Edinburgh: Loch Ness, Inverness & The Highlands - 2 Day Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

48 hours

Mobile ticket

Take our 2-day Loch Ness, Inverness and the Highlands tour from Edinburgh, travel in comfort and savour the delights of the Highlands with your guide: see rivers, lochs and mountains, and experience plenty of rich Highland history - with an overnight stay in the Highland capital of Inverness.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Minimum age is 4 years.

Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.

Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.

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.

Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour's departure time.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

If you book your own accommodation, it must be within 2km of Inverness city centre.

Luggage is restricted to one medium sized suitcase per person. For guidance: a medium sized suitcase is considered 60-69cm high and roughly 45cm in width.

Please note: from 3rd December 2024 our Edinburgh tours will depart from NCP Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.<br>If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

What‘s Included

1 night accommodation (unless 'no accommodation' option is selected)

Air-conditioned vehicle

Live commentary on board

Knowledgeable driver-guide

Food and drinks, unless specified

Accommodation, unless chosen

Attraction Tickets

Gratuities

Restroom on board

What To Expect

Day 1

Fom Edinburgh to Inverness

Accommodations

Customers can opt to stay in a B&B or Youth Hostel.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

From Edinburgh, we depart in the morning and head west to pick up the Glasgow passengers. From there, we head north to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park area where we will stop for a quick comfort break to enjoy the beautiful scenery. *On tours where the coach has no pick ups from Glasgow, the route on Day 1 will travel via Stirling.

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Glencoe

Our tour continues north to dramatic Glencoe which you may recognise from James Bond’s Skyfall. We will stop here to take in the haunting scenery of the area and to learn about its fascinating history, as it was the location of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan. Be sure to bring your camera for fantastic photos of one of Scotland’s most poignant locations before we continue north to the loch-side town of Fort William.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Fort William

We arrive in Fort William, a picturesque loch-side town, for a lunch break.

50 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Commando Monument

After a scenic loch-side lunch break, we head to the Commando Memorial. Enjoy magnificent views of Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest mountain, as you learn about the meaning behind the memorial.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Fort Augustus

From there, our tour continues towards Loch Ness. First resting at Fort Augustus, a picturesque town at the foot of the loch that offers spectacular views. Be sure to keep an eye out for Nessie! There may also be a photo opportunity at the impressive ruins of Urquhart Castle should time permit.

45 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Inverness

We arrive in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. This is where we will check into our accommodation for the night and you will have free time to explore the city.

14 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 2

From Inverness to Edinburgh

Culloden Battlefield

After a hearty highland breakfast, our second day of touring will begin. We will head out of Inverness and head towards two of the most important historical sites in the north of Scotland. Our first stop of the day is Culloden Battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites were defeated by the Duke of Cumberland.

1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Not Included

Clava Cairns

We then journey towards Clava Cairns, a group of burial monuments that offer a glimpse into the life and rituals of Scots in the Bronze Age, over 4,000 years ago.

15 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Cairngorms National Park

Following a photo stop at Carrbridge, our tour will head into the spectacular Cairngorms National Park - the largest National Park in the United Kingdom. Enjoy a relaxing lunch stop on the shores of Loch Morlich. Be sure to keep an eye out for some of the wildlife that is known to inhabit the area.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Ruthven Barracks

After this, our next stop will be the old military garrison of Ruthven Barracks, built by General Wade and the British Government after the Jacobite Rising of 1715.

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Blair Athol Distillery

On our return journey to Edinburgh, there is the opportunity for a visit to Blair Athol Distillery. Here, there will be time for a tour and tasting, where you can sample some award-winning scotch whisky. Please note that due to availability, this may not always be possible. If we are unable to visit Blair Athol, we will instead have time to explore the historic Victorian town of Pitlochry.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Not Included

Forth Bridge

We then begin the final stretch of our journey back towards Edinburgh, crossing over the impressive Queensferry Crossing. This engineering giant spans the Firth of Forth, and joins the Forth Road Bridge and iconic Forth Rail Bridge, representing 3 centuries of Scottish engineering and innovation. After a short journey, we then arrive back in Edinburgh, where our 2-day Loch Ness, Inverness and the Highlands tour will come to an end.

Admission Not Applicable

Options

Tour with Single B&B

Our 2 day tour including accommodation in a single room at a Bed and Breakfast.

