5-Day Highland Explorer and Isle of Skye Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

THE Way to tour the Scottish Highlands

There is almost no way to really describe this tour. The Scottish Highlands must be experienced to be believed. The different sceneries and sites are almost beyond words. If you have ever thought about touring the northern areas of Scotland, don't hesitate - go! And when you do, we highly recommend Bruce M of Rabbi's Tours. His extensive knowledge and warm humor were the "icing on the cake" for this vacation. He and his company were also flexible and very safety conscious, which just made the trip enjoyable and worry-free. We highly recommend this trip!

Scotland tour was a lifetime experience!

Expecting lots of rain, we were surprised by warmish temps and some sun. The group was great, our guide Bruce, was outstanding! The scenery and historical highlights that we were traded to could not have been better. Highly recommended!

Scotland hates the handicap

I cannot only fault Rabbies as I feel my travel agent is at least half responsible for our terrible time. My sister has mobility issues and walks with a walker, cannot climb stairs due to MS, and has some special needs. We saved endlessly for 9 years to take the trip of a lifetime to Ireland and Scotland and I specifically told my travel agent of my sister's limitations. Starting in Ireland, there were not many accommodations but at least everyone worked hard to try and accommodate us or found a way to get my sister upstairs or find an alternative. In Scotland, we sadly did not find the same. Every city we visited had an issue with access for her. The last straw was when we arrived in Portree at the Royal Hotel for our last two days of a 28 day trip. The person at the Royal explained to us that they contacted Rabbies to let them know they could not accommodate my sister and Rabbies could care less telling them it was ok for my sister to climb 4 flights of stairs to get to her room. She ended up in a substandard room on the bottom floor only thanks to Mo at the Royal who worked endlessly to get her a place to rest her head and broken body. The people on our tour were ready to give up their rooms for her before the tour company would make efforts to get her the right accommodations. Word of warning, if you have a handicap, mobility issues or simply have a hard time with mobility, reconsider spending a lot of money to get to Scotland and choose your tour operator wisely.

Highly recommend it to all!

We had an excellent grp. Our tour guide Sean Gordon was fantastic, tops, and the best! He made the tour experience unforgettable.

Great trip to Northern Scotland. Robbie's tours are outstanding!

Our guide, Sean Douglas was outstanding! He provided us with so much information about Scotland. He was like an encyclopedia !

Wonderful tour if the Highlands and the Isle of Skye

We did the five night small group trip to the Highlands and the Isle of Sky. The scenery is as beautiful as any we’ve ever seen. Lush, green, water everywhere, beautiful mountains and volcanic relics. While we did not see the Loch Ness Monster, the beauty of the lake more than made up for it. Our guide, Andrew, was informative and entertaining, our lodgings were comfortable (we opted for the bed and breakfasts with en suite bathrooms) and the towns we visited were small but welcoming. Beautiful views and vistas of mountains, of the ocean and islands were a daily joy during the trip.

Happy in Scotland

Tour guide Sophie was flawless: positive, confident, supportive, calm. Her advice and sense of humor was much appreciated. Our large group became a happy team. She dealt with all the things that arouse. I liked that she had us contribute to the music play list.

Beautiful Scenery and brilliant tour/ driver

Amazing scenery, great accommodation, fantastic driver with great knowledge, humour, music and made it a great trip for all. Thanks Allan.

Direct booking with a tour company or booking with a third-party

Just so it’s clear I am writing a review on Viator not Rabbies who actually did the tour. I think the information that I got from my tour was incomplete and I felt like there was a disconnect between Viator tour and Rabbies. Had I booked directly with Rabbies I would have better informed about accommodations such as a hotel versus B&B. Viator did not inform me that by staying in a B&B you could be as far out of the center of town as a 30 minute walk and that you didn’t always get a hot breakfast. I also did not get all the information on the tour from Viator like the people did who booked directly with rabbies.

Great tour

This tour offered a taste of everything—scenery, history, whiskey, wildlife. Absolutely perfect for the entire family. The accommodations were very comfortable as was the bus. Our tour guides absolutely made the experience with great stories, facts, recommendations and energy. Loved Karis and Alistair

One with Nature!

