Invergordon Highlands: Loch Ness, Culloden & Cawdor Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.95 (161 reviews) 96% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent qualityLikely to sell out

1/13

Duration6h–8h

GroupUp to 33

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Loch Ness legends Culloden echoes and castle tales from Invergordon

You’ll step inside ancient castles near Invergordon, walk windswept Culloden Battlefield with a local guide who brings history alive, wander among Bronze Age cairns at Clava Cairns, and stroll Loch Ness’s pebbled shore—all with entry tickets included and port pickup handled for you. Expect moments of quiet awe and real Highland character throughout your day.

6h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Highland history and landscapes

Visit Cawdor Castle with audio guide
Explore Cawdor Castle gardens
Tour Culloden Battlefield on foot
Visit Clava Cairns Bronze Age site
Walk along Dores Beach at Loch Ness
Explore Inverness city sights
Spot Highland cows en route
Return to Invergordon via Black Isle

The Experience

“If you see a coo, shout out—don’t be shy!” That’s what our driver, Ewan, told us as we pulled away from the Invergordon port in the morning drizzle. I thought he was joking about the Highland cows but he meant it—he even slowed down for every ginger tuft in a field. The minicoach was warm and smelled faintly of wet wool and coffee (someone spilled a bit early on). Ewan’s accent is thick but friendly; he knows every bump in these roads. Our first stop was Cawdor Castle. The stone felt cold under my hand—older than anything back home—and there’s this hush inside, like the walls are listening. I wandered through rooms with tapestries and portraits that stare right back at you. The gardens outside were still waking up for spring, damp earth and wild garlic in the air. Lunch was a boxed sandwich from the castle café—simple but good if you’re hungry.

Culloden Battlefield hit me harder than I expected. Ewan walked us along the moor, telling stories about the Jacobites and pointing out where clans once stood. It was windy enough that my scarf nearly took off; all you could hear were crows and his voice carrying over the grass. There’s something heavy about that place—I’m not sure if it’s history or just the silence after his stories. Then Clava Cairns, which felt older than time itself. Stones arranged in circles, moss creeping everywhere, and someone left wildflowers by one of the cairns. Outlander fans were whispering about time travel; I just liked how peaceful it was.

We made it to Dores Beach on Loch Ness after lunch—the water stretched out silver under low clouds. No sign of Nessie (though Steve the monster hunter waved at us from his van), but there’s a pub right by the shore where I tried my first real Scottish whisky. Smoky, sharp—it warmed me up fast after all that wind. Inverness came next: red sandstone castle above the river, buskers playing accordion near the market, old ladies chatting in Gaelic outside a bakery (I wish I’d had more time there). On our way back to Invergordon we finally spotted some Highland cows—big horns, shaggy hair blowing sideways—and everyone scrambled for photos like kids at a zoo.

I keep thinking about Culloden and those stones at Clava Cairns—the way history feels close here, not just something you read about but something you can almost touch. If you’re looking for a day trip from Invergordon that gives you stories as well as sights (and maybe mud on your shoes), this Highland tour is worth it—even if your hair ends up smelling faintly of peat smoke by evening.

What’s included

Your day includes comfortable port pickup from Invergordon, entrance fees plus an audio guide for Cawdor Castle, all taxes and handling charges covered—and time built in for lunch at the castle café before continuing through Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, Loch Ness shoreline stops and lively Inverness city before heading back to your ship with plenty of time to spare.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by WOW Scotland