Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and Glencoe Day Trip from Edinburgh
Description
Immerse yourself in spectacular scenery, beguiling mystery and dramatic history on this day trip from Edinburgh. Traveling to the Scottish Highlands, witness the stunning vistas of Cairngorms National Park and cruise along world-famous Loch Ness in search of the Loch Ness Monster and tour Urquhart Castle ruins. Admire an ancient castle in Stirling as you pass by, learn about the massacre at Glen Coe and the adventures of Scottish legend William Wallace, whose life is depicted in the film ‘Braveheart.’ Be sure to bring your camera to capture stunning views and maybe even a glimpse of ‘Nessie’! Please note on December 26 there will be no castle or cruise available
Tour Options
Itinerary
As we head north the first stop of the day is at this charming location nestled in the heart of Perthshire - a wonderful place for a refreshment stop and the chance to meet and feed Highland coo!
Through the Cairngorms and the wild wilderness. The Cairngorms are home to some of the highest peaks in the British Isles, including Ben Macdui and Braeriach. These mountains, with their rugged slopes and dramatic ridges, offer stunning vistas. You'll love taking in the landscapes as you continue to travel north.
Highlight of the day is Loch Ness. Known worldwide for the legendary Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as "Nessie." This deep, freshwater loch stretches approximately 23 miles long and is surrounded by stunning scenery, we stop so you can explore its mysteries and enjoy its natural beauty. You have the option to enjoy a cruise on the loch for some monster spotting combined with a visit to Urquhart Castle (£30.00 extra per adult, cash only) Alternatively, you could enjoy the views from the shores of the loch.
Enjoy clambering around the ruins of the castle perched right on the banks of Loch Ness. Urquhart Castle is a historic fortress steeped in centuries of intrigue and offers panoramic views of the iconic loch. Entrance is combined with the cruise option; your driver guide will give you more details on the day!
Glen Coe, a breathtaking valley in the Scottish Highlands, is renowned for its rugged beauty, towering peaks, and tragic history, making it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and history enthusiasts alike. Listen to the tale of murder and massacre from your driver-guide before you stop for those all important photographic memories.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children under 3 years not accepted. Valid proof of ID may be required at check in.
- The tour is guided in English
- On 26th December and 1st January there will be no cruise or castle visit available
- Please note this tour may operate in reverse
- Check-in for the tour is 7.45am with departure at 8.00am sharp
- Visit to Urquhart Castle & Loch Ness cruise £31 per adult and £22 per child with Highland Experience discount, cash required. No need to pre book.
- We reserve the right to change the tour itinerary at any time due to weather, acts of God, and events out with our control.
Reviews(2,931)
Genuinely such a wonderful experience with a funny and knowledgable guide (Steven B). Amazing tour, really great bang for your buck, and just a beautiful tour!!!
Long day mostly spent in the coach, in hindsight would not have booked this tour. Of all our vacation stops and tours (UK, Ireland, Paris & Milan) this was mediocre at best. Tour guide/actress was over the top cheesy and just a bit much. Some beautiful countryside but a full day of it was too much - half day would have sufficed. The Highlands cows were at a roadside stop - 4-5 cows in a small fence mud pit (sad), nothing near the picture presented.
This was a great intro to the highlands. We will definitely come back to explore more. Would have liked more Scottish music playing on the bus and more stories/information from our tour guide. Other than that it was excellent.
This was a great day out. Steve B was both our driver and tour guide and he was fabulous. He was very entertaining, witty and knowledgable. As we drove he told us of the massacre at Glencoe, the history of William Wallace, and the background of ‘you take the high road…’. There was the perfect balance of him talking while driving, leaving us in peace and playing some lovely Scottish music. There were plenty of stops along the way for toilet and snack breaks, as well as photo opportunities (the Three Sisters so picturesque). The cruise on Loch Ness was only 1/2 an hour (I would have preferred longer as it was lovely being out on the water) and you must try the Highland Hot Choc on board. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Terry, our guide, was outstanding. An actress herself had a lot of sense when to put scottish music and when to share history. Pacing on this tour is excellent . Surprised that for a 13 hour tour tge bus did not have a toilet as this tour has children. Landscapes outstanding although it is a very long tour it stops every 2 hours for bathroom breaks. The bus is comfortable and I strongly recommend it fir a leasuúely experience of the Highlands
Hi there, Thank you so much for your positive review! We are so glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time on tour with us exploring the beauty of the Highlands as well as Loch Ness and Glencoe! We always greatly appreciate hearing about how our drivers and guides have really gone above and beyond to make our guests experiences the best they can be! It's great to hear that Terri really elevated your experience and made it the best it could be. I will be sure to pass your feedback on to her! Thank you again for your review! Kind regards, Mòrbheinn Highland Experience Tours
In summary, I advise against this trip for anyone who does not speak English well (or even perfectly), for anyone who gets carsick, and especially for those who wish to have an experience of discovering Scotland. We took the bus around 8 a.m. until almost 9 p.m. Thus, every 2 hours we stopped for 10-15 minutes at tourist trap rest areas to finally get some air and be able to go to the bathroom. The most annoying thing was above all that we only saw the interesting landscapes through the bus window... my little sister was very disappointed not to have been able to get close to the cows (in the photos on the site it looked like we could go see them???) unless catching a glimpse of them out of the corner of your eye means seeing them, I think it is a shame to put that on your profile!! Furthermore, my mother and I being carsick were therefore unable to enjoy it... And the straw that broke the camel's back, having refused the cruise that cost about twenty pounds, the bus did not let us see the castle... leaving us in a mediocre restaurant for an hour and a half with nothing around...
