Loch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands
1 day tour
Myths, monsters, and mountains: this tour is the best way to see Scotland in a day.
Tour map
Highlights
Places you explore
Rannoch Moor - Admire unforgettable views at this epic expanse of untouched wilderness.
Glencoe - Be moved by the sheer beauty and tragic tales of one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
Great Glen - A humongous fault line through the Scottish Highlands; it’s a location that’s as historically important as it is beautiful.
Fort Augustus - This wee town of 650 inhabitants is a great spot to watch boats traversing the Caledonian Canal.
Loch Ness - Take a chance to go on an optional boat cruise or wander around this alluring and eerie loch.
Grampian Mountains - Enjoy classic views of one of Scotland’s most mesmerising mountain ranges.
Highland Perthshire - Travel through pine-clad slopes and take in views of fast-flowing rivers.
Your journey
Journey deep into the Highlands of Scotland on our monster-sized day tour. You hear the legendary stories of the Jacobites, gaze into gorgeous Glencoe, and get a chance to spot the mythical Loch Ness Monster.
It’s a tour packed with bewildering beauty and perfect if you’re short on time and want to see as much of Scotland as you can.
Tour Details
Students, seniors over 60, and children between 5 and 15 (unfortunately, we don't carry children under 5 years old)
- Pack your waterproof clothing and walking shoes
- Loch Ness cruise may not be available at busy times.
- Transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach
- Air conditioning as standard
- The stories and services of an English-speaking driver guide
- Entry fees to visitor attractions
Itinerary
You leave the cobbled
streets of Edinburgh and travel past Linlithgow Palace and Stirling Castle.
This region is soaked
in history, so sit back and relax as your driver-guide entertains you with the tales
of Mary Queen of Scots, William Wallace, and Scottish folklore.
If you keep a look out,
you can catch a glimpse of the Kelpies. These 30-metre tall horse head sculptures
need to be seen to be believed.
Your first stop is in
the town of Callander on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
You can grab coffee here and peruse the yummy local delicacies on offer.
After this stop, it’s
time to get your camera ready. Because as you travel north into the Highlands,
the landscapes suddenly become more provocative.
Shimmering lochs,
rugged mountains, forest filled glens: it’s all so beautiful that it’s easy to
forget these were once battlegrounds for fiercely territorial Highland clans.
You stop in Glencoe,
one of the most famous natural landmarks in all of Scotland. This beautiful area
boasts steep slopes and photogenic peaks. Your driver-guide may reveal to you
the tragic tale that’s haunted this valley for over 300 years.
You then enter the
glacial valley known as the Great Glen and pass under the shadow of Ben Nevis, Britain’s
tallest mountain.
After this visual
feast of mighty inclines, you arrive in Fort Augustus on the banks of Loch Ness.
At 23 miles long and over 700ft deep, Loch Ness is the largest loch by volume
in Scotland.
You have around one
hour and a half here. You can search for the infamous monster on a relaxing
boat cruise, wander around the shores of the loch at your own pace, and grab a
bite to eat.
Your journey south is
packed full of classic Highland scenery. You travel through the curvy Cairngorms National Park, along Loch Laggan, and past Blair Castle.
Amongst the tall trees
of Perthshire, you have a final refreshment break before journeying alongside the UNESCO Forth Rail Bridge and back into Edinburgh.
Customer Reviews
SEAN IS AMAZING
Danielle Posted on 22/09/2020We had our day tour today (22/09/20) with Sean as our tourguide.He was AMAZING.He shared an amazing historical background packed with Scottish music.10/10 wpuld recommend him to all who wants to do this tour!128522
Best Tour Guide goes to SEAN
Karrie Abriam Posted on 22/09/2020We really love our tour. Sean is very dependable, efficient and superb. He really knows what hes doing. Hes very knowledgeable on every aspect of the tour. I am so happy that our Tour Guide is Sean. I recommend Sean.
Review
Sajjad ahmed Posted on 28/01/2020Just wanted to say a big thank you to the company and especially our driver, Ewan. Me and my wife are up from London and booked this day out to see exactly what Scotland has to offer. We were not disappointed in the slightest. Driver/ tour guide was efficient, knowledgeable, and easy going. He made the trip a real pleasure and we always felt safe whilst on the move. As for what we saw...I dont think words can do it justice really.. Completely blown away by the beauty and majesty of the Highlands. Highly recommended and will probably be doing this again in warmer weather. Once again many thanks!!!
A poem based on the stories by Mark, the terrific driver guide
Jan Eriksson Posted on 20/10/2019Scotland, oh Scotland honour your men who fight for your freedom on hillside and glen Scotland, oh Scotland your people stand fast Pride is your first name and Courage your last Scotland, oh Scotland your head in the mist your heart in the highlands with the sword in your fist Scotland , oh Scotland of whisky and blood you died in Culloden but rise from the mud Scotland, oh Scotland will always live on your king will come back like the prodigal son Scotland, oh Scotland you strive to stand tall now gather th clans and the pipers will call Jan Roland eriksson, oct 2019
Great Day With erictheviking
Evette Jones Posted on 27/08/2019Fantastic tour with exceptional stories and personalized audio related enhancements. Starting the tour off with AC/DC Tock Roll. Tour includes local history with great antidotes.
