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Edinburgh Tours
Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Pitlochry Tour
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Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Pitlochry Tour

By The Hairy Coo
Recommended by 96% of travellers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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This group tour is ideal for travelers wanting to experience the best of the Scottish Highlands in one easy day from Edinburgh. Save hours of research and transport planning; and discover the region’s highlights and heritage by comfortable midi-coach, with a guide for background. See Stirling Castle, Glencoe, and Ben Nevis; and a short visit to the town of Callander and cruise on Loch Ness (additional cost) in search of its fabled monster.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 7-99, max of 57 per group
Duration: 12h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
  • See multiple Scottish Highlands highlights on a day trip from Edinburgh
  • Seamless midi-coach travel, with a guide for insight you might miss if alone
  • See Glencoe and Ben Nevis; plus optional Loch Ness cruise
  • Enjoy ample free time to explore around Loch Ness and Fort Augustus Abbey
Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024

  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Experienced 'Hairy Coo' Driver-Guide providing live commentary and story telling throughout
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Regular Comfort Breaks
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Optional cruise can be purchased on morning of tour
  • No Toilet/Restroom on board. There are no public toilets available by the departure point.
  • WiFi on board
  • No children under the age of 7 allowed
  • Please note that we do not allow groups over 8 passengers, and ask that groups book private tours.


Start:
  • 22 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 1AY, UK
    We are meeting outside Hotel Malmaison, on the north side of St Andrew Square, 22 St Andrew Square, EH2 1AY. CHECK-IN STARTS AT 7:15 AM, CLOSES AT 7:55 AM, LAST BUS DEPARTS 8 AM.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 30740P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travellers can participate
    • When using public transport or a taxi to the departure point, please allow extra time for possible delays.
    • The Scottish weather is unpredictable, and it is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear.
    • This tour in an air-conditioned coach, hosted by a local Scottish guide, rated 5-stars by the official Scottish Tourist Board
    • We encourage bringing a packed lunch and/or snacks to avoid spending time queuing. There are regular stops on tour to purchase food and refreshments that cater for most dietary requirements
    • There are regular stops on tour for comfort breaks, as we do not have toilets onboard the coaches
    • No animals allowed on tour
    • You must bring cash for the optional Cruise Loch Ness (£20 for adults, £12 for children)
    • Minimum age to travel is 7 years old. Photo ID, such as a passport, may be required. Children (8-17) must be accompanied by an adult.
    • You're welcome to bring a small bag onto the coach, packed lunches are encourage to avoid queuing. If you need to bring a suitcase, please reach out to the tour provider The Hairy Coo.
    • This tour has been designed to show you as much of Scotland as we can fit into one day! Due to the distance driven a large portion of the tour is spent on the bus, taking in the views and scenery of Scotland. Any time not accounted for in the itinerary is spent travelling through Scotland on the bus.
    • For insurance purposes, passengers must not be unaccompanied on our buses during tour stops. Drivers take legally required breaks and cannot stay with the vehicle.
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 57 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 30740P1

