1 day tour / Hebrides / Coll

Isle of Coll

Isle of Coll – 1 day tour from Oban/Argyll & the Westcoast

After picking you up from your accommodation in Oban or along the Argyll Westcoast, we check in at the Oban Calmac ferry terminal for the Isle of Coll.

The ferry ride is stunning past Kerrara, Lismore & its lighthouse and Duart Castle and through the Sound of Mull past Tobermory, its lighthouse and Ardnamurchan point out into the open Minch with a great chance to spot some wildlife.

The ferryt trip is very relaxed & enjoyable and a wide range of breakfast options is available.

Upon our arrival on Coll,  we begin our Isle of Coll island tour:

On most Isle of Coll tours we include:

• Arinagour
• Hogh Bay beach walk
• Totronald RSBP visitor centre
• Northcoast road with lots of great stunning photostops and short walks along the way
• Southcoast road views and stops, incl of Breachacha castle
• Extended coastal walks to Feal & Crossapol bay beaches & on to Calgary point at the narrows across from Tiree

If time is short and limited we would focus on the highlights and the best that Coll has to offer.

We board the Calmac ferry from the Isle of Coll back to Oban, we enjoy the stunning all round views, there is time for a meal or coffee.

(Please note, even this is a full day tour, we will only charge you for the time spend on Coll, so for example if the time is 5 hours touring around Coll, it means the half day tour price would apply – please also note, that a 1 day return trip from Oban to Coll is time table dependent, but the same would apply if you opt for a 2 day trip to Coll – where you obviously need 1 night of accommodation on Coll – but if you are only spending 24 hours in total on Coll on a 2 day trip, we would charge you only for a 1 day tour, as you would most likely have the afternoon of day 1 on Coll and the morning of day 2 on Coll, so 2 half days, even though you are away for 2 full days)

• At the end of the 1 day tour we drop you back off again at any place you prefer, i.e. your accommodation, your dinner venue or onward travel location back in Oban or along the nearby Argyll Westcoast.

1D/Oban based or add on tour # 78 – Coll

(please note this 1 day tour will only work out twice during the week during the Calmac summer timetable, but could be extended to a 2 day tour at any day throughout the year to make the most of the beautiful island of Coll)

Please note for a Coll 1 day tour from Oban, Unicorn Tours will only charge you for the short day tour, time on the island plus the vehicle ferry cost from Oban.

Coll as a 1 day return trip from Oban will only work out on about 2 days a week throughout the summer timetable, for the remainder of the time, we recommend at least a 2 day tour to Coll

also see some of the other longer private multi-day tours we offer at the Hebrides to which you could also add on or combine the above tour with as well.:

Outer Hebrides

& the Far/Northwest Coast

(with connecting ferry ports mainly from Ullapool, Mallaig & Oban)

7 days – Outer Hebridean Islands Explorer via Skye-Harris-Lewis-Berneray-N.Uist-Benbecula-S.Uist- Eriskay – Barra & Vatersay

6 days – Western Isles 12 islands hopping extravaganza, incl. Lewis, Great Bernera, Harris, Scalpay, Berneray, N. Uist, Grimsay, Benbecula, S. Uist, Eriskay, Barra & Vatersay (4 ferries in total)

5 days – The Uists & Barra – golden Hebridean paradise & beaches – Barra & Vatersay – Eriskay – South Uist – Benbecula – Grimsay – North Uist – Berneray – 8 islands+ (3 ferries)

5 days – Harris, Lewis & the Isle of Skye – circuit across the Minch

4 days – Lewis & Harris – ultimate, awesome & timeless wild nature – Hebridean Escapade on Scotland’s largest island

4 days – Hebridean dreams – Eriskay – South Uist – Benbecula – North Uist – Berneray – endless golden summer sands & blooming Machair

4 days – Northwest Coast & NW Highlands – epic adventure wilderness landscape – highlights of the NC500 & optional walks

4 days – https://unicorntours.co.uk/psgt___4_/51-3-days-northern-highlands-best-northwest-north-coast/

3 days – Northcoast via the Northern Highlands

3 days – spectacular Northwest & Far NW Coast via NW Highlands

3 days – Barra & Vatersay – Hebridean epitome

2 days – Northwestern wilderness – Bens, lochs, glens & pure nature taster along the Northwest Coast

2 days – Northwest Coast nature taster, including Durness/Balnakeil beaches & Smoo cave – far away & awesome

Inner Hebrides

Oban & the Argyll Westcoast

(with connecting ferry ports mainly from Oban)

3 days – Stunning Scottish Westcoast explorer

3 days – Wild, magical Mull & spiritual Iona – a haven of peace, tranquility & golden beaches – via Oban & spectacular ferry & coastal journey

