Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle visit from Inverness
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Inverness, Scotland
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Witness the mythical splendor of Loch Ness and the ruins of Urquhart Castle conveniently, without the hassle of having to rent a car, on this coach and boat trip from Inverness. Take a leisurely boat ride to Urquhart Castle—keeping your eyes peeled for the famed Loch Ness monster—where you’ll learn about the site’s bloody history and enjoy scenic views of the Scottish countryside.
- Perfect for travelers who want to see a lot in one day
- See Loch Ness from both land and water, something many travelers miss out on
- Travel from Inverness in the comfort of an air-conditioned coach
- Go beyond the guidebooks with facts and insights from your guide
What's Included
- Expert guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Loch Ness boat cruise
- Restroom on board
- WiFi on board
- Admission Fee - Urquhart Castle entrance
- Admission Fee - Loch Ness Centre entrance
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Inverness IV1 1LS, UK
Bus departs from Stance Number 7 at Inverness Bus Station Please note if arriving by cruise ship, Invergordon Cruise Terminal is approx. 25 miles (45 mins) from Inverness Bus Station. Public transport is very limited, so you’ll need to arrange your own transport and allow plenty of time to reach us.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:15 am
Itinerary
Your journey to Loch Ness begins with pickup from Inverness Bus Station. Enjoy colorful and historic commentary from your guide on the ride to Dochgarroch Lock. From here, board the cruise ship and take a promenade along the deck as you cross the mysterious and majestic Loch Ness. Enjoy sweeping views of the lake and the surrounding hills, and keep an eye out for the mythical Loch Ness monster, Nessie.
You’ll soon arrive at the storied ruins of Urquhart Castle. Disembark and take an hour to independently explore the medieval site with a graphic and grisly past. Before or after you tour the ruins, head to the visitor center to learn about the historic figures that inhabited or invaded this site such as King Edward I in the 13th century and MacDonald Lord of the Isles during the 15th and 16th centuries. Hear about the rise and fall of the fortress, and the key role it played in the Scottish fight for independence. Don’t leave without checking out some authentic medieval artifacts and snapping lovely photos of Loch Ness from the veranda. Grab a tasty snack and drink at the cafe (own expense) before boarding the coach for the return to Inverness.
Your tour concludes at the starting point in Inverness by late afternoon.
You’ll soon arrive at the storied ruins of Urquhart Castle. Disembark and take an hour to independently explore the medieval site with a graphic and grisly past. Before or after you tour the ruins, head to the visitor center to learn about the historic figures that inhabited or invaded this site such as King Edward I in the 13th century and MacDonald Lord of the Isles during the 15th and 16th centuries. Hear about the rise and fall of the fortress, and the key role it played in the Scottish fight for independence. Don’t leave without checking out some authentic medieval artifacts and snapping lovely photos of Loch Ness from the veranda. Grab a tasty snack and drink at the cafe (own expense) before boarding the coach for the return to Inverness.
Your tour concludes at the starting point in Inverness by late afternoon.
1
Loch Ness
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Urquhart Castle
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please note that guide dogs are the only service animals allowed.
- If booking for an infant, you will required to book a seat for them and provide a car seat
- This tour departs from Inverness bus station
- Please note that this tour is operated by D&E coaches.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 47 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 586 reviews
Tina_J, Apr 2026
Really interesting driver/guide on our trip. Visited Urquat Castle by boat on Loch Ness. Interesting and fun commentary on the boat. Well worth the money
LysaJohn_B, Apr 2026
Don’t miss the castle - it’s well worth the visit! The boat cruise was scenic and relaxing. The highlight was the friendly and energetic crew!
Morgan_D, Mar 2026
This was the perfect way to explore Loch Ness!! I thoroughly enjoyed the boat tour and it helped that the weather was fantastic. Urquhart castle was a must and it was the perfect amount of time to explore. And the museum was a fun way to end the experience!
