Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands
Description
Spend a day Nessie-hunting, take a cruise on the mysterious Loch Ness, explore the village of Fort Augustus, visit the ruined loch-side Urquhart Castle, admire the Falls of Foyers and wander along Dores Beach on this fantastic one day Loch Ness tour from Inverness!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your one day Loch Ness tour from Inverness departs at 08:45 and follows the beautiful Caledonian Canal to the source at Loch Ness. 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep, the loch is the largest by volume in the British Isles and is most famous for its sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as “Nessie”. We spend most of the morning at Loch Ness, allowing you plenty of time to go Nessie-hunting! Our first stop is Urquhart Castle (optional extra), here you will have the option of visiting the 13th century structure, with plenty of time explore the ruin, enjoy the visitor centre, and take in the views and atmosphere of Scotland’s most famous loch.
Afterwards, we journey through to Fort Augustus, the furthermost point of your Loch Ness tour. We have time here to stop and enjoy a relaxing hour-long boat cruise (optional extra) across Loch Ness with Cruise Loch Ness. Afterwards, enjoy lunch in the small town; with a population of only 650 people, it's a perfect spot to relax and watch boats passing through the Caledonian Canal.
After lunch, our Loch Ness tour will begin its journey back to Inverness, stopping at the Falls of Foyers. The majestic 165ft waterfall was a favourite retreat for poet Rabbie Burns, and is truly breath-taking. Enjoy plenty of time here to soak up the atmosphere before the tour continues on to the village of Dores for a visit to Dores Beach on the east shores of Loch Ness.
Spend a short while wandering the pebble-dotted shoreline before boarding the coach for a final return journey to Inverness where your Loch Ness day tour ends.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Minimum age is 4 years old.
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
- The castle & cruise currently need to be pre-booked, details will be provided on the ticket.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or a full refund.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
- Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour's departure time.
- If you are driving, we recommend parking at the Old Town Rose Street Multi-Storey Car Park, 24 Rose St, IV1 1NQ, conveniently located next to our departure point.
- Please note: the Loch Ness cruise will not be operating on the 20th and 24th December 2024. On those dates, we will stop at Fort Augustus for lunch where you will have the opportunity to view and enjoy Loch Ness.
Reviews(341)
Absolutely brilliant! Beautiful and serene views! Our guide/driver, Stevie was excellent, very knowledgeable and a brilliant sense of rumor, humor I mean! Recommended!
The driver Mr. Ben was very friendly. Also, the journey was very smooth and completed on time. We enjoyed it.
Be prepared to walk! It can get quite cold and windy at the Loch so be prepared. Urquhart Castle is stunning, pay the fee to go in and look around. The Falls of Foyer are a LONG hike down steep stairs with no railings just to reach the top observation area, so be ready! They are beautiful to see though. The Highlands are breathtaking, no picture can do them justice. It’s hard to believe that places like that exist on earth.
Here’s a polished 5-star review you can post: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had a fantastic Loch Ness tour with Caz! From start to finish, she was friendly, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about the history, culture, and landmarks of the Scottish Highlands. Caz made the journey engaging with interesting stories, local insights, and a great sense of humor. She kept the group organized while ensuring everyone had enough time to enjoy the beautiful scenery and attractions. Her enthusiasm and passion for Scotland truly made the experience memorable. The tour was well-paced, informative, and one of the highlights of our trip. We highly recommend this Loch Ness tour, especially if you have Caz as your guide. Thank you, Caz, for an unforgettable day and wonderful memories! A well-deserved 5-star experience!
This trip was absolutely brilliant caz was a fantastic guide informative and very amenable to everyone’s needs highly recommend thanks caz for a wonderful trip
The tour guide Caz was a great guide and driver. I was glad to visit the east side of Loch Ness that I haven’t driven to. Time enough for each stop and good friendly information along the way. 100% recommend.
A very nice tour that teaches you everything that really matters about the area. The Caz guide is among the best.
Aussie Mark was excellent. The way he guided us was superb. Literally he took us centuries back. We enjoyed the trip.
Hi there, Thank you for your kind words! We are sure Mark will be happy to hear that you enjoyed your time on tour with them, we will be sure to pass your kind comments onto them. We hope to welcome you back on tour one day soon! Kind regards, Amy
Fantastic trip. Liall, the guide, made it an unforgettable great experience.
Hi there, Thank you so much for your kind words! We will be sure to pass along you lovely review to Liall, it is always nice to hear positive feedback! We hope to welcome you on tour with us again soon. Kind regards, Eleanor
Wonderful excursion and excellent guide named Maquensi. We would only add an audio guide in Spanish.
Hi there! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are very happy to hear that you had a wonderful time on tour with one of our knowledgeable and passionate driver-guides and enjoyed their commentary. Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth
