- 23 milesLength of the loch
- 50 min–2 hrTypical cruise
- £14Urquhart Castle, adult online
- FreeDores, Foyers, Fort Augustus locks
- Year-roundCruises, castle & exhibition
Pick Two or Three Experiences That Sit Close Together
Loch Ness is not one attraction. It is a 23-mile stretch of water surrounded by castles, villages, waterfalls, walking trails, cruise departure points and enough Nessie stories to fill a holiday. That is why first-time visitors often make the same mistake: they arrive expecting one obvious place called "Loch Ness", take a photo from the roadside and leave.
A better visit links two or three experiences that fit together geographically. For most first-time visitors, our ideal combination is to take a Loch Ness cruise, visit Urquhart Castle and spend some time in Drumnadrochit or Fort Augustus. With a full day and a car, add the quieter eastern shore, the Falls of Foyers and Dores.
Visiting from Inverness without a car, a half-day or full-day organised tour is usually easier than trying to connect all of these stops on your own. The Inverness cruise and Urquhart Castle trip below covers the first two in about 3.5 hours.
The Best Things to Do at Loch Ness
Twelve experiences, who each one suits, how long to allow and whether you need to book.
| Experience | Best for | Time needed | Need to book? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loch Ness cruise | Everyone visiting for the first time | 50 mins–2 hrs | Recommended |
| Urquhart Castle | History and classic views | 1–1.5 hrs | Yes, strongly recommended |
| Cruise + Urquhart Castle | Best overall combination | 2–3.5 hrs | Yes |
| The Loch Ness Experience | The Nessie story and rainy days | ~1 hr | Recommended |
| Deepscan cruise | Nessie enthusiasts | 1 hr | Yes |
| Fort Augustus | Canal locks and a relaxed stop | 1–3 hrs | No |
| Cruise from Fort Augustus | Families and south Loch Ness | 50 mins+ | Recommended |
| Falls of Foyers | A short scenic walk | 1–2 hrs | No |
| Dores Beach | Quiet Loch Ness views | 30–60 mins | No |
| Drive around Loch Ness | A full-day self-drive | 6–8 hrs | No |
| Loch Ness 360 / Great Glen Way section | Walking | 2 hrs–full day | No |
| Full-day Loch Ness tour from Inverness | No car, or more in one day | ~8 hrs | Yes |
Take a Loch Ness Cruise
50 minutes to 2 hours · from Dochgarroch, Clansman Harbour, Fort Augustus or Drumnadrochit
If you only pay for one experience at Loch Ness, make it a cruise. Standing beside the water gives you a view; being on it gives you a sense of the scale. The hills sit differently from water level, the Great Glen opens up around you, and Urquhart Castle looks particularly dramatic from the loch. The cruises come in several very different styles.
Short sightseeing cruise
Jacobite runs 50-minute cruises from Dochgarroch (Enchantment) and from Clansman Harbour (Inspiration). These are good if Loch Ness is one stop on a longer Highland driving day.
Two-hour scenic cruise
The longer Jacobite route from Dochgarroch, Contemplation, combines the Caledonian Canal with Loch Ness and gives you more time on the water. Choose it if you enjoy boat trips for their own sake.
Fort Augustus cruise
Cruise Loch Ness runs a 50-minute Daily Discovery cruise all year from Fort Augustus, plus seasonal high-speed trips. It suits a route that brings you to the southern end of the loch.
Small Nessie-focused cruise
The Loch Ness Experience runs its Deepscan cruise from Drumnadrochit during the main season: a smaller, research-focused boat with sonar and a local skipper.
Which one should you choose?
- Short on time: a 50-minute cruise
- Want scenery: the 2-hour Dochgarroch cruise
- Want Urquhart Castle: a cruise + castle combination
- Staying near Fort Augustus: Daily Discovery
- Nessie is the main reason you came: Deepscan (see our Loch Ness Monster tours guide)
Before you book
- the four departure points are spread along the loch, so pick the one on your route
- Deepscan and the Fort Augustus speedboats are seasonal
- only some cruises land you at Urquhart Castle; others sail past it
Dochgarroch: Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal 2-Hour Cruise
Jacobite's longest scenic sailing: out along Telford's Caledonian Canal from Dochgarroch Lock and onto the loch itself, with free parking at the lock a few miles from Inverness. It is the best choice here if being on the water is the point of your visit, and it stays on board, so there is no castle landing to manage.
