Itinerary
- Day 1
Edinburgh to Inverness
Leave Edinburgh heading north and you'll pass the Kelpies sculptures before catching sight of Stirling Castle. The route takes you into Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park where there's a stop in a highland village or by the loch to stretch your legs. From there the drive continues through Rannoch Moor into Glencoe, where the mountain scenery really kicks in and you'll get some history about the glen. Fort William comes next, giving you time to grab lunch and walk around town with Ben Nevis looming above. Later in the day there's a short walk to the Falls of Foyers, then the route follows Loch Ness shores with a stop at Dores before reaching Inverness by evening.
- Start point
- Edinburgh, City Of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (Edinburgh)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Glencoe and view dramatic mountain scenery
- Walk to Falls of Foyers waterfall
- Stop at Dores for views across Loch Ness
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Fort William
- Explore Fort William town
Landmarks Kelpies Stirling Castle Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Rannoch Moor Glencoe Ben Nevis Falls of Foyers Loch Ness Dores 
- Day 2
Inverness to Kirkwall
Starting from Inverness, the North Coast 500 route begins by crossing the Black Isle. You'll stop briefly in Golspie, then head to Dunrobin Castle to see its distinctive architecture and grounds. The coastline from here features dramatic cliff views and passes through villages and glens along the North Sea. John O'Groats arrives around midday, and after some time there you'll head to Gills Bay for the ferry crossing to Orkney. The Pentland Firth crossing takes you to St Margaret's Hope, and after that the route crosses the Churchill Barriers and stops at the Italian Chapel before finishing in Kirkwall for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Dunrobin Castle and view its spires and gardens
- Ferry crossing from Gills Bay to Orkney
- Visit Italian Chapel
- Cross Churchill Barriers
Optional Activities
- Explore Kirkwall town and Viking heritage
Landmarks Black Isle North Coast 500 Golspie Dunrobin Castle John O'Groats Churchill Barriers Italian Chapel 
- Day 3
Orkney
The day focuses on Orkney's UNESCO World Heritage sites spread across the green pastures and coastal areas. Maeshowe comes first, a 5,000-year-old chambered tomb with Viking graffiti inside, followed by the Ring of Brodgar, a prehistoric stone circle. Skara Brae is next, an ancient village that's incredibly well preserved. By midday you're in Stromness with free time to grab lunch and walk through the historic streets by the harbour. After that there are other sites to check out like Kirbuster Museum and possibly a tidal island depending on timing. The evening is back in Kirkwall where you can eat, explore the harbour, or catch some traditional music.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Maeshowe chambered tomb with admission included
- Visit Ring of Brodgar stone circle
- Visit Skara Brae ancient village with admission included
- Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage site exploration
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Stromness
- Explore Stromness historic streets and harbour
- Visit Kirbuster Museum
- Visit tidal island
- Explore Kirkwall harbour
- Enjoy traditional music in Kirkwall
Landmarks Maeshowe Ring of Brodgar Skara Brae Stromness Kirbuster Museum Heart of Neolithic Orkney 
- Day 4
Orkney to Ullapool
Leaving Kirkwall and traveling past Scapa Flow gets you to St Margaret's Hope for the ferry back across the Pentland Firth. Keep an eye out for whales or dolphins during the crossing. Once on the mainland, the North Coast 500 continues north through dramatic landscapes to Smoo Cave for a look around. The route then moves into the Assynt mountains with a stop to view Ardvreck Castle ruins. Everything finishes in Ullapool by evening, a fishing village with a nice vibe for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing across Pentland Firth
- Visit Smoo Cave
- View Ardvreck Castle
Optional Activities
- Wildlife watching during ferry crossing (whales or dolphins)
- Explore Ullapool fishing village
Landmarks Scapa Flow Pentland Firth North Coast 500 Smoo Cave Assynt Mountains Ardvreck Castle - Day 5
Ullapool to Edinburgh
Heading south from Ullapool, Corrieshalloch Gorge has a short forest walk showing the River Droma dropping 60 metres into the deep gorge. Continue south past lochs and mountain ridges to Culloden Battlefield, where the Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end. Clava Cairns is next, a prehistoric site that's connected to Outlander if that interests you. The route then goes through the Cairngorms to Newtonmore and its Highland Folk Museum before stopping in Dunkeld to see the cathedral and walk through the charming streets. From there it's back to Edinburgh using the Forth Rail Bridge to complete the journey.
- End point
- Edinburgh, City Of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (Edinburgh)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walk to Corrieshalloch Gorge
- Visit Culloden Battlefield Museum and Battlefield with admission included
- Visit Clava Cairns prehistoric site
- Visit Highland Folk Museum
Optional Activities
- Explore Dunkeld cathedral and streets
Landmarks Corrieshalloch Gorge River Droma Culloden Battlefield Clava Cairns Cairngorms Highland Folk Museum Dunkeld Dunkeld Cathedral Forth Rail Bridge
