Edinburgh, Loch Ness and the Highlands
This fantastic tour operates six days a week, so you can pick your starting day from Monday to Saturday.
On your first day in Edinburgh, you’ll get to explore the city aboard a hop-on-hop-off bus, taking in all the key landmarks, including a visit to Edinburgh Castle, with entrance included. The ticket is valid all day, so you can hop on and hop off as many times as you like.
Your second day in Scotland is dedicated to exploring the breathtaking Scottish Highlands and the legendary Loch Ness with a fully guided tour operated by Highland Explorer Tours.
On your final day you have the entire day to discover Edinburgh at your own pace before catching an evening train back to London.
Accommodation is by carefully selected, centrally located 3-star hotel, with breakfast included. Standard facilities including private shower, toilet, television and tea/coffee making facilities are available.
Prices are variable according to season, with lower season prices (November – March) and higher season prices (April – October).
Midweek 3-day tour by rail to Scotland highlights
Highlights:
- Round-trip train tickets to Edinburgh with reserved seats
- Stay two nights in a centrally located 3-star Edinburgh hotel, with breakfast
- Hop-on hop-off Sightseeing tour of Edinburgh
- Entry ticket to Edinburgh Castle
- A free Edinburgh city map and information booklet
- Day Tour to Loch Ness & the Scottish Highlands
- Cheaper rates for off-season tickets
Edinburgh, Loch Ness and the Highlands from London details
Tour runs 6 days a week: every Monday – Saturday.
Outbound
6.30am – check in at London Kings Cross Railway Station, 7am – departure
11.22am – arrival in Edinburgh.
Return
5.30pm – train leaves from Waverley Station
10.15pm – arrival back at London Kings Cross Railway Station.
Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Edinburgh/Edinburgh Castle
It’s a very early morning start to the tour from London Kings Cross Station. This enables a late morning arrival in Edinburgh with full days sightseeing ahead.
The train journey to Edinburgh takes approximately 4 1/2 hours. On arrival, you will make your own way to your central Edinburgh hotel and start exploring this exciting city.
You have included a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour to make the most of your time in Edinburgh. There are frequent departures every twenty to thirty minutes so you will not have to wait for too long.
You can choose to visit Edinburgh Castle on this day; a 1,100-year-old fortress built on Castle Rock, a long-extinct volcano. Explore the long, bloody history of the castle, from its time as a military fortress, royal residence and prison of war.
Alternatively, you can save the tickets for your final day.
Day trip to the Highlands of Scotland and Loch Ness
An amazing trip to Loch Ness and the chance to go Monster hunting! Heading north from Edinburgh you will pass the imposing ramparts of Stirling Castle, skirt the Trossachs (Rob Roy country) before crossing the wilds of Rannoch Moor and onto dramatic Glencoe.
Your tour takes you past Fort William and Britain’s highest mountain, the mighty Ben Nevis before following the Great Glen and stopping in the village of Fort Augustus by the shores of the mysterious Loch Ness. You will have between 90-120 minutes at Fort Augustus.
You have the option to take a boat trip on Loch Ness, explore or simply relax in a pretty Highland village. Lunch is a locally produced picnic lunch.
Return journey passes through ‘Monarch of the Glen’ country, south to Perthshire and the historic town of Dunkeld. Finally on your entry into Edinburgh you will get a spectacular view of the Forth Bridges, before arriving back in the Capital around 8pm.
Edinburgh free time
This is your day to have to yourself a full free day in Edinburgh to visit one of the many amazing attractions on offer. You could take a walk down the Royal Mile, or a trip to the Holyrood Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Or you might choose one of the many museums and galleries in Edinburgh to visit.
If you wish you could take a walk through Holyrood Park, then climb over Salisbury Crags and onto Arthur’s Seat, with breathtaking views over the city of Edinburgh.
If you did not visit Edinburgh Castle on your first day, this would be your last chance to visit before departure for your train back to London very late afternoon.
Your hotel accommodation – 3-star hotel or bed and breakfast
Accommodation is by carefully selected, centrally located 3-star hotel, with breakfast included, or Bed and Breakfast.
Standard facilities including private shower, toilet, television and tea/coffee making facilities are available.
Prices & tour reservations
Occasionally, during special events, there might be minor adjustments to the tour, schedule, or pricing, so it’s a good idea to verify the details on the booking page. Additional dates are frequently added during long holiday weekends, especially for Easter and New Year.
Prices vary depending on departure date reflecting the seasonal accommodation rates in Edinburgh.
You will be emailed a confirmation with a booking reference after reservation. The booking reference and the name of the person ordering is all that you need to quote when joining the tour, there are no paper tickets.