Good afternoon, I am sorry to hear that your experience of the Highlands was not to your satisfaction. We only advertise English language tours, but appreciate this can be difficult for those who are not fluent. On the first stop of this tour, we do have an area where you walk up close to the Highland Cows, but perhaps this was not communicated clearly enough. We can provide feedback to staff to ensure this is better communicated in future. We are sorry to hear you felt there was too much time on the vehicle. Our 1 day Loch Ness tour has a lot of distance to travel , which would naturally be difficult for people who suffer car sickness / motion-sickness. Regarding the optional cruise to Urquhart Castle, I am sorry to hear you did not like the stop if you choose not to go on the cruise. We try our best to make it clear that if you want to see the castle, the cruise is the option to go for. If we could show people the castle from the road we would - but simply the place where the castle is situated (down by the water, down a steep slope away from roads), cannot be seen from the roadside. Our guides and drivers try their very best to show you the best views where possible. Kind regards, Holly Highland Experience
Amazing tour. We saw everything we wanted to see and more! A bit stressfull with the short stop for hot drinks and use of toilets. But we would recommend everyone to do the same tour.
Hi there, It is great to hear you enjoyed your highlands trip with us! We are delighted to hear your tour allowed you to see everything you wanted to in the Highlands. Our drivers and guides do their absolute best to manage time for stops, but appreciate that in busy summertime, road traffic delays can mean some comfort stops feel quick at times. Thank you for choosing Highland Experience for your Scottish adventure. Holly Highland Experience
The entire route was very beautiful and Alan was an excellent guide. Everything working and no problems
Thank you for your positive feedback Giuseppe! We will be sure to let Alan know you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for choosing the Highland Experience, Holly
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour.. It was a long day of approximately 13 hours, but it was well worth it. The tour covered an amazing amount of territory and gave us the opportunity to see so much of the spectacular Scottish Highlands in a relatively short time. Our tour guide, Stephen B, kept us entertained and informed throughout the day, combining fascinating history with great stories and delivering them in his own uniquely humorous style. His knowledge and personality really added to the experience. If you have limited time in Scotland but want to see as much of the Highlands as possible, I would highly recommend this tour. Not only do you get to experience some truly breathtaking scenery, but you also gain a wonderful insight into the history, culture and stories that make this such an amazing region.
Its great to hear that you enjoyed your trip to the Highlands, Loch Ness & Glencoe with our wonderful guide Steven B. We know how much effort our guides put into creating memorable days out for our guests, and sharing their knowledge and stories with great skill. We will be sure to pass along your compliments to Steven B. Thank you for choosing Highland Experience Tours! Holly Highland Experience Tours
The tour was excellent. Our driver Stephen B was so knowledgeable. He told us all about the history of everything all along the way. Very nice man. Seeing the hairy coos was a treat. It was a very long trip, but I’m not sure you could do a trip and see the things that we saw in a shorter amount of time. But you’re going to be on there for 13 hours. And lunch is not included in this tour so bring snacks. But there are opportunities to buy things to eat.
Hi there Kala, Thank you for sharing your experience, it is lovely to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Steven B. We will be sure to pass along the compliments. We appreciate the understanding that to include so much in a single day, there can be a lot of time and distance to be travelled, but this allows you to see so much and we are glad you enjoyed the day out. And yes the Hairy Coos are just the best! Thank you for choosing Highland Experience Tours! Holly Highland Experience
