Dates
We do offer private and bespoke group trips on all our treks and walking holidays. These can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 4 people.
Please contact us with your preferred dates and accommodation, along with your group size.
-
View Package PricesSunday13 June 2027Friday18 June 2027
Overview
The Affric Kintail Way is a superb cross-country route from Drumnadrochit on the banks of Loch Ness, to Morvich on the west coast.
This trail works its way westwards through the stunning Glen Affric National Nature Reserve, taking us to some of the most remote places on any of our treks. On night 4 we will stay at the Glen Affric Youth Hostel (Alltbeithe) in the heart of Glen Affric, before our final day’s trekking through the Kintail mountains to Morvich.
A unique trek, different to anything else we have on offer and with only moderate distances of walking on most days it is an achievable adventure for many.
Highlights of the Affric Kintail Way
- The chance to complete a unique trek through a remote Scottish Glen.
- The panoramic Glen Affric Viewpoint.
- Walking through the beautiful Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.
- A night in the remote and off-grid Glen Affric Youth Hostel.
- Emerging through a mountain pass into Morvich in the shadow of the Five Sisters of Kintail.
Itinerary
Each day, you will be guided on the Affric Kintail Way by your qualified and friendly walking guide, and all the logistics of your trek will be managed by your trek manager, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.
We will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you arrive at your accommodation in the evening. On most days will only need to carry your day bag, with essentials to keep you warm, dry, fed, and hydrated for the day. You will need extra equipment and food for the night in the hostel which has no vehicle access. Your main luggage will be transported to your next accommodation throughout the trek.
Everything will be taken care of so that you can just enjoy the walking!
Today is the day we will all make our way to Drumnadrochit to begin our Affric Kintail Way adventure. In the evening you will get a chance to meet the rest of your group, as well as your guides, for a welcome evening and briefing. This will be in a local pub/restaurant where you will have the option of an evening meal.
Accommodation in Drumnadrochit
Today we will begin our Affric Kintail walk with 15.5 miles (25km) to the small village of Cannich.
For the most part, we will be on well maintained forestry tracks and footpaths with good views over Glen Urquhart. We will walk above Loch Meikle, and in the surrounding forestry for most of the day, with the route now staying clear of the A831.
The path works on this section have recently been completed to remove the road walking element. This has resulted in a longer first day but a much better one. We will be finishing the day in Cannich itself.
Distance: 15.5 miles (25 km)
Total ascent: 625m
Time: 7.5-8.5 hours
Accommodation in Drumnadrochit/Cannich
Today takes us into the beautiful Glen Affric Nature Reserve.
We will pass the waterfalls at Dog Falls, walk alongside Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin, and take in the views of the mountains from the Glen Affric Viewpoint.
We will end our day where Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin meets Loch Affric, with our appetites suitably whetted for the wilder stages of our Affric Kintail adventure.
Distance: 12.5 miles (20.5 km)
Total ascent: 485m
Time: 7-8 hours.
Accommodation in Drumnadrochit/Cannich
Today is only 8.5 miles (13.75km) but remember you will be carrying your overnight kit. Due to the length of the walk and the time at which the hostel opens, we often take a morning excursion to the spectacular Plodda Falls. After which, we return to Loch Affric to begin the day proper.
We will walk on good forestry tracks and trails above Loch Affric and into the glen, leaving the forest behind. Mountain scenery is all around you as the going gets a little rougher underfoot.
We follow the River Affric deeper into the mountains and arrive at the wonderfully situated Glen Affric Youth Hostel. A night here really encapsulates the best of this trail and is a real highlight of the trip.
Distance: 8.5 miles (13.75 km)
Total ascent: 250m
Time: 4.5-5.5 hours
Accommodation at Glen Affric Youth Hostel
Your final day’s walking will take you through the mountains to arrive in Morvich on the west coast of Scotland and complete your Affric Kintail journey.
The trail is 10.5 miles (16.5km) long today, and it is more “mountain trail” than footpath. Expect to be negotiating rocky and boggy sections underfoot at times. The trail does also cross some steep slopes.
The scenery is wonderful, and your way is flanked on one side by Beinn Fhada and by the Five Sisters of Kintail on the other. You will complete the Affric Kintail Way in Morvich, from where we will take you to your accommodation for a well earned rest.
Distance: 10.5 miles (16.5 km)
Total ascent: 260m
Time: 6.5-7.5 hours
Accommodation in Shiel Bridge/Morvich/Inverinate
Today we arrange a transfer from Morvich back to Drumnadrochit for your onward travel (unless you wish to make use of the local bus services or extend your stay on the west).
From here, it is time to say goodbye and to make your way home or onto further adventures.
What's Included
The cost includes
- Accommodation for 5 nights (breakfast included on B&B package)
- 4 days guided walking
- Qualified UK Mountain Leader as your guide
- Luggage transfer (except for your hostel stay)
- Support vehicle
- Full Information Pack
- Maximum group size of 7
- Free transfer from Morvich back to Drumnadrochit if required
Not included in our packages
- Lunches, snacks and dinners
- Transport to/from Drumnadrochit at the start/end of the trek
Accommodation Options
Bed & Breakfast plus Hostel
The Bed and Breakfast option provides you with good standard Bed and Breakfast accommodation, with breakfast included within the price of the holiday.
The B&Bs we use are located within small towns or villages. After leaving Drumnadrochit these will have very limited facilities, but your trek manager will be on hand to help arrange evening meals and opportunities to stock up on food for packed lunches.
Hostels are used where necessary to complete the trek. This basic shared accommodation will always be well equipped to help you have a comfortable stay. You will have hostel accommodation for one night on this trek.
Where possible, we will book private rooms for our groups. When this option is not available, beds will be single/bunk in single-sex dorms.
