Loch Ness, Culloden & Urquhart Castle tour from Invergordon

Walk a 1000-year-old castle ruin and a 4000-year-old Bronze Age cemetery in one day

A full-day guided tour from Invergordon through the Scottish Highlands, combining Outlander locations with major historical sites. You travel by coach with a local guide, stopping at Beauly Priory, Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness, Inverness Castle, Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield, where you walk the grounds where the last battle on British soil took place in 1746. Private transport, water and snacks are included. The tour runs 8 to 9 hours and suits groups of up to 8 passengers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Urquhart Castle1h
2. Clava Cairns30m
3. Culloden Battlefield40m

Highland tour with castles and battlefields

• Travel from Invergordon along Cromarty Firth
• Stop at Robertsons Farm Shop to see Highland Coos
• Visit Beauly Priory, 13th century monastery
• Continue over Culnakirk Hill to Drumnadrochit
• Explore Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness views
• Visit Inverness Old High Church and Inverness Castle
• Lunch and explore Inverness town centre
• Visit Clava Cairns Bronze Age cemetery
• Walk around Culloden Battlefield and memorials
• Return to port

The experience

The tour leaves Invergordon and follows the Cromarty Firth toward Beauly, where you stop at Robertsons Farm Shop to see Highland cattle, including a black bull named after the Outlander hero Jamie Mackenzie Fraser. From there you visit Beauly Priory, a 13th-century monastery that served as a burial ground for Clan Fraser and Mackenzie chiefs and appears in the Outlander series. The route then climbs over Culnakirk Hill toward Loch Ness.

Urquhart Castle sits on a promontory jutting into Loch Ness, and the views across the water are the main draw here. You can explore the ruins of this 1000-year-old fortress and walk down to the loch's edge. The spot where St Columba is said to have encountered the Loch Ness Monster. From the castle you continue to Inverness, the Highland capital, where you have time to visit the newly opened Inverness Castle experience, grab lunch and walk the town centre. You'll also see the Old High Church, where Jacobite prisoners were executed after the 1746 battle. Musket ball marks still scar the tower wall.

The final two stops anchor the tour for Outlander fans and history buffs. Clava Cairns is a 4000-year-old Bronze Age cemetery where you can enter two of the three cairns and see the stone circles that inspired Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Culloden Battlefield, where the last battle fought on British soil took place, is where your guide walks you through the main fighting grounds, pointing out the memorial cairn, the well of the dead, clan gravestones and Leanach cottage. The coach returns you to Invergordon at the end of the day.

What’s included

• Private coach transport from Invergordon.
• a local guide in English.
• bottled water and snacks throughout the day.
• pickup and drop-off at the port.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group of 5 to 8Up to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Pickup is included

Group of up to 4Up to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Pickup is included

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Child (5 to 17 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site£ 35

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Highlander Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book the group option of 5 to 8 if you're comfortable sharing the coach and want to meet other travelers. Choose the private group of up to 4 if you prefer to travel with your own party and set your own pace at each stop. The full 8 to 9 hour day is built around walking the Culloden grounds and exploring castle ruins, so you'll need a moderate level of fitness and comfort with standing and uneven terrain.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 17 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Urquhart Castle like when you get there?

Urquhart Castle is a 1000-year-old ruin on a promontory jutting into Loch Ness, and you can explore the ruins and walk down to the water's edge. The views across the loch are the main reason to visit, and the site is where St Columba is said to have spotted the Loch Ness Monster.

Can you actually enter Clava Cairns, or just look at them from outside?

You can enter two of the three cairns at Clava Cairns. It's a 4000-year-old Bronze Age cemetery with stone circles around the structures, and the site inspired Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.

How much time do you spend at Culloden Battlefield?

Your guide walks you through the main areas where the heaviest fighting took place during the 1746 battle, pointing out the memorial cairn, the well of the dead, clan gravestones and Leanach cottage. The time spent there is part of the 8 to 9 hour tour overall.

Does the tour include entry to Inverness Castle?

Inverness Castle is a newly opened visitor attraction in Inverness where you have the opportunity to visit during the tour's stop in the town. You'll also have time to grab lunch and explore the town centre.

Is this tour shared with other travelers, or private?

You can book either a shared group of 5 to 8 passengers or a private group of up to 4 passengers. Both options include the same stops and a local guide.

What's included in the tour price?

Private transport from Invergordon, a local guide, bottled water and snacks are included. Pickup and drop-off at the port are also included.