Read our full Loch Ness boat tours comparison before booking, or our guide to Jacobite's five cruises.
Other Experiences You Might Enjoy
Loch Ness sits in the middle of the Highlands, and the trips around it are just as easy to book.
From Inverness, day trips run to the Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle, to Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns, and west to the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Jacobite steam train. Glen Affric is a short drive from Drumnadrochit, and whisky distillery tours and Outlander trips fill the rest of a Highland week.
Visit Urquhart Castle
Around 1–1.5 hours · western shore near Drumnadrochit · run by Historic Environment Scotland
Urquhart Castle is the one paid land attraction we would include on most first visits. The ruins sit on a headland reaching into Loch Ness, and the location matters as much as the castle. You can walk through the medieval ruins, climb the Grant Tower, look straight across Loch Ness, learn about centuries of conflict around the Great Glen, watch boats arriving at the jetty and see one of the classic Loch Ness panoramas.
Admission
Historic Environment Scotland lists £14 for adults online and £16 walk-in; £7 online for children aged 7–15 (£8 walk-in); and £11 online for concessions (£13 walk-in). The £2 saving matters less than availability: tickets often sell out far in advance, especially in summer, and once online tickets are gone there are no further tickets at the castle.
Opening times
1–30 September: 9:30am–6pm. 1–31 October: 9:30am–5pm. 1 November–31 March: 9:30am–4:30pm. Last entry is one hour before closing, and the castle is closed on 25 and 26 December.
Parking warning
Parking is free, but spaces are limited and only guaranteed when booked online in advance; you can add it to your ticket at checkout. This is easy to miss.
Want the castle without the parking? The cruise and Urquhart Castle trip from Inverness arrives by boat, from $76. Our Urquhart Castle and cruise guide covers tickets, hours and parking.
Combine a Loch Ness Cruise With Urquhart Castle
About 2–3.5 hours · best from Clansman Harbour or Inverness
This is the combination we recommend most often, because the two do not duplicate each other.
The cruise gives you
- the scale of Loch Ness
- commentary
- water-level scenery
- the approach to the castle
The castle gives you
- history
- time to walk around
- panoramic views
- a proper attraction, not just passing scenery
Best with a car
Jacobite's Clansman Harbour cruise-and-castle trip, Freedom, lasts around two hours: roughly one hour on the water and one hour at Urquhart Castle. Neither GetYourGuide nor Viator sells a reviewed version of it, so book it direct with Jacobite; our Jacobite cruises guide has the details.
Best without a car
The Inverness package lasts about 3.5 hours and includes transport from Inverness Bus Station, a Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle admission. It is one of the cleanest half-day Loch Ness trips for anyone staying in Inverness.
From Inverness: Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle
One ticket covers the coach from Inverness Bus Station, the Jacobite sailing down the loch and an hour ashore at Urquhart Castle, so there is no castle ticket or parking slot to book separately. Two departures a day make it easy to fit around a morning or afternoon in Inverness.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before · secure checkout via GetYourGuide
Visit the Loch Ness Experience in Drumnadrochit
About 1 hour · Drumnadrochit · tours every 15 minutes
The Loch Ness Experience is the place to go if you want to understand why one Scottish loch became famous around the world. It is a one-hour cinematic experience through eight themed rooms, covering the formation of Loch Ness, early monster legends, famous sightings, photographic evidence, sonar searches, scientific investigations, possible explanations and the modern Loch Ness story.
It works because it does not tell you "Nessie is real". The story, the research and the competing explanations sit side by side.
2026 prices
The official pre-booked price is £15–£15.75 for adults and £13–£13.50 for children, depending on the date (off-peak or peak). Walk-in rates are higher: the off-peak walk-in price is £18 for adults and £15 for children.