Scotland is beautiful. Scotland is stunning. Scotland should be seen, and photographed and enjoyed. Sadly, we did not get this experience. We had a 12 hour tour from Edinburgh to Loch Ness back to Edinburgh. It was billed as plenty of opportunity to stop and photograph. Due to road works and rushing to get some passengers to the boat cruise in Loch Ness we were told Sadly we will not be able to stop and do pictures because we are short on time. This was gut wrenching. We spent alot of time, effort, and $ to come to Scotland to enjoy a professional tour but we raced passed sites and barely got a glimpse from a moving vehicle. The few stops we DID make were spent unloading the van of 16 people (taking about 5 minutes) and then a quick 5 minutes to jocky for position to snap a photo or two. VERY DISAPPOINTING. I have written for a refund for this very long 12 hr day. Our tour guide however was very nice and knowledgeable with great Scot humor. Sadly very little photo opportunities.
Highlands
Lars Rebers Posted on 18/08/2019A trip to the beauty of the grand Lochs and the magnificent Highlands
An Astonishing, Moving Tour
Samantha Donaldson Posted on 07/08/2019Scotland. is. Incredible. And thanks to Rabbies tours and our absolutely fantastic guide, Mac, I considered it one of earths great jewels. Trying to figure out a reason to move here! I first heard about Rabbies from a fantastic Instagram account called Tartan Viking (run by one of your grand guides, Eric). We were in Edinburgh for a limited time and he suggested that the day tour of Loch Ness and the Highlands was a fantastic way to see the country. He was so right. Driving into the Highlands, with a soundtrack of Macs stories and musical selections, I must say, I was moved to tears at several points. Rabbies came highly recommended, and now I know absolutely why. I left with a richer life experience, and a soul-shaking appreciation for this wondrous landscape. Ill be back - next time, to the Isle of Sky! Best, your Canadian cousin, Samantha Mehra-Donaldson
Visiting Loch Ness and the adventure to get there. Best part of my trip, five stars.
Truman Hatfield Posted on 26/06/2019Ok, to begin, almost everything that was out of our control that could have gone wrong, did. Bad weather, bus problems, but somehow our tour guide Dave Fletcher took us on one of the most amazing adventures ever. He was one of the best storytellers Ive ever met, filling the long ride with crazy tales and bits of history. On top of that, he knew so many little spots and things that most tourists will never see. Dave even went to the length of lending my brother his jacket when we went on a boat on the loch and it was pouring rain. The small things count. It ended up being the best 12 hours of my trip. Take a look at some of the photos I took whilst on this memorable day trip.
MAGICAL DAY OUT
MoniqueM Posted on 28/05/2019Stories of folklore and legend kept us entertained as we were driven up and over the breath-taking Highlands. Our guide, Dave F, had us smiling as he regaled us with tales we know are utterly true, and if we didnt believe in the Loch Ness Monster before the trip, Dave has cured us of such cynicism. The magic of the Highlands worked on these two Aussies, for sure. The landscape is incredible, stunning, and it was a treat to watch it change over the day. Daves commentary was not only funny, but also informative and he helped fill in the gaps of our very basic Scottish history. The whole Rabbies experience was a pleasure and well be highly recommending the company to visitors to your beautiful country. Thank you so much Rabbies and especially, thank you Dave.
FAQs
Do you offer hotel pickups in the departure cities?
The UK and Ireland's historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What's more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
Is there parking close to the departure point?
We don't recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
When should I get to the departure point?
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can't wait for you if you're late.
What happens if I'm late or miss the tour?
If you're late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies.
What are your cancellation policies?
We have a cancellation period of three days for our one day tours, and 21 days for longer tours. If cancelled outside this period, we'll give you a full refund minus a 10% admin charge. If you cancel inside this period, refunds are at our discretion. Click here to view full terms and conditions.
What is a guaranteed departure?
It's simple: you book, you go. This means we'll never cancel your tour because of a minimum numbers policy.
Can I pre-book a specific seat?
Due to logistical reasons, we're unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you'll always get a good view.
Are there toilets on the bus?
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you'll have regular comfort breaks.
How do you cater for people with accessibility needs?
We aim to accommodate everyone. To read more information on how we do this, click here to go to our accessibility guide.
Do you take children on your tours?
We regret we don't carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
How much time do I get off the bus?
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
Why do you exclude visitor attractions?
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
Do we need to bring our own lunch?
You don't need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Should I tip the driver-guide?
Let's be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it's up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
What about travel insurance?
We advise you take out travel insurance.
What is ABTOT?
You're protected by ABTOT when you chose to let us reserve your accommodation on a multi-day tour. This means you can claim back anything you've paid us if we become bankrupt. Read our terms and conditions for more information.
I have more questions, who can help me?
If you have any more questions, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, email tours@rabbies.com , or check out our full FAQs .
4 reasons to choose Rabbie's
Travel the local way on small group tours of 16 people or fewer
You'll have a guaranteed experience, or your money back
Guaranteed departures: you book, you go
Our eco-friendly tours support local communities
Looking for inspiration?
Subscribe to our emails for tips and updates about our friendly tours across the UK & Europe.