    From
    £60.00
    per adult
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    Itinerary
    • 22 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 1AY, UK
      We are meeting outside Hotel Malmaison, on the north side of St Andrew Square, 22 St Andrew Square, EH2 1AY. CHECK-IN STARTS AT 7:15 AM, CLOSES AT 7:55 AM, LAST BUS DEPARTS 8 AM.
    • 1
      Pass by
      Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
    • 2
      Pass by
      Fort William
    • 3
    • 4
      Pass by
      Cairngorms National Park
    • 5
      Pass by
      Forth Bridge
    • 6
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • The Hairy Coo
      11,488
      Edinburgh, Scotland
      Joined in May 2010
    • JenniferM9725
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A wonderful way to see the Highlands - do it!
      This was a well paced, well run trip. John (King of the North) was hilarious, well informed and and excellent driver / guide (which is a huge ask to do both). Given we were in the depths of winter (read 'very little daylight time') he got us to places and views across the 3 days, snuck in a few extras and organised things so we were clear about timing, what we might see or go to. I love the Highlands and this was an absolute treat - thank you
      Written 18 January 2025
    • Mobile66547086131
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best tour ever!
      I did this tour yesterday with William as my guide. The tour was lots of fun, very informative and William knew lots of the history of the sites. It was such good value and we had lots of photo stops. I loved being a solo traveller and even got to sit up the front! Thanks William, can’t recommend enough!!
      Written 18 January 2025
    • Subhamjain
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      10/10
      Had a wonderful experience exploring Scotland in a 3 day bus tour and our tour guide - Stephen made all the more better. Will recommend everyone and try to book a tour with Stephen.
      Written 14 January 2025
    • 970rachelleb
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      BOOK THIS TOUR!!!
      Book this tour! You will not regret it. Our family of 4 adults had the best time. There is something for everyone to love on this tour, and you will get to see some stunning landscapes. Wee Stevie, our tour guide, made the trip. Every time I hear "I'm Gonna Be" by the Proclaimers I will think about him singing it at the top of his lungs. Thank you for making the tour wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone.
      Written 14 January 2025
    • charleec2025
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great way to see the Highlands of Scotland
      Lucky was an amazing Tour Guide. He has an amazing wealth of knowledge and a rocker playlist. He gave great touring advice and taught us about Scottish customs such has blessing the haggis. The scenery was to die for. It was an awesome tour and a great way to get a taste of the highlands. Couldn’t recommend more.
      Written 14 January 2025
    • K7466EWmoniquec
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great experience
      Lucky was very informative. Fun. Stayed on schedule. Clean van. I would recommend this tour. Celebrated my Founder's Day and birthday! Solo trip!
      Written 13 January 2025
    • kt_sides
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Highly Recommend The Hairy Coo!
      Took the 3-day Hairy Coo tour in late November and had a wonderful time. Wee Stevie was a hilarious, fun and kind tour guide who also made very responsible decisions when there were inclement weather conditions on the Isle of Skye. He was attentive to the passengers, shared loads of history and fun facts and helped us enjoy our time in Scotland. Highly recommend The Hairy Coo!
      Written 12 January 2025
    • N9417ZYbrads
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      5 star experience in 3 days!
      Had a great time! Got to see the super rich diversity the highlands has to experience. Dave was super informative and entertaining!
      Written 11 January 2025
    • L827UDjeffreyv
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Trip of a Lifetime!
      I’ve been all over the world, and the Highland & LochNess experience was by far the best experience. Peter and Lucky with Hairy Coo are fantastic with their knowledge, hospitality, and famous Scottish sarcasm. I highly recommend and will definitely be back again!
      Written 9 January 2025
    • heatherbarnesa
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing trip
      David was amazing and we had a great day out travelling and visiting Glenfinnan and Glencoe. He was personally invested in our experience and tried his best to put his best effort in everything.
      Written 9 January 2025
    • OnAir34337100799
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best Tour Company!
      This was our third tour with The Hairy Coo tour company, our second in less than a year! This trip was just as great as our last two, if not better. John, “The Only King of the North”, is hands down one of the best guides. His knowledge of the history of Scotland and his stories he told along the way were very informative and entertaining. We loved hearing all about Scotland, all the sites we saw and the fun music he played along the way. He gave us recommendations on the best places to eat at our stops and they did not disappoint. I can’t recommend this company enough. If you are someone who doesn’t like to have a good time, learn about history or listen to music then do yourself and the company a favor and find something else to do with your time while in Scotland. For everyone else, book the tour.. I promise you won’t regret it!
      Written 6 January 2025
    • 91moniquer
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      great trip the highlands are beautiful
      We went on a trip with David H it was a great day he tells al lot abortus Schotland and he is verry enthousiast we loved it thanks for the great day
      Written 4 January 2025
    • jorjac973
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful scenery and great storytelling!
      The description of this tour is accurate - you spend a lot of time on the bus - but if you prepare for that you cannot find a fault in this tour. Our guide David H. was the reason this day was so memorable. A great storyteller!
      Written 30 December 2024
    • chrispN5578DC
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The amazing experience of the Highlands tour
      Simply amazing, I don't have anything bad to say about our tour or our tour guide Mr. David. Starting with the trip, the places we visited were awe-inspiring and absolutely worth the journey. Our tour guide was full of stories not only about the places we visited but also about history which was really interesting, he entertained us and even on the bus you were having fun. Thank you so much for the amazing experience Mr. David!
      Written 30 December 2024
    • J6556AUrobn
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Go Coo's go!
      We had a wunderful day with Jamie as a perfect guide. The mixture of music and audio on the bus as we went on the tour gave as the right vibe on the right moments. Done the Loch Ness boat tour as well which was fun. Nice explanation on their work both as tour guides and research boat. The whiskey ice cream in Pitlochry was a nice tip too. We have to tell that to our favourite ice cream parlour back home
      Written 29 December 2024
    See all 11,488 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles3,731 reviews
    Excellent
    3,381
    Very good
    214
    Average
    69
    Poor
    37
    Terrible
    30

