Edinburgh

Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and Glencoe Day Trip from Edinburgh

Name: Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and Glencoe Day Trip from Edinburgh
Brand: Highland Experience Tours
SKU: 5256HLOCHNESS
Price: 75.32 USD
Rating: 4.5 (1913 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceEdinburgh, Scotland

13 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the dramatic beauty, history and mystery of Scotland on this full-day trip from Edinburgh. Aboard a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, wind through the Scottish Highlands and marvel at the majesty of Cairngorms National Park and the mysterious Loch Ness—fabled home of the elusive water monster, Nessie. Spot the famous Urquhart Castle en route and hear about legendary warfare like the battles of William Wallace and the massacre of Glen Coe in the 17th century.

Head into the Scottish Highlands and travel through the fantastic landscapes of Cairngorms National Park
See the famous Loch Ness, believed to be home to a mysterious sea creature
Visit Glen Coe, a place known as much for a horrific massacre as its gorgeous scenery
Explore the ancient Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Local live driver guide who will share stories and history throughout the day
Panoramic windows

Food and drinks
Loch Ness Cruise & Urquhart Castle Tour, £28 cash
Gratuities
Children under 3 years not accepted

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

1 Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF, UK
Please check in with Highland Experience staff inside/outside Caffe Nero by 07:45

Start time

08:00 AM

End point

Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1, UK
Please note: During August, and other times when there are events taking place at Edinburgh Castle we will use an alternative end point in Edinburgh's New Town.

What To Expect

Your full-day tour through the Scottish Highlands departs from central Edinburgh in the morning. Meet your friendly guide and settle in for the northbound ride toward Inverness. Along the way, pass the dramatic Forth Railway Bridge—a UNESCO-listed bridge that once boasted the largest cantilever span in the world – and pause in Pitlochry for some tasty refreshment (own expense).

Continuing north, wind through Cairngorms National Park, catching lovely views of peaks and waterfalls rushing through craggy ravines. Soon arrive at the mythical Loch Ness, where you have free time to explore the surrounding countryside, visit Urquhart Castle, or grab lunch (own expense). Or purchase an optional cruise on the loch for some tranquil sightseeing and a cheeky search for the famed water monster, Nessie.

Next, continue your coach tour to Glen Coe, a glen of breathtaking beauty that boasts high mountain peaks, ridges, bubbling rivers, and waterfalls. Hear about the historic MacDonald clan that resided here and suffered in the brutal massacre of 1692.

From here, begin your return trip to Edinburgh, passing Stirling Castle on the way. Snap some photos of the historic site—former residence of Scottish royals including Mary, Queen of Scots—and learn about its colorful history, riddled with warfare such as the Battle of Stirling Bridge, led by William Wallace.

Then relax for the return ride to Edinburgh, where your full-day trip ends back at the starting point in the evening.

Pitlochry

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cairngorms National Park (Pass By)

Loch Ness

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Urquhart Castle

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Glencoe National Nature Reserve

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kilmahog

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Children under 3 years not accepted

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 £28 with Highland Experience discount, cash required. No need to pre book.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 53 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Heather_H

Great tour guide that gave relevant information about Scotland's history and present day. Long day but well worth it. The tour had amazing views that are great to witness if you have limited time or don't want to drive yourself.

Reviews

4.5

1,913 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 1,913 reviews

Beautiful views of Scotland

Heather_H, Apr 2024

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello Heather, Thank you for your kind review! I'm glad you got the chance to explore the Scottish Highlands on one of our Loch Ness, Glen Coe and The Highlands. Enjoy the rest of your time in Scotland. Kind regards, Gracie Mae Highland Experience

Highly recommended

Dyana_V, Apr 2024

Jamie was wonderful, sharing bits and pieces of history as we drove. Beautiful sights and scenery!! Being able to feed the Hairy Coos was a highlight.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello Dyana, Thank you for leaving a 5* review!! I'm glad you enjoyed your Loch Ness, Glen Coe and The Highlands trip and got the chance to see Hamish, Honey and Holly, the lovely hairy coos. Enjoy the rest of your trip in Scotland. Kind regards, Gracie Mae Highland Experience

An unforgettable journey...

