The ruins of Urquhart Castle watching over Loch Ness, Scotland.

Explore Scottish Highlands: luxury 3-day tour from Edinburgh

Name: Scottish Highlands Luxury 3-Day Tour | GeoCultura Tours
Brand: GeoCultura
Price: 799 GBP
Availability: InStock

Expert guided tour of many highlights of the Scottish Highlands, including Culloden, Clava Cairns and a cruise on Loch Ness, with two nights in a charming and historic country house hotel in Strathpeffer. Travel from Edinburgh to Inverness by train

HIGHLIGHTS & OVERVIEW

ITINERARY

NEED TO KNOW

GALLERY

TESTIMONIALS

Priced including accommodation, for min 2 guests Apr - Sept. Lower prices outside main season.

Prices from GBP From £750 pp

Highlights

Ideal tour for visitors to Edinburgh looking for more than a day trip to the Scottish Highlands. Book our 3-day tour if you prefer to have time to fully appreciate the beautiful countryside and learn about the history of the Highlands.

Travel in style with train journeys through stunning Highland scenery, accompanied by your expert guide.

Dive into the history and stories that mark these lands, from Bronze Age settlements to one of the most brutal battles of the Jacobite Risings at Culloden.

Cruise across Loch Ness and visit Urquhart Castle on the edge of the loch.

Stay 2 nights in a welcoming country house hotel, steeped in history, with luxurious grounds and gardens to explore, in a peaceful location on the edge of the Scottish wilderness.

Urquhart Castle on the shores Loch Ness, Scotland.

Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness

Overview

Looking for a short trip to the Highlands from Edinburgh with comfortable travel and no long periods in a coach? We’ve put together a 2-night tour, travelling by direct train from Edinburgh to Inverness, to reduce the amount of time in the mini coach.

Meet your Scottish guide at Waverley Station, Edinburgh before boarding a direct train to Inverness, accompanied by your expert guide. Check into a welcoming Highlands hotel for two nights including dinner, situated close to the sites to visit the next day. Travel by mini coach for the full day in the Highlands, led by our knowledgeable Scottish Tourist Guide, who will introduce you to stories of Scotland’s history and ‘must-see’ locations, including the famous Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre, the Bronze Age burial site of Clava Cairns. Later, enjoy an afternoon cruise across Loch Ness, and visit Urquhart Castle.

With a small group of fellow travellers, enjoy slow travel in style.

Start / finish: Your tour starts and finishes at Waverley railway station, Edinburgh, Scotland
Activity level: Leisurely, suitable for occasional walkers. (view our activity level definitions).
Transport: Luxury minibus; taxi; passenger boat. First-class rail from Inverness to Edinburgh on Day 5 is included.
Weather: September in this corner of Scotland is typically mild, with daytime highs of 15-18°C (60-65°F) and night-time lows of 5-7°C (40-45°F). Rain is always possible, and participants should be prepared with warm and waterproof clothing.
Accommodation: Two nights at Coul House Hotel in Strathpeffer, a welcoming 18th-century mansion.

View the itinerary

Where you will visit…

Meet your Scottish tourist guide and companions at Waverley Station in Edinburgh in time to board the 10.33 direct train to Inverness.

Accompanied by your Scottish guide, relax and enjoy the scenic journey, passing through beautiful landscapes and Highland towns such as Stirling, Pitlochry, Dalwinnie and Aviemore. The train journey takes just under four hours, arriving at Inverness at 14.15.

From Inverness, the group will take a short tax ride to Coul House Hotel, a splendid Georgian country house featured in the Good Hotel Guide and with links back to the Jacobite rebellion.

Check into Coul House, Strathpeffer, for the next two nights
Group dinner

Cruise boat in Loch Ness, Scotland. — **Cruising Loch Ness**

The day starts with a visit to Culloden, the site of the final battle between the British Government troops and the supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746. Take a private tour of the battlefield with your Scottish tour guide.

