
Though Scotland’s sovereignty has been contested since the Middle Ages, its national identity has never languished. No region of the country more readily evokes the indomitable spirit of the Scottish people than the Highlands. Once home to seasoned crofters and fiercely loyal clansmen, it is still a land of distant moors and defiant mountain-scapes.
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Perfect forAdventurers | Families | Romantics
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When to goJune-August | September-November
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Ideal length of stay3-5 Nights
Designing Your Journey
Work with Indagare to design the perfect itinerary for an immersive journey. Our travel experts know the destination inside and out, and they can make recommendations based on your travel needs and preferences.
5 Days: The Essential Highlands
Scotland reveals itself in its stillness, weather and heroic landscapes. Indagare can customize an itinerary for the region with special access. Here is an example of what our destination experts can create for you.
Day 1-2: Inverness
From Edinburgh or St Andrews, drive to Inverness and stop at Scone Palace, a beautiful historic house, Pitlochry, a largely Victorian town surrounded by mountains or Dewar Aberfeldy Distillery, perhaps the most popular whiskey distillery in Scotland. The next day, check out Leakey’s Bookshop and Café in Inverness, followed by a visit to the Culloden Battlefield, site of a major Jacobite Rising conflict. You can also see the nearby prehistoric Clava Cairns or go to Loch Ness to try to spot the famed lake monster.
Day 3: Fort William & Relaxation
Explore Fort William, a charming, lakeside town with cobblestoned streets and plenty of nearby trails for hikes and mountain biking. Afterwards, enjoy some down time at your hotel, particularly with a book by the fire, a cup of tea or glass of whiskey in hand. More adventurous travelers can take a day trip to the Isle of Skye via Jacobite Steam Train, car or ferry.
Day 4-5: Perthshire
On your drive south from Inverlochy to Perthshire, stop to admire the scenery or go for a hike in Glencoe, a verdant valley as notable for its dramatic scenery (it was the setting of the James Bond film, Skyfall) as it is for its history (a battle that occurred there in 1692 inspired a bloody scene in Game of Thrones). Enjoy your time at the genteel Gleneagles Hotel, a pastoral playground ideal for families and couples alike. You can also make a day trip to Stirling to see the city’s castle and National William Wallace Monument.
Where To Stay
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special amenities, including upgrades, early check-in, breakfast, spa credits and more. Look for the Indagare Plus logo in the reviews.
- Courtesy Gleneagles, Scottish HighlandsRead More
The Gleneagles Hotel
A pastoral playground ideal for families seeking to balance a variety of interests and schedules, Gleneagles offers a seemingly infinite range of outdoor activities within easy reach of Edinburgh.
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Killiehuntly Farmhouse & Cottage
Killiehuntly is a truly luxurious farmhouse and cottage estate surrounded by a 4,000-acre working farm.