Edinburgh · LOCH NESS & HIGHLANDS DAY TRIPS
110 reviewed
One long day decides how much of the Highlands you actually see. Ranked below are the best Loch Ness and Highlands day trips from Edinburgh: which leave early enough to beat the coaches to Glencoe, which put you out on the water at Loch Ness, what each seat costs, and which one to book for a first trip north.
A long, scenic Edinburgh day trip to Loch Ness and Glencoe with expert storytelling, optional Nessie cruise, and plenty of photo breaks.
“We were on the tour with Adam and it was amazing! He was funny and told a lot os stories and made the trip really enjoyable! I highly recommend it!!”
Edinburgh day trip to Loch Ness and Glencoe with Fort Augustus. Choose boat cruise, whisky distillery, or Urquhart Castle.
“Very nice day with a clement weather. The guide-driver Craig was really nice and had care of us. We saw really good panoramas and the price worth it, especially for all the km we had. Recommended!”
Guided day trip from Edinburgh to Glencoe and Fort William, plus Glenfinnan Viaduct for Harry Potter scenes and Highland history.
“Alistair was an amazing guide! He knew so much about the places we visited or drove through. We really liked his funny jokes and his recommendations were simply perfect! By great surprise, he even led us to some Highlander cows, which was a really nice addition to an already perfect day. Thank you so much, Alistair!”
One long day from Edinburgh to Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Pitlochry, with coach comfort, expert stories, and optional cruise add-ons.
“Horrible tour. Tour guide Meko or whatever it is his name talked the whole time and a lot of personal stuff. Super annoying”
Edinburgh to the Highlands in a 16-seat Mercedes: Glencoe, Loch Ness cruise with sonar, Cairngorms views, and Forth Rail Bridge on return.
“We have a wonderful tour with Shea who gave lots of history and local flavor mixed in. She made excellent recommendations.”
12-hour Highland drive from Edinburgh to Glencoe and Fort William, ending at Glenfinnan Viaduct for a seasonal Jacobite train crossing.
“Keith is an amazing guide and driver, who is also very funny and quite knowledgeable about the history of Scotland. I really enjoyed how he incorporated stories told to him by his grandfather into tour. He made the 12+ hour tour entertaining and fun, especially for someone like me who loves to learn about history. It was an amazing tour. History with an extra helping of Harry Potter, my favorite pastime, and Glenfinnan Viaduct along with the Jacobite Steam train. Amazing experience!!”
12-hour Highlands day trip from Edinburgh to Glen Coe and Loch Ness, with guided stops and an optional Nessie boat cruise.
“Our driver/guide, Greg, was sensational. Don't know how he was able to navigate and narrate at the same time. He was full of information and very personable. Keep in mind this tour is 12 hours. Great value!”
Edinburgh to Loch Ness in one day. Glencoe views, Ben Nevis panorama, optional Loch Ness cruise, photo stops included.
“We loved doing this tour. We saw SO many beautiful places in Scotland, and were amazed by the history & storytelling of our amazing tourguide, Anthony. Would recommend this tour to anyone who loves a good laugh, loves nature & history.”
A full-day Highlands trip from Edinburgh to **Glenfinnan Viaduct**, **Loch Shiel**, and **Glencoe**, with Harry Potter and James Bond sights.
“Me and my partner both thoroughly enjoyed our day trip around Scotland’s Highlands and surrounding areas. Our tour guide was Keith and he was amazing. Would HIGHLY recommend!! We got some banging pictures and had probs too much coffee along the way, haha!!! (As well as some whiskey ice-cream!) An added bonus was the fact the weather was lovely. The coach ride didn’t seem long at all, as we stopped multiple times along the way for snacks/toilet etc, plus the amazing commentary! Thank you!”
12-hour Scottish Highlands day trip from Edinburgh: Glen Coe, Ben Nevis area, Loch Ness cruise with underwater imaging, Fort Augustus, Cairngorms, Forth Bridges.
“This trip is a great way to explore the highlands and Loch Ness. It’s a long day but so worth it. There are lots of stops to get off the bus and explore. We did the boat trip on Loch Ness, which I would highly recommend. Our guide was brilliant - he drove us safely and commentated the whole journey so we knew all the sights and history. We thoroughly enjoyed it.”
A long-but-worth-it day trip from Edinburgh covering Loch Ness, Glencoe, Cairngorms, and Urquhart Castle views with a live guide.
“Couldn’t recommend any more!!! My mum and I were in Edinburgh for her 70th birthday. I booked this just before we came. I so incredibly happy we did. It was one of the best trips I have ever done!!! Don’t get me wrong we were so blessed with great weather. I get that but wow. Chris made it for us… great driver, so Informative, fantastic sense of humour too!! The views tho wow Brilliant value for money too….”
Edinburgh day tour to Loch Ness, Glencoe, Cairngorms and Hairy Coos, with Wallace stories and optional monster cruise and Urquhart Castle.
“We are a family of four, including a 11 years old. We had a nice and smooth day. Our guide, Alan, has been gentle and professional, full of interesting information about Scotland history. We have visited, either in person or just passing by by bus, all the sites we meant to visit having now an idea of where to come back to have a deeper look. Driving was safe, we enjoyed the landscape. We will definitely be happy to join another tour next time we visit Scotland.”
From Edinburgh, tour Glencoe, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Inverness and Skye in 3 days with live guides, film locations, and Scottish views.
“I really enjoyed this tour, especially the landscapes, the small villages, and the unspoiled nature. It gave me the opportunity to relax and take a break from the chaos of the usual cities. The timing was well planned, and Stephen was an excellent guide—knowledgeable, punctual, and with the true sense of humor that distinguishes real Scots! I took the tour with snow on the ground, and Stephen always drove in a safe and careful manner, even on rough and dark roads. I will definitely do the tour again to see the Highlands green rather than white. Highly recommended!”
See Edinburgh, Glencoe, Loch Ness, and the Highlands in one long guided day, with Scenic drives, free stop time, and optional Nessie add-ons.
“(Lord) Brian was an excellent tour guide. He told interesting stories and gave factual information along the way! His jokes were not too bad either ☺️. Even though the weather was quite bad and extremely windy, Brian drove us safely. We also made interesting stops with plenty of food and drink options. All in all, It made for an entertaining bus tour and was amazing to see the beautiful Scottish highlands and countryside. Highly recommended!! Sandra and Shayne (from South Africa)”
A packed day from Edinburgh to Glen Coe and Loch Ness with major photo stops, driver storytelling, and an optional Nessie cruise.
“Everything was perfect! The guide is very funny and knows the best places to take some pictures while telling some interesting facts during the ride. Would definitely recommend!”