This was an amazing way to tour the Highlands, something that we always wanted to do as a family. This is what we liked about the tour - We stayed in small towns at B&Bs , rather than more touristy areas eg in Portree and Ullapool vs Inverness and Fort William - A highly knowledgeable tour guide who stayed with us throughout the tour, sharing with us the history, folklore, the flora /fauna and even the geology at times of these highlands, the clans, the castles and the hills - a big shoutout to Ashleigh - we got to walk about up and around the hills and really soak in the views. Right balance of activity from a family outing standpoint - flexible touring, can be tweaked based on weather, groups view etc - small groups staying together for 5 days and hence easy to build a connect And of course took tons and tons of photos of multitude of colours and hues Our kids had a blast - highly recommended for families

Great Experience with Small Group Tour

This was my first time taking a multi-day tour. I couldn't have picked a better itinerary or company. The 16 person max is perfect. We were at capacity and had people from all over the world with us. I found the bus very comfortable with lots of stops. They also made our accommodation arrangements and I was very pleased with the choices. Our guide Andrew was spectacular. He took such good care of us and went the extra mile to make everything perfect. He shared a lot of history about the places we visited and his restaurant recommendations for lunch stops were always spot on. I would do another trip with Rabbie's again!

Average service

Late pick ups Unnecessary long stops Lacking flexibility of timings Drop off requests en route not accepted Else it was well organised route covering all major highlights. Mathew was good.

The tour to visit by all means

Even I had quite high expectations since I decided most of my holidays in Scotland to spend on the Rabbie's tour, most of them were not only met but exceeded. Everything was organized properly but also all travelers had opportunity to express their wishes and Gil (our tour guide) all of them made come true. She really did her best all of us having great time on the tour - she has vast knowledge and she is ready to share it with anyone, she will help you with lot of advises starting with dinner reservations (which is really valuable during the summer when most of places are booked weeks ahead), but she will also take you not only to places which you could visit with other agencies and tour guides, but to unknown pearls of nature since she loves Scotland and knows it by heart.

First Private Tour Experience

What a great way to see the Highlands and Skye! The scenery was amazing and quite simply, our tour guide Catty was incredible! Her knowledge of the history, geography and geology, and folklore kept us entertained and deeply informed all along the way. And all while navigating some pretty narrow roads we would never have wanted to maneuver through ourselves! We learned so much and saw sights we will remember forever. Truly one of the best trips we've taken

Best way to see the Highlands and Skye

If you want to experience the beauty and magnificence of the Highlands and Isle of Skye in a small group, then the 5 day tour is perfect. Our guide/driver Gav shared his local knowledge as well as stories from history, and myths and legends. He knew all the best places to stop for amazing photos.

Exceeded Expectations.

Sean..the guide. Hands down, the best guide ever!! First of all, he was understandable. This is huge when you don't hear well and everyone is wearing a mask. His enthusiam and love for Scotland is only matched by his extensive knowledge of the country. We experienced fabulous views, engaging story telling and Scottish music along the way. His concern that we find places to eat, the best weather and interest in each person seems to prove his intention of giving everyone a great experience. The mini bus is a wonderful way to travel back roads big buses could never go. Thank you Rabbie's for giving my granddaughter and me a memory for a lifetime.

Great experience

Had a wonderful experience. The group was really small just me and 5 other people. Gav was a fantastic tour guide who gave us a true feel of Scotland (wearing a kilt and all). Because it was a small group he made sure that everyone got to see what they wanted and changed some of the stops t accommodate our groups wishes. He was very knowledgeable and if he didn’t know someone was happy to find out the answer for us! I learned a lot about every stop and Scottish culture as a whole. My only gripe would be that some accommodations only took cash and I was not informed of this and was I’ll prepared.

A marvellous experience

Would thoroughly recommend travelling with a guide around Scotland. They are invaluable as they help you find lesser-known routes and beauty spots that tourists don't know about.

