Loch Ness, Glencoe & Scottish Highlands Day Tour from Edinburgh: Culture, History, and Scenic Beauty
4.8
4,442 Ratings
Edinburgh
Embark on a thrilling 1-day tour of Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh. Immerse yourself in Scottish culture, history, and stunning natural beauty.
Duration: 12 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Callander - After departing Edinburgh you’ll head north through the central belt of the country. Your guide will entertain by laying the foundations of many a story about Scotland’s past heroes like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce who made this area of Scotland their own. You will spot royal palaces, giant mythical Kelpies and the ancient stronghold of Stirling Castle before we arrive at our first stop of the day in the town of Callander. Known as “The Gateway to the Highlands” Callander is situated on the boundary of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National park, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
    Here you will be able to explore the town’s abundance of authentic gift shops, delicatessen’s and bakeries. An ideal place to stretch your legs and refresh before you rejoin the bus to enter the highlands properly.

  • Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park - As we enter The ‘Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park’ our bus weaves through hills, mountains and Glens. These remote places were once inhabited by Highland Clans, not to mention Scotland’s most famous outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor, whom some consider The Scottish Robin Hood. Look out across the landscape and picture what it was like as you hear the remarkable bloodthirsty stories of betrayal and revenge as told by your guide. If we happen to spot some of our famous ‘Hairy Highland Coos’, we might stop for a selfie.

  • Glencoe - Glencoe was also the scene of one of Scotland’s most shocking massacres. Stop at the Picturesque town of Callander “Gateway to the Highlands” and the Hairy Coos. As you gaze at the haunting hills, you notice the Glen is eerily silent. In the 17th century one of the worst acts of betrayal occurred here. Your guide will recount the details of this betrayal for you. You can almost feel the sorrow in the mountains of the ‘weeping valley’. Above all though, Glencoe is one of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes. A highlight of any tour to the Scottish Highlands!

  • Fort William - The tour then takes you through Fort William and past the spectacular Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the British Isles. The Nevis Range towers over the winding road as you continue your journey to Loch Ness.

  • Fort Augustus Abbey - Desperate for a glimpse of ‘Nessie’?

Fort Augustus, a charming, postcard-perfect, Highland village on the Southern shores of the Loch. From here you will have the opportunity to take a fantastic 1-hour cruise on the loch with our friends at Cruise Loch Ness.

The local crew on board share their experiences of Nessie, as you search for yourself. All with the aid of a state of the art Sonar equipment helping you scan the near 900 foot depths of the loch below. Tickets are Adults £16.50, Children £10.00 and are purchasable on the day with cash.

For those who do not wish to take the optional boat cruise, you will have time to explore the village and its beautiful Caledonian Canal lock system, built by the famous engineer Thomas Telford in the 19th century, that descends through the heart of the village into Loch Ness. Walk further along the canal and into the surrounding countryside to enjoy mountainous views and sights of farm animals and possibly red deer.

  • Commando Monument - Along the route, we’ll stop at the Commando Memorial. In 1942, this setting became the training ground for Britain’s Special Forces. Harsh, unforgiving, and breathtakingly beautiful. A statue of our heroes overlooks the Nevis range. Bring a camera – this is undoubtedly one of our favourite photo-stops in all of Scotland.

Here, weather permitting, you could also spot Ben Nevis. The tallest mountain in The United Kingdom.

  • Cairngorms National Park - Heading south we travel through the Cairngorm National Park where Red squirrels, roe deer, red deer, soaring buzzards, pine martens, golden eagles and osprey can be found. Our final stop of the day is Pitlochry
  • Pitlochry - Pitlochry is situated in the heart of the stunning scenery of Highland Perthshire. The town sits below Beinn Bhracaigh (Ben Vrackie), the speckled mountain and beside the River Tummel, in some of the most magnificent scenery in Scotland. With a backdrop of surrounding hills and beautiful woodlands, it is wonderful walking country.
  • Forth Bridge - As we re-enter Edinburgh from the North, you will be met with views of Scotland’s greatest piece of engineering, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Forth Bridge. This 19th century engineering marvel was at one point the World’s longest cantilever bridge. Today it neighbours the 20th century Forth Road Bridge and the 21st century Queensferry Crossing which opened in 2017. Three spectacular bridges, from three different centuries, span the Firth of Forth connecting our Capital city and the Kingdom of Fife.
What's Included
  • All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
  • Regular comfort breaks on the journey
  • Climate-controlled in-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live commentary and storytelling from an experienced ‘Hairy Coo’ driver-guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Optional cruise can be purchased on morning of tour
  • No Toilet/Restroom on board
  • On-board WiFi
  • No children under the age of 7 allowed
Additional Information

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT WE DO NOT PERMIT INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 7 TO JOIN OUR TOURS.

When embarking on the 1 Day Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Scottish Highlands Tour, you’ll have the opportunity to witness Scotland’s finest on an adventure-filled day. This tour is ideal for those constrained by time and seeking to gain maximum value. Enjoy the breathtaking and untouched landscapes as you traverse the picturesque Scottish highlands, taking a break from the noise and clamor of contemporary life.