Henriette_C, Mar 2026
perfectly planned tour from start to end.
Great driver/guide full of interesting storys of Inverness and the Highlands.
A entertaining sail on the Loch Ness to the ruins of urquhart Castle and a visit af the Loch Ness experience center. all with plenty time to enjoy and explore the stops.
and at the end an added visit to some highland cows, an unexpected but fantastic bonus.
Anthony_E, Mar 2026
Boat ride was safe and fun.. castle was ruinously good.. loch ness experience was informative.. gift shops at both castle and experience were great
David_B, Mar 2026
The day was beautiful, the bus amazingly clean and comfortable, the locations of the tour was breathtaking, really enjoyed the cruise on Loch Ness, the Driver very friendly and very knowledgeable. 5* tour
Tania_C, Mar 2026
To visit Loch Ness was on my bucket list and this trip didn’t disappoint. The views from the boat were amazing even in the cold weather. The visit to Urquhart Castle was a great photo opportunity too. Lots of commentaries and information was really interesting, not just about Loch Ness but on the surrounding villages. I loved visiting the highland cows, an added bonus.
Helen_D, Feb 2026
It was easy to find the coach at us station. I was met by John, the driver and tour guide. John very friendly and so knowledgeable about the area - lots of great stories. We were so lucky to have great weather and there were lots of opportunities to take photos.
Victoria_M, Feb 2026
This was a fantastic trip condensed into just over 4 hours. Got to do and see everything we wanted to do in the area. We even had a bonus stop to get up close to some Highland Cows! I didn’t realise the Loch Ness Centre experience was part of our tour but this was an excellent addition! I would definitely recommend this tour!
Natasha_T, Feb 2026
Our tour guide was amazing. Really interesting facts, very helpful and just a pleasure! The boat tour, castle visit and ness experience were also really interesting.
stacey_g, Jan 2026
We absolutely loved our Inverness tour. Every part of it was brilliant, but for me the standout was the Loch Ness Museum, made even better by our fantastic tour guide, Linda. She was engaging, knowledgeable and brought the whole experience to life. Without doubt the best part of our trip so far, by a mile. Highly recommend.
DunYing_Y, Jan 2026
Very informative. Very friendly staff. Beautiful views all around. Couldn't go to the castle due to snow but they arranged a refund promptly.
Deanna_D, Dec 2025
The cruise was great. The staff was very friendly and the commentary as we cruised the lochs was informative, interesting and fun. The Loch Ness museum was great!! Loved the imaginative and artful way the information was provided in each room. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. The castle ruins were interesting. Would have been better to start at the information center since it was (unbeknownst to our group) all self-guided. That brings me to the overall package. While we appreciated the transportation to and from the different sites, there were things that were not so good. First, we were never welcomed by the driver—he never even told us his name. Second, there was no tour guide at all to welcome and accompany us or make any commentary on the rides in the coach. Third, even though we were a small group, we had gotten our tickets thru three different sites. My daughter and I paid $40 more than the other pairs for the same experience. Advice—shop around.
David_B, Dec 2025
Plans may change depending on weather conditions. Linda handled this really well and rescheduled so we didn't miss any of the tour features.
Suzanne_L, Nov 2025
The whole experience was fantastic. Linda was knowledgeable, entertaining and professional. An excellent trip all round. Thank you
Caitlin_W, Oct 2025
The Loch Ness cruise and tour of Urquhart castle were incredible, but the real gem of our outing was our bus driver, Kieran. We loved all of the historical and qiuppy town info he divulged in his soothing Scottish way of speaking, and he made the group feel like family. Would definitely recommend!
Natalie_L, Oct 2025
Keiran was our coach driver and was amazing, funny and so knowledgeable and was part of such an UNFORGETTABLE experience. So worth the money and it was something i will never, ever forget. Loch Ness was beautiful, tour guide on the boat was great, Urquhart Castle incredible. So much history in such a beautiful part of Scotland. This is something i would so do again. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
Caitlin_T, Oct 2025
We had a great time on this tour! Our driver was Linda and she was awesome. The boat ride was beautiful and walking around the castle was enjoyable. All that and you still have half the day available? Sign me up!