Shaymaa_A, Apr 2024

An unforgettable journey through the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness, and Glencoe, just what I needed before the final exams!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi there, Thank you for your excellent review of our Loch Ness, Glen Coe & The Highlands Tour. We wish you all the best on your exams and we hope to welcome you again on tour one day! Kind regards, Sofia Highland Experience

Great tour with a local guide! Amazing experience!

Barbara_B, Apr 2024

I did this day trip with Chris, driver and guide, who was wearing local outfit, had a lovely accent and is very funny telling jokes all the time and making us laugh a lot! He had great knowledge on several facts about the areas visited and we learned many things from him. I super reccomend doing this day trip with him, it will change your whole experience for better.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello, Thank you for this wonderful review. We will pass your feedback directly on to Chris - he will be most pleased. Our guides love to immerse their passengers in Scottish culture and humour - we are so happy you enjoyed this! We hope you have a lovely rest of your trip. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

The views!!!!

Dominika_L, Apr 2024

Incredible tour! This was first time I took a tour bus in my life and I was not disappointed!! Tour guide Chris was amazing and hilarious! Great to hear all the fun facts as well as general knowledge! My parents who do not speak English as well enjoyed the tour so so much! Very easy for me to translate for them! The views on every stop we took were do beautiful they didn’t seem real!!! If you are visiting Edinburgh definitely go for this tour you will not be disappointed!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello, Thank you for leaving us such a kind review - we are so pleased that we made your first tour experience such a positive one! We are delighted that you and your group enjoyed your trip and found Chris' information clear enough to be translated. We are so pleased that your 1-day Highlands tour gave you the chance to experience its astonishing scenery. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Loch Ness Beauty

Leonie_B, Apr 2024

Great way to see a bit more of Scotland. Guide was informative and clear. Excellent driver. So much to see and the history that the guide gave us was amazing. Varied places . Well worth doing

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello Leonie, Thank you for taking the time to leave us this brilliant review. We are so glad that you enjoyed your vast day tour from Edinburgh up to the Highlands. Your guide and driver will be delighted to hear your feedback. We hope you have a lovely rest of your time in Scotland. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Extremely boring

UROOJ_I, Apr 2024

Poor planning, spent most time sitting in the bus.. I could have had better experience watching it on my tablet. Rude tour guide (Chris) .. asked for a direction at one of the stops and he answered very rudely… I thought he was racially insensitive .. This trip sucked all the energy out of me .. very unpleasant

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi there, We are very sorry that you did not enjoy your experience on tour with us. We are shocked to read your comments about your driver guide Chris as he regularly receives excellent feedback and we do not tolerate discriminatory comments or racism of any kind. Could you please provide more information about what occurred on tour to feedback@highlandexperience.com and we will investigate this situation with the driver guide in question? Again, we apologise for the experience you had on tour and this will be investigated by our transport management. Kind regards, Sofia Highland Experience

I spent a day out of time...

Apolline_L, Apr 2024

I spent a day out of time : magical moments, unforgettable landscapes... The excursion was really well organised! I learnt a lot about Scottish history, the explanations and the anecdotes did make the experience even more unique. I would totally recommend it!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello, Thank you for this lovely review of your 1-day tour to the Highlands. We are delighted that you had such a magical, immersive experience in the Highlands and that you enjoyed your guide's unique local knowledge. We hope to welcome you back on another tour in the future! Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Amazing scenery from the highlands

Hayley_D, Apr 2024

From the start and finish of this trip we were surrounded with amazing views. Amazing information and history of Scotland from Christina and brilliant driver Mike. Would highly recommend this to trip if you have never done the highlands before.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello Hayley, Thank you for leaving us this brilliant review, and for your kind comments that we will be sure to pass on to Christina and Mark. Our highly experienced drivers and guides are passionate about showcasing the best of the Highlands to our passengers; we are so glad that this was your experience. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Best Guides and Views

Holly_K, Apr 2024

It was a beautiful tour. Even when our bus broke down, Christina and Jaimie made the trip wonderful!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Holly, We are so happy that you enjoyed your day tour of the Highlands. We couldn't agree more - the Highlands are such a beautiful, special place. We are so sorry for this inconvenience, but we are delighted that you loved your tour nonetheless! Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

