Loch Ness and the Highlands Cycling

Loch Ness and the Highlands Cycling

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Loch Ness and the Highlands Cycling

7 Days Starting and ending in Inverness

Visiting: Inverness, Gairlochy, Fort Augustus, Dores, Nairn, Findhorn

Tour operator:

Exodus

Tour code:

C06LN

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 16

Physical rating:

Medium, Low, Leisurely / Moderate

Age range:

18 to 99

Tour operated in:
English
Trip Styles:

Active

Interests:

History, Photography

This tour is no longer available

Tour Overview

Take in the tranquil Caledonian Canal as it winds along through the rugged landscape up to picturesque Fort Augustus at the south edge of Loch Ness. Follow old military roads laid down by General Wade past glassy lochs and cascading waterfalls, stopping for a break in restful tearooms and country inns. Cycle on quiet roads across moorland and visit Cawdor, where Macbeth plotted his unnatural deeds on your way to Nairn. Visit the beaches and head to the eco-village of Findhorn before returning to the Highlands capital of Inverness via Fort George and Culloden, where Bonnie Prince Charlie saw his hopes dashed.

Highlights

  • World-famous Loch Ness: wild, beautiful and slightly mysterious

  • Dramatic gorges, brooding lochs, tumbling waterfalls, breathtaking views at every turn

  • Superb bird-spotting: ospreys, red kites, peregrines, buzzards, magnificent golden eagles

  • Red squirrels, red deer, pine martens and even dolphin sightings!

  • Rich Scottish Highlands clan culture and history

Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1 : Arrive In Inverness
Location: Inverness
Meals Included: No Meals

Arrive in the waterside town of Inverness. Visit the castle with its 360
degree view over the Highland capital.

Day 2 : Gairlochy To Fort Augustus
Location: Gairlochy, Fort Augustus
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Fort Augustus
Meals Included: Breakfast

A transfer takes you to Gairlochy from where your route follows the Great
Glen Way as it criss-crosses the Caledonian Canal and snakes effortlessly to
Fort Augustus. En route you'll pass beautiful forest, peaceful rivers and
brooding Loch Lochy whose sparkling waters and steep-forested hillsides give
a fjord-like feel to the landscape. Your final stretch follows the foaming
River Oich.

Day 3 : At Fort Augustus
Location: Fort Augustus
Meals Included: Breakfast

Spend the day at Fort Augustus, visit the Caledonian Canal Centre and watch
the boats maneuvering the locks or head out on a cruise of Loch Ness to visit
Urquhart Castle.

Day 4 : Fort Augustus (Dores) To Nairn
Location: Dores
Meals Included: Breakfast

A transfer takes you along the Loch to Dores. Cycle quiet country roads
between Lochs Ashie and Duntelchaig. Pedal past the impressive Nairn viaduct
to visit 14th Century Cawdor Castle, the setting for Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Continue onto Nairn, known for its two championship golf courses and sandy
beaches, where you stay for the next two nights.

Day 5 : Nairn To Findhorn
Location: Nairn, Findhorn
Meals Included: Breakfast

Today’s route is an out and back route allowing you to do as much, or
little as you like. It mainly follows signposted NCN routes to the Findhorn
which has a beautiful beach, harbour and small heritage centre. Findhorn is
also home to the well-known spiritual and ecological community of The
Findhorn Foundation. Along the way pass Brodie Castle to see how Scottish
nobility lived from the 16th century onwards, the attractive town of Forres,
home to the Benromach distillery. Close to Findhorn is the former air force
base at Kinloss, once home to the RAF Nimrod anti-submarine squadron and
mountain rescue operations. The small aviation museum “Morayvia” is
highly recommended with many ex-airmen on hand to tell the story of the
interactive exhibits.

Day 6 : Nairn To Inverness
Location: Nairn, Inverness
Meals Included: Breakfast

There is a lot to fit in today so an early start would be wise. Starting
along the shore head first to the spectacular historic barracks and
Highlanders Museum at Fort George. The route then passes the pretty waterside
hamlet of Loch Flemington then follows the south side of the Nairn valley and
under the impressive masonry arches of the Culloden Viaduct, the largest
stone bridge in Scotland. Visit the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Bulnuaran of
Clava which have long been a source of wonder. Across the river and up the
hill lies Culloden Battlefield, site of the last battle fought on British
soil in 1746. The excellent visitor centre shows the timeline of events
before, during and after the battle in great detail. Ride on into Inverness
for your final night.

Day 7 : Leave Inverness
Location: Inverness
Meals Included: Breakfast

Leave Inverness

What's Included

  • All breakfasts

  • All luggage transfers

  • GPS route directions and maps

  • Bike hire

What's Not Included

  • E-bikes (available on request at a supplement)

  • Room upgrades

  • Travel insurance

  • Single supplement

  • Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)

Accommodation

You will stay in 3 and 4 star hotels including a hotel in Inverness which is 5 minutes walk from the city centre and offers a swimming pool, leisure club, spa and free WiFi.

Food

Check out our Q&As

  • What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?

    3 and 4 star hotels

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    No vaccinations are obligatory.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies.

