LOCH NESS, GLENCOE & THE HIGHLANDS PRIVATE TOUR FROM GLASGOW

Loch Ness, Glencoe & The Highlands Private tour from Glasgow2023-04-06T08:59:49+00:00

Travel north to the western highlands and explore some of Scotland’s deep history and best scenery. See world-famous sights and stop at historic locations. Learn the story of the highlands, its people and its culture.

Stop for the views at Loch Lomond, Take in the imposing Urquhart Castle and experience breathtaking views across Loch Ness as you travel through the great glen.

Each private tour is conducted in our premium Mercedes minivans, ensuring your comfort as we venture along the narrow back roads of Scotland.

Your knowledgable kilt-wearing private tour guide will tell you the stories and show you the sights on this tour. We offer flexibility and your time inside and outside the vehicle is up to you.

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Tour duration
Long day (9am – 8pm)
This tour doesn’t run in December or January because of lack of daylight hours

Book direct for the best rate
You won’t find a better rate for our tours

We pick you up
We’ll collect & return you from your Glasgow hotel, cruise port or airport

Instant confirmation
Receipt for your booking immediately

Inclusions:

Exclusions:

  • Lunch (we can recommend a place)
  • Entrance into attractions & sites
  • Gratuities (optional)
KEY SIGHTS ON THIS TOUR…

This full-day tour includes a lot of travelling (around 9 hours driving) but is a very rewarding day. However, if you have more time and prefer to experience these places at a more relaxed pace, perhaps one of our multi-day private tours is better suited to your needs?

Departing Glasgow we cross the Erskine bridge with fantastic views down the Firth of Clyde. Shortly we enter the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and we take a brief stop at Luss pier to take in the beautiful views over the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Rannoch Moor

We then travel north past Crianlarich and Tyndrum as the road starts to climb onto Ranch Moor. The wide open landscape with jagged peaks beyond is a truly unique natural habitat. We’ll stop to take in the view and stretch our legs.

Glencoe

In the heart of the Western Highlands, Glencoe offers some of the finest mountain scenery in Scotland. Towering above Glencoe village, several rugged peaks and ridges rise to heights well over 3000 feet (914 metres). The Massacre of Glencoe took place on 12 February 1692 when government soldiers of the Clan Campbell received secret instructions to “kill all MacDonalds under 70 years of age”. They rose at 5 am next day to murder 38 of their sleeping hosts.

We continue through Rannoch Moor with a comfort stop at the Kings House, set into a dramatic mountains including Buachaille Etive Mhor rising 1745 feet above the valley.

Great Glen

Arriving at the picturesque canal-side village of Fort Augustus complete with Victorian canal lock system, we’ll stop for a late lunch and to take in the views of southern Loch Ness. Travelling towards Fort William we continue the journey through The Great Glen, a fault line that runs through the heart of the highlands. The scenery is stunning as we drive along the shore of beautiful lochs framed by the munro peaks.

Loch Ness

Deep in the Great Glen south-west of Inverness, Loch Ness is famous as the home of ‘Nessie’, the legendary Loch Ness Monster. It has less controversial claims to fame. This spectacular loch is 23 miles long, with the largest volume of freshwater in Britain. It is the second deepest and second largest loch in Scotland, holding more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.

The legend of Nessie dates from 570AD, when ancient records from Christian crusaders told of a beast living in the loch. A 1933 sighting of a mysterious object in the water led to several expeditions to search for the monster. Sonar detected large moving underwater objects that could not easily be explained.

Fort Augustus

We’ll stop at this picturesque canal-side village at the southern tip of Loch Ness for lunch. On a nice day there are benches outside as boats navigate the intricate lock system. If you’d rather eat inside there are a number of cosy inns and eateries!

Urquhart Castle

Though it was originally one of the largest castles in Scotland, only parts of Urquhart Castle remain. Built around the middle of the 13th century, there may have been an earlier large fort on the site. During the 1688 glorious revolution the Grants opposed the rebellious Jacobites but after their defeat the castle was occupied by government forces. When they left in 1692 it was blown up to prevent its occupation by the Jacobean rebels. We explore Urquhart Castle and take in the views across Loch Ness.

Optional: Take a 30 minute boat trip from the banks of Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle and learn the legend of the loch from the water. Perhaps even catch a glimpse of Nessie!

Central Highlands

Passing Inverness, the elevation increases the landscape becomes more dramatic. The main road wynds through narrow valleys as we arrive at the highest point on the UK trunk road network and the Pass of Drumochter. The landscape changes again towards Inverness as we descend back to sea level. We’ll pass Inverness Castle and the River Ness as we continue on the route to our next stop.

