Loch Ness & The Highlands from Inverness: One Day Nessie-Hunting and Loch Exploration tour

Embark on a one-day adventure hunting for Nessie, cruising the enigmatic Loch Ness, discovering the town of Fort Augustus, touring the lakeside ruins of Urquhart Castle, appreciating the Falls of Foyers, and strolling by Dores Beach from Inverness!

Duration: 8 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Dochgarroch Locks, Caledonian Canal - Your one day Loch Ness tour from Inverness departs at 08:45 and follows the beautiful Caledonian Canal to the source at Loch Ness. 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep, the loch is the largest by volume in the British Isles and is most famous for its sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as “Nessie”. We spend most of the morning at Loch Ness, allowing you plenty of time to go Nessie-hunting! Our first stop is Dochgarroch, about 7 miles from Inverness, here you will have the option of taking a 5 Loch Ness boat trip with Jacobite Cruises who have provided Loch Ness cruises for over 40 years.
  • Urquhart Castle - We will then visit the 13th century ruins of Urquhart Castle where you will have plenty of time here to explore the ruin, enjoy the visitor centre, and take in the views and atmosphere of Scotland’s most famous loch.
  • Invermoriston Falls - Our Loch Ness tour then continues to Invermoriston, where we will pause to take photos of the bridge and St Columba’s Well – a well that was believed to have poisonous water until it was blessed by St Columba in AD 565, banishing the evil spirits that haunted it. That same year he supposedly had the first documented encounter with the Loch Ness Monster.
  • Fort Augustus Abbey - Afterwards, we journey through to Fort Augustus, the furthermost point of your Loch Ness tour. Fort Augustus is a small town with a population of only 650 people and is a perfect spot to relax and watch boats passing through the Caledonian Canal while you enjoy your lunch!
  • The Falls of Foyers - After lunch, our Loch Ness tour will begin its journey back to Inverness, stopping at the Falls of Foyers. The majestic 165ft waterfall was a favourite retreat for poet Rabbie Burns, and is truly breath-taking. Enjoy plenty of time here to soak up the atmosphere
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live commentary on board
  • Knowledgeable driver-guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Attraction Tickets
  • On-board restrooms
  • On-board WiFi
Additional Information
  • Minimum age is 4 years old.
  • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
  • The castle & cruise currently need to be pre-booked, details will be provided on the ticket.
  • Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or a full refund.
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
  • Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
  • Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour’s departure time.
Location
Railway Terrace
Railway Terrace, Inverness, IV1 1NW. Look out for our coach or our sign on the lamp post.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(206 Ratings)
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Lucy
Aug 16, 2024
Great tour! - We had a wonderful time exploring with Claire. She was friendly and very knowledgable. The tour bus was very comfortable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julia_l
Aug 14, 2024
Our Day Round the Loch with Richard - Richard was great!! He spoke off the cuff about things that popped up as interesting on our particular day. He has a lot of knowledge about long ago history, as well as topical information. The whole day was spectacular!
Review provided by Viator
Viktor_z
Aug 10, 2024
Jack is an incredible guide! - A great tour! Jack is an incredible story teller and guide! I enjoyed stories about Loch Ness and beautiful landacape
Review provided by Viator
Tabitha_h
Jul 24, 2024
Amazing tour! - Our tour guide Tonks was amazing!!! My daughter and I had a blast!! This tour is a must do if you are short on time, it hits a little bit of everything and is well worth it!!
Review provided by Viator
Melinda_m
Jul 15, 2024
The best tour guide - This was for sure one of the best tours of our trip and an understated trip. It was the only one that was not sold out, yet the best in Scotland. The stops were significantly less rushed than other tours and had the perfect variety of activities. If this was the only tour we took, I would have been satisfied. Most of this is because our tour guide, Will, was amazing. He really cares about the area and making sure that people are comfortable and getting the best experience.
Review provided by Viator
975jodys
Jul 6, 2024
Totally recommend this lovely daytrip! - We really loved our tour with Sandy! We did a lovely tour around loch ness by minivan and on loch Ness by boat. We started from our pick up point in Inverness. Sandy shared a lot of information about the area, about loch Ness and knows so much about the history of Schotland and the highlands. Very interesting day with beautiful views and nature. We totally recommend booking a tour at Timberbush Tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
George_a
Jun 27, 2024
Amazing - Excellent day trip! Very well organised relaxing but also engaging. Chris our guide was great. Amazing landscape
Review provided by Viator
Erichb2055zf
Jun 24, 2024
Excellent experience with Euan - Euan was our guide and driver, he is the best guide we ever met. he is charming, friendly and so good at telling stories on Scottish history and Highland life. We enjoyed it very much and our expectations were exceeded. There is no downside at this tour, will highly recommend anyone who interested in Scotland.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark_g
Aug 7, 2024
Great but a little too much - The average rating is just that, an average of amazing experiences and some that were not as great. Lochness Ness is beautiful and fascinating, the scenery was spectacular, and the hairy coos were cute. But for me there were too many “picture” stops. Overall though, I would recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Carol_h
Jun 26, 2024
Too much of a good thing - Andy was a safe driver and knowledgeable. Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness tour were excellent. I appreciated the stop for the hairy Coos. But the trip went on too long. Two bridges? Why not one? Two overlooks? One would have been enough. We also saw a Fall that was underwhelming. Foyers? Finally, we stopped to see the man who devoted his life to searching for Nessie. Anticlimactic. People were starting to stay on the van. The day was beautiful but it just went on and on and on. I don't remember all these stops being enumerated in the trip discription.
Review provided by Viator
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1 Adult
September 2024
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