From gravel riding to luxury escapes, explore the Highlands and Islands of Scotland with the company that does it best.
Wilderness Scotland, known for offering exceptional small-group guided hiking and cycling trips, as well as wildlife-focused journeys and wilderness retreats across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, has unveiled a range of new trips for 2025. Catering to those who crave outdoor adventure led by exceptional local guides, these brand-new trips offer everything from thrilling gravel rides and luxury trekking adventures to in-depth explorations of Scotland’s serene lochs, ancient forests, and heather-clad mountains.
“These new journeys are about helping travelers form a deeper connection with Scotland’s landscapes, history, and culture,” says Stevie Christie, Managing Director of Wilderness Scotland. “Whether it’s through the thrill of cycling along a remote gravel trail, exploring the best parts of the West Highland Way, or soaking up the natural beauty of Perthshire, these are itineraries that shine the light on Scotland’s wild heart. As always, each of these trips also reflects our deep commitment to sustainable, responsible travel, and providing our guests with immersive, unforgettable experiences.”
Explore the best parts of the famed West Highlight Way on this new luxury tour. (Wilderness Scotland)
Luxury Walking – Highlights of the West Highland Way
The magic of walking in Scotland can be distilled into the iconic West Highland Way, a classic long-distance trek covering 96 miles/154 km from Milngavie to Fort William in the Highlands. On this new, 10-day luxury adventure, guests will explore some of this route’s most beautiful sections, along with stunning Glencoe and the wild West Coast, whilst enjoying stays in upscale accommodations (think five-star country houses and baronial mansions) and exclusive experiences along the way.
The tour begins in Glasgow, before heading north to Milngavie, the trailhead for the West Highland Way. Over 10 perfectly paced days, travelers will enjoy a carefully curated itinerary that balances engaging hiking with iconic sites, culturally rich experiences, and upscale dining and lodging.
Highlights include:
- Stays at the five-star Inverlochy Castle Hotel, a 19th-century baronial mansion close to Ben Nevis, and Glenfinnan House Hotel, a stunning Scottish country house that sits on the banks of Loch Shiel, among others.
- A tour of the Glengoyne Distillery, followed by a tasting of the company’s award-winning Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
- A boat cruise on Loch Lomond before climbing Conic Hill and taking in the breathtaking views.
- Visits to various RSPB (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) reserves, Rob Roy’s Cave, Doune Bothy, the Glenfinnan Monument, and more.
- Hiking along one of the most dramatic sections of the West Highland Way, passing the formidable slopes of Buachaille Etive Mòr (one of the best-known of all the Munro peaks) to a zig-zagging trail up the Devil’s Staircase.
- An overnight stay in Kinlochleven, a coastal village in the Scottish Highlands that was the first village in the world to have every house connected to electricity.
- A chance to discover the soaring buttresses and glistening rock of Glencoe, starting with a stop at the eco-friendly visitor center, then a hike through the area’s wild landscape, and finishing up at a traditional climbers’ pub to listen to a captivating storyteller.
- A hike to Steall Falls, or An Steall Bàn, Scotland’s second-highest waterfall, which is situated in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak.
2025 Departures: May 4-13, June 1-10, and August 31-September 9 || Pricing: Starting at US$7,462.00 per person.
Go deep in Scotland’s forests on the new Perthshire & Loch Lomond tour. (Wilderness Scotland)
Wilderness Walking – Perthshire & Loch Lomond
This brand-new, seven-day guided journey of Perthshire and the Southern Highlands, including the opportunity to go into the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, leads guests past lochs, deep forests, and soaring heather-cloaked mountains. Accompanied by a knowledgeable Wilderness guide, travelers will learn about both the folklore and the faultlines of the region as they hike a spectacular section of the West Highland Way and up Ben A’an’s pyramidal peak.
Highlights include:
- A hike through Glen Tilt, a stunning valley that snakes its way into the southern bounds of the Cairngorms National Park.
- The chance to “bag a Munro” in the shape of Schiehallion or Sìth Chailleann (Gaelic for “fairy hill of the Caledonians”), a boulder-strewn mountain that offers commanding views across Rannoch Moor to the precipitous tors of Glencoe and is home to many important species such as ptarmigan, mountain hare, and the rare mountain willow.
- A boat trip across Loch Lomond before walking an engaging section of the iconic West Highland Way trail, passing by the infamous outlaw Rob Roy’s Cave and Doune Bothy, a small mountain cabin.
- A hike up Conic Hill, which lies on the Highland Boundary Fault.
2025 Departures: May 10-16, August 9-15, and September 6-12 || Pricing: Starting at US$3,382.00 per person.
One of two new gravel tours, this one takes cyclists into and through the dramatic Highlands. (Wilderness Scotland)
Gravel Biking – Highland Gravel Trail
A new trip and a new trip style for Wilderness Scotland, this seven-day itinerary is one of the two brand-new gravel trips available from the company in 2025, complementing its ever-expanding roster of guided cycling vacations, which also includes various road cycling and E-bike adventures.
On this fully guided adventure through the dramatic Highlands, guests will pedal along gravel highways, forest tracks, and paths that twist and turn all the way from Milngavie to Aviemore in the Cairngorms. A journey that strikes the perfect balance between excellent riding, diverse landscapes, and fascinating historical sites, it was the path taken long ago by highland drovers and their many heads of cattle, connecting the historic towns and villages of Scotland, making them perfect for a point-to-point cross-country trip.
Highlights include:
- Cycling through the eastern flanks of The Trossachs National Park, by the shores of Loch Lubnaig, along a historic railway line to the western tip of Loch Tay where the misty spray of the Falls of Dochart offers a cooling finish to the ride.
- Exploring the evocative ruins of Finlarig Castle.
- Pedaling through Glen Lyon, often described as Scotland’s “longest, loneliest, and loveliest glen,” to the Bridge of Balgie before setting out across the wild Rannoch Moor, home to golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and red stags.
- Spending a unique night at a remote and beautifully wild hostel at the tip of Loch Ossain.
- Pedaling through a landscape dominated by rugged mountains, wild moorland, and thick forests into the very heart of Cairngorms National Park.
- Checking out the Ruthven Barracks, which were built after the 1715 Jacobite uprising, and then continuing along the edge of the Insh marshes, one of the most important wetland areas in Europe.
2025 Departures: June 2-8 and August 16-22 || Pricing: Starting at US$3,787.00 per person.
Another new gravel trip that was also recently introduced and available to book in 2025, is the seven-day Galloway and the Lakes gravel biking trip. Starting in Scotland, it explores the deep green forests and secluded glens of Galloway Forest Park before crossing the border into England to pedal through the captivating landscape of the Lake District.
For information on all the above trips, and to see the full line-up of hiking and cycling adventures with departures year-round, visit WildernessScotland.com.
For trip options in England and Ireland, including many new additions for 2025, visit WildernessEngland.com and WildernessIreland.com.
About the Wilderness Group
Wilderness Scotland, established in 2001, is rated Europe’s No.1 Rated Adventure Travel Company by National Geographic and is Scotland’s only five-star accredited adventure tour operator. In 2012, its outpost Wilderness Ireland was launched, and the launch of Wilderness England followed in 2020. Offering an unrivalled range of small-group departures, self-guided trips and custom vacations, Wilderness Scotland, Wilderness Ireland, and Wilderness England lead the way in active and nature-based travel to the remote and wild corners of Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and England. Popular outdoor experiences include hiking, road cycling and kayaking. Wildlife, cultural, photography and sailing adventures are also available. For more information, visit www.wildernessscotland.