Scottish highlands day trip from edinburgh with audio guide

See the highlights of the Scottish Highlands on a full-day trip from Edinburgh, enjoying audio commentary throughout the day! Relax while traveling, watching the landscape of dramatic glens, glistening lochs and craggy mountains pass by, and visit Glencoe, Loch Ness and Inverness. Enjoy an optional ‘Nessie-spotting’ cruise on Loch Ness if you wish, and hear the Highland history of Inverness on a coach tour of the city.

Meet your driver in central Edinburgh, and board your luxury coach to travel north out of the city and into the rugged Scottish countryside. Pass the historical city of Stirling and head to Glencoe – arguably Scotland’s most famous glen – in the heart of the Highlands. Stretch your legs on a stroll around, listening to commentary from your audio guide about the infamous 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, where members of the MacDonald clan were brutally killed, on the grounds that they hadn’t pledged allegiance to the monarchy.

Continue your journey along the banks of Loch Linnhe, passing Ben Nevis – Britain’s highest peak – and up the Great Glen, a dramatic series of glens that stretch to the Grampian Mountains. Sit back and relax, enjoying the windswept Highland scenery, typified by glistening lochs, forests and towering hills.

At the top of the Great Glen, the hilly vistas give way to your first glimpse of Loch Ness, famous for its beauty, size and, of course, Nessie -- the fabled Loch Ness Monster! Travel around the length of the loch, stopping at Urquhart Castle for photos and enjoying a stroll around the water’s edge itself, listening to your audio guide. If time permits, take a ‘monster-spotting’ cruise around the Loch (own expense).

After a break for lunch (own expense), travel further north to Inverness – the captivating capital of the Highlands. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the city from the comfort of your coach, hearing its history, and seeing sights like the River Ness and St Andrew’s Cathedral.

From Inverness, start your journey back to Edinburgh, passing through the picturesque Spey Valley and an area known as Perthshire. Admire the majestic peaks of the Cairngorm Mountains and then finish your tour at the start point.