Winner of the Inaugural Scottish Thistle Award for Sustainable Tourism October 2007.

Spend 2 days to exploring the magnificent Scottish Highlands past and present. Highlights of the tour include the wilderness of Glencoe, steeped in its grim history, where you can soak up the atmosphere during an afternoon walk, spooky Loch Ness passing the stronghold of Urquhart Castle, and a night in Inverness.

The 2nd day's highlights include a walk in Glen Affric, (film setting of "The Last of the Mohicans") with scenery that takes you back 500 years to the glory of the Caledonian Forest, and lunch at Loch Ness, before returning to Edinburgh through the splendors of the Grampian Mountains.

Schedule Details

Departure Dates:

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Unavailable Dates:

• January 01 (New Years Day)
• December 25 (Christmas Day)

Departure Point:

207 High St, Edinburgh.

Departure Time:

9:30am

Return details:

Tour concludes at original point of departure at 7:30pm

Hotel Pickup:

Hotel pick ups are not available, however please specify the name of your hotel and contact telephone number during your stay in Edinburgh.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Edinburgh - Inverness

Depart Edinburgh at 9:30am passing Linlithgow Palace, Mary Queen of Scots birthplace on your way to Stirling, where you will pass by Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument. From here, continue past Doune Castle, set of Monty Python's "Holy Grail", stopping for refreshments either in Callander or Kilmahog.

Cross over the geological fault line, separating the Lowlands from the magnificent Highlands taking in the splendor of Loch Luibnaig, Loch Earn, through Glen Ogle and Glen Dochart, reaching wild and remote Rannoch Moor and into Glencoe. This haunting glen was the scene of a great massacre in 1692 where many of the Clan Macdonald were slaughtered. The tour will stop in this imposing mountain pass in order to fully appreciate the Glens unique atmosphere. Here or further north, depending on weather conditions, you will able to enjoy a walk in some fantastic mountain scenery.

Continuing on your journey, travel northwards up the "Great Glen" to Loch Ness, covering the whole 23 miles of the famous Loch giving plenty of time to try and spot "Nessie!"

You will arrive at today's destination of Inverness in the early evening where you will be dropped off at your accommodation. The evening is free for you to explore the capital of the Highlands.

Day 2: Inverness - Edinburgh

You will picked up from your accommodation between 9:00am and 9:30am (in Inverness) and travel south along Loch Ness, stopping on the way for some photos. Half way down the Loch, you continue west into Glen Affric. This is a very beautiful and unique area, being one of the last remaining pockets of native Caledonian Pine Forest left standing. This landscape will take you back in time, allowing a moment to consider how Scotland would have looked 500 years ago. This location was used in the TV series "Last of the Mohicans". Spend some time here to enjoy a walk through the ancient forest, beside the gurgling waters of the River Affric.

From Glen Affric, travel east to Drumnadrochit, home of the "Nessie" Center and the sprawling ruins of Urquhart Castle. You can choose to spend some time at either, before traveling south again along Loch Ness to Fort Augustus. Have lunch (own expense) in this charming village at the south tip of Loch Ness and even take a boat trip out onto the Loch to look for "Nessie". Journey south through the Grampian Mountains, along Loch Laggan, past Blair Castle, stopping for refreshments in Pitlochry before returning to Edinburgh, past Perth and over the Forth Road Bridge.

The tour concludes in Edinburgh at approximately 7:30pm.

Additional Information

Inclusions:

• Daily breakfast
• Professional driver / guide
• Discount Card offering discounts off local restaurants, shopping and attractions
• Modern Mercedes minvan with forced air ventilation for a more personal service
• Overnight accommodation with private facilities in either a Bed and Breakfast or 3/4 star hotel

Exclusions:

• Optional gratuities
• Hotel pick up day 1
• Hotel drop off day 2
• Food and drinks, unless specified
• Boat Trip on Loch Ness (April to October only)
• Entrance fees (discount card offers reductions)

Hotel list:

For accommodation a variety of superior class bed and breakfasts, guesthouses and hotels are used. These offer excellent value for money and allows the benefits of tourism wealth to be distributed amongst a number of rural businesses, rather than being concentrated into one area.

Additional Info:

• This tour must be booked at least 48 hours in advance of your travel date.
• Confirmation for this product will be received at the time of booking unless booking within 14 days of travel, in which case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability.
• Tour is operated in English unless otherwise stated.
• There are opportunities to take nature walks, it is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear. Scotland can be a wet place!
• The Scottish Highlands and Islands are Europe's last great wilderness! This personalized tour is as close as you can get to touring in your own car, with the added benefit of gaining intimate knowledge of Scotland. Traveling in a small group means you can take lots of stops and reach "out of the way" places, giving you more time off the bus to discover the real Scotland.
• The First Edinburgh tour operator to be awarded 5 star status by the Scottish Tourist Board.
• There is a maximum of 16 passengers on this tour.

Caring for the Environment:

The tour operator aims to leave the legacy of Scotland's beautiful landscape for future generations to enjoy. The tour is as close as you can get to touring in your own car, but with the added benefit of reducing your carbon footprint by 75% (based on 2 persons travelling the same distance in their own car). The operator's commitment to environmental excellence has been recognised with 2 top Gold awards from the Green Tourism scheme and Keep Edinburgh Clean awards.

Terms and Conditions:

Bookings canceled within 14 days of travel date incur 100% cancellation penalties.

Local Operator Information:

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.

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