Last-Minute Holidays
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Get away on a short break!
Enjoying a change of scenery has never been easier!
Scottish Highlands North Coast 500 Route
On this fantastic tour, taking in just over 500 miles of breathtaking beauty in the Scottish Highlands, you can choose between coach travel from your local pick-up point, flexible make-your-own-way travel, or a flight-inclusive package. The North Coast 500 is one of the world’s most picturesque road trips, referred to as 'Scotland's Route 66', taking in magnificent sights and scenery. We begin with a visit to Inverness, the 'capital of the Highlands’ and the start and end point of the route, before snaking our way along the beautiful western coast, through pretty Ullapool, calling at stunning white sandy beaches and rugged mountains along the way. We make our way to the very tip of Scotland, stopping at famous John O'Groats, as we journey back down the eastern coast and discover the fairy tale Dunrobin Castle.
Tour Includes
- 7 nights hotel with Scottish breakfast
- 1 lunch and 7 evening meals
- Porterage at the hotels
- Return flights from a regional airport (travel by air package only)
- Local joining points (travel by coach package only)
8 days from £1,349pp
Travel Options
Outbound &
Inbound Travel
Outbound
Travel
Inbound
Travel
On-Tour
Experiences
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Got a question about
this holiday?
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Itinerary
Please choose your preferred 8 day itinerary
With our self-drive package, today you will make your own way to our overnight hotel.
If you choose our by air package, today you will travel to your local airport and board your flight to Glasgow. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Glasgow area for an overnight stay.
Relax and enjoy dinner this evening with your fellow travellers.
Includes Dinner
After breakfast today, we travel through Perthshire. We make a stop in ancient Perth where you will have time to visit the free museum, home to the 'Stone of Destiny' which has seated all the ancient Kings of Scotland. There is a lovely coffee shop to enjoy before we depart and travel north through the Cairngorms National Park. Enjoy spectacular scenery as we travel deeper into the Scottish Highlands to our hotel for overnight stay.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today, we head for the north coast of Scotland and along the western shores of Loch Maree to start our North Coast 500 journey. We will pass Gairloch and call at Poolewe, a pretty fishing village situated at the sheltered south side of Loch Ewe. We continue with views of Gruinard Bay along the coast to Ullapool.
Situated in one of the most unspoilt natural environments in the UK, the town boasts a wealth of things to see and do. There is a great choice of varied walks in the area and the harbour is filled with fishing boats of all sizes. Here, you can spend some time watching the fishermen at work, sorting out their catch for the day, or perhaps enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Ullapool is also an artist’s dream with many local painters, potters, musicians and free spirits residing or performing here. We stay in Ullapool overnight.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Sit back and relax as we journey up the eastern coast and marvel at the beautiful scenery. The coastline is stunning with the clear blue waters and white sandy beaches – you could easily think you're in the Caribbean rather than Scotland! We then enjoy included lunch at Smoo Cave Hotel, set in spectacular scenery close to the famous Smoo Cave and Cape Wrath, famous for puffins, fishing and golfing and in the heart of Scotland’s first Geopark. After lunch we continue to Thurso, where we stay for two nights.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today we enjoy free time at leisure. Relax and recharge in the hotel or, for those wishing to explore, there are plenty of lovely walks.
Thurso is the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain and has scenic views of Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. It has a fine harbour and beach, popular with surfers, that looks out to the island of Orkney, and you can view the Old Man of Hoy. One of the main attractions in Thurso is the Wolfburn Distillery, which has been distilling Single Malt Scotch Whisky since 1821 and offers tours and tastings for visitors. A visit to Old St Peter's Church is also popular. Dedicated to Saint Peter, it dates to at least 1125, and at one time was the principal church for the county.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
After breakfast, we travel to the very tip of Britain and make a photo stop at famous John O'Groats. Get your cameras ready for a photo of the famous sign!
We then continue along the eastern part of the North Coast 500. En route, we call at the fairy tale Dunrobin Castle and admire the scenery of the Black Isle. Dunrobin Castle is the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands. The castle is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland. Entrance is included and visitors can take a self-guided tour through the state rooms on the first floor before making their way through the smaller rooms in the older parts of the castle plus formal garden and Victorian museum.
We then journey to our overnight hotel in the highlands area.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today we enjoy a visit Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, before continuing along the breathtaking Loch Ness – have your cameras ready in case you spot the infamous 'Nessie'! We also stop in Fort Augustus on the western shore.
We continue our journey south through stunning scenery, Glencoe, along the shores of Loch Lomond and finally to our hotel near Glasgow for our last evening.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today, we wave farewell to Scotland.
With our self-drive package, you will make your own way home.
If you've chosen our by air package, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight home.
Includes Breakfast
Local departure or Door-to-Door service to your regional departure point. We then journey north bound for an overnight stay. Depending on your departure location this could be in the north of England or Scottish Lowlands area.
Relax and enjoy dinner this evening with your fellow travellers.
Includes Dinner
After breakfast today, we travel through Perthshire. We make a stop in ancient Perth where you will have time to visit the free museum, home to the 'Stone of Destiny' which has seated all the ancient Kings of Scotland. There is a lovely coffee shop to enjoy before we depart and travel north through the Cairngorms National Park. Enjoy spectacular scenery as we travel deeper into the Scottish Highlands to our hotel for overnight stay.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today, we head for the north coast of Scotland and along the western shores of Loch Maree to start our North Coast 500 journey. We will pass Gairloch and call at Poolewe, a pretty fishing village situated at the sheltered south side of Loch Ewe. We continue with views of Gruinard Bay along the coast to Ullapool.