    Kristen
    Canberra, Australia25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020
    We had a great time on the 1 day Hairy Coo tour to Loch Ness. Brian, AKA Brizo, is one of the best storytellers I have ever encountered, and he really knew his history too. The optional tours to the distillery and boat ride were reasonably priced, fun and insightful. Brian had a well thought playlist, and I learned so much about Scottish history from his passionate story telling. I highly recommend The Hair Coo if you are looking for a fun way to explore the beautiful Scottish Highlands!
    Written 5 January 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Candy Mae Y
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2020 • Couples
    Brian was an amazing guide! Soooo much energy and so many interesting stories about Scotland’s history.
    The tour was comfortable, clean and fun.
    Masks are mandatory and there is a hand sanitizing station inside the bus.
    The Loch Ness tour was only 14 pounds and Brian arranged it for us at the beginning of the tour.
    Overall, it was a lovely experience!
    Written 19 September 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jack S
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2021 • Couples
    Myself and my partner took this tour on 23rd August. If you only have a day to tick off Loch Ness and haven’t been to Scotland before this is probably the best way to do it if you’re staying in Edinburgh.

    The driver/tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and wasn’t too full on, so you could dip in and out of the very well recited history stories and Scottish facts on the bus as you please. We’re not early birds and a short kip was doable before the first pit stop, there was Scottish music of various genres throughout but it’s not too loud (my fave Scottish band The Jesus & Mary Chain were sadly missing but otherwise a pretty comprehensive playlist!) . It is a long day on the coach so probably not suitable for small children… and probs a good idea to limit your alcohol/coffee at the stops because there’s no loo on the coach!

    Loch Ness is the only real significant stop, the others are just toilet/snack breaks really with one or two beauty spots thrown. There was a short stop in Glencoe which is great for photo ops if that’s your thing. The village stops are very typical tourist traps, which is fine but don’t expect anything leftfield or off the beaten track.

    The only reason the score isn’t higher is because I would have liked the tour guide to show a little more patience with the driving - I understand it’s a long day for the staff too and stressful thinking the itinerary may be falling behind, but sounding the horn at a nervous driver is in contravention of the Highway Code and really isn’t going to help matters. A couple of mins later we passed this driver safely so no real real harm done, but as the survivor of a very serious RTI I’d just advise that it’s not worth getting frustrated over slow, nervous or even incompetent drivers, just hang back and pass when safe to do so if necessary and only sound the horn in an emergency. If this review receives a satisfactory response I’ll upgrade the score, otherwise thanks for an enjoyable day!
    Written 24 August 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Imogen M
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A long day but you get plenty of rest stops and photograph opportunities at breathtaking views. Some of the stops are very close together so it’s a lot of getting on the bus to get off again 20 minutes later but it’s worth it for the photographs.

    Recommend the boat trip- it’s £16.50 with the tour guide or if you go when you get there I think it’s more expensive. It’s easier to have cash instead of card but there is a cash point just by the meeting place or there are cash points at a few of the stops. A great day out especially if you’re in Edinburgh and you want to see the rural side of Scotland and you only have a day.

    The tour guide was great and friendly (Jim) he could tell you the history of each point of interest.
    Written 29 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    lee r
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2022
    Scott was such a nice man and he always made sure that his passengers were well taken care of. I was travelling alone and he let me sit at the co-pilot seat, and lent me his portable charger as well. Very competent drivers who were clearly very familiar with the roads, managed to entertain us while driving. The locations were beautiful as well. However, i honestly would not recommend the boat tour on the Loch Ness as everything that you can see on the boat is what you can see from land- 16.50 pounds is pretty expensive for a mid boat experience. Towards the end there was this weird stop in a village (where everything was closed except for 1 ice cream shop) which felt pretty unnecessary and dragged the tour out longer than it needed to be. Overall a great experience though, except for the boat tour of course (not included in the package but everyone went anyway)
    Written 11 December 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Robert
    Stockholm, Sweden6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2022
    Very good trip and great value for money. The tour involves a lot of bus travel, but since the scenery is so great, time really flies! The tour passes lots of places famous from history or known from movie productions. My favorite spots were the amazing mountan range called The Three Sisters, just before Glencoe, and the stark desolation of Rannoch Moor. The boat trip on Loch Ness costs extra but is a must, and is carried out on a ship full of sonars and sonar screens, and a good guide.

