Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Pitlochry Tour

based on 4781 reviews

Duration:12 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

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CHILD (Age : 7 to 17)

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PLEASE NOTE WE CANNOT ALLOW ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 7 ON TOUR.

When exploring Scotland on your 1 Day Loch Ness, Glencoe and Scottish Highlands Tour, you will get to experience the very best of Scotland in a jam packed adventure. This tour is perfect for those who might have limited time and want to get the most for their money. With breathtaking scenery and landscapes of unspoilt nature you’ll travel the Scottish highlands, getting away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Experience Scottish culture through the folklore of Scotland’s myths and legends, historical sites and learn about the history of our wonderful country. Make a visit to the iconic and cherished Highland Cows (seasonal availability). Every twist and turn of the winding Scottish road has a new photo opportunity, a new story to be told and a new experience to be had.

Please note, to meet demand and to prevent overcrowding in smaller Scottish towns, this tour may be provided in reverse in our peak season.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Callander
After departing Edinburgh you’ll head north through the central belt of the country. Your guide will entertain by laying the foundations of many a story about Scotland’s past heroes like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce who made this area of Scotland their own. You will spot royal palaces, giant mythical Kelpies and the ancient stronghold of Stirling Castle before we arrive at our first stop of the day in the town of Callander. Known as “The Gateway to the Highlands” Callander is situated on the boundary of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Here you will be able to explore the town’s abundance of authentic gift shops, delicatessen’s and bakeries. An ideal place to stretch your legs and refresh before you rejoin the bus to enter the highlands properly.
2. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
As we enter The ‘Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park’ our bus weaves through hills, mountains and Glens. These remote places were once inhabited by Highland Clans, not to mention Scotland’s most famous outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor, whom some consider The Scottish Robin Hood. Look out across the landscape and picture what it was like as you hear the remarkable bloodthirsty stories of betrayal and revenge as told by your guide. If we happen to spot some of our famous ‘Hairy Highland Coos’, we might stop for a selfie.
3. Glencoe
Glencoe was also the scene of one of Scotland’s most shocking massacres. Stop at the Picturesque town of Callander "Gateway to the Highlands" and the Hairy Coos. As you gaze at the haunting hills, you notice the Glen is eerily silent. In the 17th century one of the worst acts of betrayal occurred here. Your guide will recount the details of this betrayal for you. You can almost feel the sorrow in the mountains of the ‘weeping valley’. Above all though, Glencoe is one of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes. A highlight of any tour to the Scottish Highlands!
4. Fort William
The tour then takes you through Fort William and past the spectacular Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the British Isles. The Nevis Range towers over the winding road as you continue your journey to Loch Ness.
5. Fort Augustus
Desperate for a glimpse of ‘Nessie’? Fort Augustus, a charming, postcard-perfect, Highland village on the Southern shores of the Loch. From here you will have the opportunity to take a fantastic 1-hour cruise on the loch with our friends at Cruise Loch Ness. The local crew on board share their experiences of Nessie, as you search for yourself. All with the aid of a state of the art Sonar equipment helping you scan the near 900 foot depths of the loch below. Tickets are Adults £16.50, Children £10.00 and are purchasable on the day with cash. For those who do not wish to take the optional boat cruise, you will have time to explore the village and its beautiful Caledonian Canal lock system, built by the famous engineer Thomas Telford in the 19th century, that descends through the heart of the village into Loch Ness. Walk further along the canal and into the surrounding countryside to enjoy mountainous views and sights of farm animals and possibly red deer.
6. Commando Monument
Along the route, we’ll stop at the Commando Memorial. In 1942, this setting became the training ground for Britain’s Special Forces. Harsh, unforgiving, and breathtakingly beautiful. A statue of our heroes overlooks the Nevis range. Bring a camera – this is undoubtedly one of our favourite photo-stops in all of Scotland. Here, weather permitting, you could also spot Ben Nevis. The tallest mountain in The United Kingdom.
7. Cairngorms National Park
Heading south we travel through the Cairngorm National Park where Red squirrels, roe deer, red deer, soaring buzzards, pine martens, golden eagles and osprey can be found. Our final stop of the day is Pitlochry
8. Pitlochry
Pitlochry is situated in the heart of the stunning scenery of Highland Perthshire. The town sits below Beinn Bhracaigh (Ben Vrackie), the speckled mountain and beside the River Tummel, in some of the most magnificent scenery in Scotland. With a backdrop of surrounding hills and beautiful woodlands, it is wonderful walking country.
9. Forth Bridge
As we re-enter Edinburgh from the North, you will be met with views of Scotland’s greatest piece of engineering, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Forth Bridge. This 19th century engineering marvel was at one point the World’s longest cantilever bridge. Today it neighbours the 20th century Forth Road Bridge and the 21st century Queensferry Crossing which opened in 2017. Three spectacular bridges, from three different centuries, span the Firth of Forth connecting our Capital city and the Kingdom of Fife.

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Posted By : d t
We loved our tour of the Scottish Highlands.Jamie was an excellent guide AND driver. He was funny and insightful. The only thing I wish is that a credit card could have been used to purchase the Loch Ness boat tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-01 11:49:46

Posted By : Mariabubalo
The experience was absolutely terrible. Extremely rude personnel (they even touched personnal belongings when you leave them inside the couch), we were not allowed to come back to the couch to pick up any personal belongings when we stopped at the unnecessary several points of the excursion - which it was supposed to take 12 hours and took more then 15. The AC was not working and we were sweating for 13 hours in the middle of summer (June 2024). A day to forget.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-01 07:00:07

Posted By : Corey_G
David was amazing! He was thoughtful, thorough, funny, and made sure everyone on the tour felt welcomed! We ran into a hiccup on the tour (a wreck from two other vehicles that prevented our tour bus from moving for almost three hours), and he handled it masterfully, making sure we still got to see everything!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-01 06:06:51

Posted By : AnneK
Colin and Fraser took great care of us. Good choice of music and informative stories. Really appreciated their thoughtful choices and tips when we made comfort stops. Perfect day.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-01 04:08:46

Posted By : 9edwardk
A wonderful way to get an overview of the Highlands and to learn a bit about the geography, history, snd culture. David was a warm, charming guide who was devoted to keeping us entertained, safe, and on schedule. Thanks for a wonderful day!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-01 04:08:43

Posted By : Richa S
This was an amazing trip thanks to our fantastic driver and guide Alister. Alister is an amazing storyteller and ensured we enjoyed the drive through some of the most scenic places in the highlands. He also ensured we made every stop in good time. Would highly recommend The Hairy Coo for your trip to the highlands. One of the best we have been on.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 19:42:54

Posted By : CarolineLau
Loved the hairry coo tour. Jamie was the best. Great commentary. 12 total hours. The weather held up and we enjoyed every moment.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 15:48:46

Posted By : Russell_W
Our driver and tour guide, David, was so knowledgeable and tons of fun! I recommend Viator and David from the Hairy Coo tour. Edinburgh to LochNess and back, with plenty of stops along the way.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 15:34:21

Posted By : L9547KLnr
David was our driver. He was amazing given us full information about places so kind and friendly highly recommended.we enjoyed our trip every penny we spent on trip worth to spent. Thx David x
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 15:30:16

Posted By : Joan_B
We didn't enjoy the trip because of our tour guide Michael. He spent way too many hours speaking about whiskey, then on top of that he played songs all about whiskey. We weren't on a whiskey tour, so weren't interested. He also chastised a few passengers for being late returning to the bus, loudly and rudely for all passengers to hear. Not a pleasant bus experience.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 11:55:53