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Edinburgh Day Trip: Loch Ness, Glencoe & The Highlands Exploration in 12 Hours
4.5
1,530 Ratings
Edinburgh
Embark on a thrilling 12-hour day trip from Edinburgh to explore the breathtaking beauty of Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands. Cruise across Loch Ness in search of the legendary Nessie and marvel at the stunning scenery of Glencoe and Ben Nevis. Travel in style on a luxury coach and experience the best of Scotland in one unforgettable day!
Embark on a thrilling 12-hour day trip from Edinburgh to explore the breathtaking beauty of Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands. Cruise across Loch Ness in search of the legendary Nessie and marvel at the stunning scenery of Glencoe and Ben Nevis. Travel in style on a luxury coach and experience the best of Scotland in one unforgettable day!
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Royal Mile - We depart from the Lawnmarket, Royal Mile
- Glencoe National Nature Reserve - As you continue your journey northwards you will be immersed in the wonderful scenery of Rannoch Moor and Glencoe where a short stop will be made for photo opportunities.
- Great Glen Way - We pause in the Fort William area for lunch and then travel…
- Royal Mile - We depart from the Lawnmarket, Royal Mile
- Glencoe National Nature Reserve - As you continue your journey northwards you will be immersed in the wonderful scenery of Rannoch Moor and Glencoe where a short stop will be made for photo opportunities.
- Great Glen Way - We pause in the Fort William area for lunch and then travel through the Great Glen and experience breathtaking scenery.
- Loch Ness - We stop at Loch Ness, where you can take an optional (payable) 1 hour cruise on Loch Ness to learn more about it’s history and the famous Loch Ness Monster. Or you can explore Urquhart Castle for around 45 minutes and then join a 30 minute cruise on Loch Ness. A perfect excuse for a spot of Nessie Hunting!
If you prefer not to take to the water you can join a free gin tasting and receive a 10% discount to shop at the Clansman Hotel, to get all your Nessie souvenirs. Alternatively, follow the Coffin Trail for stunning views of Loch Ness.
- Pitlochry VisitScotland iCentre - After Loch Ness, our tour passes through Inverness, Capital of the Highlands and begins its journey home. We travel down through the Highlands to the Victorian town of Pitlochry. Here we have time to grab a quick bite to eat and wander its streets before returning to Edinburgh.
What's Included
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Live commentary on board
- Knowledgeable driver-guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Live commentary on board
- Knowledgeable driver-guide
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Attraction Tickets
- On-board restrooms
- On-board WiFi
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Attraction Tickets
- On-board restrooms
- On-board WiFi
Additional Information
Experience Scotland to the fullest in this immersive 12-hour journey! The breathtaking landscapes of Glencoe and Ben Nevis await before heading off to Loch Ness, where a boat cruise will have you searching for evidence of Nessie, its infamous inhabitant. Ride in comfort on our contemporary, luxury, air-conditioned coaches as you take in all the…
Experience Scotland to the fullest in this immersive 12-hour journey! The breathtaking landscapes of Glencoe and Ben Nevis await before heading off to Loch Ness, where a boat cruise will have you searching for evidence of Nessie, its infamous inhabitant. Ride in comfort on our contemporary, luxury, air-conditioned coaches as you take in all the incredible views of Scotland.
- 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
- 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: from 4th-6th November, only the cruise option will be available as Urquhart Castle is closed.
Location
521-523 Lawnmarket
Lawnmarket
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(1530 Ratings)
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Soniyac33
Sep 13, 2024
Stunning tour of the Highlands, Glencoe and Loch Ness - We travelled on 12 September 2024. We did the stunning day tour of the Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Loch Ness. We got some mesmerising views of the landscape throught the journey. The cruise of mysterious waters of Loch Ness was a feast to our eyes. Our driver Jada was impressive! Her driving skills and her warmth was exceptional. And so was our tour guide Robert. Throughout the journey he enriched us with the history of Scotland . He had a good sense of humor. Overall a great tour!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Road494114
Sep 13, 2024
Stunning Scottish Highlands - Unbelievably beautiful views, going through some of the most amazing places up to Inverness. Loch Ness was particularly stunning as we also went on the boat trip to the Urquhart castle.
Stevie B our driver and guide was incredibly knowledgeable and very funny.
Highly recommend, will definitely do another timberbush day tour next time I am in Scotland
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Theresare6122nn
Sep 9, 2024
TOM IS THE BEST - We booked the trip on a last minute whim as it was some of the groups first time in Scotland and it was probably the best decision we made. There was a change in our meeting point and the company was very prompt in emailing me about the change and the location. It is a 12 hour day starting at 7:30 (different for each individual tour) and as soon as we arrived to the meeting point we were greeted with cheerful smiles and welcomes. They got us in line for the correct bus and it was very neat and organized.
