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2-Day Loch Ness and Inverness Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

Recommended by 98% of travelers
Edinburgh, Scotland
  • 2 days (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the Scottish Highlands on a leisurely 2-day trip from Edinburgh that includes overnight accommodation at a hotel or bed & breakfast. Visit two of Scotland’s most popular spots—Loch Ness and Inverness—during scenic drives among pine forests, dramatic castles and charming villages, with an optional boat ride on Loch Ness. Travel in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach with a small group limited to 16 passengers for a personalized experience with your informative guide.
  • 2-day guided tour, round-trip from Edinburgh to Inverness in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach
  • Scenic drive through the Scottish Highlands with optional boat ride on Loch Ness
  • Choice of hotel or B&B/guesthouse accommodation
  • Small-group tour with a maximum of 16 people ensures a personalized experience

What's Included

  • Breakfast
  • Overnight en-suite accommodation with breakfast
  • Jacobite Cruise on Loch Ness and admission to Urquhart Castle
  • Transportation by top of the range 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach
  • Driver/guide
  • Small-group tour (maximum 16 passengers)
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Admission fees

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Edinburgh Bus Station
    Edinburgh EH1 3AY, UK

    Please meet your Rabbie's guide inside the Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ (Check in closes 15 minutes prior to departure)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:45 am

Itinerary

Day 1: Edinburgh - Pitlochry - Cairngorms National Park - Inverness

You leave Edinburgh and head north across the River Forth towards the Highlands.

The first stop is in Pitlochry, a quintessential Scottish town nestled among the hills of Perthshire. Get some coffee and find out why Queen Victoria loved this place.

From here, continue on to Cairngorm National Park. This unique area is one of the last remaining pockets of native Caledonian pine forest left standing. Gaze in awe at Scotland’s most beautifully rounded. Leave the majestic mountains and step back in time at Clava Cairns. These ancient standing stones and ring cairns are as beautiful as they are mysterious and were made famous by Diana Gabaldon in the Outlander books.

Continue your journey, arriving at Inverness. Enjoy free time to soak up the lively atmosphere and beautiful Victorian architecture before you’re dropped off at your accommodation. The evening is free for you to explore the capital of the Highlands.

Overnight: 3-star hotel or B&B in Inverness

Day 2: Inverness - Loch Ness - Glencoe – Edinburgh

After a leisurely breakfast, you are picked up from your Inverness accommodation and travel to the mysterious Loch Ness where you have the chance to take a boat trip (April to October; price not included) along the loch to look for Nessie the Loch Ness Monster and visit dramatic Urquhart Castle. Or you may stay on dry land to explore the castle's mighty ruins.

Our journey continues south through the Great Glen past Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK and Fort William. You stop for lunch along the way before arriving in Glencoe, a haunting glen that was the scene of a terrible massacre in 1692, where many of the Macdonald Clan died.

The return journey continues over the wild and remote Rannoch Moor and into the Lowland scenery around Stirling, before finally reaching our starting point of Edinburgh.

Please note: tour may run in reverse order for operational reasons.
Day 1

Edinburgh - Aviemore - Clava Cairns - Inverness

5 Stops

1

Pitlochry

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cairngorms National Park (Pass By)

2

Aviemore

1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

3

Clava Cairns

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

4

Inverness

12 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Overnight in Inverness.

Meals: Not included

Day 2

Inverness - Loch Ness - Glencoe - Edinburgh

4 Stops

1

Loch Ness

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

2

Urquhart Castle

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

3

Glencoe

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

4

Loch Lubnaig

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • All tours from Edinburgh will depart from inside the Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.
  • We apologise, but we cannot accommodate children under 5 years old on our tours. Children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult. Please note that if this policy is not followed, we will have to refuse travel without issuing a refund. Thank you for understanding
  • Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 20kg (44lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus one small bag for onboard personal items.
  • Please note tour stops and timings are for reference only and depend on the itinerary of the day as well as on group's interests, therefore cannot be guaranteed.
  • There are many options along the route and our itinerary is intentionally flexible so that the guide is able to decide what is best on any given day.
  • Tour may run in reverse for operational reasons.
  • Jacobite Cruise on Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle included in the tour price .
  • B&Bs tend to be located on the outskirts of towns and you should be prepared for a 20-30 minute walk to local facilities like pubs and restaurants. If you have difficulty with stairs, please mention it to us as lifts will not be available in this type of property.
  • Hotels usually have a relatively central location but may be up to a 20-30 minute walk from local facilities. If you have difficulty with stairs, please let us know so that we can either book a ground floor room or a hotel with lift access, if available.
  • In order to retain the integrity of the tour and try to ensure that all our customers have the best possible experience, we do cap bookings from any one party to 8 passengers.
  • Booking three or more people? We can accommodate up to 8 guests in a group, please add each required room to your basket separately
  • *The Loch Ness boat cruise is weather dependent and may be cancelled without notice
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
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Frequently Asked Questions (11)

Q:What is the departure point for the 2-Day Loch Ness and Inverness Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh?

