Isle of Skye Adventure from Inverness

Fantastic! John picked us up from the hotel and took us to the magical Isle of Skye. We stopped at Glenshiel chocolates where I had the best brownie and hot chocolate of my life! We stopped in the picturesque town of Portree and had lunch; John recommended a great place. Afterwards, we hiked the incredible Quiraing- it was raining but we had waterproofs so we comfortably trekked. We were SO impressed by the scenery of this place. Top place of beauty in the world! So glad we didn’t have to navigate the roads ourselves. John also knows a ton of history and highland culture. We absolutely loved this tour and I’ve already recommended it to friends and family. This tour is awesome! Thank you!!!

This was truly a magical day. John picked my mom and I up at our hotel in Inverness and took us out to Skye for the day. He shared all sorts of stories and was able to figure us out and make suggestions that he thought might work for us. He noticed that we were a little joke-y and joined right in on the gentle teasing. We were able to make up our minds about where to stop and how long to stay at each place. The Isle of Skye is so special and I am so glad we chose to go with John. We had originally planned to make the drive ourselves but after doing a couple of day trips from Inverness, we decided that me not driving would make the day much more enjoyable. He brought us up a road that I never would have made it up and showed exceptional parking skill. If you are looking for a long day full of fun, a little magic and a relaxing drive, book this trip!

5 star ⭐️ experience !! John and Teri went above and beyond in helping us with logistics on local Hotels in Inverness. Meeting them prior to the private tour to Isle of Skye was simple no hassle. John picked us up on time and we had such a lovely ride to Isle of Skye. They put us at ease with a very well organized tour and would highly recommend for family And friends! Sooo Worth it !! Thank you John And Teri!

This was one of our trip highlights. John was a fantastic and humorous guide and the entirety of the trip was entertaining. As the tour was in a small group, he let you decide what you wanted to stop for and learn more about and what you didn’t want to dedicate more time to. In that way, each tour is personalized to your tastes and interests. We opted to hike up to the Old Man of Storr. It was well-worth it. You absolutely must dress warmly and have on hiking boots at a minimum (in my opinion I would also recommend getting walking sticks). We are still talking about this tour and our guide John to this day. Excellent!

Last October we took a fantastic 2-week trip across Europe that included England, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Italy, but the most memorable and genuinely overall fun day of our entire trip was the unforgettable day we spent with our wonderful private tour guide, John McGillivray Coleman of Aye Tours, exploring the magical Isle of Skye. The drive from Inverness in his comfortable van flew by as John entertained us with fascinating stories about the dramatic landscapes we passed, the rich history of Scotland, and the tales of the clans — including his own McGillivray Clan. Along the way, we learned so much about Scottish culture, and what life was (and still is) like in the rugged Highlands. John’s storytelling made the journey as enjoyable as the destination. Once on Skye, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The highlight was the challenging but incredibly rewarding hike to the top of the Old Man of Storr. The views from the summit are jaw-dropping and well worth the effort — just be sure to wear sturdy shoes and bring a warm jacket, as the weather can change quickly! What made the day truly special was having such a friendly, genuine Highlander (with Viking ancestry!) as our guide. John’s warmth, knowledge, and passion for his homeland turned a great day into one we’ll never forget. We HIGHLY recommend booking a tour with Aye Tours and John McGillivray Coleman. We’re already hoping to return someday for another adventure with him! Also, my young adult son, Jon, who describes himself as a minimally-speaking autistic with echolalia & high-support needs, who spells to communicate his thoughts he’s unable to verbalize, spelled out his own personal review of our awesome tour guide, John: "So highly informative of a wide range of topics like culture, lifestyle, and charming little tidbits of stories of long ago that brought Scotland to life, not to mention how personable he was, not only to us, but to all the others we encountered throughout the day. He's a gem who is not only a great tour guide, but also a friend like no other--likely the best tour guide in all of Scotland, so now go on one of his wonderful adventures!!"

I did three trips with Aye Tours last summer, to Skye and the Old Man of Storr, Balmoral, and a local tour for lobster and the clootie well on the Black Isle. All the other reviews are spot-on about John's knowledge and sense of humor, the high quality of the tour, and the personal experience Teri and John will plan for you. Also, John wants to know his customers and will get to know you, and will show you true Highland hospitality. (He's one of the few tour guides in the Highlands born and bred there.) John and Teri are really good people.

This review is LONG overdue. I had the pleasure of taking two private tours with Aye Tours back in September. Myself and two of my friends took both the Isle of Skye day tour from Inverness and the Outlander tour. I booked the Isle of Skye tour, so I'll mainly focus on that: just do it! And if you can swing it, do two days. John was the BEST guide for a long tour. The conversation never dragged, he was interesting and fun, and he made the drive go by super fast. He knows so much about the area and is realistic about what you can do in one day. We spent time at Eilean Donan Castle, Portree, and were able to complete the Old Man of Storr hike before heading back to Inverness (with a couple scenic stops along the way). It was all incredible and memorable, but the most memorable thing was John and how knowledgeable and fun we was. He went above and beyond to accommodate our group and he'll always have a special place in our hearts. The Outlander tour was also incredible. Only one of us was a huge Outlander fan, and the tour was still extremely memorable and fun. If you're looking for a company with good communication, a fun, knowledgeable guide, and the knowledge and experience to find hidden gems and still show you the popular spots, look no further. We miss you, John and we miss you, Scotland! Slàinte mhath!

John was a delightful and very informative tour guide. He was able to meet all our needs and showed us areas on the tour that suited our abilities. We would highly recommend this tour for people trying to visit this very remote area.

If you are contemplating booking a private tour from Inverness, I highly recommend Aye Tours. My fiancé and I hired John to take us to the Isle of Skye and we had an incredible day. John is extremely knowledgeable, has a great sense of humor, and is clearly passionate about what he does. These qualities made for an engaging and fun adventure! Teri made the entire booking process seamless and always responded quickly to our questions. We hope to come back for another tour!

My husband and I booked a tour for the Isle of Skye with John back in May and had such an amazing time, we booked two more tours with him at the beginning of August to bring our family. Not only is he full of knowledge about the areas we visited, but he has a fantastic sense of humor and a love of adventures! Thank you so much John (and Teri!) for taking such great care of us and for making our trip so fun!!!