3 days – Coll & Tiree – beaches galore

2 days – Coastal scenery at its best in the West

2 days – Westcoast experience – spectacular Argyll, Oban & Kilmartin standing stones

2 days – The edge of heaven – iconic Iona via the Isle of Mull & Oban

2 days -West Highlands – Argyll coast, Oban, Great Glen & Loch Ness

2 days – Isle of Mull, Tobermory & Ardnamurchan – off the beaten track Westcoast peninsulas

2 days – Isle of Mull, Oban & the Argyll coast

1 day – Westcoast, spectacular Argyll, Oban & the Kilmartin standing stone circles

“Small Isles”

Ardnamurchan & the Lochaber West Highland peninsulas (Moidart, Sunart, Morvern & Ardgour) 

(with connecting ferry ports mainly from Mallaig)

3 days – Isle of Skye via the Western Highlands

2 days – Coastal scenery at its best in the West

2 days – Off-the-beaten-track Westcoast – Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Sunart, Morvern & Ardgour peninsulas

2 days – Isle of Mull, Tobermory & Ardnamurchan – off the beaten track Westcoast peninsulas

1 day – Off-the-beaten-track Westcoast peninsulas – Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Sunart, Morvern & Ardgour

Southern Hebrides

& Kintyre 

(with connecting ferry ports mainly from Kennacraig)

5 days – Islay (Jura & Colonsay – optional) via the spectacular Kintyre & Argyll coast

4 days – Islay (& optional Jura) via Argyll/Kintyre coast

3 days – Islay (& optional Jura) – the Lord of the Isles – a lot more than just whisky

2 days – Kintyre peninsula

2 days – Colonsay & Oransay (optional tidal island walk) – Hebrides in miniature

Tour price for a 1 day tour – for the 8 passenger mini-bus & driver/tour-guide for a private group of up to 8 passengers

Personalised & private small group tours all over Scotland (100+ itineraries: ½ – 7 day tour options & discounted multi-day tours to choose from) – with a set daily tour price for our tour guide driver & 8 passenger seater mini-bus (due to the fixed same overall cost for up to 8 passengers, the cheapest per person price for a private small group tour is if 8, 7, 6 or 5 are travelling together to share the set fixed daily cost, which is the same total cost, no matter if there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 passengers on a private mini-bus tour)

All of these private & personalised, small group tours of Scotland

are available on any available green calendar days for private tours

• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1/2 day tour on any available green calendar day.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1 day tour on any available green calendar day.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 2 day tour on any 2 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 2 day tours will already show a 2.5% discount.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 3 day tour on any 3 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 3 day tours will already show a 5% discount.
• Choose any private & personalised tailormade 4 day tour on any 4 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 4 day tours will already include a 7.5% discount.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 5 day tour on any 5 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 5 day tours will already include a 10% discount.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 6 day tour on any 6 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 6 day tours is discounted by 12.5%.
• Choose any private personalised & tailormade 7 day tour on any 7 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 7 day tour prices already show the 15% discount. 

Additionally from September to May there is a 12.5% student discount, which also applies to seniors over 65 and to children up to 17 travelling as part of a family group.

Oban to Coll return ferry:

Coll return prices from Oban / Summer 2024

£110.20 return for the mini-bus

£20.70 return for each passenger

P.S.:

Please note,

• if this is an Coll & Tiree based tour, where Coast, sea Highlands & Islands – Unicorn Tours, our mini-bus and driver/guide Mike is already based on Coll & Tiree anyway, there is no need for you to pay the mini-bus return ferry fare, as all your need to do is to travel to the island, meet us there and you can join our tour there.
• In almost all other cases, 99% of the year though I am afraid, our tour operations will not be based on Coll or Tiree and for that reason, you are most welcome to book this private tour with us and we will only charge you for the actual time on the island, i.e. if the time on the island is 5 hours, you will only be charged for a 1/2 day tour, but as we need to bring our mini-bus onto the island and back again, you would need to pay for the return ferry fare for the mini-bus from the mainland.

Should you have any further queries regarding this, please feel free to email us on contact@unicorntours.co.uk

Information about tour options for a private tour in general

Private & personalised tailormade tours to suit your group’s preferences

This is your very own private tour for you and your friends and family members of up to 8 people travelling on this tour together.

Before any private tour, we always check for your must-see stops, interests, hobbies, activities, preferences, priorities and any special requests you might have and we ask you about your preferred pace of travel so to tailor make and personalise the tour to suit your needs.

The route, the stops and the itinerary we give on our website for any private tour are for information and guidance only, as in the end it is you, who decides, what you wish to do, where you wish to stop and what you wish to do and see.

Any private tour itinerary can be shortened, extended or amended, if you wish to do so.