Situated in one of the most unspoilt natural environments in the UK, the town boasts a wealth of things to see and do. There is a great choice of varied walks in the area and the harbour is filled with fishing boats of all sizes. Here, you can spend some time watching the fishermen at work, sorting out their catch for the day, or perhaps enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Ullapool is also an artist’s dream with many local painters, potters, musicians and free spirits residing or performing here. We stay in Ullapool overnight.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Sit back and relax as we journey up the eastern coast and marvel at the beautiful scenery. The coastline is stunning with the clear blue waters and white sandy beaches – you could easily think you're in the Caribbean rather than Scotland! We then enjoy included lunch at Smoo Cave Hotel, set in spectacular scenery close to the famous Smoo Cave and Cape Wrath, famous for puffins, fishing and golfing and in the heart of Scotland’s first Geopark. After lunch we continue to Thurso, where we stay for two nights.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today we enjoy free time at leisure. Relax and recharge in the hotel or, for those wishing to explore, there are plenty of lovely walks.
Thurso is the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain and has scenic views of Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. It has a fine harbour and beach, popular with surfers, that looks out to the island of Orkney, and you can view the Old Man of Hoy. One of the main attractions in Thurso is the Wolfburn Distillery, which has been distilling Single Malt Scotch Whisky since 1821 and offers tours and tastings for visitors. A visit to Old St. Peter's Church is also popular. Dedicated to Saint Peter, it dates to at least 1125, and at one time was the principal church for the county.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
After breakfast, we travel to the very tip of Britain and make a photo stop at famous John O'Groats. Get your cameras ready for a photo of the famous sign!
We then continue along the eastern part of the North Coast 500. Enroute, we call at the fairy tale Dunrobin Castle and admire the scenery of the Black Isle. Dunrobin Castle is the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands. The castle is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland. Entrance is included and visitors can take a self-guided tour through the state rooms on the first floor before making their way through the smaller rooms in the older parts of the castle plus formal garden and Victorian museum.
We then journey to our overnight hotel in the highlands area.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today we enjoy a visit Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, before continuing along the breathtaking Loch Ness – have your cameras ready in case you spot the infamous 'Nessie'! We also stop in Fort Augustus on the western shore.
We continue our journey south through stunning scenery, Glencoe, along the shores of Loch Lomond and finally to our hotel for our last evening.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today, we wave farewell to Scotland.
Travelling by coach, we begin the journey back to your regional departure point on then the onward journey home.
Includes Breakfast
Got a question about
this holiday?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – our friendly team are ready and waiting to help with any further information you need!
Accommodation
You will stay for five nights in minimum 3-star hotels in Scotland on tour. Hotels will be named with final holiday details. Please note: we cannot guarantee on touring holidays any mobility requests and some hotels may not offer lifts.
If you choose our holiday travelling by coach, your overnight stays on the first and last nights will be in Scottish borders/northern England area.
If you choose our by air or self-drive package, your overnight stays on the first and last nights will be at a hotel near Glasgow airport.
Luxuria Coach
Stylish and modern, state-of-the-art Luxuria is the business class of coaches. Boasting comfort of the highest standard, sink into the deluxe armchair-style seats, stretch out with much more space around you, and enjoy a vast choice of entertainment on your personal touch-screen TV.
Luxuria Features
- Deluxe armchair-style seats with leather exterior, central arm rests* with cup holders, adjustable headrests and retractable calf rests on most seats to give you a more comfortable journey.
*Face to face seats are forward and rear facing with a table and will not have a calf rest. - Every seat has its own, fully interactive, touch-screen TV offering a wide choice of entertainment so you can control what you want to watch and when.
- There’s a selection of double and single seats, including six face-to-face seats with tables, and five single seats which are ideal for passengers travelling independently.
- Plug sockets and USB points at each seat mean you can keep your devices fully charged throughout your journey.
- Onboard toilet.
Silver Service Coach
More than simply your method of transport, Silver Service offers a coach with added comfort and facilities, such as deluxe reclining seats with leather headrests, an onboard entertainment system, and a spacious rear lounge so you can socialise with your fellow passengers.
Silver Service Features
- Specially designed reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and extra legroom.
- A spacious rear lounge where you can relax, socialise and get to know your fellow passengers.
- Our onboard entertainment and satellite navigation system makes your journey fly by.
- Free personal headphones mean you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs being played by your crew.
- Personal tables so you can enjoy your refreshments in comfort as you take in the passing scenery.
Executive Coach
All of our coaches are modern and comfortable, and you can be assured of a high level of service and reliability from our expert-trained coach crews, who will be on hand to assist and escort you along the way.
Executive Coach Features
- Air-conditioning, an onboard servery, onboard toilet and reclining seats. Please note that on selected air holidays, the executive coach may have limited facilities.
Make your own way breaks in the UK
Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of travelling to your hotel at your convenience and leisure.
Departure Dates
Got a question about
this holiday?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – our friendly team are ready and waiting to help with any further information you need!