Amazing views and driver guide

We had Billy as our driver ans guide and he was amazing! Incredibly knowledgeable (could answer any question we threw at him about history, geology, culture, etc) and one of the best storytellers ever - he kept us so engaged and entertained the whole 5 day journey. He was also a very impressive driver navigating through all the terrain and narrow roads and always punctual and caring. The tour is a 5 Day drive around the highlands to see sights and landscapes so less of activities and hiking if that’s what you’re looking for. The highlands were beautiful and we’re very happy we had Billy to show us around!

Amazing 5-days tour

We did the 5-day Highlands Explorer: Skye & Far North during summer. The views across northern Scotland and the Isle of Skye are stunning. Honestly some of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen, lots of locations with postcard-like views. Also lots of amazing historical locations. And all the more fun because of our excellent driver-guide, Gavin (or Gav, as he likes to be called). He is well versed in the intricacies of Scottish locations, has extensive knowledge of pop-culture, and a great sense of humour. Thank you Rabbie's and Gavin!

You will fall in love with life in the Scottish Highlands!

This tour was one of the best five days I have ever had in my life!!! Billy, our tour guide, was truly phenomenal. He was personable and truly made the most of every day (rain, fog, or sun). Having a small group made the tour very personalized and Billy accommodated the wants and needs of our group like a true professional. He ensured a daily itinerary that fit the weather and perfectly and ensured everyone was happy and enjoying their holiday! Billy provided the history of Scotland with ease and ensured that the content was engaging and fun throughout the tour. Billy also seemed to take us to "lesser-known" stops throughout the highlands. Nothing felt overly touristy and each stop seemed a bit "off the beaten path." (I think a big tourist bus only stopped at one of our stops throughout the five days.) Most of the time it was just our group at lookout points - allowing opportunities for both quiet contemplation and great picture taking! Rabbies also handled my accommodation and I was very satisfied! I stayed at a BnB the first two nights in Ullapool. The location was great and the host was lovely! In Portree, I stayed at the Caledonian Hotel. Again, very nice and great service! The scenery was the most beautiful I have experienced in my life. This is five days that you will not want to end! I highly recommend taking the time to truly experience the highlands and booking with this great company. My only comment is that you should book your evening meals ahead of time when possible. I am not sure if it was tourist season mixed with COVID issues, but in both Portree and Ullapool it was difficult to find a restaurant that could accommodate us without a booking.

Adventure packed holiday!

Outstanding journey! I did the 5 day Highland tour with Rabbie's and it exceeded all expectations! I have never done an organised tour before and I was a bit wary, that this would be a standard cookie cutter experience. It was quite the opposite - first of all, I turned out to be the only passenger. Rabbie's have offered me a choice of continuing with the tour, or swapping to alternative options that had other passengers (although at a very short notice!) I decided to proceed with the initial tour as I was quite keen on visiting the Highlands - which I imagine came quite at loss for Rabbie's! The Guide and driver - Grant Burns - was truly outstanding! Grant prepared the itinerary afresh every morning, based on the energy levels, weather and other factors. A truly bespoke experience! During the journey I learned heaps from Grant - about the locations visited, the history of Scotland and even the formation of the mountains! Grant was excellent driving along all weather and road conditions, and I felt safe throughout the whole experience. I had the best time exploring and enjoying the Highlands and I highly recommend the tour for anyone seeking a great adventure!

Watch out for wild Haggis!

I took a five day tour up to the highlands and isle of skye with Rabbie’s and Michael as our guide! He did a great job, made extra stops whenever there was something amazing to see and went the extra mile to make sure we made the most out of the five days! I loved the Scottish music he played and stories he told about Scotland’s past and the wild haggis! (Man those things are crazy wild!) When I come back (not if) I will definitely book with Rabbie’s again! A great way to explore this magical country!

Incredible Highlands adventure

This is hands down the best guided tour I've been to. The Scottish Highlands are just magnificent, any photos you take come short of what you actually experience there. Added to that, our guides were simply phenomenal. Billy and Alan knew so much about history, traditions and secret spots for picture taking that I don't think my trip would have been the same on my own. I can't wait to come back and book the tour again, Scotland will forever have a place in my heart.

