Full-Day Trip to Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands
Overview
- Day trip to the Scottish Highlands and the famous Loch Ness by bus
- Soak up the unspoiled scenery of the Great Glen and Rannoch Moor with your expert guide
- Admire spectacular views of the Caledonian Canal, Perthshire, Glen Coe and the Forth Bridge
- Take an optional boat cruise on Loch Ness to catch a glimpse of the legendary monster Nessie
- Enjoy a locally produced sandwich picnic lunch in the quaint village of Fort Augustus
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Start the excursion aboard your coach in central Edinburgh and travel north along the ramparts of Stirling Castle. You’ll pass the Trossachs, cross Rannoch Moor and stop at Glen Coe — site of a legendary 17th-century massacre — before continuing on through the Great Glen via Fort William.
Arriving at the Highland village of Fort Augustus, situated on the banks of Loch Ness, you can opt for a leisurely walk or simply relax by the Caledonian Canal with your provided picnic lunch. Enjoy your choice of locally made sandwiches and shortbread washed down with bottled mineral water.
If you’d like, spend your free time with a 1-hour boat cruise on the loch (own expense). Go in search of the Loch Ness Monster named Nessie, a mythical creature said to inhabit these waters. The custom-built boat is equipped with underwater imaging technology, providing a fascinating view of the underwater terrain.
Afterward, re-board the coach for the return drive, passing Loch Laggan and motoring over the Pass of Drumochter, which connects the northern and southern Scottish Highlands. Your guide points out Perthshire and the lush forested landscapes of Big Tree Country. View the cantilever Forth Bridge, a World Heritage site, before your day trip concludes in Edinburgh in the evening.
Reviews
Viator Traveler's Reviews
Despite the great Scottish weather (it's the Highlands after all), this is a great day excursion if you're looking into learning a bit about Scotland history and admire the beautiful landscapes of the Highlands! The guide I was with (Fiona) is a lovely Scottish lady who's very knowledgeable about the country's History and very attentive to her passengers' comfort.Note: it's a long way to Loch Ness and back so I don't advise people with young children and/or elderlies to do this tour.
Our party of 6 with adults, children and seniors had a very enjoyable trip with Calum as our driver/tour guide! Calum was funny, informative and kept us entertained on the long bus ride. Even though it was over 350 km of travels within 11 hours, we made a couple of quick stops on the way to Loch Ness and one stop on the way back to Edinburgh. The actual time at Loch Ness was about 1.5 hours. If you take the cruise, it may not offer a lot of time to walk around town and visit those cute shops. The lunch sandwich provided was quite good too, it came with a non-plastic bottle water and shortbread. I'd recommend Highland Explorer if you only have 1 day to see the Highlands. Hope you will get Calum too!