How much does it cost?

From £2,599 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,511 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

This is an escorted small-group tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Maximum group size is 22 people.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and dinner are included each day. Lunches are not included, so you arrange and pay for your own midday meals.

What three hotels are used on this tour?

The Voco Grand Central in Glasgow (2 nights), the Royal Marine in Brora (2 nights), and the Haven Guest House in Plockton (3 nights). All are three-star accommodation.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys operates eight departures: in May, June, July, August, September, and October 2026 and 2027.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Skye, Orkney & the Wild North

Eight-day Scottish rail tour from Glasgow through Highlands, Orkney, and Isle of Skye

Great Rail Journeys runs this eight-day escorted tour through Scotland's wildest landscapes, starting in Glasgow and ending at Loch Lomond. The itinerary moves north by rail through the Highlands to Brora, then branches to Orkney for a full day exploring Neolithic sites and medieval Kirkwall, before returning south to Plockton on the Kyle Line, a scenic rail journey through mountains, forests, and lochs. Days 5 and 6 explore the Isle of Skye by coach and ferry, including Dunvegan Castle and a whisky tasting at Raasay Distillery. The return journey follows the West Highland Line, one of Britain's most celebrated rail routes, through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. A UK Tour Manager escorts the group throughout; hotels are three-star in Brora, Plockton, and Glasgow. Breakfast and dinner are included daily. The tour suits repeat rail travellers, history lovers drawn to castles and Neolithic ruins, and those seeking guided travel with a fixed itinerary and good company.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £500 since 4 Jul, to £2,599.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement (from GBP 3,449) is significantly higher than half the double price (GBP 2,099 doubles to approximately GBP 4,198 total); solo travellers should factor this premium carefully
Lunches are not included; you arrange and pay for midday meals
You must arrange and pay for independent travel to and from Glasgow on Days 1 and 8; rail connections can be booked separately via Great Rail Journeys Tour Advisors

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Glasgow
Arrive in Glasgow, the gateway to Scotland's great outdoors
Arrive independently at the Glasgow hotel and meet the Tour Manager and group. Free time to explore Glasgow, Glasgow Cathedral, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, or Glasgow Green. First dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2railovernight: Brora
Visiting the charming banks of Brora
Rail journey to Brora via Inverness through the Highlands. Check in to the hotel in Brora for a two-night stay; dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3overnight: Brora
Discovering the history of the Isles of Orkney
Full-day tour to Orkney via coach to Scrabster and ferry, with a local guide covering the Churchill Barriers, Skara Brae, the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, plus Kirkwall and St Magnus Cathedral. Return to Brora for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4overnight: Plockton
Majestic Dunrobin Castle and the 'jewel of the Highlands'
Visit Dunrobin Castle and its gardens, then time at leisure in Inverness over lunch. Join the Kyle Line to Plockton for a three-night stay; check in in time for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5overnight: Plockton
Enchanting Isle of Skye and distillery visit
Coach to the Isle of Skye, stopping in Broadford, then a ferry from Sconser to Raasay for a tour and tasting at the Raasay Distillery. Return by ferry to Sconser; dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6overnight: Plockton
The grand Dunvegan Castle and picturesque Portree
Visit Dunvegan Castle and gardens, then continue to Portree, the capital of the Isle of Skye, with time to explore. Scenic drive back to Plockton passing the Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock; dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7railovernight: Glasgow
A ride on the famous West Highland Railway to Glasgow
Coach to Fort William, then join the West Highland Line south to Glasgow, passing Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Return to the central four-star Glasgow hotel; dinner in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8
Homeward bound
Holiday concludes after breakfast.
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Travel by ScotRail north through the Scottish Highlands via Inverness, passing lochs, rolling hills, historic castles, majestic mountains, and coastal cliffs before arriving at the fishing village of Brora
Day 3Full-day Orkney island tour by coach and ferry, visiting Skara Brae and the Stones of Stenness (Neolithic sites), Churchill Barriers, and St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall
Day 4Explore Dunrobin Castle and its formal gardens and Victorian museum, then travel the Kyle Line from Inverness through mountains, forests, and lochs to Plockton on Loch Carron
Day 5Ferry to the Isle of Raasay for a whisky tasting at the Raasay Distillery with views to the Cuillin Hills before returning to the Isle of Skye
Day 7Travel the West Highland Line from Fort William to Glasgow, passing through rugged mountains, Loch Lomond, and the Trossachs National Park

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
7 nights' 3-Star hotel accommodation
Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast and dinner each day
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,599 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,511 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: This is an escorted small-group tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish. Maximum group size is 22 people.
What meals are included?: Breakfast and dinner are included each day. Lunches are not included, so you arrange and pay for your own midday meals.
What three hotels are used on this tour?: The Voco Grand Central in Glasgow (2 nights), the Royal Marine in Brora (2 nights), and the Haven Guest House in Plockton (3 nights). All are three-star accommodation.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys operates eight departures: in May, June, July, August, September, and October 2026 and 2027.