Loch Lomond, Argyll, Mull & Iona
2-Day Private Island Tour from Edinburgh or Stirling
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
Prices from £650 per day for a group of six persons. T&Cs apply.
Travelling with a larger group? Get in touch2-Day Private Island Tour from Edinburgh or Stirling
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
Prices from £650 per day for a group of six persons. T&Cs apply.
Travelling with a larger group? Get in touchThis breathtaking two-day private tour is one of the most complete and soul-stirring journeys Scotland has to offer — sweeping from the shimmering shores of Loch Lomond through the grandeur of Argyll, across the Atlantic to the Isle of Mull, and on to Iona — the tiny, sacred island where Christianity first took root in Scotland and where the kings of Scotland, Ireland, and Norway were once laid to rest.
Day One traces the spine of Scotland’s most dramatic west coast corridor — through the beauty of the Trossachs National Park, past the fairy-tale towers of Inveraray Castle, along the shores of Loch Awe with its magnificent ruined fortress, and into the bustling port of Oban for the late afternoon sailing across to Mull. Your evening is spent in Tobermory — one of Scotland’s most colourful, characterful, and beloved harbour towns — with time to explore, dine, and let the island’s extraordinary atmosphere settle.
Day Two is a journey to the very edge of Scotland — and, some would say, to the edge of something older and deeper still. Tour the wild, wildlife-rich landscapes of Mull, visit an ancient standing stone circle, and cross to Iona — an island so small you can walk its length in an hour, yet whose influence on the history of Christianity in Britain and Ireland cannot be overstated. This is two days that will leave you changed.
Approximately 8 hours | Departing Edinburgh or Stirling | Ferry: Oban to Craignure, Mull | Overnight: Tobermory
Depart from your accommodation in Edinburgh or Stirling and travel west into the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park — the gateway to Scotland’s most dramatic west coast scenery. Today you will trace one of Scotland’s grandest routes, passing through some of the country’s most celebrated landscapes before boarding the ferry at Oban for the crossing to the Isle of Mull as the afternoon sun catches the Atlantic.
Your journey west begins along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond — the largest freshwater loch in the United Kingdom, stretching 39 kilometres through landscapes that have inspired poets, painters, and songwriters for centuries. The famous song ‘The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond’ was said to have been composed by a captured Jacobite soldier awaiting execution in Carlisle — the ‘low road’ a reference to the spirit road along which the souls of the dead travel home to Scotland.
Stop in the picture-perfect village of Luss on the western shore — its immaculate stone cottages, flower-filled gardens, and sweeping views across the loch to the summit of Ben Lomond make it one of the most photographed villages in Scotland. Enjoy a morning coffee or tea at the lochside and breathe in the clean Highland air before continuing south into Argyll.
Continue south through the dramatic Pass of Rest and be Thankful — one of Scotland’s most evocatively named mountain passes — and arrive at Inveraray on the banks of Loch Fyne. Inveraray Castle, the magnificent Gothic Revival palace that has been home to the Dukes of Argyll and the Chiefs of Clan Campbell for centuries, is one of the finest and most lavishly decorated castle interiors in Scotland. Explore the breathtaking Armoury Hall — one of the world’s great private collections of weapons — the grand Saloon, the Dining Room, and the State rooms arranged as they were for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1877.
The castle has a remarkable screen presence — Outlander fans will recognise it from the series, and Downton Abbey devotees will know it as ‘Duneagle Castle’, the Marquess of Flintshire’s Scottish seat in the beloved Christmas special. Hear the extraordinary stories of Clan Campbell — their pivotal role in Scottish and British history, the great Inveraray fire, and their complex, often controversial relationship with their Highland neighbours.
Travel north along the shores of Loch Awe to one of the most romantically ruined and dramatically situated castles in Scotland — Kilchurn Castle. Rising from a rocky promontory at the head of the loch, this 15th-century Campbell fortress casts a perfect reflection in the still dark waters below, framed on every side by the soaring peaks of Ben Cruachan. Although long ruined, Kilchurn’s imposing curtain walls and towers retain a brooding grandeur that makes it one of the most photographed and painted castles in the country. An unmissable viewpoint and a photographer’s dream.
Arrive in Oban — the irresistible harbour town known as the seafood capital of Scotland and the gateway to the Hebridean Islands — with time to explore the waterfront, enjoy fresh seafood from the famous Oban Seafood Hut on the pier, and browse the independent shops before boarding the CalMac ferry for the crossing to Mull. As the ferry pulls away from the quay and Oban’s distinctive skyline — crowned by McCaig’s Victorian folly high above the bay — recedes behind you, the true adventure begins.
