4-Day Islay and the Whisky Coast Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh
4 days
Small Group
About this activity
Itinerary
Day 1: Edinburgh - Oban - Kilmartin Glen - Islay
Stop At: Kilmartin Museum, Kilmartin PA31 8RQ Scotland
Return to the past at one of the richest areas in the UK for Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Oban Distillery Stafford Street, Oban PA34 5NH Scotland
After travelling through the mountainous part of the Loch Lomond National Park, you arrive in the busy harbour town of Oban; this Victorian harbour town offers excellent seafood and a charming intimacy.
You have a couple of hours here, where you can visit the Oban Distillery and sample some local seafood for lunch. You then depart Oban mid-afternoon for the journey through Kilmartin Glen to the port of Kennacraig where you catch the evening ferry to Islay.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 2: Discover the modern distillery of Kilchoman & sample Scotland’s peatiest whiskies
Stop At: Kilchoman Distillery, Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich PA49 7UT Scotland
After a visit to Bruichladdich Distillery, take the short drive to the west of the island, where you visit the Kilchoman Distillery, the newest and smallest on the island.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Bruichladdich Distillery, Bruichladdich PA49 7UN Scotland
After lunch, we continue to the scenic Rhins of Islay to visit Bruichladdich for another chance to taste delicious single malt whisky.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Bowmore Distillery, School Street, Bowmore PA43 7JS Scotland
After you’ve had an ample amount of breakfast, you enjoy a tour of Bowmore, the oldest licenced distillery on the island.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 3: Today you explore the southern side of the island, home to the smokiest of all whiskies: Laphroaig, Lagavulin & Ardbeg.
Stop At: Ardbeg Distillery, Port Ellen PA42 7EA Scotland
You first visit Ardbeg for a tour, tasting, and lunch. The restaurant here is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy local produce.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Laphroaig Distillery, Port Ellen Scotland
You then visit Laphroaig, and if there’s time you can take a short stop for a tasting at Lagavulin.
On an island known locally as ‘The Queen of the Hebrides’, there is a regal quality to the distinctly peaty style of its single malt whiskies.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kildalton Cross, Port Ellen Scotland
On most tours it’s also possible to visit to the ruins of Kildalton church and see its famous 8th Century Celtic cross.
Duration: 20 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 4: Get a sense of the old history of Inveraray
Stop At: Inveraray Castle, Inverary, Inveraray PA32 8XE Scotland
Explore the fabulous home town of the Duke of Argyll and the stunning ancestral castle.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Loch Lomond, Stirling Scotland
Enjoy the dramatic splendour of one of Scotland’s most famous lochs and the beautiful national park that surrounds it.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
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Day 1: Edinburgh - Oban - Kilmartin Glen - Islay
Stop At: Kilmartin Museum, Kilmartin PA31 8RQ Scotland
Return to the past at one of the richest areas in the UK for Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Oban Distillery Stafford Street, Oban PA34 5NH Scotland
After travelling through the mountainous part of the Loch Lomond National Park, you arrive in the busy harbour town of Oban; this Victorian harbour town offers excellent seafood and a charming intimacy.
You have a couple of hours here, where you can visit the Oban Distillery and sample some local seafood for lunch. You then depart Oban mid-afternoon for the journey through Kilmartin Glen to the port of Kennacraig where you catch the evening ferry to Islay.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 2: Discover the modern distillery of Kilchoman & sample Scotland’s peatiest whiskies
Stop At: Kilchoman Distillery, Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich PA49 7UT Scotland
After a visit to Bruichladdich Distillery, take the short drive to the west of the island, where you visit the Kilchoman Distillery, the newest and smallest on the island.
Duration: 50 minutes
Stop At: Bruichladdich Distillery, Bruichladdich PA49 7UN Scotland
After lunch, we continue to the scenic Rhins of Islay to visit Bruichladdich for another chance to taste delicious single malt whisky.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Bowmore Distillery, School Street, Bowmore PA43 7JS Scotland
After you’ve had an ample amount of breakfast, you enjoy a tour of Bowmore, the oldest licenced distillery on the island.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 3: Today you explore the southern side of the island, home to the smokiest of all whiskies: Laphroaig, Lagavulin & Ardbeg.
Stop At: Ardbeg Distillery, Port Ellen PA42 7EA Scotland
You first visit Ardbeg for a tour, tasting, and lunch. The restaurant here is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy local produce.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Laphroaig Distillery, Port Ellen Scotland
You then visit Laphroaig, and if there’s time you can take a short stop for a tasting at Lagavulin.
