Islay (optional Jura) via the Argyll/Kintyre coast – 3 days + tour

3 days+ tour to explore & experience

for your private, flexible tailor-made small group sample itinerary 3D#6

Highlights of Islay & Jura

• Glorious beaches
• Port Ellen, Port Charlotte, Portnahaven, Port Wemyss, beaches, cliffs & the Rinns of Islay
• The Oa & the cliff top walks
• Finlaggan – home of the Lord of the Isles
• Whisky galore – Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Port Ellen Maltings, Kilchoman, Port Charlotte, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, etc.
• Wild, dramatic spectacular Jura, coastal drive, the Paps of Jura & Inverlussa beach

Islay & Jura (optional) – 3 day

Basic route:

– Pick up in the Scottish Central Belt, including from Stirling & beyond

– Scenic West Highland journey & along the Argyll coast or/and via Kintyre (seasonal ferry short-cut option)
– Kennacraig – ferry – Islay (either to Port Ellen or to Port Askaig)

– Islay tour – nature, beaches, whisky, great friendly towns, history, culture & a lot more

– optional side trip to Jura

– return via Kintyre and/or Argyll:

– Stops and route along the way on day 1 and day 3 on the Scottish mainland, but also once on the Isle of Islay & Jura are flexible and personalised depending on your preferences, interests & the weather

Islay (optional Jura) & the Argyll/Kintyre coast – 3 days to explore & experience

As this is your own private small group tour, the itinerary is very flexible and along the way, we can add additional nearby stops and depending on the weather it is also possible to swap the route of day 1 and day 3 around. So the route each day is a sample itinerary and can be amended if you prefer.

Day 1

• We pick up from many locations throughout the Scottish Central belt, incl. the Stirling, Edinburgh & Glasgow area.
• We head out west through the Loch Lomond and Trossachs national park. Loch Long and Loch Fyne, Inveraray and Lochgilphead and will have a brief stop along the way to the ferry port of Kennacraig to catch the ferry to Islay.

The location of your accommodation will determine if on day 1, we will already be taking the ferry over to Islay and have more time on Islay

or alternatively stay the night on the mainland and then have more time for the many spectacular sights along the Argyll & Kintyre coast.

Sample day 1 route

Pick up from Edinburgh through the New Town out of Edinburgh to historic South Queensferry for a photostop of the 3 iconic Forth bridges – past Linlithgow palace and the Kelpies (waterhorses) along the motorway on to Stirling.

Distant views of the National Wallace monument & photostop underneath the volcanic Stirling castle stop

Walk from Loch Lomond shores to Loch Lomond yacht harbour.

Drive along Duck Bay and on to picturesque Luss / Loch Lomond with a short beach walk there – enjoying the views of the islands & of Ben Lomond.

From Loch Long we drive into the Argyll Forest Park & at Rest & be thankful we have a sidetrip to Lochgoilhead & its fjord surrounded by snowcovered peaks.

At Inveraray we saw Inveraray castle, home of the Campbell Clanchief & Duke of Argyll from the bridge and stopped for a meal at the woolen mill.

In Tarbert we visited the East harbour and went on  a walk up to Tarbert castle.

At the Kennacraig ferry terminal our journey was confirmed, but advised that the sailing is delayed.

We went up the hill towards Skipness castle with great views of Arran before finally boarding the last ferry to Port Askaig on Islay.

It is a late arrival in the dark at around 9pm in Port Charlotte, when we check into the Lochindaal hotel.

1^st night

(a)    You choose the type / price-category of your accommodation

For every location/area our guests have the choice to either stay at a hotel, B&B or hostel, it is up to you how much you wish to spend for the night and it makes no difference to the tour, whether we pick you up from an upmarket or budget place

(b)   You choose the location of your accommodation

Islay – accommodation (preferred option to have 2 nights on Islay to allow for a full day tour of Islay)

General

Islay info – where to stay

Visit Scotland – Islay accommodation

Hotels

Islay hotel – Port Charlotte

Lochside hotel – Bowmore

Port Charlotte hotel

Guesthouses

Persebus cottage, millhouse & B&B suite – near Port Askaig

Hostels & budget accommodation

Port Charlotte – SYHA – hostel

Jura – accommodation

General

Isle of Jura – accommodation

Hotels

Jura hotel

Self-catering

Jura – self-catering

Hostels, budget accommodation & camping

Jura hotel – camping

• on the Scottish mainland (near to the ferry port of Kennacraig, i.e. close to the Tarbert of Lochgilphead area) – for example Argyll backpacker hostel 
• It would be of course possible either to stay two nights at the same location or at different locations

Day 2 – 1st full day on Islay – sample itinerary if main focus in on whisky

After having finished our breakfast at the Lochindaal hotel in Port Charlotte,  we are heading off for our first full day on Islay.

After driving through Islay’s capital Bowmore and a couple of photostops in Port Ellen +

at Lagavulin bay with views of the Dunyvaig castle ruins, we are checking in for our Lagavulin whisky tour.

