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    9 top things to do in the Scottish Highlands

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Loch Ness

Balmoral Castle

Glenfinnan Viaduct

Ben Nevis

Urquhart Castle

Glenfinnan

Isle of Mull

Cairngorms

The Glenlivet Distillery

Iona

Loch Linnhe

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Day trips

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Glencoe

Fort William

Stirling

Fort Augustus

Inverness

Kyle of Lochalsh

Portree

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John o' Groats

Dalwhinnie, Scotland

Nearby destinations

Leinster tours

Perth and Kinross tours

North West England tours

Connacht tours

County Galway tours

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park tours

Nearby sights

Royal MileAttraction in Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh CastleAttraction in Edinburgh, Scotland

Giant's CausewayAttraction in Bushmills, Northern Ireland

Dunluce Castle

Dublin CastleAttraction in Dublin, Ireland

Trinity College DublinAttraction in Dublin, Ireland

  • Top experiences
  • Interests

Bus & minivan tours

Whiskey tours

Distillery tours

Outlander tours

Hiking

Loch Ness Monster experiences

Harry Potter tours

Rail tours

Canoe & kayak tours

Bike tours

River rafting

Sightseeing

Nature & adventure

Extreme sports & adrenaline

Driving experiences

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9 top things to do in the Scottish Highlands

From Inverness: Loch Ness and the Highlands Day Trip

Top rated
4.750495 out of 5 stars
4.8
4.750495 out of 5 stars
505 reviews
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From Inverness: Loch Ness and the Highlands Day Trip
Top rated
4.750495 out of 5 stars
4.8
4.750495 out of 5 stars
505 reviews

Spend a day hunting for Nessie, cruising on Loch Ness, and exploring the village of Fort Augustus on this trip from Inverness. Visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle, Foyers falls, and Dores Beach.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 9 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

S
Susan – United Kingdom

Owen was a brilliant guide with his anecdotes keeping us entertained along the way. All the places we visited were wonderful and for me as this was my first visit to the Highlands it was the perfect introduction to the area around Inverness. Would highly recommend this tour

D
D – United Kingdom

Fabulous day trip experience. Do be aware you require cash for the Loch Ness Cruise trip, currently £21, everything else you can use card. The independent traders in Fort William would prefer cash too. So much to love about this trip! Marika our guide was truly amazing, she used her Highland witchcraft to great effect allowing us to dodge much of the liquid sunshine.

Select participants and date

Participants

Itinerary

  • Timeline stop icon

    Starting location:

    Railway Terrace

  • Bus/coach

    (45 minutes)

  • Timeline stop icon

    Urquhart Castle

    Visit

    Extra fee

  • Invermoriston

    Break time

  • Timeline stop icon

    Fort Augustus

    Lunch, Free time

    Loch Ness

    Boat cruise (1 hour)

    Optional, Extra fee

  • Timeline stop icon

    Falls of Foyers

    Coffee, Sightseeing

  • Dores

    Break time

  • Bus/coach

    (30 minutes)

  • Arrive back at:

    Railway Terrace

Main stop
Other stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Hunt for Nessie on beautiful Loch Ness
  • Explore the picturesque village of Fort Augustus
  • Admire the spectacular ruins of Urquhart Castle
  • Stop at the majestic Falls of Foyers - a 165ft waterfall loved by Robert Burns
  • Wander the sandy shoreline of Dores Beach on the banks of the loch

Full description

Try to catch a glimpse of the Loch Ness Monster on this day trip from Inverness. Board an airconditioned coach and travel to iconic Highlands locations like Fort Augustus, the Caledonian Canal, and Invermoriston.
Leave Inverness in the morning and follow the beautiful Caledonian Canal to its source at Loch Ness. The loch is home to the famous Loch Ness monster, affectionately known as Nessie.
You'll spend most of the morning at Loch Ness, allowing plenty of time to look for Nessie. Choose to take a 5-star cruise across the loch to Urquhart Castle. If you’d rather see the loch from the shore, then stay on board the bus and your driver will take you to Urquhart Castle.
Explore the ruins of the castle, enjoy the visitor center, and soak up the atmosphere of Scotland’s most famous Loch.

Your tour continues to Invermoriston, where you'll pause to take photos of the bridge and Columbus Well. Afterwards, journey to Fort Augustus, the furthermost point of your full-day Highlands tour.
Fort Augustus is a small town of only 650 people and a perfect spot to watch boats passing through the Caledonian Canal while you enjoy your lunch.

After lunch you'll begin the journey back to Inverness, stopping at the Falls of Foyers. The waterfall was a favorite retreat for poet Rabbie Burns, and is truly breathtaking.
Enjoy plenty of time here to appreciate the landscape before continuing on to Dores to see Dores Beach. Spend a short while wandering the sandy shoreline before boarding the bus for the final time and returning to Inverness.

