Itinerary
- Day 1
Fort Augustus
You'll arrive in Fort Augustus either by train from Glasgow or Edinburgh, then take a bus or cab to get settled. This town dates back to 1729 and sits right on the Caledonian Canal with five locks running through it. There are several museums worth checking out and decent restaurants for dinner. If your train gets in early enough, you might squeeze in a short boat trip on Loch Ness before the day winds down.
Optional Activities
- Short boat trip on Loch Ness
- Visit museums in town center
- Dine at local restaurants
Landmarks Caledonian Canal Loch Ness - Day 2
Fort Augustus to Invermoriston
This is a more demanding hiking day as you work through birch and pine forests with some steep climbs. The views of Loch Ness are pretty dramatic throughout. You'll follow along streams and forest paths, then pass through Invermoriston village where there's a bridge designed by Thomas Telford. By evening you'll reach the Invermoriston Hotel where you can kick back, try some local whisky, and explore the craft beer selection.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walk from Fort Augustus to Invermoriston (approximately 13 km, 3 hours, 249m ascent, 226m descent)
Optional Activities
- Walk along the river
- Dine at Invermoriston Hotel
- Explore local whisky selection and Skye Brewery beers
Landmarks Loch Ness Invermoriston Bridge - Day 3
Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit
Today is moderate hiking with regular ups and downs. If you're an experienced hiker, you can push yourself and climb Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh for views of Ben Nevis and Inverness on clear days. On the way, take a detour to Urquhart Castle, which has impressive views over Loch Ness plus a café and information center. After that you'll finish up in Drumnadrochit, a quirky spot that's got one or two Loch Ness Monster visitor centers if you're curious about that sort of thing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walk from Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit (approximately 22 km, 6 hours, 566m ascent, 611m descent)
Optional Activities
- Climb Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh (experienced hikers in good weather)
- Visit Urquhart Castle
- Visit castle café
- Visit Loch Ness Monster visitor centers in Drumnadrochit
Landmarks Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh Urquhart Castle Loch Ness Ben Nevis 
- Day 4
Drumnadrochit to Inverness
This is a long hiking day, though you can shorten it by taking a cab from Drumnadrochit to Loch Laide, which is known for having exceptionally clean water. From there you descend toward Blackford and pick up the Caledonian Canal in the Great Glen, eventually reaching Inverness. This historic Victorian city has both heritage buildings and modern facilities. With the cab option, the actual walk comes out to about 14 miles/21 km, making it more manageable.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided walk with optional cab assistance from Drumnadrochit to Inverness (approximately 30 km/19 miles total, 8 hours, 477m ascent, 502m descent; or approximately 21 km/14 miles with cab option)
Optional Activities
- Cab ride from Drumnadrochit to Loch Laide
- Explore Inverness historic and Victorian architecture
Landmarks Loch Laide Caledonian Canal Great Glen 
- Day 5
Inverness
After breakfast you'll head out. Inverness has good train connections to Glasgow, Perth, and Edinburgh if you want rail travel. The airport is also there if you need to fly out to your next destination.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Train to Glasgow
- Train to Perth
- Train to Edinburgh
- Flight from Inverness Airport