A:The tour departs from Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH1 3DQ

Feb 2023

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 21 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.8
based on 519 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
We perform checks on reviews

Amazing experience!

Melynda_J, Mar 2026
This tour packs a lot into two days! See some of the Highlands, Glencoe, some villages, amazing scenery along the way and spend the night in Inverness. Our guide and driver were amazing! Graham did a fantastic job! Don't wait, book now!

Lizzy was Perfection!

David_T, Aug 2025
Lizzy was an absolute dream tour guide! I was traveling solo and she made me feel at home immediately. Her knowledge of Scotland and personal touch made for a perfect two days. She knew the answers to all of my (rather incessant) questions and was happy to share all her personal thoughts and stories along the way. Even her playlist was perfection! I cannot say enough good things about Lizzy and the tour—if you are lucky enough to travel with her you won’t regret it! Simply the best!

Wonderful trip!

Victoria_C, Jul 2025
Alli was a wonderful tour guide. It was amazing how many interesting and beautiful places we were able to visit and learn about in 2 days. I highly recommend this as a way to see the Highlands.

Good tour

Jayson_E, Jun 2025
Inverness was such a charming place to stay. Loch ness and the castle were very beautiful and peaceful

Wonderful time

Annecia_F, Dec 2024
I was booked with Rabbies and I had Reese as My guide. He was very funny and knowledgeable. It was super small group and we got pick and choose what we wanted to do.

Days are full and varied...

Sebastian_T, Nov 2024
Days are full and varied with plenty of time to do your own thing. Driver is friendly, adaptable and knowledge and this adds positively to the whole experience.

Lizzie was excellent

Judith_S, Sep 2024
Lizzie our tour guide was amazing, very professional and knowledgeable she was good fun and incredibly informative. The aircon on the bus wasn’t working which made an extremely journey on one of the hottest days of the year but the tour itself was excellent.

2 day Loch Ness tour

Cecilia_G, Jul 2024
It was a great tour! Our guide Chaz was amazing, very friendly and knowledgeable. The coach was brand new and clean and comfortable. I would recommend it to anyone. The only reason I gave 4 stars was because our overnight accommodation was subpar. I chose a B&B and we ended being taken to an old hotel way out of town. When you sign up you have no choice or clue where you will be staying. Your choice is a hotel or B&B and it’s luck of the draw what you get. Although everyone who worked here was extremely nice and helpful and the included breakfast was great , the actual hotel was very old and needed major updating. It was a very uncomfortable night. It was called The Chieftan Hotel. But otherwise the tour itself and Chaz were 5+.

We loved every minute of...

Felix_M, Jun 2024
We loved every minute of this trip. Willie was an excellent tour guide with a wealth of knowledge he shared freely. Thanx Willie!

Great experience

Rodney_K, Jun 2024
An excellent 2 day tour. Our guide, Willie, was amazing. Very nice and knowledgeable. The only thing I would have changed is the overnight accommodation.

A Scottish Paradise

Caitlyn_B, Jun 2024
Would definitely recommend this 2 day tour as a get away outside of the city while on your travels of Edinburgh. Beautiful landscapes and the town of Inverness is welcoming and full of live music. Our tour guide Bruce was full of stories and extremely hospitable. Definitely would do this tour again.

Post Taylor Swift perfection!

Kathryn_F, Jun 2024
Pete was an amazing tour guide, matching the energy and interests of our entire Taylor Swift fan group. My daughter and I enjoyed the stories, the number of stops and can't wait to return and take another tour with your group!

Great tour!

Dina_E, Jun 2024
Pete was such a rockstar! Such a great guide and loved his stories. This was such a great way to get the highlands under the belt. Felt better to split it up instead of just a day trip. Pete made the drive fun, interesting, and informative. Thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Loved the additions of Harry Potter and Outlander references and he even got to our swiftie hearts with his playlists.

Just do it!

robin_s, Jun 2024
Declan was an amazing tour guide. Kind, capable, informative, sweet, and funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the countryside breathtaking. MB Van was safe and comfortable.

Great tour

Matthew_D, May 2024
Great tour, strongly recommend. Alan, our guide, was both fun and knowledgeable. Beautiful sights. I’m not complaint is we didn’t get to see Nessie (jk)

Highland Trip

KIMBERLY_P, May 2024
Lovely Trip ! The weather was perfect , scenery was stunning and our driver was charming . Would highly recommend

Loved every minute!

Braley_D, May 2024
We were on JP’s bus for an amazing two-day tour! He was a knowledgable, funny, and considerate guide who put an incredibly friendly and personal touch on the whole experience. From a cultivated playlist of Scotland-inspired tunes to making sure we ate at all the best restaurants and saw as many animals, mountains, and historic sites as possible, JP made sure our experience was perfectly cultivated. The sights are amazing, would highly recommend booking!