Amazing and Memorable

This was my second tour with Rabbie's. And, as with my first tour, it didn't disappoint! With just 4 of us, plus our guides, Gill and Chris, we had room to spread out, and we became good friends. Gill made us feel welcome and you could tell she loved Scotland and loved sharing her country with us. She took us to many out of the way places on a lot of single track roads (some were a little hair raising!), but it was all worth it to see the natural beauty and awe inspiring vistas of Western Scotland. Be prepared for the changing weather. We had quite a bit of WIND and a couple of days of misty weather. (and, sometimes cycling wind, rain and sun all in a half hour!) We didn't let the weather slow us down. We were all game to see and try it all. Gill told us we were becoming Highlanders. I definitely recommend this tour!

Excellent & great experience

The tour was amazing. The guide Arron is very very friendly, professional and passionate of his work. Every single activity was perfect and a great experience. Hope all your guides are as professional as Arron. Services and hotels simply perfect! Highly & strong recommended.

Amazing travel!

The weather was not so good in highland but our tour guide Gill is sooooo great with her positive attitude, full of knowledge and proficient driving skills! We had a really great time and every place had a surprise for us. Thanks to my friend Jessie who has a drone, many impressive photos were taken for lifelong memory!

Amazing tour guide

As with any tour, a big part of the enjoyment other than the itinerary, is your guide. We were so fortunate to have Jim as our guide. He is funny, very knowledgeable and will even give you pointers on how to drive in Scotland! He is also kind and compassionate. We learned so much on his tour and I think even more so because of his humour. I can’t say enough about our tour itinerary and Jim.

Bloody ripper time

Billy was a fantastic guide and our smaller group had a lovely time every minute We got to do and go to things that suited us all The group got on great and we even ate together every night even after spending all day together Bloody great time, we want to come back again and do it all over again in Winter next time

Best time in Scotland!

My friend and I took a trip to Scotland and decided to book the Rabbies 5-day Highland explorer tour. We were matched up with tour guide Gillian Brown. She was an amazing tour guide! She drove the group the whole 5 days and was super friendly and played some Scottish music to go with the scenery. The best part of the trip was going down the hairpin turns on the Pass of the Cattles and Stoer Lighthouse. Make sure to get motion sickness bracelets from SeaBands. They definitely helped with the motion sickness from riding in the back of the bus. Make sure to book your tour with Gillian!

Not what i expected.

Rabbies Tour – Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye Sept 17 – 21 You start off in a bus station in Edinburgh. Again being eco friendly you don’t get picked up or dropped off at the hotel. Catching a taxi back to the hotel upon return took 45 minutes. Same small crammed 16 seat bus. 3 rows of 2, one back row of 3, 4 side single seats and a jump seat the front beside the driver. You travel with a small carry on bag. The itinerary mentioned castles which we only saw from a distance, from a hilltop, from a parking lot. Driver did not like Eilean Donan castle so we did not get to view it. Driver stated it was a new castle so not much to see. I had told him it was my mothers family heritage castle but he didn’t care. We were to see Dunvegan Castle but the driver swapped it for a ferry ride to watch the sunset instead. I could not navigate the ferry ride with my mobility and stayed at the hotel. Lots of beautiful amazing scenery. Stopped at 2 ruins for 15 mins each and that was it. Stopped at parks, saw amazing waterfalls, and lochs etc. but no attractions. Saw a highland cow parade. Was quite amusing. The driver did play Scottish music. No attractions of Outlander either. The driver was entertaining and knowledged of the areas. Was totally echo friendly minded. Amount paid for our trip was ridiculous considering I could have watched video and seen inside of attractioins from my computer. Wont ever do one like this again.

Perfect in every way

On this tour we saw the stunning landscape of the Scottish Highlands and Skye accompanied by storytelling by our guide, Gill. Gill is a gifted storyteller; she is fun, creative and a hard worker. This was the perfect tour for me: history, landscapes, fun.