    I took the trip with my 15-year old son, He was also very happy that we took the trip!

    Our driver and tour guide was an ex RAF guy named John. He drove safely and gave us many great stories throughout the trip, and delivered with humour - both informative and entertaining.

    If you go to Edinburgh, you must really spen a day on a sightseeing tour. Without it, you haven’t reslly seen Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

    The only extra thing I would have wished for was a slight extension of the trip, so that we could have a short stop with a photo-opportunity at Stirling Castle.

    Recommended!
    Written 25 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Karen C
    United Kingdom11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2021 • Family
    Wow! What a great tour we had today with The Hairy Coo Tour company. We took the Loch Ness, the Highlands, Glencoe & Ben Nevis Tour out of Edinburgh. Brian our driver & tour guide just made it amazing for us. He gave us the detailed history of every area we passed through and stopped at and how it related to the battles, Marys Queen of Scots, King James, Rob Roy, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and many more, in a really fun way. Learned alot. But most of all Brian is one of the best tour guides in the business. He has an in depth of knowledge of Scottish history down to the finest details. But, the great thing about Brian is that he knows how to keep the momentum of the tour. He did this by explaining the history of what happened (the full gruesome truth), in a very serious where appropriate, but also using humour. He kept the whole tour upbeat and fun, cracking jokes along the way. And the jokes kept coming and we loved it. "Busoke" in the mix too. Not karaoke but bus... You'll know what I mean if you are lucky enough to have Brian as your Hairy Coo Driver/Tour Guide. I especially loved seeing the red and black Hairy coo's and feeding them. They are sooo cute. Tip: The additional cost of the Loch Ness Boat Tour is full of really interesting facts and well worth doing. If we are in Scotland again and wanted to do another bus tour, we would not have to think about it. We would definitely choose The Hairy Coo company again. Hands down. It definitely was BRAW (Fun).
    Written 31 October 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Syd’s Local Eats
    Florence, Italy19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My family and I loved this tour and it was mainly thanks to Stephen and his amazing energy, passion and knowledge he brought to the tour. He even had this amazing music playlist that went along with his stories. So while this is a long day it didn’t feel that long because you are constantly entertained by Stephen’s wealth of knowledge or music. Everyone should book a tour through this company, it was so easy and very reasonably priced. The bus was fantastic, not to big or small and the seats were comfy with lots of storage space above. I recommend you bring snacks and water for the journey due to its length and if you’re going to lochness take the boat tour, it’s well worth the money. Thank you again Stephen you really made this tour special and memorable!
    Written 20 December 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    James D
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2022 • Couples
    I booked this tour for my partners birthday during a short stay in Edinburgh and it lived up to the positive reviews in every way.

    Having never visited Scotland before, John gave us a full introduction to the myths, legends, history and tunes. The scenery was outstanding and each spot we stopped at was another opportunity to see a side of Scotland you wouldn't get staying in the city.

    John was a great tour guide who kept the energy at 100 for the full day, rallying everyone and being entertaining throughout.

    We had an excellent time and would thoroughly recommend this tour to anyone looking to get a taste of the Highlands.

    We may not have seen Nessie, but at least we got to feed a hairy Coo!
    Written 2 February 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Kortney F
    Clearwater, FL3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Had a wonderful time on this tour! Ryan was a great guide. He gave us fun facts during the drive and made stops along the way for us to take pictures. We opted not to do the whiskey tasting because it was only 10 AM but breakfast at the distillery was nice. We took the boat tour and we're astounded at how big Loch Ness was! It even snowed!! Ryan was nice enough to stop the bus to let us look for hairy coo aka play in the snow. I definitely recommend this tour. It is fun, interesting, and offers beautiful sights of the Scottish highlands.
    Written 28 February 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Pitlochry Tour provided by The Hairy Coo

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