Good for bad weather
This is one of the best rainy-day options around Loch Ness, because the main attraction is indoors.
Good in winter
The indoor attraction runs year-round apart from Christmas Day, although winter hours are shorter.
Loch Ness Experience: 1-Hour Immersive Nessie Experience
A timed ticket for the indoor tour in the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, the same eight rooms you would walk through on a door ticket. GetYourGuide sells the indoor tour only, so buy the Deepscan boat direct if you want both. The review base is small, so read the recent ones.
Read our full Loch Ness Experience guide.
Take the Deepscan Cruise
1 hour · up to 12 guests · season 3 April–1 November 2026 · from Drumnadrochit
Deepscan is a different kind of boat trip. The one-hour cruise belongs to the Loch Ness Experience and puts much more emphasis on sonar, research, biology, Nessie investigations and local stories. The boat is much smaller than Jacobite's main sightseeing vessels, which gives it a different feel.
2026 prices
The Loch Ness Experience lists £25 for adults and £21 for children, and £350 for a private cruise. Sailings are typically hourly between 10am and 5pm during the season. Deepscan is sold direct by the attraction, not on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Choose Deepscan if
- you are already visiting the indoor experience
- the monster story interests you
- you prefer small groups
- sonar sounds more interesting than standard scenic commentary
Choose Jacobite instead if
- you want Urquhart Castle
- you want the Caledonian Canal
- you want a longer scenic cruise
- you are visiting after the Deepscan season
Not sure which boat? Compare Loch Ness cruises side by side.
Spend Time in Fort Augustus
1–3 hours · southern end of Loch Ness · where the Caledonian Canal meets the loch
Fort Augustus is one of the easiest places around Loch Ness to enjoy without committing to a major attraction. The village sits where the Caledonian Canal reaches Loch Ness, and its flight of five locks runs through the centre. You can watch boats move through the locks, walk beside the canal, have lunch or coffee, look out over Loch Ness, take a cruise and carry on towards Fort William or Inverness.
Historic Environment Scotland protects the canal between Fort Augustus and Loch Ness, including the flight of five locks, as a scheduled monument.
Why Fort Augustus works so well
It gives mixed groups options. One person can go on a cruise while another stays in the village; children can watch boats in the locks, and someone who has had enough of castles can have lunch. It is less structured than Urquhart Castle and more useful as a pause in a Highland road trip.
Take a Loch Ness Cruise From Fort Augustus
50 minutes and up · operated by Cruise Loch Ness · prices from the operator
Daily Discovery
50 minutes · adult £22, child £15 · family-friendly and dog-friendly · available all year. This is the most straightforward option.
Loch Ness Quest 60
60 minutes · adult £32, child £20 · high-speed trip · April–October.
Loch Ness Quest 90
A high-speed run up the loch to Urquhart Castle · adult £40, child £25 · April–October.
The speedboat trips are more about excitement than slow sightseeing. With older children or teenagers, they can be a far more memorable way to see Loch Ness than another coach stop. Cruise Loch Ness sells these trips direct.
Walk to the Falls of Foyers
1.5–2 hours for the fuller walk · free · east and south-east side of Loch Ness
Most first-time visitors stay on the western side of Loch Ness, because that is where the A82, Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle are. The eastern side is quieter, and the Falls of Foyers are one of the best reasons to go there.
Walkhighlands describes the main route as a short but spectacular walk through a dramatic gorge, continuing down towards the shore of Loch Ness. The full suggested walk is about 4.5 km (2.75 miles), takes 1.5–2 hours and climbs 152 m, on steep paths with many steps. Walkhighlands also notes that a bridge on the link path is closed, so you need a short diversion.
Is it worth the detour?
Yes if you have a car and a full day. No if you only have three hours at Loch Ness and have not yet taken a cruise or seen Urquhart Castle. Think of Foyers as a second-visit or full-day stop, not the first thing to prioritise.
Stop at Dores Beach
30–60 minutes · northern end of the eastern shore
Dores gives you something surprisingly hard to find around Loch Ness: an uncomplicated place to stand beside the water and look straight down the loch. There is no castle ticket, timed tour or cruise check-in. That is the appeal.
