Edinburgh: Loch Ness, Inverness & The Highlands - 2 Day Tour
Overview
Available languages
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
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.
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.
Fort William
We arrive in Fort William, a picturesque loch-side town, for a lunch break.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Options
Tour with Single B&B
Our 2 day tour including accommodation in a single room at a Bed and Breakfast.
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.
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.
Reviews
158 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great tour!
Diana S,
Sep 21, 2025
- Viator
5.00Had a great time. Visited all the spots I wanted and got a couple of extras I didn’t know about. Driver/guide was funny. Bus was quite comfortable. Weather held (which I know tour company has no control over but it helps a lot w a pleasant tour).
Highlands Were Wonderful
Kathy L,
Sep 17, 2025
- Viator
5.00Our driver/host took us to see many historical sites and knew a lot of the history. He made a lot of stops which we appreciated. You can’t go wrong on this 2 day tour.
Mixed Feelings
Paramvir S,
Sep 8, 2025
- Viator
4.00Although I enjoyed the experience because the Scottish Highlands are beautiful and the tour was comfortable with a small number of people, there were things that were really disappointing and misleading. I really thought we would have the opportunity to see the bridge where the Jacobite train crosses over but I was disappointed that this was not a part of the itinerary but for some reason I thought it was! Anyhow, the start to our trip was so confusing because we received an email telling us to be at the meeting point for a 9:00 am departure. This was ABSOLUTELY wrong and we would have missed the bus because as I knew from my communication with the operator, departure was at 8:30 am. Since we did not want to take any chances, we ignored the latest email and stuck to the original time. Another disappointment was reaching Inverness close to 7:00 pm. The town shuts down at 7:00 pm so there was nothing to do or see. Even getting food was a problem. I think the overnight stop should have been at Fort Augustus. It's a much prettier town and we got there by 4:30-5:00 pm. The rest of the trip could have continued from the next morning. Another BIG disappointment was the Blair Athol Distillery. There was no arrangement by the tour operator for our visit so when we got there, they told us that they were full for both the 4:30 & 5:30 tours since we did not have a booking. The operator should not put it on the itinerary if they have no intentions of letting us visit. Was quite a let down. Another thing I was told via email was that drop off was possible at Waverley all we had to do was ask our guide. Well, he outright refused and dropped us off at Charlotte square (which was not even mentioned anywhere!) in the rain. Despite all of this, I don't want to just dwell on the disappointments. The experience was still enjoyable. We had a very knowledgeable guide who showed us many sights that were amazing and we would never have got to see them if we hadn't taken the tour. I suppose the organizers could improve the experience if they tweaked it a little bit.
Amazing Tour
Jason M,
Aug 30, 2025
- Viator
5.00Unbelievable trip through the Scottish Highlands and definitely worth your time. Martin was an amazing guide: incredibly knowledgeable and funny while sharing the stories and significance of all the sites we visited. This tour will be the highlight of our two week trip around the U.K.
Amazing trip!
Tearvyn S,
Aug 12, 2025
- Viator
5.00Our tour was absolute spectacular. The views were amazing and many many photo stops. Our guide Adam was amazing with everything. Very informative and will to give more time and stops when needed. Adam had no problems with helping get the walker or making sure that we had alternative routes to see/take pictures through the journey . The price of the tour is well worth trying to get a car drive and find hotels on the way. The only thing was if you have a person who needs accommodations (wheelchair,walker or limations) I would make sure that everyone is absolutely aware of this as we ran into an issue with the hotels. Our guide was very helpful trying to get another room that didn’t have 10000 steps up. We had an other timberbush driver that ended up moving rooms for us which was very apperceive. This is the only part of the time that caused some stress and unwanted hassle. Everything else was very very good. We even got to enjoy the highland coos!!!
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