Cooking facilities are available, but breakfast is not included.
Camping plus Hostel
We offer a camping option for those who want to get closer to nature.
You will need to provide your own tent and camping equipment, ensuring that this equipment is familiar to you. However, you will not need to carry this during the walk.
You may wish to bring a cooking stove so you can have a hot drink in the morning and/or to cook your evening meals on-site (campsites may be further from the local pubs than the B&Bs are).
Although the campsites are small and remote, they all have toilet and shower facilities, with some also offering drying rooms and washing machines.
As with the B&B package, one night will be in a remote hostel. This basic shared accommodation will always be well equipped to help you have a comfortable stay.
FAQs
This trek is graded 3/5 on our trekking scale.
A good, challenging trek for the average walker. The terrain will include hills and rougher paths, and there will be some challenging longer days. It should be achievable for a person of good general fitness and determination.
With only 4 days walking this is at the shorter end of long-distance walking. We have broken the route into 4 sections, and although these include some remote walking, as well rough and boggy terrain, the daily mileage is relatively low for the grade.
If it wasn’t for the remote nature of our overnight stay in the mountains and the extra kit that you will be required to carry for this, most days would be considered 2/5 on our scale.
You can read more about our grading system in our Trip Difficulty Guide.
To help you decide if this trip is right for you, please also refer to the itinerary, which includes daily distances, ascent, and detailed descriptions of the terrain.
Please note: all long-distance walking is challenging, especially if you are not used to walking/exercising every day. What makes a trek challenging is also personal, dependent on your strengths and preferences.
The Affric Kintail Way is walked on a mix of mainly good forestry tracks and trails, with some rough and wetter sections to negotiate through the mountains.
We begin near Loch Ness with woodland walking the theme for the first two days. Things open out thereafter into one of Scotland’s most stunning glens. You will see the fruits of the fantastic work of Trees for Life who have been striving to restore the native woodland of this area. You can expect mountain views, changing light, and exposure to whatever weather is thrown at us.
We will be staying in the remote Glen Affric Youth Hostel which does add to the challenge. You will need to carry an overnight pack including a sleeping bag and your food for two days (2x lunch, 1x breakfast & 1x dinner). However, this is often the highlight of the trip, even for those to whom this is a totally new experience. Going without life’s luxuries is well worth it for a stay in this amazing location.
This is suitable for walkers with a reasonable level of fitness and a sense of adventure. The daily mileage isn’t big, but the remoteness and a heavier pack for 2 days adds to the challenge.
This would be perfect adventure for a first time long-distance trail walker, who perhaps has ambitions of taking on some longer more remote routes. Equally, if you have enjoyed walking a long-distance trail before and are looking for something unique, this could tick that box.
While you don’t need long-distance walking experience you will need a reasonable level of fitness and determination to help you get to the finish. The fitter you are the more enjoyable the experience. After booking you can opt in to our ‘Training for the Trails’ mailing list to help you arrive prepared for your trek.
If not driving to Drumnadrochit your public transport option is the bus from Inverness. It is worth booking your ticket in advance, and these are available from around 10-12 weeks in advance.
We use accommodation in Drumnadrochit, Cannich and near Morvich. You will also stay one night at the Glen Affric Youth Hostel.
Drumnadrochit – this village has all the main facilities you might require at the start of your trek: A small supermarket, places to eat, bus services and a pharmacy.
Cannich – a very small village with a convenience store. At the time of writing the pub has closed but another is being built in connection to the village shop. The nearby Tommich Hotel is close by for evening meals.
Glen Affric Youth Hostel – this off-grid hostel does have cooking facilities, an electric shower, and toilets. We will need to bring in all our food and take home all our rubbish.
Morvich – another small place between Shiel Bridge and Inverinate. There is a small shop and the Kintail Lodge Hotel for evening meals.
You will be provided with a full kit list, but as a guide the basics you will need are:
For the first 2 days you will just need a small rucksack (around 25 litres), walking boots, waterproof trousers, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, a spare warm layer and walking trousers (not jeans or denim), a water bottle, sun and midge protection.
In addition to this for the second 2 days you will need a larger rucksack that can carry all the food you will need on those days, a sleeping bag, pillow case, wash bag and towel, head torch, and spare warm clothing.
A full kit list will be provided in your information pack.
With Thistle Trekking you get a personal service. We are happy to answer any questions and queries and help where we can with all aspects of your trip.
Your point of contact will be the same person from the first enquiry to the final communication before your Affric Kintail Way trek.
Our guides are all qualified, experienced, and fun companions on the trail.
What our walkers said about their Affric Kintail Way trek
Very well organised trip. Both guide Alex and David very friendly and capable which allowed us to simply enjoy the walk and the experience of the trail.
Jane G
Our experience with Thistle Trekking and the Affric-Kintail Way trail was excellent overall. We were provided with all the information we needed to prepare, and if we had questions or concerns they were quickly answered. Our trek manager and trail leader (Ian and Harry, respectively) were both outstanding.
The trip is spectacular, especially on days 3 and 4!
David F
Great experience, lovely people, great trails, and beautiful scenery. Very remote yet fairly easy terrain.
Harry I believe was born to be a mountain guide . He has the perfect character for the role , he is interested and friendly to all travellers equally, offers his knowledge, enthusiasm and encouragement without ever over crowding. He was particularly reassuring when I developed some joint pain on our journey and offered encouragement and sound advice which helped me along the way. I cannot praise him enough !
Donna B
Dates
We do offer private and bespoke group trips on all our treks and walking holidays. These can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 4 people.
Please contact us with your preferred dates and accommodation, along with your group size.
-
View Package PricesSunday13 June 2027Friday18 June 2027