Arrive in Craignure on the eastern shore of Mull and travel north to Tobermory — one of Scotland’s most instantly recognisable and deeply loved towns. The row of brightly painted buildings along Tobermory’s harbour front — immortalised as Balamory in the beloved children’s television series — shelters a natural bay of extraordinary beauty, with the wooded hills of Mull rising behind the town and the Sound of Mull stretching away to the mainland.
Explore the independent shops, galleries, and the legendary Tobermory Distillery — home of one of Scotland’s most distinctive island single malts — before settling in for dinner at one of the town’s excellent restaurants. This evening is yours to savour: the quieter rhythm of island life, the quality of the light over the water, and the particular magic that Mull casts over every visitor who gives it the time it deserves.
Approximately 10 hours | Departing Tobermory | Ferry: Fionnphort to Iona | Ferry: Craignure to Oban | Returning to Edinburgh or Stirling
Rise to the sound of the sea and depart Tobermory for a full day exploring one of Scotland’s most beautiful, most wildly dramatic, and most spiritually resonant islands. Mull is an island of extraordinary contrasts — ancient standing stones and soaring sea eagles, single-track roads winding through mountain glens, and a shoreline of such raw Atlantic beauty that it stops you in your tracks at every turn. The destination at the end of the island road is Iona — three miles long, barely a mile wide, and one of the most important and profoundly moving places in the entire Christian world.
Begin the morning with a visit to Duart Castle — the dramatically situated 13th-century fortress that commands the headland at the southern tip of Mull, overlooking the Sound of Mull and the Firth of Lorn. The ancestral seat of Clan Maclean for over 600 years, Duart has one of the most spectacular settings of any castle in Scotland — its ancient walls rising directly from the rocky shore with views stretching to the mountains of Glencoe, the island of Lismore, and the distant peaks of Argyll. Explore the medieval keep, the clan rooms, and the extraordinary history of one of the Highlands’ most distinguished and battle-hardened families.
Venture south along Mull’s single-track roads — past cascading waterfalls, ancient oak woodland, and views of such wild, unbroken beauty that every mile demands a photograph — to the remote shore of Lochbuie and its remarkable Bronze Age stone circle. Standing in a flat field above the sea, these ancient stones have occupied this spot for over three thousand years, surrounded by mountains on three sides and the open water on the fourth. The silence, the setting, and the sheer improbability of human presence in this landscape make Lochbuie one of the most otherworldly and memorable stops on the entire two-day journey.
Continue across the Ross of Mull — a landscape of pink granite, white sand beaches, and views that stretch to the Outer Hebrides on a clear day — to Fionnphort, where the short five-minute ferry crossing carries you across the turquoise Sound of Iona to one of the holiest and most historically significant islands in the world.
Step ashore on Iona and feel, immediately, what every visitor feels — a sense of quietness and depth that is unlike anywhere else in Scotland. It was here, in 563 AD, that the Irish monk Columba landed with twelve companions and founded the monastery that would become the most important centre of Christianity in early medieval Britain and Ireland. From Iona, Columba and his successors spread the Gospel across Scotland, northern England, and deep into continental Europe — sending missionaries as far as the Rhine and the Alps.
The restored Iona Abbey stands at the heart of the island — a working place of worship and pilgrimage that has drawn visitors for fifteen centuries. Explore the medieval cloisters, the ancient graveyard of Reilig Odhráin, and the extraordinary Street of the Dead — along which the bodies of over 60 kings of Scotland, Ireland, and Norway were carried to their burial place, including, by tradition, Macbeth and Duncan. The ruined 13th-century Nunnery nearby is one of the finest surviving examples of medieval nunnery architecture in Scotland.
Iona is car-free, almost entirely undeveloped, and utterly unlike anywhere else. Its beaches of white shell sand, its machair grassland bright with wildflowers, and its quality of Atlantic light are extraordinary. Allow yourself simply to be here — to walk, to breathe, and to understand why pilgrims have been making this journey for fifteen hundred years.
Return to Fionnphort for the crossing back to Mull, then travel to Craignure for the ferry to Oban. From Oban, journey south through the dramatic mountain glens and Highland passes of Argyll — through Glencoe or the Pass of Brander, depending on conditions and your preferences — with the day’s extraordinary experiences fresh in the mind and the long Highland light illuminating the landscape as you travel home.
Ready to experience the very best of Scotland on your own terms? Tell us when you’d like to travel, how many are in your party, and where you’d like your journey to begin. We’ll check availability for your preferred dates and craft a bespoke multi-day itinerary shaped around your interests, pace, and must‑see places. Share a few details below and our expert driver‑guide will be in touch with a personalised proposal, pricing, and suggestions to make your time in Scotland unforgettable.
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
We look forward to welcoming you to Scotland — personally.