Dunkeld

We will stop at the picturesque village of Dunkeld with its white-wash cottages and dramatic Dunkeld Cathedral. Stretching our legs on the banks of the River Tay there are refreshments available before we continue on the final leg of our journey south.

On the road back towards Glasgow we see a number of famous sites from Scotland’s history. Driving into the Carse of Stirling we will have panoramic views towards Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument. As the light fades the views of Stirling Castle are spectacular.

We arrive back at your accommodation in Glasgow with a camera full of photos and many stories to be recounted over a dram of whisky or two!

SUGGESTED TOUR ROUTE…

Each tour we operate is unique and designed to your requirements. Here is an example of this tour’s route

March 22, 2021 8:46 pm
  • Distance Instructions
Label
  • Distance 339 miles
  • Time 7 h 46 min
  • Speed 44 mph
  • Min altitude 0 ft
  • Peak 0 ft
  • Climb 0 ft
  • Descent 0 ft

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

These are some of the frequently asked questions about our Loch Ness, Glencoe & The Highlands Private tour from Glasgow, however if you have a specific question please contact us

Can I customise the tour?2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

Yes, we can customise any itinerary. We’ll email you shortly after booking to ask if you have any customisation requests and suggest additions you may wish to make.

Can the tour start at the airport / cruise port2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

Yes, we regularly pick up guests from the airport or cruise port. Read more about shore excursions from cruise ships

Do I need to bring anything with me?2022-11-15T14:45:22+00:00

We recommend bringing a jacket (even if the forecast is good!) and comfortable shoes. We’ll provide everything else including umbrellas, binoculars refreshments and a wee treat or two!

Do you provide car seats for children?2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

Yes, by law children under 135cm (4.4 foot) must travel in a booster seat. We can also provide baby seats. Please advise us if you need this.

How do I pay for the tour2022-11-15T14:42:58+00:00

When you book you pay a 20% deposit. The final payment is due on the date of departure and is taken from your card automatically. We don’t accept cash for your tour payment.

I need to change my tour date2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

No problem, as long as we have availability we can change the tour date. The deposit is transferable to your new date

What about ‘comfort stops’2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

There are plenty of toilet opportunities! Each of our tours is designed to have regular breaks and tour guide can accommodate most requests for bathroom stops.

What about lunch on tour2022-11-15T14:41:55+00:00

Scotland is full of amazing places to eat and we’ll recommend stops that champion the best in Scottish quality and make the most of your time.

What is the maximum number of guests2022-11-15T14:41:56+00:00

We have two versions of our minivan; either 6 or 7 passengers. Find out more about our premium minivans

Where do I meet the tour2022-11-15T14:41:56+00:00

We pick you up from your hotel or accommodation. In some instances parking in the city centre is restricted so there might be a short walk to your vehicle, but your guide will walk with you to the vehicle.

ALL OF OUR TOURS COME COMPLETE WITH…

KILT WEARING TOUR GUIDE

We are passionate, professional and full of personality. Let us share our knowledge of Scotland

HOTEL / CRUISE BERTH PICK UP

We’ll collect & return you at the start and end of the tour

BOTTLED SCOTTISH WATER

`Chilled, premium still and sparkling Scottish water is provided

PREMIUM MERCEDES MINIVAN

Our minivans offer luxury interiors and excellent legroom for up to 7 guests and their bags

ONBOARD WIFI

Stay connected to friends and family on tour with unlimited super-fast wifi

RECENT CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

  • Thomas W

    Guide picked us up and dropped us off on time (very important since we were coming from a cruise ship) and was very friendly and knowledgeable. Drove us to all the key points of interest, and the van was very clean and comfortable. Communication from [...]

    Published On: October, 2023
  • T Miller

    From the moment Sandy picked us up, we knew we were in for a wonderful day trip experience around Edinburgh. His historical knowledge of the city and surrounding area is top notch! He tailored our day to take in some hidden gems and provided us [...]

    Published On: October, 2023
  • Annemarie D

    We had so much fun with Andy! He was a pleasure to spend an afternoon with. We visited Rosslyn Chapel and some other places that were in keeping with our interests, like the oldest pub in Scotland (I know, many make the claim, but I'm [...]

    Published On: September, 2023
  • Mary Carol S

    Fantastic day with Michael! Great views of Loch Lamond. A nice hike and lunch there as well. Michael was really informative about Sterling Castle and all of Glasgow. I would highly recommend this tour and Michael.

    Published On: September, 2023
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