NORTH COAST 500 Campervan Hire
Planning to drive the North Coast 500 by campervan? Start your Scottish road trip from Edinburgh with an Alba Campers automatic campervan, with unlimited mileage and everything you need to explore the Highlands at your own pace.
Our compact campervans are ideally suited to the NC500’s mix of Highland roads, coastal routes and longer touring days, with collection from our base near Edinburgh
Why Hire An Alba Campervan for the NC500
Automatic Campervans
Easy and comfortable to drive over long distances and around Scotland.
Compact Size
Our campervans are smaller and easier to handle than many large motorhomes, particularly on narrower Highland roads.
Unlimited Mileage
The NC500 itself is over 500 miles, and a trip from Edinburgh with detours can easily go much further. Unlimited mileage means you can explore without worrying about a mileage allowance.
Fully Equipped
Everything you need for sleeping, cooking and touring Scotland in comfort.
Edinburgh Collection
Collect your campervan near Edinburgh and make the journey north part of the road trip.
Drivers From Age 21
We offer campervan hire for drivers as young as 21, unlike some other companies where drivers have to be a minimum of 25, for more information please check out our Young Drivers Page
How Much Does NC500 Campervan Hire Cost?
The cost of hiring a campervan for the North Coast 500 depends on your travel dates, length of hire and the campervan you choose. Summer is generally our busiest period, while travelling outside peak season can often offer better value.
Because a typical NC500 trip involves significant mileage, it is also worth checking what is included in the hire price. Alba Campers includes unlimited mileage, so you do not need to pay extra simply because you want to explore more of Scotland.
Enter your dates to see current campervan availability and pricing.
How Long Should You Hire a Campervan for the NC500?
The official North Coast 500 route is just over 500 miles, but your total trip will be longer if you are collecting your campervan near Edinburgh and adding stops or detours.
We recommend allowing at least 5 days for the NC500 itself, although 7–10 days gives you far more time to stop, explore and enjoy the route without spending most of your holiday driving.
If you are travelling from Edinburgh, you may also want to include places such as the Cairngorms, Loch Ness, Skye, Glencoe or Loch Lomond.
Planning the Route? Read our complete NC500 Route Guide
Starting the North Coast 500 From Edinburgh
The official North Coast 500 begins and ends in Inverness, but your adventure can start as soon as you collect your campervan near Edinburgh.
The journey north allows you to travel through some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery before joining the official NC500 route at Inverness.
Once you complete the route, you can return south or extend your trip to destinations such as Skye, Glencoe and Loch Lomond.
What’s Included With Your NC500 Campervan Hire?
Our campervan hire includes the essentials you need for a Scottish road trip, with features and equipment varying slightly by campervan type.
For a full breakdown of what’s provided, see our What’s Included page.
HOW MANY DAYS DOES IT TAKE TO DRIVE THE NORTH COAST 500?
This depends on how much you want to drive and how many detours you plan to make. You could travel the entire route in a day if you don’t mind not sleeping or seeing anything along the way!
The North Coast 500 is designed for touring and sightseeing and taking things slowly. The minimum number of days we’d recommend to drive is 5 days, but 7 to 10 days would be ideal.
Those with more time can take some detours, visits to Loch Ness, Orkney Islands, Isle of Skye. If you love hiking, nature, and history You could fill up a week’s worth of stops and not run out of things to do.
Our campervans are fully equipped to give you the best camping in comfort experience while travelling in Scotland.
How long you choose to take is entirely up to you and how much time you have to dedicate to exploring this iconic route. Many people who do the NC500 over a weekend, but you can imagine that doing it in that amount of time would require a lot of sightseeing from the vehicle, rather than heading out and wandering around. We would recommend giving yourself at least 5 days as there are lots of places to visit and explore.
IS THE NORTH COAST 500 SUITABLE FOR CAMPERVANS?
Yes the North Coast 500 is very popular with campervan travellers, and a compact campervan is a great way to explore the route.
Some parts of the NC500 use narrow single-track roads, so drivers should be comfortable using passing places and reversing when necessary. Never park in a passing place, and allow faster traffic to pass safely.
Larger motorhomes require extra care on certain sections of the route. The official NC500 guidance advises larger vehicles to avoid roads such as Bealach na Bà and the B869 Drumbeg Road and use the recommended alternatives instead.
The compact size of Alba’s campervans makes them particularly well suited to touring Scotland compared with much larger motorhomes.
Planning Your North Coast 500 Route
The NC500 forms a spectacular loop around the northern Highlands, beginning and ending in Inverness and passing destinations including John O’Groats, Durness, Ullapool and Applecross.
We have a separate detailed guide covering the route, maps, recommended stops, travel times and our extended route from Edinburgh.
Responsible Campervan Travel on the NC500
The NC500 passes through small Highland communities, so responsible driving, parking and overnight stays are important.
Use passing places correctly, allow local traffic to pass, dispose of rubbish and waste responsibly and use campsites or permitted overnight locations where appropriate.
Scottish outdoor access rights do not give motor vehicles an automatic right to park or camp anywhere, so always follow local signs and restrictions.
Ready to Drive the North Coast 500?
Ready to start planning your North Coast 500 campervan adventure?
Choose your Alba campervan, enter your travel dates and check current availability for your Scottish road trip on our Book Now Page