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Luggage transfers between hotels

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews of this Operator

Gergana Racheva  

Very helpful and prompt service

06-Jan-2023

Very helpful and prompt service. I called to check for an already booked trip and once we sorted this, the agent was ready to help me with another booking as well. He actually waited for me to book my flight tickets, answered all my questions, informed me of all my options. Exodus is a tour company I am using regularly due to the quality of their trips, ease of booking and helpfulness of their customer service team

Trustpilot
Tim Hardy  

Stunning walking. Walking the Amalfi Coast

04-Nov-2021

This trip takes you through the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean walking with a guide and also discovering the wonders of Pompeii and Vesuvius. The hotel had a nice feel as family run, spotless and comfortable rooms, we were well looked after for breakfasts and dinner each day, and the barmen fixed some mean cocktails for us.!

Paul Green  

It's amazing what you can do in a week! Cycling the Dalmatian Coast.

08-Oct-2021

This holiday was extremely enjoyable. The itinerary is well planned and the route takes you to a variety of destinations. Not having been to Croatia before I didn't know there were so many beautiful small islands and I loved the ferry and catarmaran rides. The coastal route we took was dramatic and the World Heritage sites in Split and Dubrovnik very interesting and worth visiting. The Adriatic Sea was warm, blue and inviting, good for swimming even in October. The hotels we stayed in varied in size from medium to large. I particularly liked the one just outside Dubrovnik as I had a sea view. Tourists were plentiful in Split and Dubrovnik but in the other places we stayed there was an end of season feel and it was quiet on the roads and in the resorts. The food was good and our guide was always able to recommend a nice restaurant for our evening meal. The weather in October was good for cycling - not hot, partly cloudy most days and one day it rained!

Mrs Y Morrison  

Fabulous company and trip

06-Jan-2023

We went overland from Cape Town to Zimbabwe through Botswana and Namibia. What a fantastic trip. Our first time with Exodus although we have travelled extensively around the world. We would highly recommend this company for such a brilliant trip - we got everything and more all at a good price. Thanks to everyone involved. We are looking at our next trip!

Trustpilot
John Edwards (Google Reviewer)  

I went cycling in Albania...

19-Aug-2023

I went cycling in Albania with exodus as my first holiday with them. Such a well organised and wonderful experience where I met multiple fellow travellers who have been advocates of them for many years. You can't argue with happy repeat customers and I'm planning my next adventure with them soon

Rob Burridge (Google Reviewer)  

I'v just come back from...

17-Jul-2022

I'v just come back from an amazing Wildlife & Wilderness trip in Botswana and I highly recommend Exodus Travels. Our guide Brian, was extremely knowledgeable on both the wildlife and history of Botswana and neighbouring countries. The other three staff, Abbis, Chief & Mr T, who accompanied us through out our 2 week trip, put in the hard work and made sure our camp was always prepared and that we we're well fed and looked after. The tour took us to some beautiful places and we saw some amazing wildlife, and on several occasions this was due to Brian's knowledge of the area and wildlife behaviour. Exodus have been very quick to respond to any queries I had, and the whole experience ran smoothly. I was also pleased to hear that during lockdown they provided staff with food packages 👍. I'd normally go on self organised trips, however, with this trip, the tour and guide Brian took us to places not possible otherwise and showed us things that we would'v missed out on. All of which were the highlights of the tour.

Daphne Partridge (Google Reviewer)  

After 14 roup adventure holidays...

26-Nov-2023

After 14 roup adventure holidays with Exofus we would not hesitate to recommend them as an excitingholiday company. They take you off the beaten track but offer great support and expertise :)

Alison Payton (Google Reviewer)  

I've done 8 trips in...

17-May-2023

I've done 8 trips in the last 14 years with Exodus, and have been rewarded with a 10% discount on all future bookings. I feel very confident that I'll receive pleasant, efficient service, and have the unusual holiday experience that I'm looking for each time. I've trekked to the top of snow-capped peaks, wild-camped in the desert, seen amazing spectacles of nature, visited 4 capital cities in a week, and learned about local culture and experienced local hospitality in a way that I simply wouldn't on a conventional holiday. The quality of the accommodation and guides can vary, but this is mainly down to cultural differences and things that Exodus can't control. I've only ever complained once, my complaint was taken seriously, and I was sent a discount voucher - you can't say fairer than that. I remain a loyal customer.

Jacquelyn Moore (Google Reviewer)  

Food came quickly. Staff very...

07-Mar-2024

Food came quickly. Staff very friendly and polite . However the chef or person preparing the food did not seem to read the menu! If it says a meal should come with vegetables, you should not have to ask for them. They served shepherds pie with garlic bread! The munchies ice cream sundae said it should come in a glass with a flake but came in a little bowl with just a few munchies! When asking the staff were happy to replace and correct but customer should get what they order and what menu says first time round!!

johanna leonor (Google Reviewer)  

If you like to be...

07-Sep-2023

If you like to be mistreated Exodus is perfect for you. If you enjoy terrible choices for hotels and pseudo restaurants Exodus is perfect for you. Careless about their clients and loveless about their propositions. Exodus has been a dissatisfaction and disappointment about every dealing i and my group have had with him. Especially a man called Simone who just cares about the money he can get from you couldn’t care less about service.

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.