5-day HIghland Explorer tour: Skye and Far North

I chose this tour because last year I took a Rabbie's tour of Wales which was very enjoyable. This one was more of a mixed bag. To begin with, the baggage policy is fairly unrealistic: 14 kg per person for 5 days in fairly harsh climate? The minibus was filled to capacity. Seats were cramped and uncomfortable, and overhead bins tiny. The scenery was stunning, however most of the time was spent on the bus. Stops at the few buildings worth visiting were very short: 60-75 minutes, including lunch. So you end up spending 10-14 GBP for a rushed 15-min castle visit. The guide/driver acted more like a clown than a professional: rambling, cussing and berating other drivers, making voices, etc. The useful information was frequently lost: he forgot to tell us that backpacks were not allowed inside the castle and should be left on the bus, etc. He also evidently thought that silence should be avoided at all costs, and insisted on blasting loud traditional Scottish music for several hours a day when he was not talking. I once asked if we could take a break and he ridiculed me in front of everyone, saying that we are in Scotland and everybody wants to hear Scottish music. Had to ask several times to at least turn the volume down. Driver said that "it's meant to be loud". There was no way to turn off the speaker that was just above my head. The group included two chain smokers. While they didn't smoke on the bus, they lit up at every stop just outside of the minibus open door, so the minibus was always reeking of cigarette smoke. Overall a great destination, but with another tour and guide.

As Near Perfect As It Could Get

I wasn't sure our 2017 tour could be any better, but I was so wrong. Gill (Jill) Brown took us to places she wanted us to see and also took us where we wanted to go. Some of us toured Dunvegan Castle while others visited a ruin whose name rhymes with the president of the USA. I got to walk in the village of Glencoe and visit the monument to the victims of the Glencoe Massacre - some of whom are my ancestors. I thought I'd seen the Highands in 2017 but realized there is so much more to the Highlands. Pictures just do not do them justice. Gill was funny, alert, a wicked sense of humor, and she educated all of us on all things Scotland, music, geology, history, midges, . . she was so well informed and was able to answer all our questions. Scotland's weather was a perfect mix of mist, rain, and sunshine. This was my second tour with Rabbie's and it will not be my last. I will also want to tour with Gill again - although I have no doubt that all Rabbie's guides are awesome. Scotland never disappoints and neither does Rabbie's Road Burners.

Wonderful scotland

My husband and I were lucky to have George  on our trip from Edinburgh. The service you offer is excellent.  George was fabulous  making our tour fun, full.of local stories and  good advice over the five days. We went onto Skye and Orkney  with another bus for next 4 days but missed George  although our other driver was great, very helpful and professional he did not have the stories to tell us on route. The accomodation  choices we do we bnb were excellent all the way through and we loved the small bus tour going away from where big buses go. Cant recommend you highly enough as you made our  trip. Thanks george and rabbies

An experience to be placed on everyone's bucket list!

Our tour guide Gill Brown made Scotland live in our minds and hearts forever! Her knowledge of Scotland's rich history, her geological commentary, and her storytelling were a gift you can not put a price on. Gill's energy, Scottish music and sense of humour took us seamlessly through each day and glen ... priceless! Chock-a-block full of mystical and stunning scenery that photos cannot capture, Rabbie's and Gill provided a well-organized and beautifully planned and executed tour a passenger will never forget. We never felt herded nor isolated. Whether you are young or old, or full of energy or slowed with a disability, there is a place for you on Gill Brown's Rabbie's bus tour to have a fulfilling and memorable holiday. So much fun, I want all to experience!!!

Best tour and way to see the Scottish Highlands

I never write reviews and I'm more of an off-the-beaten path traveler who hasn't done a tour group in years. But my best friend and I just wanted to relax on this trip without stressing out about driving through the Highlands. So we booked the 5 Day Highland Explorer and Isle of Skye small group tour (was wavering between this and the Outlander Tour). The route was historically and scenically impressive. But my friend and I kept saying to each other on the tour that booking Rabbies was the best decision we made for our trip to the Highlands. We were incredibly lucky to have Gill as our guide. Gill navigated those narrow, one-way roads throughout the Highland like the pro she is. She adapted the tour to people's interests & the fickle weather, shared her vast knowledge of the landscape and history of the places we visited like a master storyteller, and carefully curated the music playlist to match the locale and mood of the ride. Gill's top priority is that you come to love her home country and she will MAKE your trip! You'll come away from the tour with a much deeper appreciation of history, nature, and Scottish music. I'm back home and I still think about my tour! We had 9 in our group in a 16-seater minibus, so we were able to have some space and switch seats if needed. The ages ranged from twenties to retirees, but due to the intimate size of the group, we all got along really well and even shared many meals together. It is long days of driving, but there's no way around it if you want to see as much of this beautiful country as possible. Bathroom/coffee/cake breaks were plentiful. Definitely bring waterproof jackets AND shoes. And be wary of midges (little flies that swarm and bite you)! You will not regret a tour with Rabbies and I can't wait to book my next trip with them!

