Scottish Highlands Day Trip: Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

Embark on a thrilling day trip from Edinburgh to the Scottish Highlands. Explore Loch Ness, Glen Coe, and Cairngorms National Park, and uncover the mysteries of the Loch Ness Monster. Discover ancient castles, learn about Scottish history, and capture breathtaking views on this unforgettable adventure!

Duration: 13 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Taste Perthshire - As we head north the first stop of the day is at this charming location nestled in the heart of Perthshire - a wonderful place for a refreshment stop and the chance to meet and feed Highland coo!
  • Cairngorms National Park - Through the Cairngorms and the wild wilderness. The Cairngorms are home to some of the highest peaks…
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Local live driver guide who will share stories and history throughout the day
  • Panoramic windows
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Children under 3 years not accepted- valid ID may be required at check in
  • Entrance fees
  • Entrance fees
Additional Information

Engage in a tour from Edinburgh that’s packed with breathtaking landscapes, intriguing lore and historical marvels. Venture to the Scottish Highlands, soak in the magnificent scenes of the Cairngorms National Park and embark on a boat tour of the renowned Loch Ness in the hope of spotting the elusive Loch Ness Monster amidst touring the remains of…

Location
1 Parliament Square
Parliament Square
Please check in with Highland Experience staff inside/outside Caffe Nero by 07:45
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(2632 Ratings)
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Chris_g
Jul 26, 2025
The longest bus tour in Scotland (a good thing) - You’re going to see a lot. Terry will show you the way. Good information, clear, great stops, comfortable
Review provided by Viator
Eileen_c
Jul 9, 2025
Great tour if you want to... - Great tour if you want to explore outside Edinburgh. Its a long trip but its comfortable and we had an amazing driver/guide at the same time
Review provided by Viator
Asstroslut
Feb 20, 2025
complete experience - amazing! I went by myself, and being a young woman as I am I thought at first it was going to be weird or awkward but it wasn't! there were a lot of moments of silence to think about what you were seeing or reflect on the stories that the amazingly funny Christina was telling us. It was a full day of changing weather, breathtaking sceneries and a couple of hairy coos! really really good experience!! PS: Brody, call me anytime you'd like ;) PPS: Christina, you too, you're really funny don't believe whoever says you're not ;) PPPS: next time put some The Fratellis songs!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grace_d
Jan 20, 2025
Essential day trip to the Highlands with an amazing tour guide - Book now if you’re still on the fence about deciding!! Dajan as our guide and John as our driver made a fabulous and humorous team. It’s a long day, but Dajan’s charisma and sarcastic sense of humor kept the bus laughing and engaged the entire time. He is very knowledgeable about history, the local geography, and the culture, so he was a wonderful guide who was able to answer any and all questions. I was very happy to have good weather and good luck on this day trip, and we even saw the top of Ben Nevis and were able to stop and admire a fairy spring on the side of the road. It really felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The highlight for me was going through Glencoe — it was incredibly scenic and there were several opportunities to stop and take photos. Best of all, I loved learning about Scottish history as we weaves through the highlands. As someone who is very prone to motion sickness in cars, I was very anxious about spending so much time in a vehicle, but I brought a bag of ginger candies and had absolutely no problems. The day moves surprisingly fast for a 12 hour day! There are many stops along the way to grab a quick bite and use the restroom, too.
Review provided by Viator
Edith_d
Jan 6, 2025
Such an amazing... - Such an amazing experience, our tour guides were absolutely amazing. For it being a 12 hour tour it absolutely did not feel long enough 10/10!!
Review provided by Viator
Joshua_c
Jan 5, 2025
This trip is amazing if... - This trip is amazing if you want to see the highlands in a day! The scenery was stunning with snowy covered hills, and had plenty of stops. The guide and driver, Graham, was great and full of knowledge. It is a long day, so be prepared with some snacks/water for the drives. Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Athul_k
Jan 4, 2025
A day that we will never forget in our life - Wonderful experience with highland experience tours. Went on a one day trip from Edinburgh to loch Ness and Highlands. Amazing beautiful journey well planned and organised. Special thanks to Steven B( please not its B and not A, coz A is supposed to be the bad guy). He is a master of scottish history who knows a story about every single place we travelled through. And the way he told the story made it so intresting.Amazing guide and a great narrator, made this journey special and memorable.
Review provided by Viator
Luis_e
Dec 23, 2024
It’s too long ! You spend... - It’s too long ! You spend most of the day on the bus - we recommend it if you have a day to spend here in Scotland
Review provided by Viator
Christopher_h
Dec 24, 2024
Highland - It is too rushed with time! Recommend a more flexible tour. The tour guide was great and informative but it felt like every experience of the tour was rushed.
Review provided by Viator
Maria_k
Dec 30, 2024
Disappointment And very rich - I’m so sad for this trip. First of all, I had bought two tickets for me and my girlfriend, but unfortunately almost all the seats were occupied and when I asked, one of the other passengers was moved to another seat so that we could sit together The reaction was completely negative. As a second school, what led me to this result of my evaluation was the rudeness of the driver. The driver was driving too fast at 65 km/h, causing a passenger to vomit and me to feel dizzy. When we remarked to him to drive slower, the driver reacted by telling us that the whole group drives the same way and I asked to sit in the front seat so I could see from the outside and he refused. The trip schedule only had 10-30 minute toilet stops until we reached Lochness lake. We didn't see anything impressive on this trip compared to the price we paid.
Review provided by Viator
From $89
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).