2 Day Isle of Skye Itinerary
28 Mar, 2024
Eva Mitchell
Are you pushed for time on your dream Scotland trip but don’t want to miss out on visiting the incredible Isle of Skye? Don’t worry! It is absolutely possible to see the best bits if you follow our 2 day Isle of Skye Itinerary.
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In early November 2023 we visited this untamed land and were absolutely blown-away (both literally and figuratively!) by the beauty of it. This Isle of Skye Itinerary is action-packed, designed to showcase the unbelievable natural landscapes and Scottish history with a dram of Scottish Whisky to top it all off.
When is the best time to visit the Isle of Skye?
Visiting in shoulder season around October to November is the best time to visit if you want to avoid the midges and constant road congestion along the skinny one way roads that circle the island. Keep in mind it can be cold in the shoulder season so make sure you pack your warm woollies and waterproof gear. On the second day of our Isle of skye trip, it was snowing on the Old Man of Storr.
Where to stay in the Isle of Skye?
To get the most out of your time in the Isle of Skye, I would suggest you base yourself in Portree as it is a central point to the many attractions and activities on the island.
We stayed in this budget-friendly, cosy guesthouse in Portree that included a generous continental breakfast and snacks.
If you are looking for a more unique stay on the Isle of Skye, there are plenty of glamping pods and guest houses with breathtaking views all over the island. Take a look at some of these beautiful options available.
Isle Of Skye Accommodation Options
Harlosh Hideaways - Aurora Pod
Cosy glamping pods with a rural outlook, the perfect spot to view the Northern lights!
Dunvegan Castle Gardens Cottage
A gorgeous 3 bedroom stone cottage nearby the famous Dunvegan Castle. Ideal for family or group accommodation.
Modern cabins with a jaw-dropping outlook over the Isle Of Skye. Ideal if you enjoy the idea of being in nature but appreciate a touch of luxury!
How to get around the Isle of Skye
You are going to want to hire a car. This is the most efficient way to navigate the island and to make the most of your 2 day Isle of Skye trip. We hired a car from the car sharing app called Turo. Turo is a more affordable alternative to traditional car rental companies and you don’t have to worry about a rental car company trying to take your money for any false damage claims (this happens far too often!) because Turo usually offers an affordable option for zero excess insurance.
There are local buses available on the Isle of Skye that stop at some of the major attractions however if you are wanting to follow this itinerary, it may be difficult fitting everything in 2 days.
Day 1 - Isle of Skye Itinerary
Estimated total drive time: 2 hour 20 minutes (allow longer in peak season)
Estimated total visiting time: 6 hours
You can either begin this 2 day Isle of Skye itinerary from Portree or by arriving to the island early morning to kick things off.
Quick Note: If you are starting from Portree I would suggest you start with the Old Mann of Storr walk and then continue to stop 2 and then stop 1 on your way to the Fairy pools. Allow an extra 20 minutes of driving for this route. If you are low on time consider skipping the waterfall today, instead stop by the waterfall on the day you leave the Isle of Skye.
Strap your hiking boots up and don’t forget your camera, today is going to be a one for the memory bank!
Stop 1: Eas a’Bhradain Waterfall (15min stop)
Your first stop on this Isle of Skye itinerary is the beautiful Eas a’ Bhradain waterfall. You will find a pull in space to park your car just across the road from the waterfall. This is a great warm up for some of the epic natural sights you are about to see on the Isle Of Skye.
10min drive
Stop 2: Sligachan Old Bridge (15min stop)
A short 10 minute drive down the road from the Eas a’ Bhradain waterfall you will come across the gorgeous Sligachan Old Bridge. This is a classic Scottish stone bridge that makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. If the river is low enough you can even walk out onto the rocks and see how the bridge perfectly frames the mountain in the background!