Rabbies 5-Day Highland Explorer and Isle if Skye Small-Group tour

Absolutely Amazing. Definitely recommend Rabbies. Our tour guide Gill (Gillian) was fabulous, she made sure we were immersed in the Scottish culture, seeing the landscape, historical sights and just experience the country for what it is. Gill new all the places to go through the highlands, answered the questions that were asked and was flexible and accommodating to all of those on the tour. Definitely recommend for the solo traveller or people travelling in pairs who want to learn the Scottish history, see historical sights and beautiful landscapes.

Best tour of my life - no exaggeration

What a trip! I have to admit, in the beginning, I was a bit skeptical of going on a guided tour instead of organizing things myself, but I was convinced by the small group format offered by Rabbie’s. And what a good choice that turned out to be! There’s a ton of driving on this tour. That’s a plus because you get to see so much of the absolutely stunning Scottish Highlands. The minibus we were driving around in was quite comfortable, and we were making plenty of stops to take in the views and stretch our legs. And let me tell you right now - the sights you’ll be seeing are going to be incredible. There's plenty of mountains, hills and valleys, lochs, and ancient castles. I’ve never seen a more picturesque country, and our driver/guide Sean knew all the best sightseeing spots - often well off the beaten track. Speaking of the guide - I can’t say enough good things about him. Sean is witty, polite, full of good stories and, as it turned out, a fairly decent singer. Plus he’s a superb driver - which he demonstrated on the dizzyingly twisting and narrow Bealach na Bà. The group my fiancée and I were traveling with turned out to be extraordinarily pleasant folks as well. Hi guys! All in all, I would recommend Rabbie’s tours to anyone coming to visit bonnie Scotland. You might even be lucky enough to get Sean as your guide. Pack comfortable walking shoes, a camera, and a waterproof coat.

Isle of Skye and Highlands Explorer

Wow, what an amazing experience! Our tour guide Billy made this tour a traveller’s dream come true, as we truly had a custom adventure. It is impossible to pick a favourite moment, but definite highlights for myself were having the opportunity to travel to the secluded Loche Corusk on the Isle of Skye, hearing Billy describe the legends/history of Scotland, driving through Glencoe, and getting to taste the local food (especially the Seafood Shack in Ullapool). Thank you again, Rabbie’s and Billy.

