Loch Ness and Inverness - 2 days

A 2 Day Escape exploring Glencoe and Loch Ness, with a night out in Inverness, and rejuvenating in the majesty of the Glen Affric wilderness.

Departure Days: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday

Day 1 Depart Edinburgh at 0930 heading west towards Stirling, passing Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument. You also pass Doune Castle (set of Monty Python's "Holy Grail") before stopping in the small town of Callander for a refreshment stop. You now cross over the fault line into the magnificent Highlands taking in the splendour of Loch Luibnaig, Loch Earn, Glen Ogle and Glen Dochart, as you travel north over the wild and remote Rannoch Moor into Glencoe. This haunting glen was the scene of a great massacre in 1692 where many of the Clan Macdonald were slaughtered. You stop in this imposing mountain pass and take you for a walk so you can enjoy the spectacular views. You continue north and up the Great Glen to the mysterious beauty of Loch Ness, travelling the whole 23 miles of the famous Loch - plenty of time to try and spot "Nessie!" You arrive at your destination of Inverness at approx 1930 where you will be dropped off at your booked accommodation. The evening is free for you to explore the capital of the Highlands.

Day 2 You will be picked up from your accommodation between 0900 & 0930 in Inverness and head west towards glorious Glen Affric. This is a stunning area where the River Affric flows down through a dramatic gorge, surrounded on all sides by the beautiful Caledonian pine forest (one of the only remaining areas of Caledonian pine in Scotland, this has now been made into a nature reserve). You can spend some time here and enjoy a walk through the forest, alongside the River Affric. From Glen Affric, you go east to Drumnadrochit, stopping for photos of Urquhart Castle with its mighty ruins overlooking Loch Ness. You will spend your lunchtime on the southern shore of the Loch in the charming village of Fort Augustus. The Caledonian Canal, which links the lochs of the Great Glen, dominates the town and makes a great place to relax and watch the boats sail by. You then travel south towards Loch Laggan and into the Cairngorms National Park, a mountainous area of wild land, forests lochs and glens. You continue south past Blair Castle, stopping in the lovely town of Pitlochry before returning to Edinburgh, past Perth and over the Forth Road Bridge. Arrive approx. 19.00.

Price excludes

The basic tour price includes guest house standard bed and breakfast accommodation and is based on 2 people sharing a twin bedded room. We also offer upgrades to 3 star hotel standard accommodation.

If you are a single traveller you must select a single room upgrade, as we cannot offer a room-share service for this tour.

On this tour you will be travelling with no more than 16 other people - guaranteed! Our purpose-built minibuses have large windows, good air circulation and clear PA systems so that your professional guide can escort  you comfortably through our wonderful country. Our itineraries are carefullly planned (with many years of experience) so that you discover as much as possible, without spending too much time on the road.

As we travel in smaller vehicles, we normally use the most scenic routes, where large coach are prohibited from travelling. Additionally, as our group sizes are smaller we are able to more time out of the vehicle. We also employ a the very best driver/guides.

Friendly and Professional Guides - Small Groups - More Scenic Routes - More Time Sightseeing - Great Value for Money

09.30 am 207 High St, Edinburgh
Returns to Waverley Bridge opposite Waverley Train Station by 7 pm approx.

Pre-Tour Planning

How to travel to Edinburgh using public transport from other parts of the UK:

Train: Rail is normally the easiest and fastest method travel to Edinburgh. Services take you directly into the city centre (Waverley Train Station). For information on rail services visit National Rail Enquiries. Typical train journey times between London and Edinburgh are 5 hours.

Coach: Coach travel is normally the least expensive method of travel but journey times are much longer (typlically 10-11 hours from London). Services are operated by National Express and also Megabus.

Air: Regional services operate from most of the main UK Airports. Low-Cost carriers normally offer the best deals and include: Easyjet.com, Flybe.com, bmibaby.com. If you are travelling from London Heathrow try flybmi.com. For a full list of the domestic and international carriers serving Edinburgh click here. Edinburgh is easily reached by coach and train from Glasgow Airport - click here. It is worth noting that most journeys to Edinburgh by train from London are as fast as by air, due to travelling to the airport, check-in and security and then obtaining luggage and getting from Edinburgh Airport to the city, which takes approximately 30 minutes.

Link into an International Friends tour departing from England - Edinburgh by train

Why not link into one of our regular rail package tour departures from London, Cambridge, Oxford, or Kent. Our package tours include train tickets, accommodation, sightseeing and are fully escorted. We can extend your rail travel so that you can participate in our extended tours in Scotland. Our specialist staff in our Cambridge office are experts on Edinburgh and Scotland and will be happy to discuss your exact requirements. We can be contacted by telephone on 0044 (0)1223 244 555 or by email to info@internationalfriends.co.uk

Accommodation

To find great deals on hotels in Edinburgh click here. Obtaining accommodation in Edinburgh can be extremely hard due to city's popularity and limited supply of hotels. Booking early is strongly recommended.