30min drive
Stop 3: Old Mann of Storr walk (2hr stop)
Make sure you have your hiking boots at the ready for this incredibly picturesque walk. The car park for the Old Mann of Storr walk is just a short 15 minute drive North of Portree. It costs £5 to park there for 6 hours (as of November 2023).
When you are ready, grab your drink bottle and camera and start the incline up towards the stunning Old Man of Storr. After about 20 minutes you will reach the viewing point from below. Many people stop here but trust me, they are missing out on the best bit!
It looks like a steep hike up to the magnificent rock formations but if you take regular breaks to admire the view on the way up, you will find yourself up the hill in no time. And Wow! Is it worth it!
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Wandering through the huge rocks feels like you have walked straight onto the set of Avatar, it is a totally surreal experience. And guess what? This hike just keeps getting better. You can continue along the mountain side path up to a lookout that provides the most stunning views of the incredible Isle of Skye landscape colliding with the ocean in the distance. Make sure to take plenty of photos as this is a hike to remember.
It took us about 2 hours to complete the whole hike up and back with plenty of photo stops along the way.
The Old Mann Of Storr is one of my favourite walks of all time. The landscape is just something else. You really can’t visit the Isle of Skye and miss this epic walk!
In case you need a toilet break, there is a bathroom available in the car park.
I’m sure your tummy will be grumbling after the Old Mann of Storr walk so make sure to grab a bite to eat on your way to the next stop. You could either stop by a café in Portree or grab some picnic supplies from the supermarket for lunch on the go.
45min drive
Stop 4: Fairy Pools (2hr)
Welcome to the mythical pools of the fairy princess. Legend has it that the fairy pools are named after a local fairy princess who married a Clan MacLeod chief back in the day.
When you arrive at the fairy pools there is a handy paid car park you can pull into. Walk across the road from the car park and you will find the start of the path that leads to the Fairy Pools. It takes roughly 20 minutes to reach the first fairy pool. You can then walk alongside the pools all the way up the valley. If you are brave enough, you can even take a dip in the icy turquoise blue waters.
15min drive
Stop 5: Talisker Whisky Distillery (1.5hrs)
You know what time it is now! Time for a cheeky dram to round out your first day of this action-packed 2 day Isle of Skye Itinerary. After all that walking and being out in the rugged Scottish nature you deserve to indulge in the taste of Scotland.
No better place to get a taste of proper Iske of Skye Whiskey than the one and only Talisker Distillery! Tim was stoked to call in here during our Isle of Skye trip because it is his absolute favourite Scottish whisky.
Talisker distillery is one of the best whisky distilleries in Scotland. They offer a few different options to experience their fine whiskies. You can opt to go on a one-hour distillery tour with whisky tasting for £22 (as of March 2024) or try their immersive Made By The Sea tasting experience for an affordable £15 (as of March 2024).
Make sure to book in well ahead of time to secure a spot on the Talisker distillery tour or tasting experience. Also keep in mind they do shut the distillery for a few weeks in low season so just check on the official Talisker website for the closure dates.
The alcohol limit for driving in Scotland is strictly ZERO. Most Scottish distilleries like Talisker, will have take-away whisky tasters for the drivers. That way nobody misses out on a taste, and everyone gets home safely!
40min drive
Stop 6: Local pub
You can’t visit Scotland without calling into a local pub for a feed. There are lots of pubs on the Isle Of Skye that offer hearty Scottish meals. We found all the pubs to be packed to the brim! This means you will usually have to wait 30 minutes to 1 hour before being seated. In the meantime, why not settle in and grab a drink at the bar.
If you are absolutely shattered from your action-packed day and feel like an easy dinner. There are many delicious and affordable takeaway options in Portree to choose from.
Day 2 - Isle of Skye Itinerary
Estimated total drive time: 3 hours (allow longer in peak season)
Estimated total visiting time: 6 hours (including bonus stop)
You are going to want to jump out of bed for an action-packed day two of this whirlwind 2 day Isle of Skye trip!
