Loch Ness & The Highlands from Inverness: One Day Nessie-Hunting and Loch Exploration tour
4.8
184 Ratings
Highland Council

Embark on a one-day adventure hunting for Nessie, cruising the enigmatic Loch Ness, discovering the town of Fort Augustus, touring the lakeside ruins of Urquhart Castle, appreciating the Falls of Foyers, and strolling by Dores Beach from Inverness!

Duration: 8 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Dochgarroch Locks, Caledonian Canal - Your one day Loch Ness tour from Inverness departs at 08:45 and follows the beautiful Caledonian Canal to the source at Loch Ness. 24 miles long and over 700 feet deep, the loch is the largest by volume in the British Isles and is most famous for its sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as “Nessie”. We spend most of the morning at Loch Ness, allowing you plenty of time to go Nessie-hunting! Our first stop is Dochgarroch, about 7 miles from Inverness, here you will have the option of taking a 5 Loch Ness boat trip with Jacobite Cruises who have provided Loch Ness cruises for over 40 years.
  • Urquhart Castle - We will then visit the 13th century ruins of Urquhart Castle where you will have plenty of time here to explore the ruin, enjoy the visitor centre, and take in the views and atmosphere of Scotland’s most famous loch.
  • Invermoriston Falls - Our Loch Ness tour then continues to Invermoriston, where we will pause to take photos of the bridge and St Columba’s Well – a well that was believed to have poisonous water until it was blessed by St Columba in AD 565, banishing the evil spirits that haunted it. That same year he supposedly had the first documented encounter with the Loch Ness Monster.
  • Fort Augustus Abbey - Afterwards, we journey through to Fort Augustus, the furthermost point of your Loch Ness tour. Fort Augustus is a small town with a population of only 650 people and is a perfect spot to relax and watch boats passing through the Caledonian Canal while you enjoy your lunch!
  • The Falls of Foyers - After lunch, our Loch Ness tour will begin its journey back to Inverness, stopping at the Falls of Foyers. The majestic 165ft waterfall was a favourite retreat for poet Rabbie Burns, and is truly breath-taking. Enjoy plenty of time here to soak up the atmosphere
What's Included
  • Driver/guide
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Attraction Tickets
  • On-board restrooms
  • On-board WiFi
Additional Information
  • Minimum age is 4 years old.
  • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
  • The castle & cruise currently need to be pre-booked, details will be provided on the ticket.
  • 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.
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
  • Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
  • Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour’s departure time.
Location
Railway Terrace
Railway Terrace, Inverness, IV1 1NW. Look out for our coach or our sign on the lamp post.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(184 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Zerosofadown
Jun 11, 2024
Awesome trip - Really nice trip, Loch Ness and the surrounding area is a fantastic place to visit. Our guide was Tonks, a wonderfull guide, we had lots of fun with her.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sybella_b
May 29, 2024
Magnificent scenery - The magnificent scenary and the knowledge of the guide Alex. A nice balance between activities, commentary and independent sightseeing
Review provided by Viator
Marie-l7570
May 26, 2024
A waouw trip !! - Breathtaking landscapes !! A trip with a great guide Brian who passionately shared the history of Scotland. We didn't see the time of the bus ride pass thanks to his funny anecdotes and his music. We visited the Urquart Castle, cruised on the Loch Ness, stopped to see Glencoe, Fort William and the Hairy Coo … With the sun, Just a perfect Day 🤩
Review provided by Tripadvisor
362barakm
May 24, 2024
Experiencing Highlander Hospitality - What an incredible trip! The history of Scotland, while plagued by military loss, was enchanting to hear about. The natural scenery of abundant trees, magnificent mountains, and ever flowing lochs took my breath away. Not to mention, the “highlander hospitality” is very real, possibly even understated. From the locals in Fort William, to the folks over at Pitlochry, we could just feel the warmth and the authentic Scottish culture overflow. But the very cherry on top of this wonderful adventure was our tour guide Euan. His storytelling ability is second to none, fully immersing us in the Scottish culture and answering each and every question we had (and there was many). Euan made me and my mother feel very safe, and he was incredibly accommodating as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_c
May 20, 2024
Loch lomand and Trodsachs National Park - Everything that we expected Our driver/tour guide Noah was fantastic The stirling Castle is a must see
Review provided by Viator
Friedemann_k
May 19, 2024
Best Tour ever - Excellent tour to see everything: Loch Ness, Castles, Villages, Highlands, Boatride, waterfalls etc! Very friendly tour guide and modern Bus
Review provided by Viator
Minnielang
May 12, 2024
Unbelievable 2 day Tour! - This was a 2 day tour to the Highlands, Loch Ness and overnight in Inverness. Our driver was Lorna. She was absolutely amazing! She told us all about the entire history of Scotland with dates over 3000 years ago. She was so flexible with times and she kept us on time as well. Lorna is such a sweet guide and a very good driver as well. Take this tour with her if you can. It was truly amazing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Balaji_v
May 10, 2024
Amazing experience! - Will, the tour guide was very knowledgeable. I also appreciated the way he took ownership of the customers who had pre booked tickets for the castle visit and the Loch Ness cruise. There was a confusion at the venue but Will sorted it out. Overall very good experience.
Review provided by Viator
Mary_s
May 18, 2024
Fun but long day - We were happy we pre booked the castle and boat tour which are not included in the price but definitely worth it. Our guide Michael was informative and helpful making sure we got onto those extras easily. Sadly the cleaning crew didn’t clean the massive bird poops from the windows so the views were obstructed and trash was left on the van. There are several stops for snacks and toilets and you drive all around the entire loch. It was a warm day and the van’s AC was slow to work but we did enjoy the experience and our Michael’s info and courteous help.
Review provided by Viator
Lynda_c
May 12, 2024
Nothing to add - Didn’t end up going on the tour. The description online listed it as a six hour tour, but in fact, it is an 8+ hour tour so we decided in the end not to go. Recommend the description be Changed to be congruent in all places where the description is listed
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 10 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today