Our bus driver and tour guide Tom was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. He was called to do the tour last minute and it was the day before his honeymoon. He was so fun and cheerful so if that’s not dedication idk what is. His playlist for the trip was so good and made everything very fun. The morning was a bit foggy so he made sure to give us a few extra stops when the fog clears to make up for it.
He was so knowledgeable about each place we passed and told us the history and some stories along the way that didn’t feel like a history lesson but some fun gossip.
On the way home we had some delays due to road closures but once again Tom pulled through and made the delay so enjoyable and fun.
I definitely defiantly recommend doing this tour as the views were STUNNING and the guides are fantastic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
155eileenr
Sep 8, 2024
Knowledgeable, friendly guide/driver provided such an enjoyable trip! - Tom made our experience absolutely enjoyable. Perfect combination of professional and personable/friendly/great sense of humor. Would highly recommend this your especially if you are visiting with limited time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amanda
Sep 7, 2024
Beautiful day! - This tour from Edinburgh to Lock Ness was fabulous. It’s 12 hours; so it is a very long day with a lot of time on the bus. However Bryan and Adam made the trip so pleasant and enjoyable. Bryan’s unscripted humerus commentary of Scottish history was both informative and entertaining, and made the time spent on the bus so much more enjoyable. Adam navigated the monster coach with ease, and I always felt safe aboard .
The stops were well spaced out allowing me to recover from any carsickness I might have started to feel on the winding mountain roads. We were traveling with two small children and adults with mobility limitations so the stops were mostly quick bathroom and snack stops for us, but we managed to get some good views and highland cow pictures as well. There were gift shops at each stop, that had very similar things; So no worries if you miss one.
The cafe we stopped at for lunch had soups sandwiches and salads that looked wonderful, but we are celiac and couldn’t safely partake; however everyone was very nice and accommodating allowing us to eat our own packed food within the facility.
The weather was wonderful on the day we went allowing us fantastic views, and adding magical ambiance to the trip. We had sun in the highlands allowing us to see the beautiful terrain we passed from the motor coach; and we had slight fog on the boat ride at Loch Ness; adding to the monster hunt vibe.
Then a beautiful bight sunset on the terrain again on the way home.
With great weather this trip was amazing! However if the weather had limited the visibility from the bus, it might have dragged the day down a bit…
If your tall I recommend getting to the meeting zone on the royal mile early to try to get one of few seats with a bit more leg room, we were late and my husband and I did find our long legs to be a cramped problem in the seats that were left. We were on time but had to wonder a bit to find the correct bus, so seats were already taken once we bordered.
I would recommend booking the boat and or castle before just to not have to fuss with it the day of the trip.
Long day! But the views and experience were fantastic. Bryan and Adam are amazing and you should definitely request them as your amazing dream team tour directors!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Simonastanculescu
Sep 2, 2024
Amazing experience - The views were breathtaking and the long ride is definitely worthwhile. Our guide, Tom, made the entire experience so much fun and we learned a lot about the history of Scotland. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
88anushkam
Aug 30, 2024
10/10 would recommend - The best money I spent in Scotland! Absolutely wonderful tour, even better tour guide Charlie and driver Alan. Absolutely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour651437
Aug 11, 2024
Beautiful Scottish highlands tour! - Highly recommend taking a highlands tour with Timberbush- our guide Natalie was fantastic! She was super fun and very knowledgable about Scotland's history and legends. Our first stop was at a little shop/cafe that had some hairy coos that we could feed and take pictures with! Then we were off to the actual highlands - we went through Glencoe and stopped at some great viewpoints before getting to Loch Ness! It is otherworldly to stand in the mountains surrounded by all that green. My friend and I took the optional castle and cruise option of the tour and it was surreal! Natalie told us many of the folklore legends and had a great Scottish music playlist on the bus. It's a whole day tour - 8am-8pm, so definitely plan for a whole day trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Engineera
Sep 24, 2024
Not recommended - The trip is for around 12 hours and most of it was in the bus. We expected to have a comfortable bus during the trip but unfortunately the legroom between the chairs was very small and Timberbush does not move the bus until it is 100% full that made the trip really difficult for us. In addition, the driver/guide was talking all the way through even when we were supposed to sleep and that was really annoying. Her accent was a bit difficult to understand and she was talking about everything relevant/unrelevant but not focusing on the important tour points such as the purpose of each stop and the duration. On the other hand, her driving skills were excellent and the stops we had were good. I recommend checking other operators.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Miguelangel_c
Sep 6, 2024
Incredibly uncomfortable bus for a long drive - DId not go on the trip. Got on the bus. Long queue early in the morning, We were almost the last on the first bus. We were separated. Our seats were incredibly uncomfortable. My knees were banging against the front seat. The person sitting next to me was too fat and took up part of my seat. Same thing happened to my wife in her seat. We got off and left. This is not a comfortable ride for seven or nine hours. I will not recommend it, or others, because the standard has been lowered tremendously since we started booking and traveling with Aviator in our trips around the world.
Review provided by Viator
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