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.

Great boat tour with Loch Ness by Jacobite! We enjoyed the views, especially of the Urquhart…read moreCastle! And being able to see the depth of the loch underneath us and the trajectory of the boat on the monitors as the boat moved about the very deep loch was interesting. The narration was informative and helped us learn more about the loch and its history. The legend of Nessie was leaned into, in a fun way!

We took this ride as part of our Highland Tours trip…read more After shopping at the gift shop we made our way under the bridge to the dock. You have some great views from here but it just gets better. The boat has both in and outside seating. We did go outside to the front to take some pictures but spent most of the time inside as it was about 45 degrees. The ride from Inverness to Urquhart castle is 1/2 hour. The boat ride which includes admission to the castle (one way) was 20 GBP & well worth it. The Whisky hot chocolate is a must try! Well worth it given the multiple breathtaking views as well the chance to search for Nessie

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!

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

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

The pretty village of Fort Augustus lies at the southern end of Loch Ness and is one of the most…read morepopular visitor destinations on the Loch. The village straddles the Caledonian Canal, the 19th-century engineering project that connects Inverness on the east coast to Fort William on the west coast. Fort Augustus is famous for being the other end of the Caledonian Canal, after the five locks that complete the journey, allowing boats to enter Loch Ness, and travel to Inverness and the sea Stretching for 60 miles, the Caledonian Canal connects Scotland's east and west coasts, running between Inverness and Fort William using a combination of lochs and man-made canals. It was built in by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford and opened in 1822. The canal was first mooted in 1773 but was not completed until 1822. It was 22 miles long and had 29 locks. The canal took 12 years to build and cost a staggering £910,000. It was never a commercial success, though it proved useful during WWI when the German navy threatened shipping off Scotland's north coast. It is now mainly used by leisure visitors. Watching boats pass through the canal on their way to and from Loch Ness is always a popular pastime and you can often find the canal locks lined with visitors. I was lucky enough to see another group of boats go through, both the locks and the swing bridge into Loch Ness

Most people come here to see the flight of 5 locks along the Caledonian Canal. It's a staircase…read morelock system that lifts the vessel up and out of the canal to a higher elevation of a nearby tributary. It works the same way by lowering them into the canal on the way back. We did catch a view of the locks as we passed over on the A82. It wasn't part of our tour due to the season. It's not operational in parts of autumn and all through December. Keep that in mind if you have your heart set on seeing how it all works. We were in Fort Augustus strictly to see the view of Loch Ness that is up the road from this attraction. The viewing point is just off of Oich Road, and it's a beauty. It sits at the mouth of the lake and directly in between the River Oich and the Caledonian Canal. It's where Nessie has been spotted, although she's obviously been all over the lake. Our guide even encountered a huge splash of water in this area during one of his tours that made him a true believer. It's quite possible given how deep the lochs are here. We didn't see her, but we enjoyed a fantastic view from this vantage point. It's so peaceful, yet I can see how it would be a little eerie at night. The sun was just starting to set. It brought a nice illumination on the lake. We hit it at a great time. There weren't as many tourists around. Only a few (including us). The town is quite small with a population under 1000. It's very walkable. There is a woollen mill and a few war memorials. There's also a place called the Clansman Centre that may be a seasonal attraction. Honestly, I think the scenery alone was worth the trip. The view of Loch Ness coupled with the Commando Memorial along the way back to Edinburgh was the perfect ending to an amazing day in the Highlands. Highly recommended!

The Clansman offers lovely views of the Loch, but for tonight anyway, that was all if offered. I…read morewent with my family and parents to get some dessert--just a party of 6--and it felt like we were conspicuously avoided by all the staff. We were there for over half an hour, and after my parents were given their preliminary order of tea, we essentially became invisible. I might have been more understanding and patient if the restaurant had been busy, but it was a quiet Tuesday evening where not even half the tables were filled and there were numerous waiters and waitresses who didn't seem particularly harried. So we finally got up and left. One of the staff thanked me on my way out and I wanted to say, "For what?" Also, for all the lovely views of the Loch, I couldn't stop my eyes from being drawn to the half-dozen massive flies skittering across the windows. Gross. Disappointed.

I didn't stay at this hotel but I did shop at their gift shop: Loch Ness Nessie Shop. We had time…read morebefore and after our Loch Ness cruise to shop here before moving on to our next destination. They have a lot of Scottish souvenirs here along with some essentials like tissues and cough drops. They had a lot of Nessie stuffed dolls and stuffed Highland coos (cows). They even had Nessie condoms if you believe it. The staff was really kind and efficient. I found these really cute Scottie dog earrings in sterling silver here. They also sell whiskey and lots of it. They had gift sets but won't sell any alcohol before 10 am. I bought a few bottles and a small souvenir gift set of Isle of Islay single malt whiskey. They did not permit photos to be taken inside the gift shop.

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.