Immerse yourself in Scottish heritage through the country’s fascinating myths and legends, historical landmarks, and gain insights into our intriguing history. Every bend in the serpentine Scottish routes presents a new photography spot, a new tale to narrate, and a fresh experience to savor.

  • Minimum age to travel is 7 years old. Photo ID, such as a passport, may be required. Children (8-17) must be accompanied by an adult.
  • There are opportunities to take short nature walks, it is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear.
  • This tour in an air-conditioned midi-coach, hosted by a local Scottish guide, rated 5-stars by the official Scottish Tourist Board
  • There are regular stops on tour to purchase food and refreshments that cater for most dietary requirements
  • There are regular stops on tour for comfort breaks
  • No animals allowed on tour
Location
Deacon's House Cafe
Lawnmarket
**Meeting point is at the bus stop outside Deacon's House Cafe** We cannot offer personalised pick up. Check-In opens 7:15 AM, Check-In closes 7.55am, Last Bus Departs 8:00 AM SHARP **We are unable to wait for latecomers under any circumstances and there will be no refunds for missed tours.**
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(4442 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Walloud
Apr 7, 2024
A once in a lifetime trip - A one of a lifetime to the Scottish Highlands. Our guide was excpetional friendly funny and well informative…a definite addition to your bucket list
Review provided by Viator
Junior_d
Apr 6, 2024
Mesmorising views !!! - The Driver Wee Stevie, he made the whole journey so entertaining plus his knowledge was unbelievable but he was a proper Scotish...
Review provided by Viator
Travelwithzan
Apr 5, 2024
Majestic highlands and Beautiful Loch Ness - I took a small group tour from Edinburgh. We did stop at multiple places along the way to view and admire the beauty of highlands. It was a comfortable ride in a mini Mercedese coach. The driver/guide shared stories and anecdotes along the way which made the travel interesting. I also took a cruise at Loch Ness however I think it was alright. It wasn’t anything exceptional. I visited Loch Ness in first week of April and it was very very cold and windy. It’s total 12 hour trip, very intense. Not suitable after an immediate long flight.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elainebl9031zb
Apr 3, 2024
Excellent day out, a must do! - Alastair was our driver and guide He made the journey fun and fed us plenty of historic facts Plenty of stop offs on the way We went on the boat tour which we are glad we did as fort Augustus is a tiny village, and as you’re there for a few hours it’s worth the boat trip to kill some time Back in Edinburgh by 8.30pm
Review provided by Tripadvisor
424c_sars
Apr 1, 2024
Amazing guides! - Such an amazing experience! Bruce and Steven were extremely nice and paying a lot of attention to the group. Bruce told us a lot of interesting, informative and engaging trivia about Scotland and we saw the most beautiful places!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
116marinai
Apr 1, 2024
Tour from Edinburgh - Our guide Bruce and our bus driver Steven were fantastic. They are both very experienced, cheerfull and helpful. Our tour was on time, estimated arrival time was also met. The tour itself was really good-structered, full of interesting historic facts. We made 5 short photo stops with a mountain view. For me it was too much, but other tourists were pretty glad to take mesmerising pictures. In general, I am happy to choose this agency and the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carotlondon1
Mar 29, 2024
Great day out - Good day, For a first experience using this kind of tour, we were really, surprisigly very satisfied. First of all our guide (Steve) his smile, his kindness, his knowledge, his sense of humour, his availability to reply to us all to our questions, and his scottish craziness. Secondly, the tour itself! Yes, it was a long trip but it is worth it as you discover a bit of scottland in a samples way but still really enjoyable… Overall, we had a great Time! And thanks to Steve who made us live and feel a bit of Scottland history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarthak_s
Mar 20, 2024
Amazing Experience 🤩 - The trip was overall amazing🤩 Had the best time and to add icing on the cake our driver Ryan, he’s an amazing guy. He is the best, simply the best. I would recommend everyone to pls go for the trip. You will not regret at all. Last but not the least, Ryan you made the trip special. Pls continue to do the same
Review provided by Viator
510birgittes
Apr 1, 2024
Good but missed stops from your description - The trip was good and the driver Steve was good. Would have been nice though to know in advance, that the trip was changed so that there was no stop in Calendar or Stirling. Had looked foreward to Calendar. Trip ended 1 hour early and I think we would have made a stop in Calendar and Stirling had the trip started as your description said.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gianna_s
Mar 28, 2024
You will spend most of your day on a crowded bus … - Seeing all the good reviews, my friends and I were very excited for this tour. However, we finished the day feeling very disappointed. At the start of the trip, our driver informed us that there was a road closure and we needed to take a diversion. At first we didn’t think much of this, however we ended up driving for hours with no stops. We also were told we would be missing glencoe because of this diversion. Instead of making an effort to entertain us in the meantime or show us other sites our driver stated that he had no idea where we were (very reassuring) We arrived at Loch Ness at 2pm, when our last actual stop had been at Callander around 10am. After Loch Ness we had a few stops but honestly we were not given enough time to explore. For example; we were given 30 mins in Pitlochry. By the time your party finishes using the public restroom it’s nearly time to go back on the bus. It also didn’t help that the tour has about 50 people, so there are lines for all the facilities. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this tour as we spent 90% of our day was spent on the bus and not actually experiencing the highlands.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today