Hike, Kayak and Wild Camp the Isle of Skye

Rose Street Car Park in central Inverness is the best option for this trip.

Absolutely! We recognise that you may want to leave some of the luggage you bring to Scotland somewhere safe before you start your expedition. You will be able to leave any non-essential items you don’t want to take on the boat with you at our host's local base.

Our host uses a variety of sea kayaks for our expeditions. All are designed for this purpose, so are comfortable, well-suited to the conditions found on the West Coast and have plenty of space for stowing equipment and personal belongings.

Our host primarily uses Venture Easky solo kayaks, which are aimed more at beginner to intermediate paddlers, as they are stable and easy to control. Also used on occasion are P&H Scorpios, but these are more technical boats, for intermediate to advanced paddlers. These boats are better adapted to more challenging conditions and more experienced paddlers. Finally, our host also has a selection of tandem kayaks including a Sea Bear Packhorse, which is a great boat to paddle in, with lots of storage space, and great stability, for those that need a little more assurance on the water.

For comfort and safety reasons, unfortunately we are not able to accommodate people over 18 stone (110 kilos) on this trip. If you have questions regarding this, please speak to our customer experience team.

The Scottish coast can be hit by bad weather at any time of year, even in summer, and if a big swell or storm comes in from the south the sea conditions in the area for this trip can become too dangerous to head out on the kayaks. Generally, the southern coastline of Skye is more protected than the western and northern coastline, so this gives the itinerary a strong chance of being feasible throughout the season. However, your host has a huge amount of experience running trips all over Scotland, and will have various back-up plans in place if the conditions get too bad. In the worst case scenario, you may head to a different part of the West Coast of Scotland, such as the Summer Isles further north. Although every effort will be made to avoid this eventuality, sometimes the weather gods will force the decision.

Whilst outdoor toileting is all part of a wilderness adventure, it can have a negative impact on the surrounding environment if not practiced carefully. To avoid this, on most trips, your host provides a portable camping toilet for use at each of the wild camping spots. Small and packable, this camping toilet allows waste to be packed-out and disposed of properly when facilities are available. Not only does this help to minimise impact on the countryside, but many adventurers find it a bit more comfortable! For those who have periods, we have also written this handy guide, to help you manage these whilst on adventures.

Midges are very tiny winged flies, often found in Northern Scotland between May and October when conditions are damp, humid and warmish. While they don’t have a great reputation, they generally aren’t as bad as they are made out to be: they can be an annoyance, but they don’t carry any diseases. So they're pretty harmless, apart from a small itchy red bite.

They don't like direct sunlight and they can’t fly in anything more than a light wind, so on very sunny or breezy days you're unlikely to be bothered by them. They also don’t like open water, so sea kayaking is a great way to avoid midges!

There are preventative measures you can take if you do find there are some midges around. Wear white or light-coloured clothing – midges are drawn to dark colours. Use a repellent, such as Smidge (a DEET-free insect repellent developed in Scotland) – Avon's Skin So Soft is also often recommended as an effective deterrent. Antihistamine creams or tablets will help with any itchy bites. Whilst midges are so small that they can pass through a mosquito net, you can buy 'midge-proof' head nets made with a fine mesh that will keep them away.

Occasionally, participants may need to leave an expedition earlier than planned for various reasons. Although rare, when such occasions do arise, your hosts can generally arrange for you to be collected and returned to Inverness. This is subject to being able to reach an accessible location and the availability of a vehicle and driver, so it might not be immediate. Your host reserves the right to charge £150 to collect an individual (with those travelling with them) and return them to Inverness; this extra charge covers staff time and the use of a vehicle & fuel. Your host will be happy to provide a receipt for this, should you require it for insurance claim purposes and we recommend that you take out suitable travel insurance to cover holiday cancellation costs or instances like those described above. You are more than welcome to make your own arrangements to leave if necessary, however, please be aware that this trip operates in some very remote locations, and taxis/public transport are not always readily available.  

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip, depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Special diets, intolerances and allergies are generally well understood in the United Kingdom. All meals (except for 2 lunches) on this trip are prepared ‘in-house’ by the local team and they do a fantastic job, however your guides are cooking for a large group in remote locations with limited facilities and supplies, so you should keep this in mind. Your host is based in the remote highlands of Scotland, and certain ingredients aren’t readily available at short notice. Therefore please note that if you inform your host about certain dietary requirements less than two weeks prior to your trip, then the options and variety of your meals could be more limited. The two lunches that aren't included can be chosen by yourself from a local cafe or supermarket.

SPECIAL DIETS

**Vegetarian -Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Each expedition guide has their own menu style, but you can expect hearty homemade dishes like veggie chilli or bolognaise for main meals, and plenty of non-meat-based ingredients for breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

**Vegan -Vegan diets can be accommodated on this trip, provided that your host is notified in advance. Each expedition guide has their own menu style, but you can expect homemade dishes like veggie chilli or bolognaise, made with vegan ingredients. Vegan alternatives will be provided when necessary, e.g. ingredients for making lunches, or at breakfast time.

Kosher -Kosher diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, it should be noted that sourcing Kosher ingredients in the Scottish Highlands is not always possible, so it cannot be guaranteed. Where this is the case, vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative, if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal -Halal diets can be accommodated on this trip, provided that your host is notified in advance. However, it should be noted that sourcing Halal ingredients in the Scottish Highlands is not always easy, or even possible, so it cannot be guaranteed. Where this is the case, vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative, if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) -Gluten-free diets can be accommodated on this trip, provided that your host is notified in advance. You can expect group meals made with gluten-free ingredients, or where necessary, gluten-free alternatives will be provided - for example Gluten-free wraps at lunch times, or gluten-free pasta.

Lactose Free -Lactose-free diets can be accommodated on this trip, provided that your host is notified in advance. You can expect group meals that are made with lactose-free ingredients, or where necessary, lactose-free alternatives will be provided - for example cheese alternatives for lunches, milk alternatives for coffee/ tea or for adding to porridge at breakfast time.

ALLERGIES

Your host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy, please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. **Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

The Scottish summer is usually warm but you can expect some rain, even if it's just a little. Prepare for anything and think ‘layers'. Conditions in May and September will be slightly cooler, with the potential for frost at night. Kit-wise, the main thing is a warm sleeping bag, and an additional bag liner if you feel the cold more.