Loch Ness tour from Glasgow: Small group, 12 hours

Twelve hours through Glen Coe and Loch Ness, ending at Taste Perthshire

A small-group Loch Ness Discovery Tour from Glasgow takes 12 hours through the Scottish Highlands, stopping at Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, Fort Augustus and the Cairngorm Mountains with a professional driver-guide and hotel pickup included. At Fort Augustus you choose between a Loch Ness cruise or a walk beside the Caledonian Canal locks during the lunch break. Children from age 3 are welcome. The tour returns to Glasgow around 20:00.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Glencoe20m
2. Fort Augustus2h

Explore Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness

• Visit Luss and Loch Lomond views
• Discover Glencoe landscapes and history
• Stop at Fort Augustus for Loch Ness cruise or walk
• Taste Perthshire and meet Highland Coos

The experience

The coach leaves Glasgow in the morning and heads north through Loch Lomond, where the route opens onto water and mountains. Luss, a village on the loch's shore, sits first on the itinerary: a stop for the views and the historic cottages that line the walking trails there. From there the road climbs into Glen Coe, a landscape of dramatic ridges and steep-sided valleys with a history as turbulent as the terrain. The driver-guide narrates the route and the stories that belong to it, and the air-conditioned coach means the day stays comfortable even when the weather turns.

Fort Augustus arrives mid-day and becomes your lunch stop. The town sits where the Caledonian Canal meets Loch Ness, and you pick how to spend the break: take a cruise on the loch itself to watch for the famous resident, or walk the locks and the canal towpath on foot. Either way, lunch is your own arrangement. After Fort Augustus, the route swings through the Cairngorm Mountains and their open, rolling Highland scenery before stopping at Taste Perthshire, a restaurant and food hall stocked with regional specialties. This is where you meet the Highland Coos (the long-horned cattle that graze the region), and browse Scottish crafts and local products. The return to Glasgow takes the evening, arriving around 20:00.

The group stays small, which means the coach moves at a pace that lets you absorb each stop instead of rushing through. A professional driver-guide handles the route and the commentary, so you sit back and watch the landscape unfold. Hotel pickup is included, so if you're staying in Glasgow you don't arrange your own transport to the starting point.

What’s included

• Transportation on an air-conditioned mini-coach.
• professional driver-guide in English.
• hotel pickup in Glasgow.
• stops at Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, Fort Augustus, the Cairngorm Mountains and Taste Perthshire.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (15 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (3 to 14 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 16 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Highland Experience Tours

Is this one for you?The tour departs from Glasgow hotels, so if you're staying in the city without a car, pickup is included and the route is arranged. You don't plan the stops or the timing. The 12-hour day means you see Glen Coe, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms in one outing without driving yourself or booking separate transport between each site.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 14 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is Glen Coe like on this tour?

Glen Coe is a stop on the route known for its dramatic ridges and steep-sided valleys, with a history as turbulent as the landscape itself. The driver-guide explains the stories and the scenery as the coach moves through it.

Can I take a Loch Ness cruise, or do I have to walk at Fort Augustus?

At Fort Augustus you choose: either join a cruise on Loch Ness itself, or walk beside the Caledonian Canal locks. Both happen during the lunch break, so you pick which one suits you.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. Fort Augustus is the lunch stop, and you arrange your own meal there or bring your own.

What time does the tour return to Glasgow?

The tour returns to Glasgow around 20:00, so plan for a full day out and an evening arrival back at your hotel.

Is there a stop where I can see Highland Coos?

Taste Perthshire, the final stop before returning to Glasgow, is where you meet the Highland Coos. The stop also includes a restaurant, a gift shop with Scottish crafts, and a food hall with regional products.