It works particularly well early in the day, near sunset, as part of an eastern-shore drive, or before or after the Falls of Foyers. Dores is also on the Loch Ness 360 walking route, and for self-drivers it makes a useful contrast with the busier attractions on the western side.
Drive Around Loch Ness
Allow most of a day if you stop
Driving "around Loch Ness" sounds like a simple loop. It is only enjoyable if you resist treating it like a race, because the western and eastern shores feel very different.
Western shore (A82)
- Drumnadrochit
- Urquhart Castle
- Clansman Harbour
- the major visitor facilities
- easy onward travel to Fort Augustus
Eastern shore
- Dores
- woodland
- the Falls of Foyers
- smaller roads
- fewer big attractions
- more scenic stops
A good full-day loop from Inverness
Inverness → Dochgarroch → Drumnadrochit → Urquhart Castle → Invermoriston → Fort Augustus → Falls of Foyers → Dores → Inverness. Add a cruise at Dochgarroch, Clansman Harbour, Fort Augustus or Drumnadrochit, but do not try to fit every cruise operator into one day.
Walk Part of the Loch Ness 360 or Great Glen Way
1–6 hours depending on the section
You do not need to walk around the whole loch to enjoy the long-distance trails. The main routes are the Great Glen Way (117 km in 6 stages), the Loch Ness 360 (about 80 miles, or 129 km, in 6 stages) and the South Loch Ness Trail (58 km in 3 stages). The Loch Ness 360 section between Foyers and Dores is about 22 km, so do not mistake it for a casual stroll.
Shorter options
Good shorter walks include the Loch Ness and Torr Woods circular from Dores, the River Oich Trail and the Fort Augustus Explorer at Fort Augustus, the Falls of Foyers, and Craigmonie and the Divach Falls near Drumnadrochit (a longer half-day at about 10 km). If you want walking more than ticking off attractions, Loch Ness becomes a very different destination.
Take a Full-Day Loch Ness Circuit From Inverness
Around 8 hours · small group · both shores of the loch
If you are based in Inverness and want to see both sides of the loch without driving, a small-group full-day circuit is the alternative to the standard cruise-and-castle package. Rabbie's Complete Loch Ness Experience lasts a full day and can include Dores, the Falls of Foyers, Fort Augustus and south Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit, the Urquhart Castle area and a Loch Ness cruise.
It is a much better choice if you want the landscape around Loch Ness, not just the headline attractions.
Choose this over the 3.5-hour tour if
- you have a full day
- you want the quieter side of Loch Ness
- you want the Falls of Foyers
- you prefer a small group
- you do not have a car
Choose the 3.5-hour cruise + castle trip if
- you only have half a day
- Urquhart Castle is your priority
- you want a simpler itinerary
From Inverness: Loch Ness Small-Group Day Tour with Cruise
Rabbie's circles the whole loch in a 16-seat minibus, taking the quiet eastern road past Dores and Foyers that no half-day trip reaches, with a Loch Ness cruise in the day. It costs about $30 more than the cruise-and-castle trip and takes more than twice as long, which is the point if you came for the landscape.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before · secure checkout via GetYourGuide
What Should You Book?
Not everything at Loch Ness needs a ticket, so the paid experiences are easy to pick out.
Cruise + Urquhart Castle
This combines the two experiences that are hardest to replicate for free. From Inverness, the cruise and Urquhart Castle trip puts both in one ticket.
The Loch Ness Experience + Deepscan
Much more focused on the legend and the research. Both are in Drumnadrochit; buy the pair as a combined ticket from the attraction.
A short cruise, cruise + castle, or a speedboat
Either a 50-minute cruise, the cruise and castle together, or a Fort Augustus speedboat, depending on the children's ages and their tolerance for history.
3.5 hours or 8 hours from Inverness
The 3.5-hour Inverness cruise-and-castle package, or the full-day small-group circuit, depending on how much time you have.
What You Can Do for Free, With Children, in the Rain and Through the Year
Quite a lot of Loch Ness costs nothing, and most of it works in more than one season.