Explorer with Rabbies and Billy

We explored the Northern Highlands and beyond from the 3rd till 7th of August - a truly amazing trip. Having taken a few trips over the years we went on a Rabbies tour of the highlands to see what Scotland offers. Departure from Edinburgh was swift and comfortable in the mini coach from Rabbies. Our tour was explained by the guide and driver who would be with us - a group of 12 of various nations - for the next five days. It sounded as if it would be interesting and possibly a varied journey due to weather conditions, roads and what we would like to get from the tour as a group. We didn’t really know what to expect and so were delighted to be able to have input as to how the tour was going to be. We made many lovely stops heading to Ullapool where we stayed two nights. Dunkeld and the salmon jumping at a waterfall were amazing. The crazy bridge over a huge waterfall and gorge are not to be missed. We were safely delivered to our accommodation and given recommendations for our evening meal and instructions for our picnic lunch and schedule for next day. The B&B was cozy and breakfasts good. Our second day was delayed by a late passenger, but our guide Billy was understanding and accepted her excuse. We went north, did stone skimming, beach walks, a geology thing, a castle, a lighthouse and explored a dead end road that Billy had noticed, and what a lovely treat we all found there. We got back to town a little early as some folk asked to go to the Seafood shack to eat and it closed early - which we all loved. We were asked if this was ok by our guide which was very respectful. Ullapool was busy with loads of pubs, restaurants and fish and chip shops were available to us. Loved the meal at the Frigate cafe suggested to us, also had a fabulous Western sunset that night. Our third day was a big drive to the mountains along the rocky west coast, stunning scenery, winding mountain roads and so many unexpected stops to take in the scenery. We were entertained by stories and Scottish music and loads of welcome chat from Billy our guide. He did well to stay on time as we had lost someone at a toilet stop, but managed the amazing lunch he arranged at the quaint pub in Applecross in time for our reservation. I don’t know how he squeezes everything into one day. We went further south over a crazy narrow road to Plockton and then onto the Isle of Skye. I was so pleased that our guide was driving safely on dangerous roads, keeping to time and keeping everyone happy on our little bus. He always knew when we needed something and was delightful even when people were late, demanding or seemed a bit rude. On day four we had a lazy start at 9:30 and drive around the north of the island of Skye which was stunning. But what a surprise our amazing guide Billy had in store for us later in the day. We had all agreed to go on a boat trip, trusting his judgment, although I wasn’t too keen to go on a boat - we all went to a magical Loch surrounded by massive mountains and had a wonderful experience in a land that time forgot. I felt blessed and refreshed after doing this trip, and the skipper of the boat the Misty was so funny and so Scottish. We even had a pipe band playing at the end of the night in Portree. On our final day after so many surprises our kind guide treated us all to tea cakes, a secret little ferry off the island and a wonderful stop for lunch at a cozy pub in Glencoe. An amazing five days in a wonderful country, small rooms in B&Bs, surprises around every corner, great food, fun, so much laughter on our bus, and care and attention taken by our considerate, knowledgeable and safe driver guide Billy. Please note: Take warm clothes, waterproofs, sunscreen and bug repellent!

Unpleasant experience with tour guide

I joined the Skye and Far North tour on 3-7 August 2019. I was a solo-traveller. Our tour guide was Billy. The tour was great in terms of scenery: Ullapool is a relaxing little place for vacation, and Skye is absolutely stunning. However, I had an unpleasant experience with the tour guide. The first unpleasant incident was on day 3, where we stopped in a town for a break. Billy said we would have a 10-minute break, and could go to the toilet if we wanted but not too far. I went a bit farther than the toilet to take some pictures, but I kept time and was sure (as I was always careful about the time limit) that only 8 minutes passed when I walked back to the tour bus, and that there would be sufficient time for me to return before the time limit expired. At that moment, however, Billy drove the car to my spot and picked me up. Once I got on the bus, I saw that most people were there, so I said sorry as I did not want anyone to wait for me. As I sat at the front seat, Billy, at the driver seat next to me, stuck his head close to mine, and shouted (yes, shouted) very loudly at my face, “Why did you go so far? (approximately)” I apologized again, and said I thought he said we had 10 minutes and I was not late. He interrupted and shouted again “toilet only”. He kept scolding me in a similar way for about a minute longer. I thought he was acting inappropriately, as I did not violate his 10-minute rule, and shouting like that, no matter at a customer or any other human being, was very disrespectful. I thought he was being emotional and would apologize to me some time later, but he never did. The second unpleasant incident was on the last day. Before arriving at the Edinburgh bus stop, he told us that he would take our luggage out, whereas we should just wait in the bus until he finished unloading. After he parked properly at the bus stop, I opened the door for him, because I was sitting at the front seat as I mentioned, and would be obstructing his way out of the car if I did not do so. He then shouted “Did I tell you to open the door?” I did not want to argue, as it was already the last moments of the tour and I did not wish to end it on an even worse note. He then asked everyone how the tour was and decided to get out of the car after about 10 seconds, so I had to open the door for him again. I find this very ridiculous. I was not overthinking or “hallucinating” about the tour guide “bullying” me, as other tour-mates also had the opinion that he was disrespectful to me. Some of them tried to comfort me, saying that “he’s just picky on you”, or “he just likes to tease you”. The above incidents may not sound serious, but you can imagine how they can affect your mood when you are on holiday, trying to enjoy every second and yet get scolded like this for no proper reason. I cannot possibly ascertain the precise reason why he was “picky” on me, but I still wish to voice out my speculations as the experience with Billy made me rather uncomfortable. I have a certain butch-lesbian appearance, which makes me an easy target for homophobics. The way he treated me differently made me feel (as others with similar appearance and experience would understand) uncomfortable and picked on based on my sexual orientation. Overall, I’m disappointed with this tour guide, and his level of professionalism and basic respect.

