Invergordon Cruise Tour: Loch Ness, Culloden & Cawdor Castle

Four centuries of Scottish history in one day: standing stones, a lost battle, and a castle that survived the aftermath

A private guided tour departing directly from Invergordon cruise port takes you through the Scottish Highlands to Loch Ness, the Bronze Age Clava Cairns, the Culloden Battlefield (site of the 1746 Jacobite defeat), and Cawdor Castle, a medieval stronghold occupied by the same family since 1370. Your local kilted guide leads the route; pickup and return to the ship are included, and the tour runs seven hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Loch Ness and Historic Sites

• Board private tour from Invergordon port
• Visit Clava Cairns prehistoric burial site
• Explore Loch Ness, home to Nessie
• Tour Culloden Battlefield and memorial
• Discover Cawdor Castle and gardens

The Experience

You board directly from Invergordon cruise port—no waiting for a shuttle or figuring out transport into town. The driver and your kilted guide collect your group and head into the Highlands. The day opens at Loch Ness, Scotland's most famous body of water, where you stand on the shore of the loch itself rather than viewing it from a distance. From there the route moves to Culloden Battlefield, the moor where the last major battle on British soil took place on 16 April 1746. Walking the battlefield, you see the clan markers indicating where soldiers fell, the memorial cairn at the centre, and flags showing the front lines of both armies. The landscape has been restored to resemble the 18th century as closely as possible—Shetland cows and goats graze the moor as they would have centuries ago.

The Clava Cairns, your next stop, are Bronze Age burial monuments dating back 4,000 years. The site holds passage graves, standing stones, and ring cairns—what survives of a much larger complex. Then you reach Cawdor Castle, a medieval tower house built in the 14th century and home to over 23 generations of the Cawdor family. The castle escaped destruction after Culloden, making it the only surviving Jacobite house from that period. Inside, you walk through 12 principal rooms containing rare tapestries, fine art, furniture, ceramics and sculpture spanning 3,500 years. The medieval tower, dungeon, turrets, battlements and 16th-century vaulted kitchen remain intact.

Your guide provides what the operator calls "Highland Banter"—local knowledge and storytelling woven through the day. Bottled water is provided, and the tour is designed to suit all fitness levels, though the day involves walking across open moorland and through castle rooms. The return to Invergordon port is built into the schedule, so you're back at the ship with time to spare.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off at Invergordon cruise port.
• a local kilted guide speaking English throughout the day.
• bottled water.
• entry to Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, and Clava Cairns. Cawdor Castle & Gardens admission is available as an optional add-on.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by highland bucket list tours

Is this one for you?Pick-up at the cruise port means you don't arrange a car or navigate to a meeting point in an unfamiliar town—the guide and driver find you at the ship, and the return is timed so you're back before departure. This works for anyone arriving by cruise without a rental or local knowledge.

Top questions

What is the Culloden Battlefield like when you visit it?

Culloden Battlefield is an open moor where 1,500 Jacobite and 50 Government soldiers died in 1746. You walk along the battle lines, see clan markers at the graves, and observe flags marking the front lines of both armies. The site has been restored to look as it did in the 18th century, with Shetland cows and goats grazing the land.

Does the tour include entry to Cawdor Castle?

Cawdor Castle admission is available as an add-on at checkout. If you choose it, you'll walk through 12 principal rooms containing tapestries, fine art, furniture, ceramics and sculpture, and see the medieval tower, dungeon, turrets and 16th-century kitchen.

How does pickup work when your cruise ship arrives in Invergordon?

The guide and driver collect your group directly from Invergordon cruise port, so there's no need to arrange separate transport into town or wait for a shuttle. Drop-off back at the port is included at the end of the day.

What are the Clava Cairns?

The Clava Cairns are Bronze Age burial monuments dating back 4,000 years. The site contains passage graves, standing stones, and ring cairns—the remains of what was once a much larger burial complex.

How long does the tour last?

The tour runs seven hours from pickup at the cruise port to return, covering Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, and Cawdor Castle.

Will I need to be fit or able to walk long distances?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. You'll walk across the Culloden moor and through castle rooms, but the pace is set by the group and there's no strenuous climbing or extended hikes.