NC500 Private Tour (4 Days) from Inverness
The full North Coast 500 loop with your own car and touring chauffeur. Three nights on the route, short driving stretches and time to stop where you want.
Duration
4 days, 3 nights
Distance
About 520 miles
Group size
Up to 7 guests
Start and finish
Your Inverness hotel
Style
Private, at your own pace
Why four days
- Three days covers the loop, but the north coast and Assynt get squeezed into long driving days.
- Four days gives a full day to the far north and a full day to Durness and Kylesku, with time for walks and lunch stops.
- Most driving days are three to four hours at the wheel, spread out with stops.
- If you want Applecross and the Bealach na Bà as well, add a fifth day and we will take the west coast route home.
Short on time? The 3-day NC500 tour covers the same loop at a quicker pace. For routes, seasons and longer versions, see our NC500 private tours page. Want Applecross and the Bealach na Bà too? See the 5-day NC500 tour, or read is the NC500 worth it?
Sample 4-day itinerary
This is the route most of our NC500 guests take. We change the order and the stops around your hotels, the weather and what you want to see.
Day 1: Inverness to Caithness by the east coast
North on the A9 over the Kessock Bridge, the Cromarty Firth and the Dornoch Firth Bridge. Short driving stretches, plenty of stops.
- Dornoch Cathedral and the beach
- Dunrobin Castle and gardens (open April to October)
- Carn Liath broch, just north of Golspie
- Helmsdale and the Berriedale braes
- Whaligoe Steps, a steep stone stair down to an old herring harbour
Overnight: Wick or the John o' Groats area
Day 2: The far north to Tongue
The north-east corner, then west on the A836 along the top of the mainland. The road narrows to single track after Bettyhill.
- Duncansby Head and the stacks
- John o' Groats for the photo
- Castle of Mey, when open (summer only)
- Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of mainland Britain
- Strathnaver Museum at Bettyhill, for the Clearances story
- The Kyle of Tongue causeway with Ben Loyal behind
Overnight: Tongue
Day 3: Durness, Loch Eriboll and Kylesku
The wildest day of the loop. Long single-track sections on the A838 and A894, so we keep the pace easy and stop often.
- Ceannabeinne beach and Smoo Cave
- Balnakeil Beach and the craft village
- Loch Eriboll and Laxford Bridge
- Scourie, then Kylesku Bridge
- The Drumbeg road to Lochinver, if the weather is kind
Overnight: Lochinver or the Assynt area
Day 4: Assynt and Ullapool, then home
Assynt in the morning, Ullapool for lunch, and back to Inverness on the A835 by late afternoon.
- Achmelvich Beach
- Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt
- Knockan Crag and the Stac Pollaidh views
- Ullapool harbour
- Corrieshalloch Gorge suspension bridge
- Rogie Falls near Garve
Overnight: Back in Inverness
What's included
- Executive saloon for up to 3 guests, or a Mercedes V-Class for up to 7
- Your own touring chauffeur for all four days
- Route planning, overnight stops and timings worked out around you
- Fuel, parking and chilled water on board
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Inverness accommodation
Prices start from £675 + VAT (£810 inc. VAT) per day in an executive saloon, or £700 + VAT (£840 inc. VAT) per day in a V-Class, plus driver accommodation for the three nights away. Your hotels, meals and entry tickets are separate. Hotels or tickets we book for you carry a 10% + VAT concierge booking fee.
Planning a longer trip? Our multi-day tours from Inverness run from 3 to 10 days.
Travel notes
- Dunrobin Castle and the Castle of Mey are seasonal. Outside the summer we swap in other stops.
- Accommodation on the north coast is limited and books up early for summer. Give us your dates as soon as you can.
- Weather on the north and west coast changes quickly. We adjust the order of the day around it.
- Bring waterproofs and shoes that can handle wet sand and rough paths.
Bespoke private tours
Bespoke private tours
Every Venture Highland tour can be tailored. We can adjust timings, add stops, and build a completely bespoke itinerary to suit your interests, pace, and travel plans. If you have a wish list, we will design the day around it.
Plan your 4-day NC500 tour
Send us your dates, the number of guests and anything you particularly want to see. We will come back with a route, suggested overnight stops and a price.
FAQ
Is 4 days enough for the NC500?
Yes, for the main loop from Inverness. Four days lets you see the east coast, the far north, Durness and Assynt without long days in the car. Five days or more gives room for Applecross and extra walks.
How much does a 4-day NC500 private tour cost?
Tours of four days or more start from £675 + VAT (£810 inc. VAT) per day in an executive saloon, or from £700 + VAT (£840 inc. VAT) per day in a Mercedes V-Class. Driver accommodation is added for the three nights away from Inverness. Your own hotels are separate.
Which way round do you drive the NC500?
Usually anticlockwise from Inverness: up the east coast first, then the north coast, then down the west. It saves the Assynt scenery for the last day. We can reverse it if your hotels suit the other direction.
Where do you stay on a 4-day NC500 tour?
Typically Wick or John o' Groats, then Tongue, then Lochinver or the Assynt area. We can suggest places and book them for you. Hotels we book on your behalf carry a 10% + VAT concierge booking fee.
Are the single-track roads a problem?
Not with a chauffeur who drives them every season. Large parts of the north and west coast are single track with passing places. You get to look out of the window rather than watch for oncoming campervans.
Can you start the tour from Edinburgh?
Yes. We can collect you in Edinburgh and add the journey north, either as a straight transfer or as a touring day through Perthshire and the Cairngorms.