Amazing experience

Our tour driver/guide, Arron, made the difference. Everything was perfect, from the soundtrack on the bus to the legends he told us about his country; but also food, accomodation and the friendlyness of my travel mates made my solo travelling experience unique! Highly recommended guide/driver and tour operator. See you soon!

Great experience- 5 day highland tour

Our Guide-Driver was Sean for this tour. He is a enthusiastic person and has a deep knowledge about Geography n History of Scotland. Note that prices for accommodation, food, entrance tickets are not included in any tours so need to keep sufficient cash (atleast 1000GBP) as ATM may not be available in Highlands. Some roads are through mountains so person with motion sickness need to sit in front seat. Overall an enjoyable trip.

Best Tour for Isle of Skye

I took a 5 days Isle of Skye Tour. Andy was our driver & guide. He was always into the tour, talking around, taking places, time perfect, we had a very nice experience. I found 2 & 5 days most beautiful. Thanx Andy...

Fantastic!!!

Our guide, Aaron, was remarkable! Funny stories, history, knowledge of the language, care and concern for all. He is the best guide, top 1% of all in 20 years. The scenery is unparalleled and the bed and breakfasts were both nice. But, truly, it is the guides intimate knowledge of his homeland and joy in sharing it that made this an experience - not just a tour.

One year later, still amazed, fabulous!!!

Almost a year has passed since I did this tour. I hate writing reviews and I have been procrastnating writing this one for almost a year. A year ago I booked a whole month of Rabbies' Tours and it was a risky move. What if the company turned out to be a mess, or the tour guides turned out to be annoying? I ended up booking anyway, a leap of faith, and... man was it worth it!! We traveled in different tours (2 months) with EIGHT different Rabbie's drivers and ALL of the were GREAT. But I need to congratulate and thank Andy D and Christopher for their outstanding and superb job. They were absolutely entertaining, very knowledgeable and extremely hilarious and skilled drivers!! The 2 tours that we did with these guys were the highlight of our 2 month trip, no doubt. The beauty of the UK played its big part, but they added another layer of enjoyment to the whole experience. Thanks to their funny, witty and interesting comments and remarks, I have more great memories to relive in my mind. Andy and Chris: I wanted THANK YOU for doing such an awesome job. What a memorable trip!!! You guys are the best of the best and the trip wouldn't have been the same had we booked with another company, or other tour guides. I want to clarify again that ALL of our Rabbie's tour guides were excellent. But I really needed to highlight and emphasize what these 2 guys did. Awesome job. I'm too lazy to write reviews, specially when they're not in my own language and a whole year has passed since I booked these tours, so imagine how grateful I am! I'm afraid this review cannot possibly make justice to just how amazing our experience was with Rabbie's. Andy and Chris: warm regards from Miguel and Gabriel, your friends from Argentina! To whoever reads this from Rabbie's side, please make sure to forward this review to them. THANK YOU!

What an aventure !

I just got back from a 5 day tour of Scotland with Rabbie's and what a memorable trip! What beautiful sceneries! The fact of traveling with a small bus lets you see more in a more flexable and convenient way. My driver and tour guide Billy was very passionate about his country. During the route, he gave plenty of information and told many stories pertinent to where we were visiting. He went out of his way to make sure that we would live a memorable experience… I would highly recommend this to anyone!!! Thanks again Billy!!!

Memorable Experience

We had the most amazing trip in Scotland with Gill, she is full of knowledge and she took us to the most beautiful places in the Highlands, we had a great time. Thank you for this wonderful adventure! ❤️