Loch Ness & Highlands Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh with Cruise
Description
Embark on an unforgettable 12-hour adventure from Edinburgh and experience the very best of the Scottish Highlands. Travel in comfort aboard a luxury mini-coach with a friendly, knowledgeable guide and a small group of no more than 16 people – ensuring a relaxed, personalised experience. Marvel at the dramatic landscapes of Glencoe, steeped in history and surrounded by towering peaks. Continue your journey through rugged Highland scenery to the picturesque village of Fort Augustus. Here, you’ll enjoy a cruise on the mysterious Loch Ness, where you can soak up breath-taking views and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the elusive Nessie! With the water stretching out against a backdrop of forested hills, this is a true highlight of the day. Afterwards, travel through the stunning Cairngorms National Park, passing natural landmarks. Your final stop is the charming Victorian town of Pitlochry, where you can enjoy a short stroll before the scenic drive back to Edinburgh.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your driver-guide takes you to their favourite stop within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park where you can grab coffee and enjoy the views.
Be moved by the sheer beauty and tragic tales of one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
*Cruise on Loch Ness is included in your ticket Fort Augustus boasts the Caledonian Canal, which is a great spot to relax and watch the boats sail by into Loch Ness. You can search for the infamous monster on a relaxing boat cruise
We'll take a short break here in the charming village of Spean Bridge, nestled in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. This peaceful spot offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, including glimpses of Ben Nevis on a clear day. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs, breathe in the crisp Highland air, and take in the beautiful scenery.
Gradually, the dramatic mountains soften and become cloaked in lush forest. Among the towering trees of Perthshire, you'll take a final refreshment break in Pitlochry before continuing south through the rolling hills and fertile farmlands of the Kingdom of Fife.
Your last highlight is the view of the iconic UNESCO-listed Forth Rail Bridge on your way to Edinburgh. Please note: Some tours may run in reverse You return to Edinburgh at approximately 8.00pm.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Check-in closes 15 minutes prior to departure. This tour will depart from Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.
- Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 20kg (44lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus one small bag for onboard personal items.
- In order to retain the integrity of the tour and try to ensure that all our customers have the best possible experience, we do cap bookings from any one party to 8 passengers.
- We apologise, but we cannot accommodate children under 5 years old on our tours. Children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult. Please note that if this policy is not followed, we will have to refuse travel without issuing a refund. Thank you for understanding.
- Loch Ness cruise – We reserve tickets for you. Included in tour price.
- The Loch Ness boat cruise is weather dependent and may be cancelled without notice.
- This route may be reversed on some occasions.
- Children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Reviews(6,251)
We loved this tour. We took this trip with our three children, who fell in love with the Loch Ness monster when they were very small after a friend brought home a Loch Ness book for them. The Loch is absolutely beautiful, as is the castle, and the boat tour is an excellent end to the trip. (You don't need to care at all about the Loch Ness monster to enjoy this tour--it's gorgeous.) Our guide, Mick, was also a delight. We took many Rabbie's tours during our time in Scotland, and all were wonderful. Highly recommend.
Be prepared to spend the majority of your day on the bus. Except for Loch Ness, which was an hour and forty minutes time, stops averaged 10 min for a photo at Glencoe, multiple potty stops of about 15 min. We did not stop at Glencoe visitors Center for a wee peek at the history there. This advertised 45 minute stop was high on our list. We did not stop at Pitlochry. Our guide Al was knowledgeable and shared a lot of clever facts, but he did ask my 84 year old mum to disembark at a stop 50 minutes after our long Loch Ness stop, so he could “have time away from the passengers.” I understand how exhausting it must be to drive all day, but my Mum is frail and needed the rest since we were on the move for an hour plus at Loch Ness, walking to and from the boat and queueing for food and boarding/disembarking and walking back. We saw some beautiful places and are grateful for what we saw and learned about Scotland, modern and historic facts. Just know the stops didn’t match the itinerary, so if you plan ahead to see something along the stops, it may not happen. Most passengers fell asleep en route, perhaps consider bringing a neck pillow. Seatbacks do not have a tray table so you will have to balance food on your lap if you bring it back to the bus. Also, the driver asked not to bring hot food onboard because of the odor so plan accordingly. If you need your perfect Instagram photos, please be mindful of the time because fellow passengers are waiting to move to the next sight.
Trevor was our driver/tour guide. He was knowledgeable, accommodating and very nice. (Funny, too!). Glencoe was breathtakingly beautiful and the boat trip on Lock Ness was amazing. The whole trip was wonderful. Highly recommend!!
Guide Robbie was great! He gave great history of Scotland, answered questions, helped with photos, helped feeding the long haired cows which were part of the touyr.
Breathtaking views of the highlands. This is an excellent way to see some of the most amazing views Scotland has to offer. If you’re lucky enough to get Fitz as your guide you’ll have an extra good time.
A great way to experience the Scottish highlands. Derek was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable and very great to converse with
It was a great day; we saw a ton and learned a lot! And our tour guide, Lauren, was really knowledgeable and a lot of fun! She really made the day!
We knew it was going to be a long day and it certainly was, but we saw and experienced a lot. Alex was our guide and had lots of information and a great sense of humor. There were frequent enough stops, but having a small group meant we weren’t just waiting in bathroom lines at every stop. If your time and transportation are limited, this is a great way to see the amazing Highlands!
Beautiful for those who want just a taste of what is on offer in this fabulous country! Kylie, our guide, made the trip. Endless knowledge, family friendly, super engaging and an authentic passion for the country, its history, landscape, people and culture. I couldn’t recommend her more. Great communication. Lots of stops and stories to go with kept the long journey really engaging.
I was a little apprehensive about booking a 12-hour tour, but if you're on the fence, my advice is simple: do it! If you're only in Scotland for 3-4 days, this is the perfect way to pack a lot into one day and get out of the city. The Highlands are absolutely stunning, Loch Ness is beautiful, and seeing the Highland cows was such a fun bonus. There are plenty of stops along the way for photos, food, shopping, and restroom breaks, which makes the long day fly by. A huge shoutout to our guide, Jack, who was fantastic. His passion for Scotland really shines through, and he's the perfect mix of knowledgeable and hilarious. We learned so much while being thoroughly entertained the whole way. An unforgettable day and one of the highlights of our trip! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