Trevor was an excellent...

Sheelah_G, Apr 2024
Trevor was an excellent guide. He made sure we felt comfortable. He was easy going, funny, and very knowledgeable. It was a memorable and fun trip.

Great experience.

Charly_W, Feb 2024
Neil, our guide, was so informative about the history and culture. Took us to see great waterfalls and hairy coos.

Great Highlands

Heng_J, Dec 2023
Great experience of what highland is like. The cold, the fog, the rain, the river, the Loch and the high mountains with and without snow on them.

Breathtaking!

Mark_T, Nov 2023
What a wonderful tour! Driving through Northern Scotland is magnificent! And our tour guide Catty was an absolute delight! Knowledgeable, friendly, and on time with every quick stop, pick-up and drop-off! If you're looking to see some breathtaking scenery and have a wonderful guide while doing so, this is the tour!

Époustouflant 🥰🥰😍😍😍😍

Fatou_N, Oct 2023
A majestic , greatest, incredible 2 days trip With a fantastic guide Kelly, a hundred stars guide😍😍😍😍! I am travelling since 30 years and this is one of my greatest trip! Wonderful! Do you have another good plan for me for visiting England! I have 2 more week ends in London🥰🥰🥰

Great trip

Violeta_X, Oct 2023
The 2-day trip to the Highlands was a great experience. Everything was perfectly organized and executed. Our driver and guide, Dominique, couldn’t have been more helpful and knowledgeable.

Very fine, Catty knowledgeable, sweet and delightful

Doris_S, Oct 2023
We have completed 4 or 5 tours w/ Viator, most being with Rabbis, all wonderful. For this two day one, we had already experienced much of what was scheduled for the 2nd day. We looked forward to a little more time in Pitlochry, wanted to Bevin the sacred space of the Clava Cairns and wanted time in Inverness, since we had B only driven by. Having taken a fall and catching a small chest cold, it was a great opportunity to stay in Inverness for the 2nd day and stay on for several more. And do, that is what we did.

Highly recommend this tour!

MLynn_P, Sep 2023
Our tour guide, Pete, was informative, knowledgeable, friendly & humorous. He went the extra mile to ensure we enjoyed ourselves. The chosen stops were unique highlights of scotland's history & beauty. The B&Bs in Inverness had wonderful hosts & breakfast near the city center. This tour offers so much to see in 2 days.

Brilliant way to see Scotland

Tracey_A, Aug 2023
The whole thing was amazing, feeding a highland cow was an added bonus. The whole trip was designed to show as much of Scotland as possible and it didn’t disappoint Pete our tour guide was brilliant and obviously loves his job and it shows 10/10 The B&B booked by the tour was also lovely

Best way to see the county in two short days!!

Julie_M, Aug 2023
Our guide, Catty, was amazingly knowledgeable and brought the history of the country to life. We traveled 700 miles in two days and saw things we never would have found if doing the tour on our own. We did the small group tour which seemed much more personable than the huge tour busses. We have a whole new appreciation for the land and the people of Scotland.

Loved the Highlands tour and trip on Loch Ness

Gary_K, Aug 2023
Our driver/tour guide Donald was excellent. He is so passionate about sharing information and history about Scotland. Donald was very thoughtful about passengers’ needs. His commentary was interesting and helpful. I would definitely take another tour with Donald. I also really enjoyed the boat trip on Loch Ness and the drive through the glens and near other lochs. The countryside was amazingly beautiful.

Derek was a very good...

meenal_j, Jul 2023
Derek was a very good tour guide.liked the highlands n lowlandsthe time spent at the stops was a bit less.one could either shop or eat.rest of it was perfect

Great weekend of sightseeing in Scotland

Christina_K, Jul 2023
My friends and I were on a business trip to Scotland and only had a weekend at the end to see something outside of Edinburgh. This trip was absolutely perfect for that. We were incredibly lucky to catch a rare week+ of sunshine and warm weather which made it even better. The stops were well timed, Colin (our driver) was hyper conscientious about finding toilet stops. During the drives between stops, Colin provided a great series of stories, local music, and a memorable mixture in the form of "Mary, Queen of Scots - The Musical". Because it was a holiday weekend and the weather was incredible, Colin had to be strategic about some stops, knowing that they would be unusually crowded. We really appreciated that he offered alternatives a few times, so we could 'choose our own adventure' between main sites. It was also much appreciated that as soon as the tour was departing Edinburgh, he told us to book dinner reservations in Inverness immediately. Some other friends took a different tour, were not given that advice, and had to have dinner at 10pm. Our favorite things on this tour were the hairy cows, the cruise on Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle, and the amazing scenery at Glen Coe. Note that there was some variability in lodging; the three of us booked individually and requested the B&B option (rather than hotel). Two of us were in super cute places with easy walk to center of Inverness, but the third was in a 2-star motel 25 min outside of town.

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up to 21 days in advance

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