NC500 Private Tour (5 Days) from Inverness
The full North Coast 500 loop with your own car and touring chauffeur, plus Wester Ross, Applecross and the Bealach na Bà. Four nights on the route and time to stop where you want.
Duration
5 days, 4 nights
Distance
About 560 miles
Group size
Up to 7 guests
Start and finish
Your Inverness hotel
Style
Private, at your own pace
Why five days
- Four days covers the main loop. The fifth day adds Wester Ross and Applecross, which most short NC500 trips skip.
- You get the Bealach na Bà without rushing it, in good light, rather than as a late detour on the way home.
- Most driving days are three to four hours at the wheel, spread out with stops.
- We watch the Bealach na Bà forecast. In snow, ice or high wind we take the coast road both ways instead.
Short on time? The 4-day NC500 tour covers the main loop without Applecross, and the 3-day tour does it at a quicker pace. For routes, seasons and longer versions, see our NC500 private tours page, or read is the NC500 worth it?
Sample 5-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, Ullapool and Wester Ross
Assynt in the morning, Ullapool for lunch, then the A832 round the coast of Wester Ross instead of heading straight home.
- Achmelvich Beach and Ardvreck Castle
- Knockan Crag and the Stac Pollaidh views
- Ullapool harbour
- Corrieshalloch Gorge suspension bridge
- Little Loch Broom and Gruinard Bay
- Inverewe Garden at Poolewe
- Loch Maree and Beinn Eighe
Overnight: Torridon or Shieldaig
Day 5: Applecross and the Bealach na Bà, then home
The coast road round to Applecross, then over the Bealach na Bà, one of the steepest roads in Britain, and back to Inverness by Lochcarron and Achnasheen.
- Shieldaig and Loch Torridon
- The Applecross coast road, with views across to Raasay and Skye
- Applecross village and the bay
- The Bealach na Bà viewpoint at 626 metres
- Lochcarron, then east through Glen Carron
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 five 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 four 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.
- The Bealach na Bà can close in winter weather. The coast road to Applecross stays open as the alternative.
- 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 5-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 5 days enough for the NC500?
Yes. Five days covers the full loop from Inverness at a comfortable pace, including Wester Ross and Applecross. Seven days gives room for longer walks or a day off the road.
How much does a 5-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 four nights away from Inverness. Your own hotels are separate.
Can a chauffeur drive the Bealach na Bà?
Yes. Our chauffeurs drive it every season and know when not to. It is steep, narrow and single track with tight hairpins. If the weather is bad on the day we take the coast road to Applecross instead.
Where do you stay on a 5-day NC500 tour?
Typically Wick or John o' Groats, then Tongue, then Lochinver or Assynt, then Torridon or Shieldaig. We can suggest places and book them for you. Hotels we book on your behalf carry a 10% + VAT concierge booking fee.
Which way round do you drive it?
Usually anticlockwise from Inverness: east coast first, then the north coast, then down the west. That leaves Wester Ross and Applecross for the end. We can reverse it if your hotels suit the other direction.
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.