Scottish isles rated as National Geographic 'tour of a lifetime' Published duration 11 April 2014

image copyright VisitScotland image caption The Scottish tours takes in the Isle of Harris

A guided holiday of Scottish islands has been listed among a world travel magazine's 50 Tours of a Lifetime.

Wilderness Walking: The Outer Hebrides and Skye is the only UK entry on National Geographic Traveler's suggested tours to take in 2014.

The six-day Scottish holiday starts in Inverness and takes in Harris, Skye and Scalpay.

Also listed were a wolf-watching break in Montana and a tour of African landscapes linked to Nelson Mandela.

Holidays in Iceland, Alaska, the Amazon and Antarctica have also been included.

Paul Easto, managing director of the walking holiday's operator Wilderness Scotland, and VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay have welcomed the Scottish tour's inclusion.

image copyright AP image caption The six-day holiday also takes tourists to Skye

National Geographic Traveler magazine has more than eight million readers.

Executive editor Norie Quintos said: "The selection process was competitive and our editorial team worked long and hard to find 2014's most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours.

"This year marks the 30th anniversary of National Geographic Traveler, which has always looked at the world through the lens of culture, nature, and history.

"The tours we selected go beyond destination to add meaning and context."