Loch Ness, Glencoe, the Highlands Guided Day Tour from Edinburgh
Description
This 12 hour tour will fit in as much of Scotland as can possibly done in one day! You will witness the stunning scenery of Glencoe and Ben Nevis before you make your way to Loch Ness for a cruise across its deep waters looking for evidence of its renowned resident, Nessie. Enjoy traveling in comfort on one of our luxury, modern, air-conditioned coaches as you witness the stunning sights that Scotland has to offer. Please note: This tour is designed to pack into one day as much as possible of Scotland’s highlights! While much of the journey is enjoyed from the comfort of the coach due to the distance covered, you will experience breathtaking views and scenery along the way.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your 1-day Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands tour departs from our Edinburgh City Centre departure point at Castle Terrace, outside the NCP Car Park, EH1 2EW in the morning. Departing from Edinburgh, our Loch Ness tour travels northwest, passing the imposing Stirling Castle.
We make our first stop in the Callander area in the highlands for some light refreshments, with the possibility of seeing a Highland coo depending on the time of year.
We travel on through Rob Roy Country of Clans MacGregor and Campbell then over the dramatic landscape of Rannoch Moor and the Black Mount to Glencoe, one of Scotland’s most famous glens, site of the 1692 massacre of the Clan MacDonald. Here we pause for a photo stop, and to soak up the atmosphere in this haunting glen.
Continuing via Loch Linnhe, our Loch Ness tour will stop in the Fort William area for lunch then continue into the natural beauty of the Great Glen as we pass beneath Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis.
Travelling on, we will pass though the pretty village of Fort Augustus before reaching Urquhart Castle - here, choose to take part in a cruise and castle excursion (optional extra).
If not, we will continue up to the Clansman Hotel where you will have an hour of free time before we begin our return journey to Edinburgh. Here, you can relax in the hotel with an option take part in the “Donald Fraser – Illicit Whisky Experience”. This is a 20 to 30-minute, on-site experience, where guests can enjoy a film about the history of illicit whisky distilling, paired with a dram of the Donald Fraser blend. (Optional extra £12). Alternatively, you could spend your time exploring the area - such as the Old Coffin Road Walk which begins at the hotel car park. There is also the option to take a one-hour round trip cruise along the loch, with stunning views of Urquhart Castle (optional extra). Loch Ness, 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep, is most famous for its sightings of the Loch Ness monster, affectionately known as “Nessie”. Spend time at Loch Ness, where you can choose to take a wonderful cruise on the loch.
The Loch Ness tour will start its return for home, journeying through the Cairngorms National Park and the woodland scenery of Perthshire, including the Forest of Atholl, with an evening refreshment stop at the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry, en route back to Edinburgh, where the Loch Ness tour ends. Top tip: to save time at the stops and ensure you get to make the most of every minute there, bring along a cold packed lunch!
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.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark the bus.
- Please arrive 30 minutes before your tour's departure time.
- Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
- Top tip - You could bring a cold packed lunch with you in order to make the most of your time at each stop - this would be particularly time-saving in the busier months!
- We recommend taking cash for the optional extras including the Loch Ness cruise. You can arrange payment with your driver-guide on the day and there is no need to pre-book optional extras.
- Our coaches do not have restrooms, however, there are frequent comfort breaks during the journey at stops with restrooms.
- We cannot guarantee on any tour that we will see specific wildlife like Highland Cows but keep your eyes on the scenery and you might be able to spot some!
- Please note: This tour is designed to pack into one day as much as possible of Scotland’s highlights! While much of the journey is enjoyed from the comfort of the coach due to the distance covered, you will experience breathtaking views and scenery along the way.
Reviews(2,533)
brian was amazing! so enthusiastic
Amazing day trip. Very good tour guide
great tour , must do . takes you to most beautiful views of highlands and lochs . Adam , our driver cum guide was well informed as well as funny . Kept us fully engaged
All in all, it was really good. We saw a lot of things an nature and the long drive was not bad at all. The Tourguide and the driver were very friendly and could all answer our questions when needed.
Awesome experience, did this solo!! Mark was very knowledgeable and passionate about the highlands. Very funny as well. The highlands themselves were breathtaking, highly recomend this to anyone even debating the tour !!
We drove with Jack and Jamie. The sights were amazing and we really enjoyed the stories from Jack. The breaks were adequate and there was ample time for a little exploring at some stops.
Thank you for your review! We're delighted you enjoyed the spectacular scenery and Jack's stories throughout the day. It's great to hear the stops gave you time to explore and make the most of the experience. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to both Jack and Jamie. Thanks for choosing Timberbush! 😊
Brian our driver and tour guide extraordinaire got us safely and on time to all our tour spots whilst sharing his incredible knowledge and very entertaining stories with us along the way
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear Brian entertained you with his stories and incredible knowledge. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words. Thank you for choosing Timberbush!
Impressive experience. The aura of beautiful landscapes. Very comfortable bus. Clear guide Amazon. A must.
We booked this tour last minute as a tour with another company cancelled our booking 24 hours before. Very easy to find pick up point & everything ran like clockwork. Yes this is a very long tour with lots of time on the bus. Longest time on the bus was 2 hours. We had Brian who was a great driver & guide who kept us entertained along the way. He is 5 star. A great day out to see the beautiful countryside.
Excellent way to stay based in Edinburgh and still journey to the Highlands and Loch Ness in a day. It is a notably long day, but our guide/driver Brian made the entirety of it extremely fun, educational, and frankly just a delight. Highly recommend, you will not regret it - but remember your umbrella!