After lunch at the Seasalt Bistro, we are heading for a quick look around Ardbeg distillery before  our Laphroaig tour next to the glorious bay.

After Laphroaig we continue towards the end of the road at Ardtalla and for some seal watching, a beach, the Kildalton cross & glorious all round peaceful, wild & remote coastal & islands’ views.

Via the back-country and farming road we are heading towards Port Askaig where we spotted the ferry to Jura

We continued with a photostop of the Coal Isla, Ardnahoe & Bunnahabhain distillery with spectacular views of the Isle of Jura & it’s 3 Paps (mountains) across the Sound off Islay.

After a quick stop at Finlaggan, the ancient seat of the MacDonalds & Lordship of the Isles, we went for dinner at the Port Charlotte Hotel.

or

Day 2 – 1st full day on Islay – sample itinerary if main focus is to explore the great, beautiful island of Islay “Islay – a lot more than just whisky”

After a frosty night with clear skies, this is a day full of blue skies and glorious sunshine.

Via the Rinns of Islay we head to Portnahaven & Port Wemyss for a short wakl with views of the lighthouse, the white buildings and a sees seals and seabirds in the bay.

Via Bruiachladich & Kilchoman distillery we are heading to Machir beach.

We have a look at the Loch Gruinard RSPB nature reserve visitor centre before checking out Bowmore distillery and the whisky shop. At the Peatzeria in Bowmore we went for lunch .

We are heading for the Oa peninsula  with its spectacular cliffs and nature reserve and go for a circular walk taking in the sea cliff views before reaching the American monument. The weather did however change to be much windier and cooler by then.

After a quick stop at Port Ellen and Kilbaughton beach, we headed to Machrie beach at Kintra with lots of sheep & 2 goats before heading back to Port Charlotte for dinner at the Lochindaal hotel.

2nd night

Day 3 journey from Islay back to the Scottish Central belt (in this sample itinerary back to Glasgow)

On a rainy morning we check out of the Lochindaal hotel at Port Charlotte and are heading for the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry at Port Askaig.

We are leaving Islay and sail through the Sound of Islay between Islay and Jura past Gigha into West Loch Tarbert to Kennacraig back on the Scottish mainland.

We are heading along the Loch Fyne sealochs fjord via Tarbert, Lochgilphead & the Crinan canal to Inveraray for our lunch.

We are passing the Rest & be thankful mountain pass and re-enter the Loch Lomond & Trossachs nationalpark, past the Loch Long seafjord we are heading inland to Loch Lomond.

Along Loch Lomond we are heading south towards Great Glasgow and we see the Erskine bridge across the River Clyde, the Auchentoshan distillery and head into the Westend of Glasgow, past the Botanic Gardens and the Oran Mhor church into Byers Road and stop at the Kelvingrove museum and Art gallery with views of Glasgow University across Kelvin Park.

We head towards the SECC, the Hydro & Armadillo, the Finnieston crane & the rotundas in Clydeside and underneath the Kingston bridge into Glasgow’s business district.

We cross the pedestrianised long shopping Buchanan Street and drive past Queen St. Station, George Square and past the murals at Ingram Street in the Merchant City.

We climb up at Strathclyde University into Glasgow’s Eastend towards Glasgow’s St. Mungo’s cathedral, the Necropolis and down Tennents brewery to the Tolbooth & Mercat cross to the River Clyde, before dropping off at your Glasgow accommodation to say good-bye at the end of your 3 day tour with Unicorn Tours.

Price for a 3 day tour

3 day tour prices – Unicorn Tours

(During peak season, based on a private group of 8, price per person starts from £121 / standard season, based on a group of 8, price per person starts from £101 for 3 days for the tour)

plus

ferries

(Inexpensive short Caledonian MacBrayne ferries from Oban to Islay (Port Askaig or Port Ellen) & short Islay to Jura ferry – footpassenger rates for you only as Unicorn Tours is paying for the vehicle rates)

accommodation (option of low budget, clean, friendly & welcoming hostels – Port Charlotte SYHA hostel or Argyll Backpackers, mid-range guesthouses – to 5* hotels), food, entrance fees & your personal expenses

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.

Caledonian MacBrayne – Southern Hebrides – Kennacraig (Scottish mainland) to Islay (either Port Ellen or Port Askaig) return

Optional whisky tastings, whisky tours and entrance fees for places you choose to visit (for example the Islay museum or wildlife centre in Port Charlotte)

Accommodation of your own choice, for example:

Islay – accommodation (preferred option to have 2 nights on Islay to allow for a full day tour of Islay)

