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

Day One

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.

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.

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.

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, before we arrive in Inverness. Here, we will check into our accommodation for the night.

Day Two

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

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.

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.

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.

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.