your tour excludes accommodation; but when you book, you can ask us to reserve local accommodation for you, or you can choose to reserve your own accommodation in the overnight locations.
Once you've booked your tour, we'll reserve all your accommodation, and your driver will drop you off with your hosts.
We'll reserve your room(s) with one of our preferred accommodation suppliers and you'll pay them directly when you check-in. Most accommodation hosts don’t accept credit cards, so be prepared to pay cash.
You won't be able to choose which Hotel/B&B you stay in, but we will confirm the named property and exact prices on your first day of tour. If it's important for you to know where you're going to be staying in advance, or if you want to stay in a specific Hotel/B&B, we recommend that you select the option to book your own accommodation.
Plans can change, so we let you alter your accommodation choices for free within the first 48 hours of booking. After this time, amendments aren't guaranteed and carry a surcharge. Please contact rooms@rabbies.com if you have any questions.
You’ll need to contact us with your accommodation details. Please only reserve accommodation within the overnight towns that your tour stops in. Your driver will drop you off at your chosen accommodation as long as it’s relatively central.
If you cancel less than three days before departure, you may be liable for the cost of your first nights’ accommodation. And occasionally you may be liable for all your accommodation costs.
We try to reserve accommodation that’s no more than a 20-minute walk from the town centre. We regularly check our accommodation suppliers to ensure they reach a certain standard. The prices below are for guidance only.
B&B (Bed and Breakfast) Standard
The toilet and showering facilities are shared with at least one other room in the house, and the price includes breakfast. The cost is £35 - £50 per person per night based on shared accommodation. A single standard room is £40 - £70 per night.
B&B En suite
The showering and toilet facilities are private, and breakfast is included in the price. The cost is £45 - £65 per person per night based on shared accommodation. A single en suite is £75 - £90 per night.
Hotels
Hotels have a bar or restaurant and provide evening meals. Breakfast is included in the price. The cost is £75 - £90 per person per night. A single is £90 - £150 per night.
Hostels
Please note, we're unable to book hostels for this tour at the moment. You may still be able to book hostel accommodation yourself if you choose to the option to book your own accommodation for your tour.
A hostel consists of dormitory rooms with 4 to 16 bunk beds. The bathroom facilities are a short distance from the dorm room. Kitchen facilities are equipped so you can make your own meals. The cost based on dorm beds is £19 - £30 per person per night.
Please note that SYHA hostels only offer same gender dorms. Some independent hostels will offer mixed rooms (males and females together).
If you have any more questions, you can read our FAQs, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, or email rooms@rabbies.com.
The UK and Ireland's historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What's more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
We don't recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can't wait for you if you're late.
If you're late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies.
We have a cancellation period of 48 hours for our one day tours, 15 days for two to nine day tours, and 21 days for 10+ day tours. If cancelled outside this period, we'll give you a full refund minus a 10% admin charge. If you cancel inside this period, refunds are at our discretion. Click here to view full terms and conditions.
Your tour will always follow the itinerary as closely as possible. While there are ongoing coronavirus restrictions throughout the UK and Ireland, itineraries are more likely to change than usual as opening hours and capacities at many visitor attractions are reduced and subject to change. Your driver-guide will keep you up to up to date on the road, and we'll try to get in touch about any large changes prior to your departure.
It's simple: you book, you go. This means we'll never cancel your tour because of a minimum numbers policy.
Due to logistical reasons, we're unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you'll always get a good view.
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you'll have regular comfort breaks.
We aim to accommodate everyone. To read more information on how we do this, click here to go to our accessibility guide.
We regret we don't carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
You don't need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Let's be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it's up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
We advise you take out travel insurance.
You're protected by ABTOT when you chose to let us reserve your accommodation on a multi-day tour. This means you can claim back anything you've paid us if we become bankrupt. Read our terms and conditions for more information.
If you have any more questions, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, email tours@rabbies.com , or check out our full FAQs .
Travel the local way on small group tours of 16 people or fewer
You'll have a guaranteed experience, or your money back
Guaranteed departures: We’ll never cancel your tour because of minimum numbers
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