Loch Ness & Culloden from Invergordon: Small group Highland tour

Seven hours covering four centuries of Highland history without the tour-bus crowds

A small-group day tour from Invergordon visiting Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Inverness, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns and Cawdor Castle with a live English-speaking guide. Groups stay under 8 people, which is what keeps the stops feeling unhurried instead of a checklist. Bottled water and snacks are included. The coach returns to port at least an hour before your ship departs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Cawdor Castle and Gardens1h 15m
2. Clava Cairns30m
3. Culloden Battlefield30m

Highland historic and scenic tour

• Meet guide at Invergordon port
• Drive past Alness to Beauly Priory
• Visit Beauly Priory ruins
• Drive to Loch Ness via Drumnadrochit
• Explore Urquhart Castle and visitor center
• Drive to Inverness city
• Visit Inverness Old Town and museum
• Visit St. Andrew’s Cathedral
• Drive to Cawdor Castle
• Tour Cawdor Castle and gardens
• Drive to Clava Cairns
• Explore Clava Cairns prehistoric site
• Drive to Culloden Battlefield
• Visit Culloden Battlefield and visitor center
• Drive to Glen Ord distillery
• Whisky tasting at Glen Ord distillery
• Return to Invergordon port

The experience

The tour picks you up at Invergordon port and heads west across the Cromarty Firth toward Beauly Priory, a 13th-century monastery now in ruins but still holding the shape of its abbey church. From there it's a 30-minute drive to Loch Ness, where you stop at Urquhart Castle: a romantic ruin on a rocky outcrop surrounded by water over 600 feet deep, the legendary home of the Loch Ness Monster. The castle has a visitor center, and you get time to walk the ruins and take in the loch itself before the tour moves on.

Next is Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, where you see St. Andrew's Cathedral (the most northerly Anglican cathedral in the UK, built in 1869) and the city itself on the banks of the River Ness. From there the route turns toward Cawdor Castle, a private fortress dating back to 1180 with three distinct gardens (the Walled Garden, the Flower Garden and the Wild Garden) each shaped by generations of owners. You spend around an hour here wandering the grounds and castle before moving on to Clava Cairns, a Bronze Age burial site set in forested landscape that inspired the fictional Craigh na Dun in Outlander. The famous "cleft stone" from the books and TV series is here. The tour then heads east to Culloden Battlefield and its visitor center, where you learn the history of the 1746 battle (the last pitched battle on British soil) through artifacts, re-enactments and talks by local historians. A brief stop at Glen Ord distillery for a whisky tasting rounds out the day before the drive back to Invergordon.

Your guide provides live commentary throughout, and the coach is air-conditioned. Water and snacks are on board. Because groups max out at 8 people, the stops don't feel rushed, and you're not competing with dozens of others for space at each site.

What’s included

• Live English-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned coach.
• bottled water and snacks.
• stops at Beauly Priory, Urquhart Castle, Inverness Cathedral, Cawdor Castle, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield and Glen Ord distillery for a whisky tasting.

Options for this experience

3 options

Group for up to 4 peopleUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 11:00Private tour, pickup by car or minibus

Group for up to 6 peopleUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 11:00Minibus, pickup included

Group tour for up to 8 peopleUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 11:00Minibus, pickup included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 11:00

Book up to2h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site£ 27

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Historic and Scenic Tours Inverness

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want a private guide who meets you at Invergordon port and sets the pace, rather than moving through a fixed itinerary with a large group.

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Top questions

What is Clava Cairns and why is it on this tour?

Clava Cairns is a Bronze Age burial site near Inverness, set within a forested area and dating back over 4,000 years. It's included because it inspired the fictional standing stones in Outlander: the famous "cleft stone" that transports the main character Claire back in time can be found here, making it a significant draw for fans of the books and TV series.

Do I need to pay extra for Urquhart Castle or Cawdor Castle?

Urquhart Castle has a separate entry fee (£14–16.50). Cawdor Castle is also a ticketed site and not included in the tour price, so budget for both if you want to go inside.

What happens if my ship is delayed? Will the tour wait?

The tour is designed to return to Invergordon at least one hour before your ship departs, giving you a buffer. If your arrival is significantly delayed, contact the operator before the tour starts to discuss timing.

Is there a whisky tasting included?

Yes, the tour includes a brief stop at Glen Ord distillery for a tasting. It's the only remaining single malt Scotch whisky distillery on the Black Isle.

How many people will be on the tour?

You choose your group size when you book: either 4, 6 or 8 people maximum. This keeps the tour intimate and unhurried compared to larger coach tours.