What to do · Edinburgh
Day trip to Loch Ness, Glencoe and the Highlands from Edinburgh
Information
- From
- £56 adult
- Duration
- 12 h 15
- Season
- All year, daily departures
- Who it's for
- From age 5 with Rabbie's and from 4 with Timberbush; it's a long day, mostly on the road
Loch Ness lies in the Great Glen, the huge fault that cuts across the Highlands, far from Edinburgh. Going there and back in a day adds up to about 360 miles, almost 580 km, so the practical option is an organised tour: you don't drive on the left and along the way you see Rannoch Moor and Glencoe, one of Scotland's best-known landscapes. In exchange, you spend most of the day sitting down. It's a way to see a lot in little time, not to set foot in the Highlands.
The route: from the Forth to the Great Glen
Both companies follow a similar route. They head north-west, pass by Stirling Castle and enter the Highlands through the Trossachs, with a coffee stop. They cross Rannoch Moor, a vast unpopulated expanse, and stop at Glencoe for photos. Then they continue beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, and enter the Great Glen as far as Loch Ness.
The return takes another way: the Cairngorms National Park and the forests of Perthshire, with a final stop, arriving back in Edinburgh after dark in winter.
Rabbie's or Timberbush: small group or coach
Rabbie's travels in a minibus with a maximum of 16 seats. It picks up at 7:45 at gates J and K of Edinburgh Bus Station, on St Andrew Square, and returns around 20:00. At the loch it stops in Fort Augustus, a village built around a set of locks, with time for lunch and for a 50-minute round cruise paid separately. It costs from £56 per adult, with a 15% discount already applied on departures from November to February. Children are accepted from age 5.
Timberbush Tours travels by coach, with groups of 15 to 53 people. It leaves at 8:00 from Castle Terrace, opposite the NCP car park, at the foot of the castle, and returns around 20:30: 12 and a half hours and about 360 miles. Lunch is in the Fort William area and at the loch it stops next to Urquhart Castle, with two optional packages: boat, or boat and castle entry. The last stop is Pitlochry. It also costs from £56 and accepts children from age 4.
Timberbush runs it in English and sends a link to a digital Spanish translation with the booking; Rabbie's doesn't advertise guides in other languages. Lunch isn't included on either.
Tips
- Arrive at the departure point with time to spare Rabbie's asks you to arrive 15 minutes early and doesn't wait. Timberbush opens check-in 30 minutes before and closes it 5 minutes before departure.
- Bring cold food Timberbush recommends bringing something to eat to save time at the stops; hot food isn't allowed on the bus.
- Book the boat with the tour If you want to sail on the loch, add it when booking. Timberbush warns that package places are limited and can sell out.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Loch Ness tour leave and return?
With Rabbie's, at 7:45 from the St Andrew Square bus station, returning around 20:00. With Timberbush, at 8:00 from Castle Terrace, returning around 20:30.
How much does it cost?
From £56 per adult with both companies. The boat on the loch and lunch are paid separately.
Can children go?
Rabbie's accepts children from age 5 and Timberbush from 4, at a reduced rate. Bear in mind it's twelve hours, mostly on the road.
Do you really see Loch Ness or only in passing?
There's a long stop on the shore, with time for lunch and the option of a boat: at Fort Augustus with Rabbie's and next to Urquhart Castle with Timberbush.
Are there tours in Spanish?
Not with a Spanish-speaking guide. Timberbush, which runs it in English, offers a digital translation in Spanish.
With teenagersWith friends
Who runs it
- Rabbie'sLoch Ness, Glencoe & the Highlands: day trip in a 16-seat minibus Visit their website
- Timberbush ToursLoch Ness, Glencoe & The Highlands: day trip by coach Visit their website