Flexibility on private tours

We also like to keep things flexible as our experience is that there are places, once you arrive and see them, you just fall in love with and wish to spend more time and longer.

whereas some other times we arrive at a place and they are different from what you had expected and you are ok to have a shorter stop and to move on quicker.

Flexibility is also good as on a beautiful gorgeous blue sunny day when all colours in nature and the landscapes are sparkling and you have clear and amazing far distant visibility and the scenery and places are at their best, you probably prefer to spend more time outdoors, while on a stormy, wet, dark, grey and cold day, you are likely to prefer more indoor venues during your stops.

Travelling at your own pace on private tours

Some guests are on a whirlwind tour with little time and wish to pack as much into a short time as possible and are ok with just short photo stops,

whereas other tour guests prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace to be able to explore and discover and soak it all in and leaving the tour with a memorable and lasting experience.

All of this is possible within the constraints of your chosen route, the distances involved

and during the winter season the shorter daylight hours we have.

Lunch breaks on private tours

Some guests put a lot of emphasis on a good quality lunch in a good atmospheric restaurant and we can prebook lunch venues,

whereas other guests are ok to just stop at a supermarket for a sandwich to eat on the go

or just need a short lunch stop for some light snack to eat.

Your tour options on any private tour are unlimited and endless

Same place, same route – but one one private tour, the private tour guests would want to visit the castle, while on another tour at the same place, they want a whisky tour instead and yet again same place on the next tour the private tour guests, want to just go for a walk on the beach there, while another time at the same place, they just want to go shopping, visit the museum or stop at the golf course – so same place, but on each private tour at this very same place, we visit different places and the itinerary, stops and experience is different. 

As this is a private & personalised tour to suit your interests, preferences, hobbies and activities, it is up to you and we can either offer our normal tour itinerary for the location with all the many local highlights and sights and be flexible depending on the season, the weather, the time we have and also be fully flexible during the tour (as some places, you will love and stay longer and at other places you come to, you might wish to just take a photo and then leave, so in the end you might on the day of the tour decide to stay longer or shorter at some of the places we visit or you might still decide to add in some additional stops and places you had not thought about before)  and also partially or fully adjust it to suit your interests and preferences or entirely turn it into a specialist interest tour “a whisky tour”, “a castle, cathedral, historic sights tours”, a “walking tour”, a “nature & wildlife tour”, a “golf tour”, an “activity tour”, etc. depending on what you request (also see our full range of  Activities, special interests & tour themes.)

If it says on the tour itinerary, the tour starts in A and ends in Z and on our journey from A to Z we are travelling and can be stopping at B, C, D, E, F…… X & Y,

it might be the same route on every such private tour, but with every private tour group and individuals, it could still be an entirely & very different tour after all,

as there are so many different special interests & tour themes

so that the main focus of some private tour groups could be

• architecture & charming towns & villages
• castles, history
• child-friendly stops
• churches, abbeys & religious sites
• dining & and having a great lunch eating out
• events based, such as visiting the Highland games while on the tour with us
• family history & genealogy
• gardens, flowers & parks
• golf, football or other sports’ venues
• literature, film or movie fictional based tour, i.e. visiting filming locations of Outlander, Harry Potter, Shetland crime series, Downtown Abbey. etc.
• nature & wildlife, seabirds, puffins or whale
• watching
• the scenery, the coast & beaches
• snow and wintry landscapes
• tourist steam train in conjunction with our tour
• walking
• waterfalls
• whisky distilleries, gin and breweries
• etc.

Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours

As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:

•  for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
•  for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
•  for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
• for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base

Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.

(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based

and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)

Accommodation on multi-day tours is your choice

Some of our guests are budget travellers, whereas others are luxurious travellers, while others chose a mid-range 3* hotel.

We are happy to give you tips, links and info about your accommodation options for the towns and villages we are staying overnight, but in the end it is up to you, where you would like to stay, at which hotel or guesthouse and for which price.

However much or however little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is your choice.

On a private tour we will pick you up from any accommodation in the morning and in the evening drop you off at any accommodation of your choice for your overnight tour accommodation and and chosen location.

free time for fantastic coastal and beach walks, free time in Arinagaur

pick ups and drop offs – from anywhere in and around Oban, incl.

• your accommodation
• Oban Calmac ferry terminal
• Oban railway station
• Oban bus station
• Oban taxi rank
• Oban airport
• Gallanach ferry to Kerrara
• Ganavan beach
• McCaig’s folly
• Pulpit hill
• anywhere in Oban, anywhere near Oban, nearby villages & places

To enquire, discuss and to book any of our tours, please email contact@unicorntours.co.uk or leave a message at +44-7429251980

As on most days we are driver/tour-guiding tours, we will get back to you and reply asap / within 36 hours at the latest.