Derek_M, Oct 2025
Fantastic views of Loch Ness and some nice trivia of the area! If the weather is good your driver may even take a detour to show some highland cows!
Denise_M, Oct 2025
Our tour guide Kieran was great. The cruise was beautiful and it was fun to wonder around the castle ruins. We even got to feed a couple of Highland coos(cows) on the way back.
Cynthia_C, Oct 2025
Great tour, and Katie was a wonderful guide. She kept up an ongoing narrative during the drive from the Inverness Bus Station to the boat dock and back again after the boat tour. Very clear instructions about meet-up location after the boat tour. The Loch Ness boat tour was awesome - so incredibly peaceful, and perfect weather that day for it! Commentary was great, too. The only downside is that one hour at Urquhart Castle is not nearly long enough for exploring the site. Could easily have used twice that amount of time.
MarieChantal_C, Oct 2025
This experience was spectacular! I really enjoyed the information and Katie our tour guide was exceptional! Didn’t see the Loch Ness monster but willing to try again! Give this experience a try!
Lana_Y, Oct 2025
The cruise was lovely, despite no "Nessie " sightings. The castle was amazing. Our extra favorite part was a quick stop to see "Shamus & Rocky"! Thank you SO much for a lovely adventure.
Tracey_T, Oct 2025
It was perfect in every way... The right amount of time and activities ...and our bus driver was wonderful
Andrew_T, Oct 2025
Excellent commentary from Linda our driver, kept to schedule, great way to see the castle and loch’s if you’re on a tight schedule.
Jonathan_G, Oct 2025
Awesome tour. Got to experience the lockness and tour the castle which was great. The only disappointment is that we didn’t see the monster 🤣
Cindy_A, Oct 2025
We loved this tour! Kieran our guide was very friendly and informative. Loch Ness is beautiful! A once in a lifetime experience!
Joseph_M, Oct 2025
We arrived 2 mins late due to parking and the bus left without us. Beware you must be early to this event. We ended up driving our rental car to the boat and was able to join part of the tour which was great, but in general stressful.
Francis_M, Oct 2025
We chose this tour due to having a free day but wanting to spend all day. The tour guide was on time, friendly and knowledgeable about Loch Ness. The boat ride was fun and the scenery was beautiful. Well worth it.
Gaylynn_F, Oct 2025
Great trip when you only have half a day. The bus ride there and back were very informative. Had a great bus driver!
From $77.15
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle visit from Inverness
586
3 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$77.15
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Shore Excursions
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Day Trips
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Inverness
- Shore Excursions - Invergordon
- Full-day Tours - Invergordon
- Bus Tours - Invergordon
- Shore Excursions - Aviemore
- Full-day Tours - Aviemore
- Bus Tours - Aviemore
- Shore Excursions - Fort William
- Full-day Tours - Fort William
- Bus Tours - Fort William
Attractions in Inverness, Scotland
- Inverness Botanic Gardens (Floral Hall) Tours & Tickets
- Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition Tours & Tickets
- Inverness Castle Tours & Tickets
- Rogie Falls Tours & Tickets
- Fort George Tours & Tickets
- Clava Cairns Tours & Tickets
- Tomatin Distillery Tours & Tickets
- River Ness (Abhainn Nis) Tours & Tickets
- Cawdor Castle and Gardens Tours & Tickets
- Loch Ness Tours & Tickets
- Culloden Battlefield Tours & Tickets
- Caledonian Canal Tours & Tickets
- Inverewe (Inverewe Garden & Estate) Tours & Tickets
- Chanonry Point Tours & Tickets
- Old High Church (Old High St. Stephen’s) Tours & Tickets
- Urquhart Castle (Caisteal na Sròine) Tours & Tickets