Includes

  • Transportation in modern air-conditioned bus
  • Live commentary
  • Driver-guide
  • Digital written translations
  • Food and drinks
  • Entry to attractions
  • Restrooms on board

Not suitable for

  • Children under 4 years
  • Wheelchair users

Meeting point

Look out for the activity provider's coach or their sign on the lamp post.

Open in Google Maps

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

Not allowed

  • Pets (assistance dogs allowed)

Know before you go

  • Unfortunately, children under 4 years old are not permitted on this tour
  • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated, provided the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them when they board and disembark
  • Please note: the Loch Ness cruise will not be operating on the 20th and 24th December 2024. On those dates, we will stop at Fort Augustus for lunch where you will have the opportunity to view and enjoy Loch Ness.
Save up to 10%

From $88 $80 per person

Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today
Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 505 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.9/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Value for money
    4.6/5

Customer photos

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S
Susan – United KingdomJune 11, 2025 – Verified booking
Owen was a brilliant guide with his anecdotes keeping us entertained along the way. All the places we visited were wonderful and for me as this was my first visit to the Highlands it was the perfect introduction to the area around Inverness. Would highly recommend this tour
D
D – United KingdomJune 7, 2025 – Verified booking
Fabulous day trip experience. Do be aware you require cash for the Loch Ness Cruise trip, currently £21, everything else you can use card. The independent traders in Fort William would prefer cash too. So much to love about this trip! Marika our guide was truly amazing, she used her Highland witchcraft to great effect allowing us to dodge much of the liquid sunshine.
G
Giannina – United StatesMay 27, 2025 – Verified booking
Alex was a great driver and guide. We had a great time. Include in your tour the castle and ferry. You will an excellent experience.

Product ID: 190035

Activity provider:Timberbush Tours
  • United Kingdom
  • Scottish Highlands
  • Dores Beach

Top Attractions in Scottish Highlands

  • 1Jacobite Steam Train
  • 2Loch Ness
  • 3Glenfinnan Viaduct
  • 4Isle of Mull
  • 5Balmoral Castle
  • 6Stirling Castle
  • 7Urquhart Castle
  • 8Ben Nevis
  • 9Glenfinnan
  • 10Culloden Battlefield
  • 11Eilean Donan Castle
  • 12Cairngorms
  • 13Staffa
  • 14Iona
  • 15Caledonian Canal
  • 16Doune Castle
  • 17Loch Linnhe
  • 18Wallace Monument
  • 19The Glenlivet Distillery
  • 20Calanais Standing Stones

Experiences in Scottish Highlands

  • 1Scottish Highlands Day trips
  • 2Scottish Highlands Rail tours
  • 3Scottish Highlands Multi-day trips
  • 4Scottish Highlands Cruises & boat tours
  • 5Scottish Highlands Outlander tours
  • 6Scottish Highlands Hiking
  • 7Scottish Highlands Harry Potter tours
  • 8Scottish Highlands Private tours
  • 9Scottish Highlands Whiskey tours
  • 10Scottish Highlands Castle & palace tours
  • 11Scottish Highlands Safaris & wildlife activities
  • 12Scottish Highlands Canoe & kayak tours
  • 13Scottish Highlands Ghost & vampire tours
  • 14Scottish Highlands Bus & minivan tours
  • 15Scottish Highlands Distillery tours
  • 16Scottish Highlands Family-friendly activities
  • 17Scottish Highlands Walking tours
  • 18Scottish Highlands Wheelchair accessible
  • 19Scottish Highlands Good for groups
  • 20Scottish Highlands River rafting

Tours in Scotland

  • 1Edinburgh Tours
  • 2Glasgow Tours
  • 3Inverness Tours
  • 4Aberdeen Tours
  • 5Fort William Tours
  • 6St Andrews Tours
  • 7Stirling Tours
  • 8Glencoe Tours
  • 9Oban Tours
  • 10Portree Tours
  • 11Pitlochry Tours
  • 12Queensferry Tours
  • 13Fort Augustus Tours
  • 14Balloch Tours
  • 15Inchcolm Tours
  • 16John o' Groats Tours
  • 17Kyle of Lochalsh Tours
  • 18Aberfeldy Tours
  • 19Craigellachie, Scotland Tours
  • 20Dalwhinnie, Scotland Tours

Things to do in Scotland

  • 1Things to do in Edinburgh
  • 2Things to do in Glasgow
  • 3Things to do in Inverness
  • 4Things to do in Aberdeen
  • 5Things to do in Fort William
  • 6Things to do in Invergordon
  • 7Things to do in St Andrews
  • 8Things to do in Stirling
  • 9Things to do in Glencoe
  • 10Things to do in Oban
  • 11Things to do in Portree
  • 12Things to do in Pitlochry
  • 13Things to do in Perth, Scotland
  • 14Things to do in Queensferry
  • 15Things to do in Fort Augustus
  • 16Things to do in Falkirk
  • 17Things to do in Balloch
  • 18Things to do in Ullapool
  • 19Things to do in Falkland
  • 20Things to do in Mallaig

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  • United Kingdom
  • Scottish Highlands
  • Dores Beach
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