What can you do for free?
The Fort Augustus locks, Dores Beach, the Falls of Foyers, many walking trails, Drumnadrochit village, the eastern-shore drive, Loch Ness viewpoints and sections of the Great Glen Way and Loch Ness 360 are all free or mostly free. You do not need a ticket for every stop. We would rather spend money on one good cruise and one major attraction than fill the day with small paid extras.
Best things to do with children
Nessie does a lot of the work. Our family shortlist: a short cruise, the Loch Ness Experience, Urquhart Castle, the Fort Augustus locks, a Fort Augustus speedboat for older children, and the Falls of Foyers if everyone is comfortable with steps. The main thing to avoid is a day with too much driving and too many ruins, so break it up.
Best things to do in bad weather
Scottish rain does not ruin Loch Ness, but it changes what is enjoyable. Best rainy-day choices: the Loch Ness Experience, a short cruise on a boat with indoor seating, the Urquhart Castle visitor centre with a shorter outdoor visit, and the Fort Augustus cafés and canal. Save for better weather: the Falls of Foyers, long eastern-shore walks, viewpoints and the speedboats. For cruises, wind matters more than rain.
Best things to do in autumn
September and October are excellent months here. The major cruises, Urquhart Castle, the Loch Ness Experience, the Fort Augustus cruises and the walks are all still available, Deepscan runs until 1 November, and visitor numbers are generally below the summer peak. The landscape also has more colour. Note that Urquhart Castle closes earlier from 1 October, at 5pm instead of 6pm in September, so plan the day around daylight, not a July itinerary.
Best things to do in winter
Loch Ness does not shut down in winter. Year-round cruises, Urquhart Castle, the Loch Ness Experience, Fort Augustus, Dores and short walks in good conditions all work. Some seasonal trips stop: Deepscan finishes on 1 November, the Cruise Loch Ness speedboats run April to October, and attraction hours are shorter. That makes the year-round Daily Discovery cruise from Fort Augustus and Jacobite's winter sailings more useful.
How Much Time Do You Need at Loch Ness?
Two or three hours covers the essentials; a full day takes in both shores.
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Two to three hours
A cruise and Urquhart Castle. This is enough for the essential experience.
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Half a day
A cruise, Urquhart Castle and Drumnadrochit with the Loch Ness Experience; or Fort Augustus with a cruise and the canal locks.
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A full day
A cruise, Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus, the Falls of Foyers and Dores. You will need a car or an organised full-day tour to make that efficient.
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Two days
You can finally slow down. Add longer walks, the eastern shore, more villages, the Great Glen scenery, and Glen Affric or another nearby Highland excursion.
Loch Ness Itineraries With and Without a Car
A first visit from Inverness, a full loop of the loch, and three ways to do it by tour or bus.
Best first-time itinerary with a car
09:00 leave Inverness · 09:30 Dochgarroch or Clansman Harbour · 10:00 Loch Ness cruise · 11:30 Urquhart Castle · 13:00 Drumnadrochit and lunch · 14:00 the Loch Ness Experience · 15:30 continue south · 16:15 Fort Augustus · 17:30 return or continue your Highland route. In summer you have far more daylight to play with; in October and winter, cut the itinerary instead of racing the dark.
Best full-day loop with a car
Inverness → Dores → Falls of Foyers → Fort Augustus → Invermoriston → Urquhart Castle → Drumnadrochit → Inverness. This direction puts the quieter eastern side first. Another good option is to reverse it and book a morning cruise on the western side.
Without a car, option 1: easiest
Book the 3.5-hour cruise and Urquhart Castle package, then spend the rest of the day in Inverness.
Without a car, option 2: more complete
Book an 8-hour small-group Loch Ness circuit. It reaches places such as Foyers that are much harder to get to on your own.
Without a car, option 3: cheapest
Take Stagecoach service 17 from Inverness towards Drumnadrochit and visit the Loch Ness Experience, the village, and Urquhart Castle if the bus times work. The bus is cheaper, but the logistics become your responsibility. Our guide to Loch Ness from Inverness covers the bus in detail.
