Loch Ness and the Highlands Small-Group Day Tour from Aberdeen
- 12 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
The battles, beauty, and whisky: This is your perfect introduction to Scotland. You shed a tear as you hear the tales and tragedies of Scotland’s Jacobite Rising at the Culloden Battlefield. You try to take your best photo as you pass by Scotland’s famous mountains and castles. And you lick your lips as you drink in the spirit of Scottish whisky in Dufftown, ‘the Whisky Capital of the World’. What’s more, you get as close as possible to the legendary Loch Ness Monster on an optional boat trip. So, take this trip and enjoy the best of Scotland in a day.
Inclusions
What's included
- Transport by air-conditioned mini-coach
- Driver/guide
- Jacobite Cruise on Loch Ness included in the tour price.
- Small Group Tour (16 people max)
What's not
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
Itinerary
Embark on a boat cruise. Onboard the ship, you travel over the widest and deepest part of the loch and get a fine view of Urquhart Castle.
An ancient site of tombs, stone circles, and ruins. It may also have inspired the famous ‘time portal’ in the Outlander TV series.
Culloden*: the location of the final Jacobite Rising. It’s an eerie, flat, tragic landscape that can put the history of Scotland into perspective. The interactive exhibition centre here really brings it all to life. In less than an hour, around 1,500 men died in this battle. Explore the battlefield and learn how this tragedy came to pass. *The battle itself lasted 45 mins so stop to reflect that (45 mins enough time for battlefield visit which is free but not exhibition which has an admission fee- also there is a café & toilets available free)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 5152
- 410
- 32
- 21
- 12
Ratings come from 167 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5A Highland joy...
A full day that really is worth the value...our tour guide Alan was knowledgeable, entertaining and allowed us time to get the most from a packed agenda. The little stop offs, the whisky store and, of course, the cruise on Loch Ness...which was stunning. Worth every penny
5Lovely Day in the Country
Neil was a lovely guide and showed us all around. He shared interesting stories, and was very accommodating to our group. We had a smaller group so it was a very personalized trip. I would certainly recommend him again. I did not know that going to Loch Ness from Aberdeen was so far though and I would suggest taking that trip from Inverness if you will be based there.
4We had a good tour, I...
We had a good tour, I don’t feel like the instructions for the meeting point were clear enough and I had to call to make sure I was in the right spot. I think since most people that are on these tours are not from the city, the tours should do a better job of describing the meeting point including address if possible. The tours should guide was very knowledgeable about Scotland history and the highlands. Stops were in remote Lizzy’s cations I wouldn’t have found on my own. Overall, I would recommend.
5Thanks very much, Darryl
It was a last-minute decision to take the tour, rather than rent a vehicle, and I’m certainly glad I did. Darryl was our guide, and he was clearly a local who loved his job. He knew lots of little details that he tailored to his audience. He knew what to say when and how much. He knew where to stop and for how long. We had a diverse group, in terms of ages and background, but that didn’t faze him. He was driving along narrow roads with black ice always a possibility, but he kept it light and worry-free for us for 12 hours, which is quite a feat. Well done, sir… When we stopped for lunch and the restaurant said it would take a half-hour to serve our group — and two of his flock disappeared — our guide remained poised and polite… No worries… A great ambassador… Thanks very much…
5Great day
Great adventure. Many interesting stops with a star guide Doug! Interesting facts throughout the ride and fun and interesting places! Really recommend.
5Great experience, worth the money!
It was a lovely trip, Alan (or Allan?) our tour guide was a gem, entertaining us during the ride with little anecdotes and interesting (fun)facts and took really good care of us ♥ (And it seemed he really cared not just doing his job). He stopped at interesting spots (quite a lot of them like Carr-Bridge, Caledonian Battlefield, some impressive viaduct, Balnuaran of Clava, Craigellachie Bridge and more, even to pat Dougal and Hamish (2 highland cows - what sweeties). The boat ride on Loch Ness was also very nice especially because we were really lucky with the weather. Nessi though wasn't spotted :-). Unfortunately there isn't really enough time to explore more on your own but if you want that, you have to rent a car and do it on your own. All in all a very nice day out! Only minor "complain": Alan (or Allan - sorry that I can`t remember), please expand your playlist :-). I really do love the idea behind it, but hearing 500 miles 5 times is too much. It`s still in my head :-). Thanks for a great day!
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Stance 5, Aberdeen Bus Station, Guild Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6NA
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 16 travellers
- Operated by
- Rabbies Trail Burners
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
- 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.
- This route may be reversed on some occasions.
- Jacobite Cruise on Loch Ness included in the tour price
- *The Loch Ness boat cruise is weather dependent and may be cancelled without notice.
How it compares in Aberdeen
- Its from-price is 83% below the median of the 33 day trips we list in Aberdeen.
- It is longer than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 33.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Aberdeen
Aberdeen is a granite city on Scotland's north-east coast, with a historic university, a fishing and oil port, beaches and castles in the countryside.
Aberdeen stands between the rivers Dee and Don on the North Sea, a city built of grey granite that glints with mica in the sun. Old Aberdeen, with its cobbled High Street, the crown tower of King's College chapel and St Machar's Cathedral, preserves a medieval university town, while Marischal College, a vast neo-Gothic granite frontage, looks over Broad Street. Footdee, a small fishing community of low cottages, sits by the harbour mouth.
Top-ranked sights in Aberdeen: Slains Castle, Crathes Castle, Drum Castle, Garden & Estate.
Special offers in Aberdeen
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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