Next, your guide takes you back about 4,000 years to a Bronze Age burial site. Clava Cairns is an exceptionally well-preserved example of Scotland’s early civilisations.

After a light lunch, cruise across the legendary waters of Loch Ness. It was formed along an ancient geological fault; we can’t be sure when the Loch Ness monster arrived! You’ll take in iconic views of Great Glen, Aldourie Castle, Bona Lighthouse and visit the spectacular Urquhart Castle, as your guide regales you with stories about these famous places.

Hotel: Coul House, Strathpeffer
Final group dinner

The hills around Coul House Hotel in the the Scottish Highlands.

The hills around Coul House Hotel in the Scottish Highlands

Linger over your last breakfast of the tour at Coul House, then transfer with the group by taxi to Inverness station to catch the 1050 train to Edinburgh. Share your tour memories as you travel first class. Your tour ends when you arrive back in the Scottish capital at 14.29.

Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access.

Need to know

Price on application for single occupancy of a double room.

Your tour starts and finishes at Waverley Railway Station, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The activity level is rated as LEISURELY (view our activity level definitions) and is suitable for occasional walkers.

Luxury minibus; taxi; passenger boat. Return rail travel from Inverness to Edinburgh is included.

September in this corner of Scotland is typically mild, with daytime highs of 15-18°C (60-65°F) and night-time lows of 5-7°C (40-45°F). Rain is always possible, and participants should be prepared with warm and waterproof clothing.

The tour includes:

The services of your tour guide from start of rail journey to Inverness on Day 1 through to breakfast the final morning.
Transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including taxi journeys from hotel to Inverness Station
Accommodation costs for the two nights, assuming double occupancy rooms (single occupancy – small surcharge)
All breakfasts, lunch on Day 2, and dinners on Days 1 & 2
Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour
All service charges and most gratuities

The tour excludes:

Participants are required to carry their own health and travel insurance.
Extra or optional activities not described in the tour
Personal expenditures, any drinks with meals, and extras at the hotel
Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour. However, at extra cost we can arrange pick up from Edinburgh airport. Please contact us for details
Passport and visa fees

Nights 1 & 2: Coul House Hotel, Strathpeffer

Coul House Hotel

A stunning Georgian building with wonderful grounds’, this 1820s mansion has been run as a hotel by ‘lovely, friendly’ hosts Susannah and Stuart Macpherson since 2003. Good Hotel Guide (46th edition)

Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternate accommodations of equal or higher quality.

Deposit: A deposit of 20% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.

Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.

Cancellation by participant: A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:

Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded
30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded
15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded
Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded

Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for additional details.

A Highland cow.

Cruise boat in Loch Ness.

The ruins of Urquhart Castle watching over Loch Ness.

Clava Cairns near Inverness.

Old Leanach Cottage on the Culloden battlefield near Inverness.

VIEW TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials

We had never been on a private tour before and I had my trepidation, but you could not have picked a better guide for us than Ali Motion…her knowledge, her enthusiasm, her flexibility, her sense of humor, her joy at what she is doing, and her personality all made for an exceptional experience…but above all, Ali listened and did her best to modify plans and have the days match our desires with some surprises that delighted – like the unexpected walk with the Highland Coos!

I would not hesitate to use GeoCultura again and have highly recommended you to our friends.

Scotland and Isle of Skye, Gina & Dave B, June 2024

We had the absolutely best trip to the Highlands! We have been on many tours, and our guide, Ali, was one of the best ever! We would highly recommend this adventure!

Scottish Highlands, Scotland, Lisa H, September 2023

We thoroughly enjoyed the Highlands tour. Learned so much about the landscape, the history of the Clearances, the Clans and the Battle of Culloden. I got home and ordered a small selection of books for further reading! The company was great and the accommodation was excellent, especially the Coul House Hotel. Amazing hospitality there, beautiful grounds, walks from the doorstep, and great food.