How much does it cost?

From £1,099 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,485 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

This is a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager travels with the group from Inverness station on Day 1 through departure on Day 5.

What hotels are included?

Four nights in the four-star Carrbridge Hotel in the Highland village of Carrbridge, set in the Spey Valley.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and dinner each day for all five days of the tour.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys operates nine departures between September 2026 and October 2027, with trips in September, October, April, May, June, July, and August.

What is not included?

Travel insurance and cancellation insurance are not included. Rail connections from your local station to Inverness are optional extras arranged separately.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Highland Adventure

Five-day Scottish Highland rail adventure from Inverness to Culloden

Great Rail Journeys operates this five-day escorted tour of the Scottish Highlands, based in the four-star Carrbridge Hotel in the Spey Valley near the Cairngorms. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout. The itinerary centers on two heritage steam railways: the Jacobite Steam Train, which makes a full-day return journey from Fort William to Mallaig crossing the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, and the Strathspey Steam Railway, a 20-mile round trip through pine forests and rolling hills alongside the River Spey. Between rail journeys, the tour includes a cruise on Loch Ness to the ruins of Urquhart Castle with a guided visit to the exhibition centre, and a private guided tour of Culloden Battlefield covering the 1746 Jacobite Rising. An evening highlights a storytelling session with a local historian featuring Scottish whisky. All breakfast, dinner, transport, and guided tours are included. This trip suits first-time rail travellers seeking guided comfort, history enthusiasts, and visitors who want an introduction to the Highlands without planning logistics themselves.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £1,099 every time.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement is £220 above half the double price, a 17 percent surcharge.
Group size is capped at 30; confirm final numbers before booking if that matters to you.
Rail connections from your local station to Inverness are available only as an optional extra booked separately through the operator.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Carrbridge
Highland beginnings: Inverness to Carrbridge
Meet the Tour Manager and group at Inverness train station, then coach to the four-star hotel in Carrbridge, opposite the historic 1717 packhorse bridge, for the first dinner together.
Day 2railovernight: Carrbridge
A round trip on the Jacobite steam train
Coach to Fort William for a round trip on the Jacobite steam train to Mallaig, crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct with views of Ben Nevis, followed by an evening storytelling session on the myths of Loch Ness with Willie Cameron, 'Mr Loch Ness'.
Day 3overnight: Carrbridge
Cruising Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle
Cruise across Loch Ness from Clansman Harbour to the ruins of Urquhart Castle, with free time to explore, then a guided tour of the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre.
Day 4railovernight: Carrbridge
The Strathspey Steam Railway and Culloden Battlefield
Return journey on the Strathspey Steam Railway from Aviemore through the Cairngorms National Park, followed by a private guided tour of Culloden Battlefield and its visitor centre.
Day 5rail
Homeward bound
Check out after breakfast and travel by coach back to Inverness train station.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2The Jacobite Steam Train travels in vintage carriages from Fort William to Mallaig, crossing the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct with views of Ben Nevis, then returns the same day with time at leisure in the coastal village.
Day 3A cruise on Loch Ness reaches the atmospheric ruins of Urquhart Castle, a 13th-century castle on the loch's banks, followed by a guided tour of the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre with interactive displays.
Day 4The Strathspey Steam Railway makes a 20-mile return journey from Aviemore through Cairngorms National Park alongside the River Spey, with views of rolling hills, Cairngorm Mountain, and pine forests.
Day 4A private guided tour of Culloden Battlefield explains the site of the final Jacobite Rising battle in 1746, with access to the visitor centre featuring 360-degree battle immersion theatre.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
4 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
Breakfast and dinner each day
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,099 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,485 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: This is a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager travels with the group from Inverness station on Day 1 through departure on Day 5.
What hotels are included?: Four nights in the four-star Carrbridge Hotel in the Highland village of Carrbridge, set in the Spey Valley.
What meals are included?: Breakfast and dinner each day for all five days of the tour.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys operates nine departures between September 2026 and October 2027, with trips in September, October, April, May, June, July, and August.
What is not included?: Travel insurance and cancellation insurance are not included. Rail connections from your local station to Inverness are optional extras arranged separately.