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.

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 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

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.

Is this place a tourist trap? Yes. Should you still come? Also a yes. We had no idea or…read morepreconceived notions about what we were going to experience here. It is a total vibe filled with a sense of excitement and mystery. I was captivated by the lore of it all. If you don't take it too seriously you will have a good time. I thought it was a bit expensive but other than that worth a visit at least once. I want to believe! Ha!

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.

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

Excellent 50 minute cruise of Loch Neas with stories, stats, and a bit of humor. These guys do a…read moregreat job! There is a bar on board and the restroom is clean.

The weather (although not in their control) was Beautiful, they took us up close to Urquhart Castle…read moreas well as showing us where the live camera was so we could continue our search for Nessie once we got back to the states. The captain explained the sonar and told his own story of catching something peculiar on it. He also let our kids each take a turn at the wheel since it was such a fine day! They will allow up to 2 dogs onboard so if you're bringing yours on vacation do call up and see if they have room.

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.