Travel in your own car to explore the Isle of Skye and the Outer Hebrides. The Great Hebridean Expedition is an opportunity to visit all the islands in our programme – includes 8 nights accommodation and five CalMac ferry crossings.
A comprehensive 8 night self-drive Hebridean island hopping holiday, in the comfort of your own car.
This holiday begins/ends at Ullapool and Oban – there’s no particular advantage in travelling in either direction, but the convenience of ferry times may affect your choice.
You may visit as many as 13 islands and experience the considerable variations of their character.
The Great Hebridean Expedition route is only around 200 miles from start to finish, so 7 full days give ample time to explore and be distracted by beaches, towns and villages, local crafts people and nature. You’ll be able to relax, forget about time and enjoy the peaceful views. Check out the Islands page of the website, for more local information.
We’ll make sure there’s a comfortable bed waiting for you at the end of each day – you can choose B&B’s, guest houses, inns or hotels or mix and match, whatever your choices we’re sure you’ll enjoy great hospitality.
A typical 8 night itinerary
You are completely free to pick your places to stay and time to stay in each, so this Western Isles itinerary is just an illustration of what you might choose to do. Call us now on 01851 706611 and chat to one of our friendly holiday advisors who will be happy to discuss your plans with you and help you create your own unique Western Isles experience.
| Travel | Stay | |
| Day 1 | Depart Oban ferry terminal for your scenic sailing to Barra, arriving in the evening. On some days, an early morning departure is available, which calls at Coll and Tiree en route. Ferry timings vary according to the day of the week – an evening meal aboard the ship may be the sensible choice. Settle in to your accommodation, then maybe sample the craic in a Castlebay bar. |
Barra |
| Day 2 | Spend a leisurely day getting to know Barra and Vatersay. Rent a bike or a kayak, perhaps, to help slow down the pace to Hebridean style – or take the boat to visit Kisimul Castle. | Barra |
| Day 3 | Take an early ferry to Eriskay, then meander the route to North Uist. Overnight within easy reach of Lochmaddy ferry terminal. |
Uists |
| Day 4 | Make an early start to check out the main attractions of North Uist, prior to a late morning crossing from Lochmaddy to Uig on Skye. Spend the afternoon exploring the west coast of Skye – perhaps a visit to Dunvegan Castle or the Talisker Distillery. | Skye |
| Day 5 | Continue your exploration of Skye. | Skye |
| Day 6 | The early morning ferry from Uig (Skye) to Tarbert will give you plenty of time to explore a circuit of Harris, prior to an overnight stay in or near Tarbert. | Harris |
| Day 7 | Depart your Harris accommodation bright and early, to enjoy the journey over the mountains to Lewis, followed by an almost circular tour of the island’s main historical sites and beaches. | Lewis |
| Day 8 | Have a relaxing last full day of your holiday. There are good independent shops in Stornoway where you can buy locally made Harris Tweed, jewellry or arts and crafts. Take a long stroll in the parkland surrounding Lews Castle. | Lewis |
| Day 9 | An early ferry to Ullapool will allow you to make a good start on your homeward journey – or perhaps wait until early afternoon and make an overnight mainland stop en-route. |
Travel information
You can choose to begin your holiday in Oban or Stornoway. As times vary considerably according to the day of the week, one of our holiday advisors will be happy to work out the direction that fits best for your chosen dates and mainland journey needs. Don’t forget that you can mix and match between price groups, so you may prefer to consider these prices as a guide.
| Holiday Price |
Main Season 01/05/23 – 30/09/23 |
Low Season 01/01/23 – 30/04/23 01/10/23 – 30/04/24 |
| 8 nights | B&B | B&B |
| £ | £ | |
| Group 1 | 759 | 709 |
| Group 2 | 879 | 799 |
| Group 3 | 959 | 929 |
| Group 4 | 1179 | 1069 |
| Group 5 | 1299 | 1189 |
| Extra Nights |
£ | £ |
| Group 1 | 64 | 59 |
| Group 2 | 79 | 69 |
| Group 3 | 87 | 79 |
| Group 4 | 114 | 95 |
| Group 5 | 129 | 109 |
| Extra Nights: The extra night prices shown are for additional B&B only. Our holiday adviser will provide more information for you. Prices shown in this panel are per person, based on two adults travelling in one car and sharing a twin or double room. Per person prices will generally be higher for one person in a car and lower for three or more. Please ask our advisor for more information. | ||