Is Loch Ness Worth Visiting if You Do Not Care About Nessie, and What Should You Skip?
Yes, it is worth it. The monster is the marketing hook; the scenery is the reason to stay.
The real reasons to visit
- Great Glen scenery
- Highland history
- Urquhart Castle
- boat trips
- canal engineering
- woodland and waterfall walks
- the villages
- the road-trip landscape
What you can skip
- A long detour to a random roadside viewpoint: if you are already taking a cruise, you do not need to collect every small viewpoint.
- A second similar cruise: a Jacobite sightseeing cruise in the morning and another standard one in Fort Augustus in the afternoon only makes sense if boats are your thing. Use the time for something different.
- The full loop on half a day: you would spend the visit driving. Stay on one side and combine attractions that fit together.
- Urquhart Castle, only if history does not interest you: even then, see it from the water.
You can spend a full day at Loch Ness without buying a single Nessie souvenir. Not every stop deserves equal priority.
What to Do at Loch Ness, by the Time and Company You Have
Six situations, six recommendations.
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If you have only two hours
Cruise + Urquhart Castle from Clansman Harbour. The best use of limited time; book Jacobite's Freedom trip direct.
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If you have half a day without a car
Inverness → cruise → Urquhart Castle → Inverness. Simple and efficient: the Inverness cruise-and-castle trip from $76.
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If you have a full day without a car
A small-group Loch Ness circuit from Inverness. Better access to the quieter side of the loch: Rabbie's full day from $106.
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If Nessie is the whole point
The Loch Ness Experience + Deepscan. The most focused monster-themed day.
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If you are travelling with children
A short cruise and the castle, or Fort Augustus. Keep the day varied.
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If you have already visited Loch Ness once
Drive the eastern shore, walk at Foyers and spend more time around Dores.
Things to Do at Loch Ness: Common Questions
The best stops, free options, rain, winter, how long to stay and which side of the loch to choose.
What are the best things to do at Loch Ness?
For a first visit, take a Loch Ness cruise, visit Urquhart Castle and spend time in either Drumnadrochit or Fort Augustus. With a full day, add the Falls of Foyers and Dores.
What is the number one thing to do at Loch Ness?
A cruise is the most distinctive experience, because it shows you the scale of the loch instead of a single viewpoint.
Is Urquhart Castle worth visiting?
Yes, especially on a first visit. It combines Loch Ness views with one of the area's most important historic sites.
Can you visit Loch Ness for free?
Yes. Dores Beach, Fort Augustus, many walking routes and roadside viewpoints are free. Cruises, Urquhart Castle and the Loch Ness Experience need tickets.
Is Fort Augustus worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you are travelling between Inverness and Fort William. The canal locks, Loch Ness views and cruise departures make it an easy one-to-three-hour stop.
Is Drumnadrochit worth visiting?
Yes if you are interested in the Nessie story or visiting Urquhart Castle. It is also the home of the Loch Ness Experience.
What can you do at Loch Ness in the rain?
The Loch Ness Experience is the best indoor option. Larger sightseeing cruises have sheltered seating, and Urquhart Castle has a visitor centre, although most of the ruins are outdoors.
What can you do at Loch Ness in winter?
Selected cruises operate year-round, Urquhart Castle stays open with shorter hours and the Loch Ness Experience runs through winter. Seasonal small boats and speedboats may not operate.
How long do you need at Loch Ness?
Two to three hours is enough for a cruise and Urquhart Castle. Half a day is better for a first visit, and a full day lets you include both shores.
Can you drive around Loch Ness in one day?
Yes. The circuit is easy to complete in a day, but allow time for stops instead of treating it as one continuous drive.
What is the best side of Loch Ness?
The western A82 side is best for the main attractions: Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit and several cruise departures. The eastern side is quieter and better for the Falls of Foyers, Dores and scenic driving.
Can you see the Loch Ness Monster?
There is no guaranteed way to see Nessie. Enjoy the stories, the sonar and the search, but book the trip for the scenery and experiences, not for a monster sighting.