Double/Twin/Family B&B

Double / Twin / Family Room: Double (1 bed that sleeps 2), twin (2 single beds in one room) or family room accommodation at a bed & breakfast is included.

Tour Only

Your 2 day tour without accommodation. If choosing this option, you are required to make your own accommodation arrangements. Please ensure you reserve a room in central Inverness.

Reviews

4.67

163 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

142

Good experience
560ayanm,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Such a great experience! Mark was our driver/tour guide. He was hilarious and made the whole bus ride so much fun. I learned a lot thanks to him! Thank you, Mark, you had a tough crowd, but I was laughing at all your jokes
Shug’s bus is the best!
Dream52086695436,
Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We wanted to venture into the highlands from Edinburgh and originally thought of getting a rental car and driving. But not knowing all the places we should go, we decided to book this two day tour. It was a great decision because the tour really was well planned and very informative. I really want to thank our driver and guide, Shug. He filled two full days with amazing history and personal stories. We had a great time visiting historic sites, national forest trails, great cafe’s and shops, and… most important… highland cows!! I highly recommend this tour and if you are lucky you will end up on Shug’s bus!
We had a nice experience...
Ananya H,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00
We had a nice experience with Timberbush tours, our guide Lorna was very friendly and shared wonderful stories. Due to rain and early sunset a lot of the experiences were impacted, but we appreciated Lorna’s efforts to take us to alternate spots. The stop at Culloden Battlefield was unnecessarily long and there was nothing much to do there. Some of the information on Viator is outdated for example the drop off location.
Very professional and also very enticing !
caraterre,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
An incredibly immersive experience thanks to our guide Gillian who made the Scottish feel spark up in all of us. Us being a melting pot of novices usually spread out on no less than 4 continents. Actually quite a "murder on the orient express" feeling even though, I am happy report, nobody actually died and a general good humour prevailed throughout this outing !
Great tour of the Scottish Highlands!
736veenaa,
Nov 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour of the Scottish Highlands with Liall was outstanding. He knew so much about the history and culture of every place we visited and shared it in such an engaging way. Beyond being incredibly knowledgeable, he was kind, patient, and made everyone feel comfortable. Definitely would recommend!
Fantastic tour with amazing guide
sarahdR3512PL,
Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a fantastic tour. Our guide, Lorna, was excellent and fun and she shared so much information about Scotland with us that the two days went by in an instant. The stops on the tour were great - a good mix of quick stops and longer stops to explore. We would definitely book again to do another tour with Timberbush (and especially Lorna). The tour was very reasonably priced also. The only slightly negative is that the tour bus is a little cramped. It was ok for two days, however it would have been even better if the bus had one less row of seats and therefore a little more space.
Awesome trip
951hsuv,
Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I highly recommend Brian, he took a good care of us, was very humour and shared a lot of stories on the way. Thank you Brian, I genuinely had a great day!
Tall people take note!
N6918ODnancyr,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00
The tour guide Lorna was great. Beautiful scenery, 19 passenger tour bus was very clean. HOWEVER, there was absolutely NO legroom for anyone taller than 5’. I am 5’2” and was uncomfortable. My 6’3” husband and others were miserable. Their legs were out in the aisle which could have been a safety issue. We left the tour in Inverness and took the train back to Edinburgh. It (the train) was very comfortable! I would NOT recommend this tour due to the lack of leg room on the company’s chosen mode of transportation.
The worst trip ever!
monicaj192,
Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00
This had to be the worst excursion we have ever taken. There were 17 people crammed on a bus my husband spent the day (7hrs)sitting sideways with his feet in the isle because the seats were jammed together and there wasn’t enough room to sit safely. I would never recommend this trip! We left the trip at the halfway point and took a train back to our hotel. I felt sorry for the driver she did an excellent job but it couldn’t make up for the discomfort and the lack of being able to ride safely.
On the Highlands with Santa.
martinag192,
Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Just back from our two-day trip to Inverness and the Highlands with Timberbush Tours’ Paul Santa. Was a great trip and we saw so much! Can’t imagine doing this tour in only one day. Special thanks to our driver and guide Paul Santa (yes…white beard and all!) He went out of his way to ensure we were all taken care of and his special “ninja” stops allowed us to see some extra hidden gems and Highland cows we otherwise wouldn’t have seen.