WOW Scotland is delighted to be part of the Highland Tourism initiative, and to continue to play our part in encouraging conscious travel in the Scottish Highlands.

Protecting the Scottish Highlands

WOW Scotland is a small, local company who are passionate about protecting the Scottish Highlands, and preserving our beautiful landscapes for generations to come.  We are doing this in several ways including: Purchasing coaches which are compliant with the highest EU emission standards; offsetting our vehicles’ carbon emissions by planting trees; picking up litter on all tours; using local suppliers; and reducing, reusing and recycling our waste.  Our commitment to this has been recognised by the Green Tourism Award scheme, and you can read more about what we do here.

Leave the car at home, take a tour instead

In 2020 there were record numbers of domestic tourists in the Scottish Highlands, with most of these tourists arriving under their own steam.  The intense pressure this put on roads and carparks was clear for all to see.  Consequently, in 2021 we want to encourage our UK-based guests to travel to the Scottish Highlands by public transport or, if this is not possible, travel by car then leave it at your hotel.

For many people, leaving the car behind and taking a tour in their own country is a novel concept.  However, particularly in the Scottish Highlands, it makes total sense.  By basing yourself in a central location, such as Inverness, then taking day tours to explore the area, you will be able to relax and really enjoy the place, without the stress of driving, navigating or parking during the busy tourist season.

On our day tours from Inverness we take people to the places we love, making sure to tick off the famous sights along the way.  Our most popular tours are as follows;

• Our Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour features more sights than any other day tour to Skye! Highlights include the awe-inspiring Fairy Pools and all of the must-see destinations on the Trotternish Peninsula.
• The Whisky Tour takes you to our absolute favourite distilleries; places where we have long-established relationships, and where we are confident that they will treat our guests like friends.
• Our Orkney Day Tour is truly unique, as you will experience all of the archipelago’s must see sights (including Skara Brae, The Ring of Brodgar, The Standing Stones of Stenness, and The Italian Chapel) in just one action-packed day!
• The Big Four Tour showcases the Scottish Highlands’ most iconic sights; Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe, Ben Nevis and Loch Ness.

New for 2021 –  Fairy Pools Hiking Tour

The Fairy Pools has become increasingly popular in recent years, and justifiably so, with many guests who come on our Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour doing so just to visit this sight.

However, after a year cooped up inside, we appreciate that our guests are keen to get out and enjoy the wonderful wide open expanses of countryside that we have here.  Consequently, for our more adventurous guests who like to get off-the-beaten-track, our new Skye Fairy Pools Shuttle is perfect.

WOW Scotland will drop you off at Sligachan, on the Isle of Skye, to enjoy a self-guided 10km hike in the foothills of the Cuillin Mountains.   The scenery on this walk is definitely up there with the absolute best that Scotland has to offer, and guests will be truly inspired by this one-way route, which finishes at the world-famous Fairy Pools.

New for 2021 – hotel pick-up

To encourage our guests to leave their cars at home we are now offering pick-up and drop-off for all of our tours from more than 15 Inverness hotels, as well as from outlying villages including Aviemore, Carrbridge, Tomatin, Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston, Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh.  We are the only tour operator to offer hotel and village pick-ups, and we are confident that it offers a much more convenient and eco-friendly option for our guests.

And finally…

In summary, for those holidaying in the Scottish Highlands we would encourage you to leave your car at home this summer. Take a tour to experience the very best of Scotland, in a responsible and enjoyable way.