This is where our tour guide dropped us off to take an hour cruise on Loch Ness. My friend and I…read moretook a bunch of pictures before our boat arrived. Great views of the lake, the clouds and the hills, but no Nessie in sight. :( There is a small kiosk where you can buy your ticket. There is also a small covered waiting area for the boat. Even if you weren't taking a cruise, this would be a good place to stop and take pictures by the Loch. The last time I was in Loch Ness was 24 years ago, so it's been a while for me. It was nice to be back and see Loch Ness again!

Yes it is gimicky but a fun one to indulge in. This center is really well designed and organized…read more It was fun and educational and they have a good laugh at the whole "monster" thing themselves.

Oh, the cutest little Nessie that ever lived. The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition as it existed on my…read morevisit on Tuesday 9 July 2019, focused on the dynamic of in-person reports of a Loch Ness "monster", a big friendly giant named Nessie, and scientists/people armed with technology trying to discredit those accounts. Much of the displays provided helpful historical context both of a supposed "monster" and sea creatures in the area that carried/carry cultural significance before their numbers started to dwindle due to poaching by humans and death by marine technology (like fishing nets and getting hit by motorized boats). Moving forward, scientists these days would probably just mutilate Nessie in the name of discovery if they found it. They would probably even say the original discovery was theirs - an attempt at erasing the voices and consistency of many reports by everyday people that have existed for decades before my writing this on Thursday 8 June 2023. Just kind of the flavor of science these days, take what everyday people have done and say it was science all along. In the name of fairness then, did/does this centre and exhibition really exist or will all those that visit the exhibit and say they did later be discredited... The exhibition is part of a larger centre. I found some fun items in a gift shop including a small book on the origin of the Clan Ogilvie for some family friends. Prices were good. Traffic picked up during my visit (arrived around 10:45 a.m. and departed about an hour later). There was an overflow/larger parking area past the smaller parking area by the entrance to the exhibit. I was fortunate to have a spot in the smaller area free up as I arrived. Though, both parking lots are relatively close to the centre.

This was a fun tour and what you'd expect. You travel up the channel and around the Loch. They…read moreprovide a lot of interesting history to keep you entertained. Of course, you don't see the Loch Ness monster. The tour is disability accessible. Bring lunch as they only have snacks for sale. With your purchase, you get a " Highland hot chocolate", that's hot chocolate with whiskey. We were there at the same time as a gray and blue haired bus tour and they should consider renaming this the "Loch Ness booze cruise" as there a good amount of semi-rowdy 70 year old women hitting the bar.

The biggest search for the Loch Ness Monster in five decades got underway in the Scottish Highlands…read moreon Saturday, August 26, 2023! Researchers and enthusiasts from around the world braved this pelting rain to try and track down the elusive Nessie. The expedition deployed drones with thermal scanners, boats with infrared cameras and an underwater hydrophone to try to unravel a mystery that has captivated the world for generations. I never got a glimpse of Nessie, glad she stayed hidden on this journey! Maybe my next adventure here I'll get to see her! I met some incredible people this visit. I had no idea when I planned this holiday that this is what I would be getting into! Pure luck and I loved every moment! August 2023

We were looking for a fun Loch Ness boat tour but didn't want to sit through a 3-hour cruise or…read moreextensive history lesson, and we found the perfect option: the Beastie Boats! The Beastie Boat tour is the perfect hour-long tour of the loch. The boat ride was smooth and our captain, Simon, was great! He gave us the history highlights, pointed out the wildlife, and we even saw Nessie. ;) Thanks for a great experience!

There is not a better way to tour Loch Ness than Beastie Boats! If you are interested in exploring…read morethe Loch on a high speed, wind in your face, slightly bumpy ride, then this is the way to go. You can cover more of the Loch in this high speed extra large zodiac boat and get more of a feel for the Loch and Nessy beneath. Our tour was small only 6-7 people total and the boat will hold a maximum of 16 I think. You are right on the water and can reach down and feel the frigid, murky waters. Periodically the driver will stop to give a short talk about what you are seeing or where Nessy was spotted on such and such day. The tour is only an hour which is the right timing for me and my family. Pelase try this tour if you get a cahnce.

Fun, informative cruise on Loch Ness! Went out on a beautiful day!…read more We started on the upper deck, which was fun with the wind blowing through my hair, but the seats aren't very comfortable. Eventually we made it to the lower deck. The seats are much more comfortable and it's warmer! Short, quick cruise!

Whilst enjoying a day tour on a bus from Edinburgh to Loch Ness, we were given the option of taking…read morea cruise ON Loch Ness. Naturally, there was no way we would pass that up, and it was excellent. The cruise on Loch Ness was aboard the Spirit of Loch Ness. We were able to choose between inside seating or rooftop seats. We started up top and ended the 1-hr cruise inside. During the cruise, we received a lot of extremely fascinating information from one of the guides about the Loch (size, depth, etc), and also some of the creatures that live in Loch Ness. There were televisions and speakers throughout the ship to watch and listen on. Now, I won't tell you whether or not we saw Nessie during our cruise, but I will say I have a video that I show my closest friends and family who ask. I don't know why anyone would visit Loch Ness without going out on the Loch, but if you're on the fence, I absolutely recommend doing it, and Cruise Loch Ness was an excellent company to tour with. Also- the ship had bathrooms and a bar, just FYI.

Cromarty is a small village situated on the black isle. Where I grew up I looked onto cromarty. On…read moreour side of the water we get the seals on there side they get the dolphins. We arrived and were greeted, they explained a wee bit about what was going to happen and what we might see. They then got us decked out in waterproof gear and life jackets. You then take a short walk down to the Harbour and get in the boat. The seats in the boat are like you are sitting on horse back. After two hours my bum felt a little sore. Then we were off, we passed by the massive rigs that are docked at Nigg and then went through the Souters on our search for dolphins. As the dolphins are wild there is a chance you won't see any so the first 40 minutes our eyes were searching the water. A seal popped up and splashed back in but no dolphins. The lady taking the tour had the loveliest relaxing voice and she told us things about the places we were passing, which was really interesting. She then told us they could see dolphins up ahead. You could see way in the distance some little splashes and movement in the water. We had to wait a little longer but then the show began, they were all around us jumping and splashing. We were lucky enough to see a mum and her calf. The calf was very active and jumping right out of the water, we were told that it was unusual to see such an active young calf. The experience was amazing and the scenery and views alone it was well worth it. I would highly recommend a visit. We were very lucky with the weather.

Gregor was a great tour guide! He was funny, full of historical information as well as silly facts…read morefor our amusement. We did a tour that covered everything that the cruise boat didn't for less and guaranteed us to get back in time. Cawder Castle, Culloden Battlefield, cairns, highland coos (aka cows), Loch Ness even though we didn't see Nessie. Thanks, From Texas