Beautiful day and great tour. Laurence was a very safe driver and entertaining tour guide. Thoroughly enjoyed his stories and especially loved meeting Kevin and William. (Highland Coos)





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!
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 8.
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.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 293 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands lasts about 8h 45min. The itinerary has 4 stops.
Prices start at $74 per person for this Inverness experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 8:45 AM.
Children aged 4–16 pay from $71, adults from $74.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Railway Terrace, Inverness, IV1 1NW. Look out for our coach or our sign on the lamp post. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN, EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 32 participants.
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 396 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Timberbush Tours.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Beautiful day and great tour. Laurence was a very safe driver and entertaining tour guide. Thoroughly enjoyed his stories and especially loved meeting Kevin and William. (Highland Coos)
Caz was a great guide! Loch Ness and the highlands were beautiful.
Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted you enjoyed the stunning scenery on our Inverness Loch Ness & The Highlands tour. It's great to hear that Caz helped make the day so enjoyable. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back on another Timberbush Tours adventure soon!
Jennifer and I had an unforgettable tour of the Scottish Highlands with our guide, George. From the beginning, he made us feel welcome and comfortable. His knowledge of the region’s history was exceptional, and he brought the stories and places to life with an enthusiasm that held our attention throughout the day. George paired that knowledge with genuine kindness, joviality, and a wonderful sense of humor. He made us laugh, answered our questions with care, and seemed to take real pleasure in sharing the Highlands with us. Every part of the experience felt thoughtful and personal. The scenery was magnificent, but George’s company made the tour something we will remember for years to come. He was exceptional in every way and exceeded our expectations. If you have the opportunity to explore the Highlands with George, take it. We could not have asked for a better guide or a more enjoyable day together. Thank you, George!
We had a great time on our Loch Ness/Highlands adventure today!! Our tour guide, Lawrence, was exceptional!! He took us to so many wonderful places along Loch Ness! My husband and I are celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary in Scotland. Lawrence added to our whole experience, thank you, Lawrence and Timberbush!
Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted you and your husband enjoyed the Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands tour, especially while celebrating your 50th Wedding Anniversary in Scotland. It's wonderful to hear Lawrence made the day so special with his exceptional guiding and the memorable stops along Loch Ness. Thank you for choosing Timberbush Tours for such a special occasion!
the tour was amazing and very well organized. it was definitely worth the price and as an all day activity, I couldn't think of a better way to tour loch ness and the highlands. our tour guide Mike was very friendly and very informative. the bus can feel cramped with lots of people, but the atmosphere was very friendly on the bus.
Thank you for your lovely review. We're delighted you enjoyed our Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands tour and found it such great value for a full day out. Mike will be pleased to hear his friendly approach and informative commentary helped make the experience memorable. We hope to welcome you back to Timberbush Tours again soon!
I went on a two-day tour through the Highlands, spending the night in Inverness, and it was incredible from start to finish. The drives each day were broken up with perfectly timed stops featuring breathtaking views, charming villages, and plenty of great food options, so the trip never felt long or rushed. As amazing as the Highlands themselves were, our tour guide, Johnny, was easily one of the highlights of the trip. He made sure it felt like much more than just a drive from place to place. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the land, the communities that live there, and the local stories and lore, adding so much color and humor to everything we saw along the way. We had booked somewhat last minute, which may have contributed to a little confusion when checking into our B&B in Inverness. Johnny stayed with us until everything was sorted out, which we really appreciated. It was such a thoughtful gesture and a great example of how much he cared about everyone having a good experience. Spending two days on a bus with a group of tourists and strangers can feel a little daunting, but Johnny immediately created such a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. By the end of the trip, everyone was chatting and joking together like we’d known each other much longer. I can’t recommend this tour enough. The scenery, stops, stories, and overall experience were fantastic, and Johnny made an already memorable trip even better. I can’t speak to any of the other guides, but if they’re half as good as Johnny, you’ll have an amazing time!
Thank you for your fantastic review. We're delighted you enjoyed the Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands tour and that our guide helped make it such a memorable experience. We hope to welcome you back to Timberbush Tours soon!
Didn't have the greatest weather day but still enjoyed seeing so many beautiful sites around Loch Ness and the Highlands Our guide was Alex, and he was very knowledgeable. Enjoyed the view from Urquhart Castle, and the waterfalls/bridges at Invermoriston. In Fort Augustus, we chose to skip the boat ride since it was raining and had a nice lunch at one of the pubs there. I would recommend for a nice day around the area.
Thank you for your lovely review. We’re delighted you enjoyed exploring Loch Ness and the Highlands with Timberbush Tours, even with the weather not at its best. It’s great to hear Alex’s knowledge, the views from Urquhart Castle, and the waterfalls and bridges at Invermoriston made the day memorable. Thanks for the recommendation!
We went on the tour around Loch Ness and Highlands with Mike as the guide. It was a very well balanced tour - we saw a lot of the area around Loch Ness, we had just the right amount of stops for rest and for taking photos. Mike was a great guide - he had many stories to tell, was ready to answer questions and help, and organised the group very well. For the stop at Urquhart we highly recommend paying to visit the castle - on one hand, it is the only thing of note on that stop and the facilities (café, toilets) are only available for paying customers. On the other hand the views and the stories told at the castle are worth it. There is some hiking involved at the Foyer Falls but the view was totally worth it. Definitely have hiking proof shoes.
It was a long and satisfying day. Our guide, Mike, was knowledgeable and entertaining. He was organized, efficient, and kept the group clearly informed. There was enough time given, that each site never felt rushed and we still had time to shop.
Fantastic tour. Our tour guide Alex kept us entertained throughout with fun facts, history and local stories and myths. Tour was kept at an easy-going pace and enough time to explore and wander about the sights. Tour bus was very clean and comfortable. Scenery was absolutely stunning. Would love to take another Timberbush tour!
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're delighted you enjoyed our Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands tour. It's wonderful to hear Alex kept you entertained. We’d love to welcome you on another Timberbush Tours adventure soon!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Inverness: Loch Ness & The Highlands | 8h 45min | 4.8 (396) | $74 | |
Inverness to Loch Ness and Highlands Private Tour | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (12) | $538 | View |
Loch Ness, Outlander & Urquhart Castle from Inverness | 9 hours | 4.9 (1,961) | $71 | View |
Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal 2-Hour Cruise from Dochgarroch | 2 hours | 4.8 (1,404) | $46 | View |
Loch Ness 50-minute Cruise with Urquhart Castle Views | 50 min | 4.4 (1,306) | $33 | View |
Loch Ness & Culloden Battlefield Private Tour from Inverness | 8 hours | 4.9 (936) | $1,009 | View |
Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle visit from Inverness | 3h 30min | 4.6 (793) | $76 | View |