Loch Ness, Glencoe & Highlands Day Tour from Edinburgh

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/10

Duration12h

GroupUp to 53

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Twelve hours, four Highlands landmarks, one coach that does the driving

A 12-hour guided day tour from Edinburgh that covers Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness in a single day, with live commentary from a driver-guide and frequent stops for photos and refreshments. The route is fixed and the timing is arranged, so you travel without building the itinerary yourself; lunch and optional extras like the Loch Ness cruise are on you to arrange or add at checkout.

12h

Step-by-step itinerary

Loch Ness and Highlands Day Tour

Depart from Edinburgh City Centre
Travel northwest past Stirling Castle
Stop in Callander for refreshments
Drive through Rob Roy Country and Rannoch Moor
Photo stop at Glencoe
Stop for lunch in Fort William area
Pass beneath Ben Nevis
Pass through Fort Augustus village
Arrive at Urquhart Castle, optional cruise available
Free time at Clansman Hotel, optional whisky experience
Return journey through Cairngorms National Park
Refreshment stop at Pitlochry
Return to Edinburgh, tour ends

The Experience

The coach departs Edinburgh city centre at Castle Terrace in the morning and heads northwest past Stirling Castle into the Highlands. A first stop in the Callander area gives you a chance to stretch and grab refreshments, then the route climbs into Rob Roy Country and across Rannoch Moor to Glencoe — one of Scotland's most famous glens and the site of the 1692 massacre of Clan MacDonald. You pause here for photos and to take in the landscape itself, which is the main draw; the journey then continues via Loch Linnhe toward Fort William, where you stop for lunch (bring your own or buy locally), and pass beneath Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain.

The afternoon reaches Loch Ness through Fort Augustus. At Urquhart Castle, the tour splits: you can add an optional castle and cruise excursion, or spend an hour at the Clansman Hotel with free time to walk the Old Coffin Road, relax indoors, or book a separate one-hour round-trip cruise on the loch itself. The whisky experience — a 20- to 30-minute film and dram of Donald Fraser blend — is also optional and paid on the day. Loch Ness itself is 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep, famous for Nessie sightings; the cruise lets you spend time on the water looking out across it.

The return journey heads south through Cairngorms National Park and Perthshire woodland, with an evening refreshment stop in Pitlochry before arriving back in Edinburgh. Much of the day is spent in the coach due to the distance covered, so comfort matters — the vehicle is air-conditioned and the driver provides live commentary throughout. Arrive 30 minutes early at Castle Terrace; bring cash if you want to add the cruise or whisky experience on the day, and consider packing a cold lunch to save time at stops during busy months.

What’s included

Air-conditioned coach with live commentary from your driver-guide.
stops at Glencoe, Ben Nevis viewpoint, Fort William and Loch Ness.
an hour of free time at Loch Ness or the Clansman Hotel.
refreshment breaks in Callander and Pitlochry.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Timberbush Tours

Is this one for you?Pack Glencoe, Ben Nevis, and a Loch Ness cruise into one day with a guide handling all the routing and timing—you just watch the Highlands unfold from your seat.