General

Islay info – where to stay

Visit Scotland – Islay accommodation

Hotels

Islay hotel – Port Charlotte

Lochside hotel – Bowmore

Port Charlotte hotel

Guesthouses

Persebus cottage, millhouse & B&B suite – near Port Askaig

Hostels & budget accommodation

Port Charlotte – SYHA – hostel

Jura – accommodation

General

Isle of Jura – accommodation

Hotels

Jura hotel

Self-catering

Jura – self-catering

Hostels, budget accommodation & camping

Jura hotel – camping

• on the Scottish mainland (near to the ferry port of Kennacraig, i.e. close to the Tarbert of Lochgilphead area) – for example Argyll backpacker hostel 
• It would be of course possible either to stay two nights at the same location or at different locations

Islay can be very much tailormade to:

• either a whisky specialist tour
• a nature & wildlife active island tour to explore the great beaches, dramatic coastline & the many sights of Islay
• Islay can of course offer a great mix – to suit both – whisky lovers and island/nature/explorers

As there is so much to do and see and you ideally need to have 2 full days on Islay and also add a visit to the dramatic neighbouring Island of Jura onto the tour.

If you have time there is also the option to add a day on to the Isle of Colonsay onto your Islay trip.

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 discuss with you and 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.

As this is your own private tour, you can have free time as you wish and choose

Free time during an Islay tour:

• during any whisky distillery visits, you might choose
• during any time spent at Port Ellen
• during any time spent at Port Charlotte (also for the Islay museum and the Islay natural history trust)
• during any beach and coastal walks
• during your meals

Private 3 day tour pick ups & drop offs anywhere throughout Scotland

• As this is a your own private tour, tour pick ups can be from anywhere, including departures/pick ups & drop offs from anywhere in the Scottish Central Belt (between Edinburgh & Glasgow, including Stirling)

*** for those in your private group, who can’t make it for the full 3 days Islay tour

(& for those prefer to fly to/from the island quicker

without the need to catch the ferry and include the Scottish mainland tour part to the ferry port)***

• We are happy to pick you up from Port Askaig or Port Ellen upon your ferry arrival on Islay (you do have Scottish Citylink coach connections to the Kennacraig ferry terminal with daily ferries to Islay or rail connections to the Oban ferry terminal with generally once weekly Wednesday ferries to Islay)
• We are happy to pick you up from Islay airport every day (there are direct daily flights from Glasgow every day

—

• We are also happy to drop you off at either Port Askaig or Port Ellen / Islay ferry terminal for your ferry back to the Scottish mainland (usually back to Kennacraig, occasionally back to Oban)
• We are also happy to drop you off at Islay airport for your flight back to Glasgow

Our standard tour starts from / finishing back on the Scottish mainland:

Pick up / drop off points for private small group 3 Days Tours, from anywhere as it is your own private tour:

• within the Stirling/Uni area
• within the Forth Valley area
• from within the Scottish Central belt, Edinburgh & Glasgow included
• from within the Dundee, St. Andrews & Perth area
• from places beyond on request

+

• from places listed along or nearby the route and the stops of this particular 3 Days Tour

To enquire about this tour or to book please email contact@unicorntours.co.uk

As this will be your very own tailormade, personalised, flexible private small group tour, we will discuss:

• Your preferred travel dates
• Your preferred route
• Based on your preferred route, we will give a choice of overnight locations to stay
• Once you have chosen your preferred overnight location, we would like to know about your preferred type of accommodation, any special requests or a price range and your preferred roomtypes
• Based on your choice, for example hotel with * ** *** **** ***** star rating, guesthouse/B&B, self-catering or budget hostel accommodation, etc. for each overnight location, we can then give you suggestions and also check the room availability for each night

Accommodation

• Unicorn Tours is happy to assist you with your questions regarding your accommodation & accommodation booking
• The general rule is that you should then book your accommodation yourself, let us know where you are staying during which night, as it is there that we will drop you off at the end of the tour day and pick you up on the beginning of the next tour day

• The choice of your accommodation, how much or how little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is unconnected and separate from your tour with Unicorn Tours throughout the daytime – for the same day and tour, we have picked up guests from 5* hotels and guests from budget hostels, but the tour experience during the daytime with Unicorn Tours remains the same.

• When ferries or any other additional costs are involved, we also want to make sure, you are happy with those

Once the tour details, including

• tour itinerary & special requests
• pick up/drop off locations & timings
• tour duration, passenger numbers and price
• etc.
• have been discussed and agreed
• and you are happy to proceed with the booking
• we send you an invoice which allows for payment by Paypal / card or by BACS bank transfer

This tour is for a private small group of up to 8 people.

We will personalise & tailor make this flexible tour itinerary to suit your preferences, interests & requirements.

This tour is available on any green calendar day

except during our Scottish Islands based tour days

for a few weeks each year.

Once you wish to book, we send you an invoice with a payment link and also allowing for a UK & international bank transfer.

Once you have paid, we send you your tour confirmation and will mark this day as “red” unavailable/booked out in our tours availability calendar

We can pick up from anywhere, but for a 3 day tour the free pick up zone is within 50 miles from our Alloa home base (which includes does Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, St. Andrews & places throughout the entire Scottish Central belt and anywhere in between, such Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)

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.)

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email  contact@unicorntours.co.uk to discuss further