Get ready to explore the Scottish Highlands on a full-day tour. This tour will take you to many of the most dramatic and breath-taking places in Scotland, beginning in the beautiful old city of Edinburgh and traveling northwest through this mountainous, historic region.

Pass the imposing Stirling Castle, the site where many Scottish kings and queens were crowned, including the famous Mary, Queen of Scots. Your first stop will be at Kilmahog, where we stop for some light refreshments, and the chance to see some Highland cattle up close. Continue on through the ancient ground of Rob Roy where the Clan Macgregor and Clan Campbell fought hundreds of years ago and over the desolate, though wildlife-filled, landscape of the boggy Rannoch Moor and the Black Mount mountains that lie along the moor. You will then stop at the breath-taking Glen Coe, one of the most beautiful sites in all of Scotland. This green, rolling glen is also called the “Glen of Weeping” and was the site of the 1692 massacre of the Clan MacDonald.

Continue on and pass the blue waters of Loch Linnhe, stopping in the Fort William area for a delicious lunch and then moving on to the Great Glen, a series of glens and waters. You will pass beneath British Isle’s highest mountain at 4,409 feet (1,344 meters), Ben Nevis. Travel on to admire the Caledonian Canal at Inverness and the lovely village of Fort Augustus, enjoying spectacular views of Loch Ness as you drive along the shoreline to Urquhart Castle.

Loch Ness is probably Scotland’s most famous landmark. This freshwater loch is incredibly deep and well known for the supposed sightings of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster. Surrounded by rolling hills, this is a natural wonder. You will spend approximately 2 hours at Loch Ness, where you have the opportunity to take a wonderful Jacobite 5 star Loch Cruise, if you so choose. You can also explore the ruins of Urquhart Castle. The ruins of this ancient stronghold sit beside the loch and a modern visitor center.

Begin your return, crossing the Grampian Mountains and the varied, wooded scenery of Perthshire including the lovely Forest of Atholl. In the evening, you will stop at the Victorian town of Pitlochry and have the chance to admire the many remaining stone Victorian buildings. Your tour will end back in Edinburgh.

If you are looking for a day-tour that includes a detailed overview of the Scottish Highlands, then this is your ticket.