On an island known locally as ‘The Queen of the Hebrides’, there is a regal quality to the distinctly peaty style of its single malt whiskies.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kildalton Cross, Port Ellen Scotland
On most tours it’s also possible to visit to the ruins of Kildalton church and see its famous 8th Century Celtic cross.
Duration: 20 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Bowmore Cottages (Mon & Fri departures) or Lochside Hotel or similar (Wed departures only).
Day 4: Get a sense of the old history of Inveraray
Stop At: Inveraray Castle, Inverary, Inveraray PA32 8XE Scotland
Explore the fabulous home town of the Duke of Argyll and the stunning ancestral castle.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Loch Lomond, Stirling Scotland
Enjoy the dramatic splendour of one of Scotland’s most famous lochs and the beautiful national park that surrounds it.
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Included
- Accommodation included: 3 nights
- 3 nights en-suite accommodation
- Driver Guide
- Transport by top of the range Mercedes mini-coach
- Ferry crossings
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Entrance fees to the distilleries and Kimartin House Museum
- Entry/Admission - Kilmartin Museum
- Entry/Admission - Kilchoman Distillery
- Entry/Admission - Bruichladdich Distillery
- Entry/Admission - Bowmore Distillery
- Entry/Admission - Ardbeg Distillery
- Entry/Admission - Laphroaig Distillery
- Entry/Admission - Inveraray Castle
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 9 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Unfortunately we don't carry anyone under 18 years old on this tour
- On this tour you will spend 3 nights in the beautiful Bowmore Distillery Cottages (not available on Wednesday departures)**.The cottages have between three and six twin bedrooms, each with private bathrooms. Due to the shared nature of the accommodation, individual bedrooms don't have lockable doors. The kitchen and lounge facilities are shared with other passengers, and basic self-service breakfast ingredients are provided. Full Scottish breakfasts are available at the nearby hotels if you prefer, payable locally.
- Monday and Friday departures: only B&B available; Wednesday departures only 3-star Hotel available
- Booking three or more people? We can accommodate up to 8 guests in a group, please add each required room to your basket separately
- When booking three or more people, efforts will be made to book a combination of suitable rooms (double/twin/family). Preferences should be noted upon booking in the Special Requirements section
- Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person on our tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Passengers travelling after 1st April 2020 are allowed to carry 20kg of luggage (44lbs); one medium sized suitcase/bag similar to airline standard carry-on luggage (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
- Monday departures offer the chance to see more whisky production as all the distilleries are in operation on weekdays.
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
65%
Aquatic
30%
Reviews
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My husband, daughter and I had a wonderful time on this tour which, though booked through Viator, is a Rabbie's tour. Along with visiting 6 distilleries on Islay, the tour includes numerous stops along the way at beautiful lochs, small churches, historic sites and small villages and towns. Our tour guide, Daniel, was excellent - filling the driving time with history about Scotland, fun facts and stories, and music related to what we were seeing. The Bowmore Cottages were perfect and well appointed, and the small town of Bowmore was a lovely base from which to see Islay. We enjoyed getting to know the rest of our small group - a terrific mix of men, from all over the world and a range of ages. Though we enjoyed all of the distilleries, Ardbeg was our favorite tour/tasting, with Bowmore a close second. We highly recommend this tour.
This tour was a great way to see Islay and experience 6 of the distilleries on the island. But there is much more to Islay than just Whisky. Gail, our tour guide, made every effort to provide a tour that balanced the tastings with other sites and experiences.
Wonderful, Wonderful tour!!! Not just about the distilleries. Also about Scotland and the history of this wonderful country. So many amazing sights to see!!! Would highly recommend. Gayle our tour guide made her love of Scotland our love!!!
Great tour, knowledgeable and friendly driver, fabulous whisky and great to have a choice in level of accommodation.
Excellent tour guide.
this should be a very high rating. I'm not sure which end is the best rating.
We were fortunate to get blue skies and sunshine every day, which certainly enhanced our trip, but even if Islay can't guarantee the weather every time, I'd highly recommend this tour. We visited 6 distilleries on Islay, as well as Oban on the mainland. The Ardbeg and Kilchoman tours were both particularly good, but every distillery had its own distinctive feel, and needless to say we also tasted some fantastic whiskies... Accomodation was good, and the organisation was brilliant, so it stress free apart from the problem of choosing which whiskies to take home with us.... Our driver was knowledgeable, and maintained his enthusiasm and sense of humour throughout. If you like the idea of beautiful scenery combined with excellent whisky, I'd definitely take this trip.