Compact
Vauxhall Corsa or similar · 5 seats · Manual · 1–2 luggage
from£61.60incl. VAT
BookBook now: CompactDriving the Uists
Car hire in the Uists
North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are connected by road, which makes them one driving area rather than three islands to plan separately.
Collection
Where to collect for a Uist trip
We do not hold a collection point in the Uists themselves. Barra Airport is the next island south, and the handover there is made by our local partner.
The three islands are joined to each other by road, so wherever you pick the car up, once you are on the chain you can drive its whole length without a ferry in between. If the Uists are one leg of a longer island route, arrange the one-way when you book: availability and pre-arrangement apply, and any charge is confirmed beforehand.
The landscape
Flat, open, and more exposed than it looks
The Uists are low and open, with a great deal of water: sea on both sides, lochs everywhere in between. It makes for exceptional views and very little shelter.
In practice that means wind matters here more than gradient does. A high-sided vehicle is noticeably harder work in a crosswind on an exposed causeway than a low one, which is worth a thought when you choose a group.
Fuel and supplies
Fewer places to stop than the map suggests
Settlements in the Uists are small and spread out, and services are correspondingly thin. Filling up when it is convenient rather than when it becomes necessary is the habit that keeps a trip relaxed.
We publish that as guidance rather than as a list of fuel stops, because provision changes and an out-of-date list is a liability rather than a help.
Longer routes
The Uists in the middle of a chain
The Uists sit between Harris to the north and Barra to the south, both reachable by ferry. That makes them the natural middle section of a full island route rather than a destination you have to double back from.
If that is your plan, arrange the one-way when you book. Availability and pre-arrangement apply, any charge is confirmed beforehand, and a vehicle must never be left at an unagreed location.
Choosing a vehicle
Vehicles for the Uists
Intermediate Automatic
Vauxhall Mokka or similar · 5 seats · Automatic · 2–3 luggage
from£77.17incl. VAT
BookBook now: Intermediate Automatic
Family Automatic
JAECOO 7 or similar · 5 seats · Automatic · 3–4 luggage
from£84.31incl. VAT
BookBook now: Family Automatic
7-seat people carrier
Volkswagen Sharan or similar · 7 seats · Automatic · 1–2 luggage
from£93.24incl. VAT
BookBook now: 7-seat people carrierExposed, low-lying roads mean crosswind is the thing you notice, so a high-sided vehicle is harder work here than the terrain suggests. Availability is decided by the booking search.
Drive the Uists as one chain
North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are joined by road, so one booking covers all three.
Book now