An amazing experience

X_Z, Apr 2024

Amasing country. Beautiful scenery and steeped in history. Brody an excellent driver and guide! Pointed out and informed us about history in a light and upbeat manner. Graham did a great job in supporting Brody. The office staff was fantastic. We missed our booked trip - but they phoned us - AND then move our booking to the next day! We are indebted to you. Super group all round. Thank you for an unforgetable experiance. Mooi loop.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Good afternoon, Thank you for this brilliant review. We are so pleased that we could accommodate you onto your tour and that you enjoyed Scotland's vast and varied beauty. Thank you for your kind words which we will pass directly onto Brodie and Graham. We hope to welcome you back on another tour in the future. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Not a very exciting tour

Azadeh_A, Apr 2024

This was a 12.5 hour long tour of the highlands in a bus. The only long stop (2 hour) was for Loch Ness for which the tickets were actually not included in the tour. The rest of the stops were for bathroom breaks and snacks. I would not recommend this tour for anyone expecting to get out of the bus and explore the area on foot. The commentary was ok, but a bit boring. The music was nice. Not worth a day long trip in my opinion.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, and we are very sorry you did not have a 5* experience with us. We do have shorter day tours but as Loch Ness is located at such a far distance away, it does equate to more time on the bus. However, the tour stops every 2 hours and you are in the beautiful Highlands for almost the full day. Thank you for joining us on tour and we hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Scotland. Kind regards, Sofia Highland Experience

Great Family Trip; bring cash and bring snacks.

Lisa_S, Apr 2024

I really enjoyed this bus trip. Our bus driver was fabulous and our tour guide Christina was a natural and had so much knowledge. I was glad I was on her bus because I found the gentleman who was the tour guide on his bus extremely sarcastic and rude and made me feel uncomfortable. I spent just over $500 on this tour which included the boat ride and the castle. It was pricey, but I was glad to give my husband a break. Like I said - Christina was wonderful, but if I was on the other bus, I would have cried spending that much money.

Snap shot of Scotland

Cally_C, Apr 2024

This tour was perfect, allowing us to see maximum amount of places in one day. Our tour guide Keith was interesting, funny, and made the trip perfect. Loved all the his stories, it was the perfect way to start our vacation.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hello, Thank you for such a positive review of your 1-day tour with us to the Highlands; we agree it is the perfect way to kick off a Scottish adventure! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed Keith's expert guiding and will pass this feedback on to him directly. We hope you had a lovely rest of your stay. Kind regards, Georgina Highland Experience Tours

Fun and Exciting Tour

MariaCorina_P, Apr 2024

Our tour guides Chris and Dijean's stories throughout the trip kept us awake and informed about the places we are visiting. They kept us laughing too!😂😂😂 It was more of a roadtrip for me and my friend apart from the Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle which we paid in addition to the trip, and we feel we need more time at the stops as we love to take videos, and lots of photos which I think we weren't able to do because we feel a bit rushed. Otherwise, it was a great tour overall!

Outstanding tour Jack, there are people in the next room

SUSAN_M, Apr 2024

Steven B was very informative, way better than Steven a A. He’s an excellent tour guide. I would recommend him highly for any further tours. He made it fun and Interesting as well as giving us lots of historical references. We even got to see someone water skiing on Loch Ness. Would do this tour again. My nephew was great greatly impressed.

Worth it, worth it, worth it!

Desire_B, Apr 2024

The tour has been amazing! Really showcases Scotland's beautiful landscapes and Chris is very knowledgeable and made a 12h30 trip feel like it flew by. Just a blast! Best tour I have ever been to. I definitely recommend it to anyone!

Amazing landscapes

Sebastian_G, Mar 2024

The landscapes are simply amazing and you get to see a lot from the highlands. Louise was a perfect guide and shared many interesting stories an informations with us. Jimmy was an awsome driver. Thanks for that! As only improvement i would recomend to make one or two stops less at shops (i know, they have toilets), and instead i would have loved to stop in the middle of this amazing landscape beeing able to walk a few steps.

History with humour

Esha_M, Mar 2024

Steven B is an amazing story teller and tour planner! He has an amazing sense of humor and the anecdotes regarding Scotland were a perfect intro for me for this mystical land. The tour guide along with him was also superb!

Must do

Viswanathan_V, Mar 2024

Very good experience. Very knowledgeable guide. She was explaining about Scottish history as well as pointing towards some interesting sights which can be easily missed.

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