Edinburgh: Loch Ness & Inverness 2-Day Highlands Tour

Two Days in the Highlands: Loch Ness, Inverness & the History Between

You travel north from Edinburgh through Glencoe and Loch Ness to Inverness, staying overnight in the Highland capital, then return through Culloden Battlefield and Cairngorms National Park with a distillery stop. Transport, guide, accommodation, and all the major stops are handled. You just show up 15 minutes early with one suitcase and dress for Scottish weather.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel from Edinburgh to Inverness

• Depart Edinburgh and pick up Glasgow passengers
• Stop at Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
• Visit Glencoe and learn its history
• Lunch break in Fort William
• Visit Commando Memorial with Ben Nevis views
• Stop at Fort Augustus by Loch Ness
• Optional photo at Urquhart Castle ruins
• Arrive and check in at Inverness
• Free time to explore Inverness

Day 2: Return from Inverness to Edinburgh

• Breakfast in Inverness
• Visit Culloden Battlefield
• Explore Clava Cairns burial monuments
• Photo stop at Carrbridge
• Lunch at Loch Morlich in Cairngorms National Park
• Visit Ruthven Barracks military garrison
• Tour and tasting at Blair Athol Distillery or visit Pitlochry
• Cross Queensferry Crossing bridge
• Return to Edinburgh and end tour

The experience

You leave Edinburgh in the morning heading west, and by afternoon you're standing in Glencoe looking at mountains that don't look real. The contrast hits fast: city streets to empty glens, traffic noise to wind through a valley where a massacre happened in 1692. The coach picks up Glasgow passengers first, then pushes north into Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park for a comfort break, but you're already thinking about what comes next. Glencoe is where the landscape stops being pretty and starts being haunting. You'll have time to walk around, take photos (the James Bond Skyfall location angle is real), and your guide will tell you the clan history while you're standing in it. After that, Fort William sits on the loch for lunch, then you head to the Commando Memorial where Ben Nevis, Britain's tallest mountain, fills half the sky.

Fort Augustus comes next, a small town right at the foot of Loch Ness where the water is dark and still and everyone's looking for something that probably isn't there. If time allows, Urquhart Castle ruins sit on the shore. You'll see them from the road at least. Then you drive into Inverness, the Highland capital, check into your B&B or youth hostel (you choose when you book), and the evening is yours. The town has restaurants, pubs, a river walk. Most people eat, walk around, and get to bed early because day two starts with a Highland breakfast and doesn't stop until you're back in Edinburgh.

Day two moves through history fast. Culloden Battlefield is where the Jacobites lost everything in 1746: your guide walks you through what happened and why it mattered. Then Clava Cairns, Bronze Age burial monuments over 4,000 years old, sitting in fields that look unchanged. You'll stop at Carrbridge for photos, then enter Cairngorms National Park, the largest in the UK, and have lunch on the shores of Loch Morlich. The wildlife here is real (red squirrels, golden eagles if you're lucky), and the scale of the park makes you understand why the Highlands feel the way they do. Ruthven Barracks, an old military garrison, comes next, then Blair Athol Distillery where you can tour and taste award-winning Scotch whisky, though availability varies, so if it's not possible that day, you'll explore Pitlochry instead, a Victorian town with its own character. The drive back crosses the Queensferry Crossing, a modern bridge that spans the Firth of Forth alongside the historic Forth Rail Bridge and Forth Road Bridge (three centuries of Scottish engineering in one view), and then you're back in Edinburgh where the tour ends.

The whole thing is two days in a coach with a knowledgeable driver-guide doing live commentary, so you're not navigating or timing yourself. One night's accommodation is included (unless you book the no-accommodation option), and luggage is one medium suitcase per person. The tour operates in all weather. Bring layers and waterproof gear because the Highlands don't wait for sun. Minimum group size applies, so there's a small chance of cancellation if numbers don't meet requirements, but you'd get an alternative tour or full refund if that happens.

What’s included

• Your two days include one night accommodation in Inverness (choice of B&B or youth hostel), transport in an air-conditioned coach with a knowledgeable driver-guide providing live commentary throughout, stops at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Glencoe, Fort William, Fort Augustus, Loch Ness, Inverness city exploration, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, Cairngorms National Park with lunch on Loch Morlich, Ruthven Barracks, and either Blair Athol Distillery (with tour and tasting) or Pitlochry depending on availability.
• The return journey includes views of the Queensferry Crossing and the historic Forth bridges.
• Meals are not included except where noted as part of lunch stops.

Options for this experience

3 options

Tour OnlyGuide in English · 08:30This two-day tour does not include accommodation, so you will need to arrange your own lodging. Please make sure you book a room in central Inverness.

Double/Twin/Family B&BGuide in English · 08:30Bed and breakfast accommodation is included in a double, twin or family room. A double has one bed for two people, a twin has two single beds in one room, and a family room is also offered.

Tour with a single bed-and-breakfast stayGuide in English · 08:30Our two-day tour, including accommodation in a single room at a bed and breakfast.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Thursday, Friday and SundayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (17 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (4 to 16 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 32

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Timberbush Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Edinburgh who want the Highlands in two days without renting a car or planning logistics: the fixed itinerary and overnight stay in Inverness let you cover Glencoe, Loch Ness, and the major historical sites without backtracking. Plan for a full two days of coach travel and walking stops. The pace is steady but not rushed.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 16 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What's included in the tour price?

One night accommodation (B&B or youth hostel), air-conditioned coach transport, a knowledgeable driver-guide with live commentary, and all the stops listed in the itinerary. Meals and distillery tastings are not included unless specified.

Do I have to stay in Inverness overnight?

No. You can book the no-accommodation option if you prefer, but the tour is designed around an overnight stay in Inverness, which breaks up the driving and lets you see both sides of the Highlands.

Is the Blair Athol Distillery visit guaranteed?

No. The distillery visit depends on availability. If it's not possible on your date, you'll have time to explore Pitlochry instead, a historic Victorian town.

How much luggage can I bring?

One medium-sized suitcase per person (roughly 60–69cm high and 45cm wide). Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated if a companion assists with boarding and disembarking.

What time do we leave Edinburgh?

The tour departs in the morning. You must arrive 15 minutes before departure. From December 3, 2024, tours depart from NCP Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW.

What languages is the guide available in?

The driver-guide provides live commentary in English. Digital translations in German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin are available on request.

Can the tour be cancelled?

Yes, if minimum group numbers aren't met after confirmation, the tour may be cancelled and you'll be offered an alternative tour or a full refund.