Stop 1: The Quiraing walk (3hr stop)
Start the day with one of the most incredible walks on the Isle Of Skye – The Quiraing!
The paid parking lot for the Quiraing walk is roughly a 40 minute drive north of Portree. It costs £3 for 3 hours or £5 for 5 hours (as of November 2023). We found 3 hours to be the perfect amount of time to complete the loop track while taking in the epic views along the way.
I would say the Quiraing walk is of medium difficulty. There are parts of the walk that require minor scrambling and the downhill from the peak is quite slippery in places (the poor guy in front of us slipped over halfway down) so make sure to wear grippy shoes. But trust us, it is totally worth the challenge for some of the most breathtaking views in Scotland!
Wear multiple layers when hiking on the Isle of Skye because the weather can be a little temperamental.
15min drive
Stop 2: An Corran Beach (15min stop)
Do you want to see real dinosaur footsteps? Well, you HAVE TO visit An Corran Beach!
In recent years the ocean has exposed rocks that have giant dinosaur prints in them. It’s pretty crazy to think that these magnificent creatures were once roaming this land exactly where you are standing!
When visiting An Corran Beach to see the dinosaur footprints, it is important to plan your visit around low tide, otherwise the footprints are covered with water. Check the low tide times on the thebeachguide website for the day you plan to visit. If low tide is going to be first thing in the morning, I would suggest visiting An Corran Beach BEFORE you start the epic Quiraing hike.
An Corran beach is easy to access. You can park your car by the ramp and if you search around you will see dinosaur footprints close by, preserved in the rocks. I would allow roughly 15 to 30 minutes to search for dinosaur footprints. Then carry on to the next location as it is a on the other side of the Island.
I’m sure you will have worked up an appetite after all of that hiking and searching for dinosaur footprints. Make your way to Portree to grab a bite to eat or find a nice spot to enjoy your packed lunch.
1hr drive
Stop 3: Coral beach (1hr stop)
It is about a one hour drive from An Corran Beach to Coral beach on the west coast of the Isle of Skye. Coral beach was one of our favourite stops on our two day Isle of Skye itinerary. This beach looks glistening white from afar but when you get up closer, you can see that it is made of little bits of broken up coral. It’s quite fascinating to see, the little bits of coral reminded me of the tiny bones you drop into place in the ‘Operation’ board game. So crazy! The water here was also super blue and clear.
There is a free car park at the end of a skinny gravel road and a flat track that leads you through paddocks to the beach. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the beach one way. I would allow at least one hour for this stop so you can take in this unique phenomenon.
20min drive
Bonus stop: Dunvegan Castle (45min stop)
If you still have enough time and energy left, you could swing by Dunvegan Castle to round out the day.
This castle is absolutely stunning perched on the edge of the water and surrounded by a well-manicured garden.
In 2024, Dunvegan Castle is open from March 29th until 15th October from 10am until 5:30pm, with last entry at 5pm.
If you don’t make it in time to enter the castle and it’s grounds, it still makes for a great photo op from just down the road looking back at this magnificent Scottish Castle.
We would have loved to have visited Dunvegan castle however we were in the Isle of Skye in November, so it was already closed for the season. As disappointed as we were, it just gives us another excuse to go back to the Isle Of Skye again some day!
40min drive40min drive
From here, you can drive back to Portree for the night or carry on to explore another area of this magnificent country.
I hope you find this 2 day Isle Of Skye Itinerary helpful for planning your travels through Scotland. Let me know if you have any questions about the Ise of Skye or Scotland or anything else travel related in the comments below, I’m always more than happy to help!
About Us
Hello, Hola, Ciao! We are Tim & Eva, a couple of kiwis who have spent the last few years saving for and planning our epic year-long adventure around the world. Our goal is to inspire fellow wanderlust souls (just like you!) to Make Cents Of Travel by sharing our experiences and strategies we used to turn our dream of long-term travel into a reality.
